Microscope slides as window glass.

Nodrog1826

Nodrog1826

Professional Idiot
Country flag
Going to throw this out there for comments etc.

I have "lost" some of the flimsy plastic window glazing over the last few months, well they have fallen out actually.

Thinking of a replacement, and I wondered if anyone has used microscope slide glass for glazing.

Yes it's glass, but you can get plain, frosted and ink jet ones that come with a coloured end section, which would do what I have in mind.

P1020745.JPG
 
Last edited:
If it's for buildings, I'd go for polycarbonate sheet.

It's pretty indestructible, doesn't get cloudy, doesn't get scratched and can be easily glued.

Tends to come a bit thicker, though - sort of 2 - 3 mm :think:

I've also used it for locomotive window glazing >:)
 
Microscope slides seem to have a mind of their own, if you try to cut them with a 'glasscutter'. - Using a diamond wheel (wet) works, but except for ceramic tile cutters, I doubt many people will have access to one?
 
Polycarbonate as a material came to us in the UK in the 80's under the trade name of Lexan.

We used it in a very high class re-furb of an apartment in place of bronze tinted glass in a fancy shelving arrangement made from square brass section.

It's also used in conservatory roofs because of its durability.

For a while it's been available in modelling thicknesses, I haven't seen it as small as 1mm yet, but then I do tend to look at the cheap end of evilbay.

Not to be confused with perspex and other similar materials - polycarbonate is far more durable, and when replacing glass at 4mm thick was originally reckoned to be virtually indestructible in normal use (not as in bullet proof :D:D ).
 
'Diamond wheel?' A glass cutter is either a hardened wheel or a diamond tip. A wheel creates a fissure in the glass from blunt pressure. A diamond gouges a score in the surface like a rough trench. Bending the glass is required to make the fissure split the glass apart.
I've never successfully cut glass with precision using a diamond as it hacks a gouge into the glass rather than making a clean fissure. It may be better for very thin glass though. I've mainly cut glass from 2mm up.
Some tips. Support the glass on some felt etc. Use oil on the glass cutter wheel so it's axle is lubricated. Apply firm pressure and roll the wheel over creating a clean 'zip' sound. If it is sounds crunchy, you are pushing down to hard. Break the glass over an edge or with parallel pliers gripping the small end. Use grozing pliers to round off corners etc. A light sand on edges to get rid of edge shards so it is safe to handle. Don't brush your hand on a surface where glass is cut as the shards from cutting/breaking will easily stick into your skin.
 
Thanks for the info, food for thought.

My thoughts were to glue in the required slide, inside the building, side by side to get the necessary width for wider ones.
Frosted or white tipped ends ones for privacy glazing, toilets etc.. as in the MPD building on the right of the photo above. ( Smaller section is a staff wash/toilet area.)
The coloured end ones to represent partially closed blinds on the main station building, as opposed to the shopping bag handle ones I have now.
 
For all of the glazing in my coach conversions for the Claptowte Railway is used 1.5mm thick clear plastic sheeting purchased from Evilbay. I arrived at 1.5mm (obviously other thicknesses are available) as that was the thickness of the original, redundant, LGB glazing strips. This means that any seat units and/or roofs fit/clip in as did the original units. If you need opaque windows for toilet compartments, etc., I mask off the clear section to protect it, then sand the back of the 'opaque' window to make it cloudy. I glue in all the window glazing using clear silicone glue. This is invisible when the windows are fitted, does not affect, mark or cloud the clear plastic in any way, and, if you need to repair or repaint, the glazing can be prised off again as the silicone never sets hard.

190806.JPG

David
 
Nodrog1826 said:
Thanks for the info, food for thought.

My thoughts were to glue in the required slide, inside the building, side by side to get the necessary width for wider ones.
Frosted or white tipped ends ones for privacy glazing, toilets etc.. as in the MPD building on the right of the photo above. ( Smaller section is a staff wash/toilet area.)
The coloured end ones to represent partially closed blinds on the main station building, as opposed to the shopping bag handle ones I have now.
Click to expand...
I have suggested Slide Glass at times in the past but would only use it where it fits or is slightly larger if it will still fit. I usually mean Colour Photo Slide Glass, not scientific ones. But I suspect a use could be found for either. Under no circumstances would I personally attempt to cut them though.
 
If you are going to cut the glass anyway..

Charity shop pictures, will give a source of cheap thin glass.
 
I believe there is an easier way. I build my own locos and coaches these days and therefore need a lot of windows. My way is to measure the window spaces with a micrometer, draw them up on my laptop computer and then get them laser cut at my local engraving company in 1.5mm acrylic. The set below are the cab windows for a diesel loco. The upper row are the windows and the lower row are the window frames. I spray the window frames black and glue them to the windows using Krystal Klear. Then I glue them in place, again using Krystal Klear. Perfect windows which last forever at a cost of less than ten pounds.

Regards
Peter Lucas, MyLocoSound
Class 500 Cab Windows.png
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Very cool Peter, do you have any pictures of an installation? Also, is 1mm available, or is that too thin in your opinion?

Greg
Click to expand...
Greg,

Photo of the loco cab is attached. The company who do my laser cutting don't offer anything below 1.5mm acrylic so I don't know. Sorry.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSoundIMG_3780.jpg
 
I have used microscope slide glass in 4mm (00 Gauge) coaches back in the 1980's. Still lovely and clear even today. I do recall it was fiddly but worth it in the long run.
 
ACD134 said:
I have used microscope slide glass in 4mm (00 Gauge) coaches back in the 1980's. Still lovely and clear even today. I do recall it was fiddly but worth it in the long run.
Click to expand...
Sorry should have said microscope cover slide glass. The even thinner glass you place over the
 
Microscope slide glass works well, but it is only 1 inch wide. The glass used for framing and mounting 35 mm projector slides are 2 by 2 inch and considerably more useful, since most windows on G gauge locos and cars are wider than 1 inch.
I have not been too successful in cutting this 1 mm thick glass with a glass cutter, wet or dry, or even in oil. I have devised a method marking the glass with a Dremel Tool and a diamond blade, by running the front butt of the instrument along a straight edge or a ruler. The glass is held against the ruler. Repetition with a good deal of accuracy is quite easy. Snapping the glass over an edge or holding and bending by holding it with both hands at one and of the kerf. The kerf does not need to be deep.
I have glued 100s of windows into different models, cars and locos. I cut the glass about 2 mm larger than the opening for a 1 mm overlap. I position it and apply a number of small dabs of instant glue to the overlap. It runs readily for some distance and sets quickly. This glue is known to fog surfaces. With plastic this is serious, with glass it is a simple matter of wiping it clean, or better scraping it with the sharp edge of a small piece of a broken razor blade. No-fogging instant glue is also available, ask for it. Before gluing it pays to rough-up the surfaces along the edges of both the window opening as well as the glass (using the diamond tool). Gluing glass onto a painted surface will make the bond only as strong as the adhesion of the paint.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8937.JPG
    IMG_8937.JPG
    157.6 KB · Views: 0
  • IMG_9385t.jpg
    IMG_9385t.jpg
    392.6 KB · Views: 0
I have almost always used the 35mm slide glazing. It has a very slight frosted appearance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom