mineral spirits on plexi?

[miyu1975]

Is if ok to use mineral spirits on thr plexiglass to clean.?

By the way do not use thread locker on fiberglass screws..

[Lars]

I'll bet you get a bazillion opinions on this one

I've used it many times without issue on acrylic motorcycle windscreens (think stressed, formed plastic) to remove tar. These days I stick with denatured alcohol. Less oily/stinky and has no issues either.

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

By the way do not use thread locker on fiberglass screws..

Did you get micro cracks? I got.

[miyu1975]

Vlad, yes..I did, within hours. Per vans I removed the plexi glass and cleaned off thread locker residue, and reinstalled....and to not get the screws to tight. The spider cracks are still there, one day to only get worse I assume. Think I can order the rear piece of plexi only?..this for a tip up.

[ArVeeNiner]

What Van's says about cleaning Plexi as well as other tips:

http://vansaircraft.com/pdf/Acrylic_...ndow_Hints.pdf

[dav1111]

I would recommend Todd's Canopies for replacement.

Originally Posted by miyu1975

Vlad, yes..I did, within hours. Per vans I removed the plexi glass and cleaned off thread locker residue, and reinstalled....and to not get the screws to tight. The spider cracks are still there, one day to only get worse I assume. Think I can order the rear piece of plexi only?..this for a tip up.

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

Vlad, yes..I did, within hours. Per vans I removed the plexi glass and cleaned off thread locker residue, and reinstalled....and to not get the screws to tight. The spider cracks are still there, one day to only get worse I assume. Think I can order the rear piece of plexi only?..this for a tip up.

No, they will not propagate. It's really a funny phenomenon. Spider cracks appeared overnight after I screwed the rear window to the roll bar with locktite. It was two years before first flight. They are the same now after several hundred hours of vibration. There is other interesting thing going on with tip up canopy. You can only notice it after you start flying and put some hours on it. On mine there a white powdery spot appeared in place where plexiglass touches roll bar. First I just wiped the spot and thought it was some foreign substance. Then it appeared again. And again in couple weeks. Then I could feel and see little worn indentation in plexi. I will get picture in couple days. I don't have rubber channel installed.

[flyboy1963]

there's a lot of well-intentioned info on here, and the internet....but use at your own risk!
I've used mineral spirits for 28 years on plexi, and never seen any adverse effect. But that doesn't mean, if you buy some hardware store paint thinner that happens to have some toluol in it, and you let it stand on your plexi for a week, that it won't etch the surface!

http://www.aristechacrylics.com/site...es/tb013_0.pdf

above is an example of a manufacturer's recommendation....which appears to limit the cleaning solvents to Isopropyl alcohol, naptha, and methanol ( exactly what concentrations etc. isn't explicit).
stronger solvents are allowable for painting, as they ensure a good bond, and are INTENDED to etch or chemically bond, then flash off, without detrimental effects.
Van's tips are good, and I always like to remind folks that the exposed edge is about 10 times more subject to damage from solvents, the acetic acids in silicone ( loctite?) than the face.

[gear1]

When he was helping me install the new canopy on N5678C, Jay Pratt used acetone for cleaning overspray from the polished acrylic surface. I was amazed. There was some overspray from the final paint, too, and it wiped right off with acetone! I would not have believed it if it had not been Jay that demonstrated it!

[az_gila]

Again, go with a reputable manufacture's notes...

If you have to remove masking tape residue or other sticky or greasy stuff, the safest solvents are 100% mineral spirits or kerosene. Some alcohols are safe, such as isopropyl alcohol, but not all.

From LP Aero...

http://www.lpaero.com/CAREINS.html