adhesive spacer beads

[Dennis]

I am collecting materials to replace the plexiglas ports in our C&C 30 and the instructions call for spacer beads to be added to the adhesive to prevent squeezing it all out and starving the joint. Anyone know where I can get a cup full, not a pail full of .030 inch glass beads?

 

[Gord May]

Small Parts Inc.

Small Parts Inc. (www.smallparts.com) have many different small balls (in small quantities) such as S/S, Acrylics, Dehlrin, Nylon, Poly's, Ruby, etc.Look under Balls at Components http://www.smallparts.com/components/Regards,Gord

 

[Art Femenella]

Butyl Tape

I just changed the acrylic ports on my 1988 Catalina 30. They are set from the exterior into a rebate and overlap the fibreglass rebate by about 7/8". The windows are retained with machine screws from the interior through the rebate (overlap) into barrel nuts that have been set into the acrylic from the exterior. I used a 3/8" wide x 1/8" thick butyl tape(used by glass people everywhere, also available from RV dealers)around the sight size or inner part of the overlap and set the acrylic against it. This left a 1/2" wide x 1/8" deep void space between the acrylic and the fibreglass. I masked the area with painter's tape, filled the void with silicone, tooled the joint and removed the tape. The butyl tape acts both as a sealant and a dam that prevents the injected silicone from dripping to the interior of the window. After a few days when the silicone fully cures, I give a quarter turn to the screws to ensure tight compression of the sealant withinthe void.The butyl tape is also available "pre-shimmed" small blocks of neoprene rubber are set within the tape to limit the maximum compresion of the joint. Hope that helps.Art Femenella