The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Home made window frames for AD trucks

Here's what I'm working on as an alternative to replacement window frames. I got the glass from JC (or if you have the original, your local glass shop can cut them too). Aluminum channel I got from Lowes $60 for everything, aluminum, fastener, and window adhesive.


This works with any bending tool, and I simply started at one end and worked my way around, constantly checking it with the glass.

I used a piece of 3/8" aluminum channel to wrap around the glass. 1/4" square to fit inside and 1/2" channel on the outside capped around the 3/8" where the bends were. This prevents the 3/8" channel from kinking

Lastly I used 1/4" x 1" flat to slide on the bottom of the glass to fasten to the regulator. Then drilled 2 holes on each side to fasten the flat to the channel to hold it all together.

Once everything was dry fitted I ran a bead of window adhesive to keep it snug and sealed

Here's where I'm at, I'm open to any other suggestions

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/...D-4F0A-88CB-8F6695268612_zpsonl42awh.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/...3-4B07-B454-AAB7EB80CE96_zpsgj5cn8ca.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/...1-44FA-966C-AAA00BA3F1E8_zpszeghmosv.jpg


EDIT: I listed outside dimensions of the channel, depending where you buy, extruded aluminum channel might list inside channel dimension

Pretty cool solution. I'm just putting my windows on the bench for disassembly, and planning on having a local shop cut the glass. Any idea what that should cost? Also it's hard to see what adhesive you used, is that the type that starts white and dries clear?

Not sure exactly, I know I can get a tempered 30x30x 3/8" for $50. For the adhesive I used the Loctite brand that's cures clear. Instead of and 8/32" screw for the ends I used a 1/16" roll pin ground it down near flush so that it would fit in the channel smoothly.

Here's on that I cleaned up today, the adhesive is pretty strong, but was easy to clean up

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/...F-4409-AF16-E44B4BC1FEE9_zpscmyrqap2.jpg

Thats impressive. Nice job.

Now if you can just figure out how to do that with stainless steel that will take a polish, you'll be a millionaire. Nice work!

http://www.dkhardware.com/product-10980-sac14bs-brushed-stainless-1-4-radiused-back-u-channel.html

Ive used around 6' for each window

That's a great fix for a rusted out window channel. I really
like the idea of using SS but the core mandrel and forming dies
for the SS would have to be a tighter fit and a harder material
than the 1/2" alum channel that you used.
I made this bender up in order to bend the cats whisker ends
uniformly without destroying them. At the time the pre-bent
ones weren't available. I think dies would be relatively easy
to make if one had access to a small bench lathe. The varying
channel radius could be made easily by step bending them with
this set up:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/123536616

Denny Graham
Somewhere in the frozen north of Sandwich, IL