Making your own screen?

[Ribenapigeon]

I want to make a small screen for my XJ6. I have some 3mm perspex which im assuming will be ok to use. Has anyone else made their own screen? Also is there a particular angle that screens work best at or is it different for different bikes? Are there any design factors I should be aware of? Thanks.

[Matt B]

Just a flat slab of perspex, or are you going to bend and shape it?

Angles - tricky and depend on you height, curve on the screen etc. You could end up directing the air flow straight at your head rather than over it.
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[Ribenapigeon]

I was going to make a flat one first with perhaps just a little right to left curve. Then when I think I have achieved a satisfactory angle make another but make a former with clay and use a hot air gun to mold the perspex to the former.

i've also noticed some screen have deliberate gaps or holes at the bottom leading edge. What's that about?

[WD Forte]

You can probably clamp 3mm perpsex on a moderate single curve quite easily without heat.
Compound curves are tricky.
I've made a few flip ups for screens from recycled perspex
with mixed success and here s few things and f*ck ups I did

Cutting:
Attacking it with an electric jigsaw I found the blade got the material so hot
it 'healed' itself in an ugly way after the blade passed and was still prone to clogging and snapping
For outside curves I ended up using an angle grinder and sanding disc and this worked well
Do it outside though, mucho dust

Drilling:
not too close to edges, support the material, go easy
tape over the hole may help prevent cracks

Bending/heating:
easy does it.
I used a common heat gun normally used for paintstripping
keep moving the nozzle about, dont hold it steady
The perspex I used heated up and got to a workable softness
But, I found too much heat caused it to go crazed and milky and this wont polish out so effectively ruins the bloody thing
oh sodding bollocks!

A jig or former is good idea
I used my welding gloves and big stupid fingers to get compound curves and it looked err 'rustic'
if its too hot the material will take on the surface texture of what its touching
Great if you like the rustic look, otherwise embarrasingly shite.

Basically: play with it and be prepared to make mistakes
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[G]

I've made an 'adventure' screen for my KTM from 6mm lexan - just kept it flat.

I made a curved screen for my R6... from a carpet tile I had lying around. Did the job as well as other 'black' screens you get .

[Matt B]

[barrkel]

[Rogerborg]

[Ribenapigeon]

Cheers thanks for the advice. I have worked with perspex, back in artschool twentysix years ago (!!!gasp!!!). We had a vacuum table with a hood with electric heating elements. Wish I had access to one now would make tthe process so simpler. We used to cut finished work from a sheet using an angle grinder with a well worn out small disc or a router. I have a small dremel type router so im going to try that for cutting out. We used to use heat guns for finishing off but a hot iron for thin perspex actually was easier to use less likely to get bubbles or crazing.

[Suntan Sid]

If you're making a small fly screen, why not just buy a helmet visor.
They come in loads of colours, they're pre-curved and shatter proof.
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