New screen for Timebandit...

[Chris]

I have been toying with the idea of fitting a screen to Timebandit that actually offers some protection from the elements as the existing one cute as it may look is basically not much use unless you hunker down so far that your chin is resting on the wheel !

I have alsway been put off doing this myself as fitting the Macrolon one that Osprey provided was hard enough however I had read some of Nugent's posts and decided it was worth talking to him about how I could get a screen that looks good without ruining the look of the console.

Nugent or Edd invited me to come and have a screen fitted at his workshop nr Birmingham and as with most of these things having a huge factory full of equipment dedicated to cutting, and forming lexan, Macrolon, Perspec etc is a definate bonus.

Here are a few pics of the process and I would like to send out a big thankyou to Edd for his help in fitting what turned out to be quite a fiddly screen due to the Osprey console not being quite as symmetrical as it looks

[Chris]

Picture 1 - Old screen is removed to be used as a template for the holes that are already in the console.

Picture 2 - Ed chopping up some thin sheet to use as a template.

Picture 3 - Marking up the shap on the template, the red line is from the old screen (in hindsite the old screen did not turn out to be a good template it had never been a great fit and caused us some issues later on)

Picture 4 - Template is offered up (looks quite big in just plain white however we kept going knowingit could be chopped down if necessary)

Picture 5 - Cutting the 6mm Lexan sheet to size after transferring the template.

[Chris]

Picture 6 - Trimming down the curves with one of the many hightech devices in tha factory (Ed that is)

Picture 7 - Sanding off any sharp edges

Picture 8 - The new screen fitted but not quite there yet although it would certainly do the job

Picture 9 - Now the slow bit, heating up the screen with a heat gun until the lexan starts to flex then holdign it in place until it sets.

Picture 10 - Nearly there final bends beign completed.

[Chris]

Picture 11 - using the special flame tool to melt the edges and give a nice smooth finish

Picture 12 - THe lexan has a nice green edge to it once cut and finished.

Picture 13 - Final polish

Picture 14 - Screen fitted.

[Mollers]

Ever thought of buying a couple of Geckos?

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Ever thought of buying a couple of Geckos?

Yes and decided I did not want to

[martini]

Originally Posted by Chris

Yes and decided I did not want to

Good choice, people who wears them things looks like a t*t

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by martini

Good choice, people who wears them things looks like a t*t

True, but you can take 'em off. You're stuck with a bus front screen when it's bolted to the console.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Mollers

True, but you can take 'em off. You're stuck with a bus front screen when it's bolted to the console.

Now I have a screen made properly it's about 10 mins work to change back to the older streamlined version. Come next summer I can always swap back.

As it goes the wind is getting colder and for winter boating I would rather sacrifice a little bit of form over function if it means more comfortable winter ribbing.

I know you are a discovery purist so Just wait till I get the stainless steel grabrails fitted you'll be frothing at the mouth.

[tony t]

Originally Posted by martini

Good choice, people who wears them things looks like a t*t

does that include all them brave RNLI men and women...!!

is this the fella that dont wear a life jacket..

[tony t]

Originally Posted by Chris

Picture 11 - using the special flame tool to melt the edges and give a nice smooth finish

Picture 12 - THe lexan has a nice green edge to it once cut and finished.

Picture 13 - Final polish

Picture 14 - Screen fitted.

looks good chris

[matt h]

looks superb, bloody usefull when pissing down dude. nice job!!

[spartacus]

Nice thread and nice job.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by spartacus

Nice thread and nice job.

I would echo Sparticus on that! Knowing the type of weather you go out in Chris,being one of the' Non winteriseing club' I'm sure it wil be a boon!
Being interchangeable,it would seem you have the best of both worlds! Maybe there is some scope for a manufacturer to come up with some type of retractable screen for heavy weather?

[nugent]

Originally Posted by Maximus

I would echo Sparticus on that! Knowing the type of weather you go out in Chris,being one of the' Non winteriseing club' I'm sure it wil be a boon!
Being interchangeable,it would seem you have the best of both worlds! Maybe there is some scope for a manufacturer to come up with some type of retractable screen for heavy weather?

pass

[paul holder]

hi you say the firm is near birminghan
can you give me the tel number and post code
many thanks

[BogMonster]

Nice job Chris

Bet it will knock a couple of knots off the top end?

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

Nice job Chris

Bet it will knock a couple of knots off the top end?

CHRIS already does that....Standing up! It may IMPROVE airflow!!!

[GordyP]

Looks good, better than the goggles I have to wear, bet that will keep you a lot warmer in the winter as well.

[Hightower]

Ed is a master craftsman when it comes to front screens. Looks really good!

Two words of caution however is that it is mighty tempting for crew to use the edge of a screen as a hand hold and it wouldn't take much effort to break the screen. The other point I would make is that you'd want to wear Gekkos to stop you slicing the top of your head off if you stuffed Time Bandit or hit something at high speed. I know as I hit my bonce on the grab rail around my screen when I hit a bigger than expected wave

So it might be worth considering a grab rail around the screen.