Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
schwabd1
Posts: 182
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
First Name: David
Last Name: Schwab
Location: Northwest Ohio

Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by schwabd1 » Wed May 25, 2022 6:35 am

I've been calling around for a piece of 14 1/2" round 1/4" thick laminated glass with 1/2 of it having a polished edge for the monocle windshield for the speedster I'm building..... I only found 2 places that would do it, one wanted $325.00 the other $430.00. I know it's a tricky piece to cut, but does anyone know of an economical place to get a round piece of glass cut?

User avatar

Steve Jelf
Posts: 6463
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
MTFCA Number: 16175
MTFCI Number: 14758
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed May 25, 2022 7:20 am

The local glass shop here was able to cut the curved corners of my windshield glass, and they were able to cut the circular glass for my 1915 headlamps, and they didn't charge a fortune for either. They smooth edges with a large belt sander, which I can't imagine an auto glass shop not having. That too should not be expensive. You might have to go as far as Queens or Brooklyn, but I expect there are several auto glass shops in your area that can handle the job reasonably. Maybe you should just give them specs for what you want and not tell them what it's for. :)
Last edited by Steve Jelf on Wed May 25, 2022 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Alan Long
Posts: 381
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:33 am
First Name: Alan
Last Name: Long
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1910 Canadian Touring Car and 1926 Australian built Utility
Location: Western Australia

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Alan Long » Wed May 25, 2022 7:30 am

I agree with you Steve about keeping the model of the car (or application) quiet.
A piece of toughened glass is exactly that.
When I’m buying parts for my 1966 Mustang I say it’s off a “old Falcon” and generally the price is much lower!
Alan In Western Australia

User avatar

DanTreace
Posts: 3299
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:56 am
First Name: Dan
Last Name: Treace
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '23 cutoff, '25 touring, '27 touring
Location: North Central FL
MTFCA Number: 4838
MTFCI Number: 115
Board Member Since: 2000
Contact:

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by DanTreace » Wed May 25, 2022 7:32 am

The late Ralph Ricks posted a pic of his speedster monocle safety plate glass busted over in line with the bracket, hit rough roads pot holes and it broke.

Glass is heavy too, once did a monocle on my 15 speedster and used plexiglass. Cut a cardboard template then cut the plexi and sanded smooth the edges and glued it in place. Windshields in cars need safety plate by state laws, but an antique car monocle to me is an exception. Anyway the plastic worked out great.



scan0035.jpg
scan0035.jpg (64.97 KiB) Viewed 1718 times
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford


DickC
Posts: 271
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:51 am
First Name: Dick
Last Name: Cruickshank
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Depot Hack, 1916 Touring
Location: Angier NC

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by DickC » Wed May 25, 2022 8:43 am

If you are using an original monocle frame/bracket this comment may not apply. If you are using a "new" frame/bracket please sight it for curvature. I helped a friend install a new laminated safety glass into the frame. All went well and the end result was perfect. The car was in storage for about a couple of weeks, conditioned storage, and when looked at to take the car out the glass had cracked. Sighting the frame carefully, we saw the real problem. The frame was not straight and the pressure on the glass caused the crack. Another piece of glass was cut but this time "tempered glass" was used. No problem after several months. Tempered glass is much stronger and can withstand the pressure apparently. The only problem is that with tempered glass if it cracks, it breaks. The result is a million pieces all over the dash/floor. Just my 2 cents.

User avatar

Rich Eagle
Posts: 6795
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:51 am
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Eagle
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 TR 1914 TR 1915 Rd 1920 Spdstr 1922 Coupe 1925 Tudor
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
MTFCA Number: 1219
Contact:

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Rich Eagle » Wed May 25, 2022 11:02 am

Our local shops are very fair to us. If I drive an old car there they come out and look at it and seem to enjoy cutting my glass. Shops in a bigger city may be different.
FWIW, a Mercer owner complained to me years ago. He informed me that the original monocles were not round but oval. He was perturbed that the new frames weren't right. I suppose that's one more thing for us to fret about although if we have a monocle on a T maybe we aren't as concerned. :D
Rich
When did I do that?


Topic author
schwabd1
Posts: 182
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
First Name: David
Last Name: Schwab
Location: Northwest Ohio

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by schwabd1 » Wed May 25, 2022 11:27 am

The story I'm getting is the way they cut the laminated glass, it has to be scored on both sides and it's hard to get both circle scores exactly on top of each other. So they figure it's going to take a few attempts to get the round cut without scraping a few. Also, once the score is run they heat the area so they can open up the break to cut the vinyl between the 2 sheets of glass, harder to do with a circle. Then, I guess the edge polishing has to be done manually, the strait pieces can be polished by a machine......... What is the feeling of using tempered? I'm just afraid of getting binged by a stone and the thing explodes! There is a local shop that actually builds shower doors that would be willing to make one tempered for me.


ThreePedalTapDancer
Posts: 1419
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:29 pm
First Name: Ed
Last Name: Martin
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1909 Touring
Location: Idaho

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by ThreePedalTapDancer » Wed May 25, 2022 11:53 am

DanTreace wrote:
Wed May 25, 2022 7:32 am
The late Ralph Ricks posted a pic of his speedster monocle safety plate glass busted over in line with the bracket, hit rough roads pot holes and it broke.

Glass is heavy too, once did a monocle on my 15 speedster and used plexiglass. Cut a cardboard template then cut the plexi and sanded smooth the edges and glued it in place. Windshields in cars need safety plate by state laws, but an antique car monocle to me is an exception. Anyway the plastic worked out great.




scan0035.jpg
A200ADAE-E19B-47F0-9DAC-20DF488F41BD.jpeg
C95D1AA8-CE90-44AA-B689-9474C9FB8BA4.jpeg

User avatar

Rich Eagle
Posts: 6795
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:51 am
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Eagle
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 TR 1914 TR 1915 Rd 1920 Spdstr 1922 Coupe 1925 Tudor
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
MTFCA Number: 1219
Contact:

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Rich Eagle » Wed May 25, 2022 12:27 pm

OUCH!
I have that same cast aluminum bracket on my speedster. I think an Elvin Townsend was selling them in the 60s. Some dealers sell a brass one that might be made from the same mold.
"Just Sayin'"
When did I do that?


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6430
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Scott_Conger » Wed May 25, 2022 1:18 pm

David

regarding your question regarding the use of tempered glass: Look at the laminated safety glass monocle in the picture above...compare that to having tempered glass there, which is far easier to break, with splinters of glass flying at your face and eyes in just a split-second. You won't have large slashing pieces filleting you like plate glass, it is safer than plate glass, but it is not without it's very tiny splinters at each cleavage.

So, is it still a question?
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured


Topic author
schwabd1
Posts: 182
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:26 pm
First Name: David
Last Name: Schwab
Location: Northwest Ohio

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by schwabd1 » Wed May 25, 2022 3:02 pm

My experience with tempered glass is it blasts into a million little BB's. The side glass on today's cars use tempered glass. Sure would like to use laminated, but $400.00 for basically a square foot of glass?? I don't need it quite yet, so I'll keep looking. I was just hoping someone here would say "I got mine for $75.00 last month from Fred's Monocle Glass Emporium.... great guy to deal with!"


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6430
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by Scott_Conger » Wed May 25, 2022 4:02 pm

It looks like flat windshield glass for trucks is pretty reasonable...perhaps something like this: https://www.finditparts.com/products/79 ... 73669-L119
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured

User avatar

DanTreace
Posts: 3299
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:56 am
First Name: Dan
Last Name: Treace
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '23 cutoff, '25 touring, '27 touring
Location: North Central FL
MTFCA Number: 4838
MTFCI Number: 115
Board Member Since: 2000
Contact:

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by DanTreace » Wed May 25, 2022 4:17 pm

Another reason I went with Plexiglas was the lightweight . My monocle frame was the repro light alum. frame, that I painted black instead of polishing. It used a simple bolt and nut arrangement for the hinge adjustment, the bolt shared the same duty as clamping the frame to the column.

Even with the Plexiglas, at road speed of 25mph or so, had to really tighten down on that hinge nut to keep the monocle from coming back due to wind force and hitting my hand and the steering wheel. :shock:

Can't imagine that flimsy frame holding a heavy circle of glass without some sort of engineering to the hinge.


Scan0107 - Copy - Copy.JPG
Scan0107 - Copy - Copy.JPG (119.28 KiB) Viewed 1558 times

Now with a real original type, those monocle frames come in lots of designs, and safety plate glass is used as they are designed for old time plate glass....different animal.

Image 5-25-22 at 4.08 PM.jpeg
Image 5-25-22 at 4.08 PM.jpeg (64.36 KiB) Viewed 1558 times
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford


DHort
Posts: 2461
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:30 pm
First Name: Dave
Last Name: Hjortnaes
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 24 Speedster, 20 touring
Location: Men Falls, WI
MTFCA Number: 28762
MTFCI Number: 22402

Re: Where to get monocle windshield glass??

Post by DHort » Wed May 25, 2022 11:18 pm

goggles.jpg
goggles.jpg (3.52 KiB) Viewed 1483 times
Wouldn't this be cheaper? Plus you could have some spares.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic