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How To Securing the window

Learn how to secure the window to the case.

Now you can place the acrylic piece on your panel to check for size differences. If you’re using Velcro, nuts and bolts, or rivets, the acrylic piece should be larger than the shape cut into the metal panel by a couple of inches. By this point, you should have a good idea of how you’re going to secure your acrylic to the metal panel. The extra inches you left on the acrylic sheet will allow you to use any of the following methods:

* Velcro/chrome car trim
* Nuts and bolts
* Rivets
* Rubber molding

If you want a transparent design, Velcro is the easiest method to use. The advantage of Velcro is that you can adjust it whenever you wish. If you have cut a square window design, attach two to four strips on each edge between the window and the panel. The window

should stay in place with little or no movement. If you make a mistake, just remove the window and reattach it on the Velcro strip.
Using chrome car trim requires the incorporation of Velcro. You can use chrome trim to line the outer edge of your metal side panel you just cut. This gives it a cleaner finish, as opposed to the bare edge cut. The trim itself comes in a U-shape that slips around the edge of your cut, with a small adhesive lining on the inside to keep it in place; it is extremely easy to secure. Once you have the chrome lining attached, just secure the window against the metals side panel with the Velcro technique.
Using nuts and bolts to secure the window will require that you drill holes at different points on the panel and the acrylic sheet. With four-sided windows, one in each corner will be needed. If it is a large rectangle, more holes in between the corners will be needed. Remember to drill on the side of the panel that is facing the inside of the case. Rubber molding is probably the most widely used method of fastening a window to a case. It is similar to the chrome car trim, in that it lines the outer edge of the window design you cut from the metal side panel. Instead of adding extra space in your acrylic for attaching, you will need to subtract a little. The acrylic shape will need to be about ¼-inch smaller than the window opening in the panel to make room for the molding.
The molding comes in black, usually with a separate locking strip. The strip is round in shape with three cuts on the side. The side facing inward has a cut channel for the locking strip, while another two cuts channel to fit the edges of the metal side panel and the acrylic window. Slide the acrylic window inside the molding and fit the molding over the edges of the case. Once you have it fitted, take the locking strip and slide it into the open locking strip channel and you will have finished your rubber molding-lined window modification.

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