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pancho
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« on: May 25, 2013, 01:49:11 PM » |
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Well, the shield was scratched up so I took it off a few days ago to work on it. I really wanted to keep the OEM shield as it is made from LEXAN (polycarbonate) as opposed to acrylic as used in aftermarket shields such as Clearview. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with those shields, but I have my preferences. Watch this video to see the difference between the two materials.
Anyhow, I started to sand the screen and saw there was a coating on it and I was now going to have to remove all the coating which would require a more aggressive sandpaper. I went to 320 wet paper then 600, 1000, 1500,, I mean I am really investing some time into this by now and have really messed my shield up. I tried polishing it out from the 1500 sanding with a variety of substances and automotive rubbing compounds, and could not get satisfactory results,, everything I had read said that polycarbonate was hard to polish out. So I decide to look into chemical vapor polishing,, the chemical that is used is Dichloromethylene (also known as Methylene dichloride) which is hard to get without homeland security looking you up, and the vapors are very toxic, so I decide to spray it down,, both sides,, with acetone which will soften the surface with the idea being that the surface tension of the lexan will level it out when hardening as will happen when using Dichloromethylene vapors.... HA.... You can see the mess I had now.. The lower left I actually applied acetone with a rag and made it even worse.  So now I start over again with 600 wet paper, 1000, 1500 and decide to try to flame polish it. Well they warn that it can only be used for edge polishing, and I find that it is true. The temperature between polishing and burning is too close to have any control with a MAPP gas torch on a flat surface, so now I have burns, bubbling and craters in the lower right of the shield.............  And then I decide to try a product called Turtle Wax Scratch and Swirl remover (about 3 bucks at Wal Mart) on a 12 in soft buffing wheel at 2400 RPM... It works..... It works great ...... but I have a corner of the shield severely damaged, and deep enough that I don't want to sand it all out. So I use acetone on the bottom half to soften it and paint it with flat black from the inside...... Not perfect but good enough to ride and I still have my Lexan shield..... most of it anyhow...............What a trip,,, this has gone on over 4 or 5 days..... I'm going riding.    |
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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Dougs2000IS
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« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2013, 02:49:39 PM » |
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WOW very nice write up. Thank You
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2013 Victory Vision Arlen Ness
2000 Valk Interstate (sold)
1997 Ford F150
2006 Honda Civic Hybrid
Go Packers
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pancho
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« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2013, 05:37:38 PM » |
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" I'm not sure what the OEM shield is made of....I'll take your word that it's poly. "
Mine is laser etched in the bottom left.............. it says Lexan
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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BonS
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« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2013, 06:01:03 PM » |
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" I'm not sure what the OEM shield is made of....I'll take your word that it's poly. "
Mine is laser etched in the bottom left.............. it says Lexan
Lexan is a brand name for polycarbonate. |
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Hoser
Member
Posts: 5844
child of the sixties VRCC 17899
Auburn, Kansas
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« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2013, 06:57:34 PM » |
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My oem shield encircled the headlight completely, one of the reasons I replaced it. PIA to remove or put it back on. Hoser ???
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I don't want a pickle, just wanna ride my motor sickle  [img width=300 height=233]http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/ |
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R J
Member
Posts: 13380
DS-0009 ...... # 173
Des Moines, IA
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« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2013, 07:39:52 PM » |
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From what I can see in the picture, I like the bottom half Black.
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44 Harley ServiCar   |
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Michvalk
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« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2013, 08:22:23 PM » |
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From what I can see in the picture, I like the bottom half Black.
I agree! I think the lower half being black looks great!  |
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2013, 09:50:36 PM » |
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I had several Memphis Shades shields in the past with tinted bottoms. Not solid black.
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« Last Edit: May 26, 2013, 07:17:57 AM by Jess from VA »
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pancho
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« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2013, 07:06:20 AM » |
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Well, now I am wondering if this is or is not an OEM shield with the bottom piece under the headlight cut out as I thought, or something else........ Would someone with an OEM shield look at theirs on the bottom left (clutch side) and see if it has a laser etching stating it is Lexan as this one does..??
I thought the black from the inside looked pretty good too,,, much better than completely clear. I may want to strip and rechrome the inside mounting hardware now.
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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Bone
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« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2013, 07:59:42 AM » |
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98 Tourer I bought with 22k miles.
It has Lexan FMR sheet with a made by GE circle.
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« Last Edit: May 26, 2013, 08:09:10 AM by Bone »
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The Anvil
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« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2013, 08:59:46 AM » |
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From what I can see in the picture, I like the bottom half Black.
I agree! I think the lower half being black looks great! Add me to the list of people who likes the blackout look. |
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Boxer rebellion, the Holy Child. They all pay their rent.
But none together can testify to the rhythm of a road well bent.
Saddles and zip codes, passports and gates, the Jones' keep.
In August the water is trickling, in April it's furious deep.
1997 Valk Standard, Red and White.
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Hoser
Member
Posts: 5844
child of the sixties VRCC 17899
Auburn, Kansas
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« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2013, 10:06:11 AM » |
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Well, now I am wondering if this is or is not an OEM shield with the bottom piece under the headlight cut out as I thought, or something else........ Would someone with an OEM shield look at theirs on the bottom left (clutch side) and see if it has a laser etching stating it is Lexan as this one does..??
I thought the black from the inside looked pretty good too,,, much better than completely clear. I may want to strip and rechrome the inside mounting hardware now.
May or may not be oem, but it sure is nice with that black. My valk was a tourer, perhaps the oem for a standard was open. I notice the frame is not a tourer frame, no insignia. Hoser |
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I don't want a pickle, just wanna ride my motor sickle [img width=300 height=233]http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/ |
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Farther
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« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2013, 10:10:18 AM » |
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...perhaps the oem for a standard was open... As far as I know the Standard windshield is the Tourer windshield. |
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Thanks,
~Farther
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Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
Member
Posts: 13834
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Beautiful east Tennessee ( GOD'S Country )
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« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2013, 12:20:00 PM » |
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Well, now I am wondering if this is or is not an OEM shield with the bottom piece under the headlight cut out as I thought, or something else........ Would someone with an OEM shield look at theirs on the bottom left (clutch side) and see if it has a laser etching stating it is Lexan as this one does..??
I thought the black from the inside looked pretty good too,,, much better than completely clear. I may want to strip and rechrome the inside mounting hardware now.
I have no doubt whatsoever that is NOT a OEM Tourer windshield. |
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 I've seen alot of people that thought they were cool , but then again Lord I've seen alot of fools. |
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pancho
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« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2013, 12:25:40 PM » |
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WOW very nice write up. Thank You
Thanks Dougs2000IS,, all in the spirit of passing along info. Farther, Hoser, I believe this shield has had the bottom piece that goes under the headlight cut out of it, it is not exactly the same on both sides, and the cuts are rough...... The laser marking that Bone described on his OEM is the same that is on this one, so I believe this is stock and the OEM,s are Lexan (polycarbonate) , well worth polishing out...... they will not crack or shatter, and may help if you are running towards someone shooting at you.... HA ..... |
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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Valkpilot
Member
Posts: 2151
What does the data say?
Corinth, Texas
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« Reply #16 on: May 26, 2013, 02:46:30 PM » |
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WOW very nice write up. Thank You
Thanks Dougs2000IS,, all in the spirit of passing along info. Farther, Hoser, I believe this shield has had the bottom piece that goes under the headlight cut out of it, it is not exactly the same on both sides, and the cuts are rough...... The laser marking that Bone described on his OEM is the same that is on this one, so I believe this is stock and the OEM,s are Lexan (polycarbonate) , well worth polishing out...... they will not crack or shatter, and may help if you are running towards someone shooting at you.... HA ..... Polycarbonate without a protective coating will scratch at the drop of the hat. I hope the ongoing maintenance effort doesn't outweigh the result you got. |
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VRCC #19757 IBA #44686 1998 Black Standard 2007 Goldwing   |
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Tropic traveler
Member
Posts: 3117
Livin' the Valk, er, F6B life in Central Florida.
Silver Springs, Florida
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« Reply #17 on: May 26, 2013, 06:20:12 PM » |
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I notice the frame is not a tourer frame, no insignia. Hoser
I don't think Honda started putting the "Tourer" emblem on Tourers until 1999. Niether my '97 or Kim's '98 had the emblem on the windshield frame. |
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'13 F6B black-the real new Valkyrie Tourer
'13 F6B red for Kim
'97 Valkyrie Tourer r&w, OLDFRT's ride now!
'98 Valkyrie Tourer burgundy & cream traded for Kim's F6B
'05 SS 750 traded for Kim's F6B
'99 Valkyrie black & silver Tourer, traded in on my F6B
'05 Triumph R3 gone but not forgotten!
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dreamchaser
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« Reply #18 on: May 27, 2013, 08:04:39 AM » |
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All the tests you see are done on brand new "Lexan". It is not UV stable and needs to be coated to not be brittle and to be scratch resistant and good luck finding properly coated lexan over 1/32" thick. I had to do a bunch of research before replacing the dead lites on my sailboat. Acrylic is more scratch resistant, more flexable, cheaper, clearer and it is UV stable. I know I thought Lexan was the bomb too, but live and learn. I read an article by the owner of the largest repair facility in the world for boat, ship and aircraft windows and hatches. His illustration was "Yes, the windows in a fighter jet fighter canopy are lexan as are some windows in Coast Guard vessels. but our government has all the $ they need to replace them at regular intervals (about every 3 to 4 years), and its your $ they are using." Just a quote from a noted authority on these materials. "Don't shoot the messenger"  |
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Bone
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« Reply #19 on: May 27, 2013, 09:26:12 AM » |
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My 98 Tourer windshield frame is marked. .jpg) |
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