Unsafe safetyglass.

[Craig Lewis]

A recent thread prompted me to type out these few notes on safety glass for anyone who may not be familiar with modern practices and current safety standards.

I'd like to suggest there is nothing "safe" about the practice of using Laminated safety glass throughout an entire motor vehicle.


#1) Laminated safety glass = 2 individual panes of plate glass glued together by a .030" thick layer of strong, stretchy, clear vinyl
...like a cheese sandwich

For the last 50 years, 99.9% of the vehicles you see have been manufactured with only a single piece of laminated safety glass per vehicle
....this is the windshield.

In the event of collision, the occupants of a vehicle are deemed to be safest inside that vehicle till it skids or tumbles to a rest.
Laminated windshield's do an admirable job of resisting penetration, in fact although they've messed a few faces...that strong vinyl core really holds together and keeps you off the street.
...gosh I think one would need a 4 foot long 2x4, taking several hard swings, to punch a big hole through a laminated windshield...


#2) Tempered safety glass = plate glass which has been heated then rapidly cooled (usually with air). This process makes it super tough, hard & flexible with no visual change whatsoever
...still looks like a hunk of plate glass except now it's toughened.
..it's weakness??..when tapped hard enough with a sharp object, like a rock, hammer or piece of sharp metal, it crumbles into a realatively harmless pile of tiny cubes leaving the entire window opening unobstructed for a safe and swift exit.
Rescuers at an accident scene can simply pick up a rock off the shoulder and delete the tempered glass in one blow to access the occupants.
........Unless of course it's one of the vintage cars out there which feature laminated windshield glass for each and every window in the car.

Now granted in most accidents some windows and doors will usualy operate after the crash...but for the not-so-lucky you still need to exit in a reasonably timely manner...especially with Model A's featuring "laptop" gas tanks......
Remember, if you look around virtually every vehicle on the road has the back & side windows made of tempered safety glass...for a good reason.

Tempered safety glass can be ordered at most local autoglass shops.
If you want a cheaper price .... do the time consuming (but easy) part yourself and bring them an exact cardboard pattern of the size window you need made. Turnaround time can be a week or two as the pattern is sent out and a truck generally drops off the finished product.
P.S.You can even order it with a pencil-polished edge where your arm rests, just like the original plate glass had!

For the record this isn't a plug for my glass shop...in fact I'm far too busy to take on anymore. There's plenty of glass shop's all over the globe who can provide tempered glass and the cost shouldn't be all that much higher except you have to wait a few days. This is just a stronger, safer & more authentic looking glass choice which makes good sense.

For the "traditionalists" you may consider carrying that 2x4....