Homemade portlight

[Lou_tribal]

Hello TF community,
I plan to replace my two portlight and was thinking to make them myself.
I would like to have the interior ring in wood while in FB for the exterior (fixed portlight).
My plan would be to make the interior in plain mahogany and the exterior using plywood covered with epoxy and FB woven fabric and painted the same white as my boat.
The glass would be tinted lexan or plexi.
The glass would be set in a rabbet and in sandwich between the 2 rings and of course with some caukling like sika or butyl tape or whatever.
Does anybody has any experience to share about doing this? Any advice?
Tried to search the forum butn found not much.

Thank you!

Lou

 

[Lepke]

If you use plywood, seal all sides with epoxy. No bare wood before mounting. Plywood doesn't take getting wet too long. Not many PT boats around. Male sure plexi, etc., will take any possible water/wave pressure.

 

[78puget-trawler]

Most PT boats were burned up at wars end in the Pacific. Their usefulness was considered over.

 

[cappy208]

Skip the Ply. Use Starboard. No rot! You can rabbet, and make inside and outside frames, One of starboard, the inside of Mahogany and screw it together right in place. Use no less than 1/4 lexan (5/16 or 3/8ths preferrably) Use brand name lexan. Not the HD crap. You can shop on ebay for used ports There are usually several pairs there to choose from.

Black Polyseamseal works great to glaze the lexan in the rabbet. Just use masking tape along both edges of the rabbet and after the polyseamseal sets up you can cut it with a sharp razor knife to clean up. You have to 'overfill' the seam because as it cures it shrinks into the seam. (Thus the masking tape to keep the outside of the frame and plexiglas clean of the stain)

 

[Xsbank]

Newfoundmetals.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Sorry for my ignorance but what is starboard ( I do not mean starboard like port and starboard)

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. L_t. Google King StarBoard...

 

[cappy208]

sorry, Cut to Size King Starboard Marine Grade Plastic Sheet

or this: http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ct.do?pid=4145&familyName=King+Starboard+3/4"

 

[Lou_tribal]

Thank you, today again I learned something

 

[O C Diver]

Consider making the lense larger than the opening. If the lense overlaps the opening by an inch all the way around, it will be near impossible to have the window stove in by a wave. This also makes sealing the lense to the boat much easier. In essence, the outer ring holds the window in place, the inner ring is decorative finish for the hole, and the side of the boat is structural.


Personally I prefer laminated or tempered safety glass.

Ted

 

[JDCAVE]

Newfoundmetals.

Yes. I'd go this route.

 

[what_barnacles]

Consider making the lense larger than the opening. If the lense overlaps the opening by an inch all the way around, it will be near impossible to have the window stove in by a wave. This also makes sealing the lense to the boat much easier. In essence, the outer ring holds the window in place, the inner ring is decorative finish for the hole, and the side of the boat is structural.


Personally I prefer laminated or tempered safety glass.

Ted

Words of wisdom, those.