Two Part Epoxy for windows/portholes

[Hornet]

I have had a lot of success using clear two part epoxy (used for epoxying guides to fishing rods) to create window and porthole ‘glass’. Lay the windows or portholes on baking paper which does not adhere to the epoxy. Needs to be left 24 hours to set. I’ve used it for very small portholes as the picture shows.

 

[Senorbob]

I have had a lot of success using clear two part epoxy (used for epoxying guides to fishing rods) to create window and porthole ‘glass’. Lay the windows or portholes on baking paper which does not adhere to the epoxy. Needs to be left 24 hours to set. I’ve used it for very small portholes as the picture shows.

View attachment 542920

the u/v resin does portholes well. no mixing and just a few minutes in the sun to cure

 

[AllanKP69]

Thanks Hornet and Bob
I've used diluted white PVA with success but it is limited in how large a pane it can make. What is the largest that you can make with the epoxy? If it can handle typical panes on 1:48 scale stern lights (what I think you are calling windows) that would be a great option to try. With as many as 40 lights (300 panes) on the stern and galleries it makes your method more attractive than cutting them from resin, plastic, or glass microscope slide material.
Allan

 

[Hornet]

I have used this method for openings up to 5mm. I don’t see any reason for it not working on bigger sizes.

 

[Bob Cleek]

My usual go-to for that sort of glazing job is clear nail polish. It cures quickly and avoids the two-part mess of epoxy mixing. I don't doubt that epoxy works well, also. Back when I was processing a lot of black and white film, I always had a lot of film leader offcuts that, after processing, would be a glossy black film on one side and a flat black on the other. I used to cut out windowpanes from that stuff and had no problems with it. I used Duco Cement to glue it to the frames. The model railroaders have a bunch of products, most being apparently epoxy, polyester, or acrylic resins, for modeling water, glass, and casting. Google "liquid glass" to find some of them.

 

[Dean62]

I have always used Micro Kristal Klear. It looks like PVA glue, but once cured is clear!