Windows...sliders please

[senior]

I'm working on my doors which had a fixed piece of plexy in them.
I would SOoo like to have an opening window but got stumped imediately when I discovered the side window is concave to match door contour
How does one go about converting to a slider arrangment...or any other kind of window opening??
Pics anybody? or ideas how to do that

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Windows...sliders please

You mean the upper and lower edges of the opening are both curved? That make a slider kind of hard to do.
If you can make a tight fitting frame you could make a swing out window to fit (which I like a WHOLE lot better any way). It would need to be a custom job and your IA would need to approve.
How did the factory do them on your year/model?
Hank

[mulwyk]

Re: Windows...sliders please

Senior:

1st pic: Take out your old fixed window and cut a hole in it where you want the slider to be. Then glue (silicone) the fixed window, with hole, back into the door.

Make the slider itself by cutting a piece of new acrylic sheet slightly larger than the hole. Yes, it has to be curved. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or so unil it starts to droop.

2nd pic: Then flop it down on the old fixed window and let it cool. The slider will assume the same curved shape as the fixed window.

3rd pic: Trim your slider with a strip of thin aluminum flashing secured with super glue. Make a little brass handle for it.

4th pic: Use plenty of felt strips between fixed and slider.

5th pic: replace the original inside trim (more felt!)

[senior]

Re: Windows...sliders please

mulwyk: That's a great example of how to do it Do you put a seal on the slider to prevent drafts when closed?? Gets awful cold up here in winter!

Hank: I too would like a swing out but haven't the fogiest on how to do it! My door looks axactely like the one shown above. No approval needed in my catagory.

[mulwyk]

Re: Windows...sliders please

There's a strip of felt on the back side of the slider trim piece. Sorry, not visible in the photos.

The seal is, unfortunately, imperfect. Just felt all around. Maybe there's some way to fit a rubber seal?

[senior]

Re: Windows...sliders please

I wonder if a rubber seal would impeed the movement of the window!

Warning for those looking to try above method.
Maybe it's because I used Lexan? but it stretches almost 1/2" when heated.
I was really at a loss when standing at the kitchen table looking to lay a hot droppy piece of Lexan in the door on top of the old plexy & it suddenly won't fit

[mulwyk]

Re: Windows...sliders please

Oh, my! I got a chuckle out of that one. I can just picture you juggling a hot plastic sheet, and nowhere to set it. (It'll take the shape of whatever you set it on...I'm sure you found out.)

Well, I had to run my slider from the kitchen outside and sprint 50 yards to the shop with it, so it was almost cooled by the time I got there. No problem with fit. I used acrylic (1/8", I think) and allowed about 1/4" clearance top and bottom.

[woodmw]

Re: Windows...sliders please

The above example of a slider window has the sliding portion on the inside and to the rear. The pictures of planes that I see appear to have the slider outside and to the front. Can anyone with sliders comment? With the forward slider, is the fix portion sealed to the inside trim? I would think the forward sliders provide more airflow to the occupants. Yes/No? Does a slider really provide much airflow?

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Windows...sliders please

I like the sliding windows. Slider goes outboard and in front so the aft window does not become an air scoop when the window is shut. In coordinated flight there is no flow, but it is nice to put a hand in the slip stream and get a blast of fresh air. If you want flow, a snap vent is a better choice.