Rear View Mirror

This is the place for any magazine-related discussions that don't fit in any of the column discussion boards below.
Post Reply
gadgeteer
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 1:01 am
Location: Ok!
Contact:

Rear View Mirror

Post by gadgeteer »

Since TOPICS have been DEAD lately, thought I'd share a tip...<p>I wanted an "Electro-Chromic-Rearview-Mirror" (electronically dims when your tailgator has his brights on); $250 dealer, $25 salvage. But it was HEAVY --- mount promptly fell off the windshield. And then at least once a year afterards, especially on hot days. Always it was the GLASS bond that failed. <p>SO --- I marked the area with grease pencil on the OUTSIDE, cleaned the inside well and dabbed on some ARMOR-ETCH. This is a hobby cream sold in couple-ounce-bottles at craft stores. In five minutes I wiped it offwith a damp cloth, and the glass was FROSTED. <p>THEN when I glued the little metal mirror mount on, instead of bonding to a glass-smoothe-surface(well duh), the glue found a FROSTED, micro-textured surface!<p>At least 3 years ago, mirror hasn't fallen since.
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 4325
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Bieber Ca.

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Chris Smith »

400 gritt sand paper works just as well.
Dean Huster
Posts: 1263
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Harviell, MO (Poplar Bluff area)
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Dean Huster »

That's weird. I thought that the more mirror-smooth the mating surfaces were (at least back in the Eastman 910 days), the better the cyanoacrylate bond.<p>Dean
Dean Huster, Electronics Curmudgeon
Contributing Editor emeritus, "Q & A", of the former "Poptronics" magazine (formerly "Popular Electronics" and "Electronics Now" magazines).

R.I.P.
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 4325
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Bieber Ca.

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Chris Smith »

Dean, there were several types of glue for mirrors. Some worked best with smooth surfaces, the after market types worked best with a slightly rough surface. <p>3M and Loc-tite "original" worked best with the smooth, the "gray" or "black" aftermarket goo with the rough.
josmith
Posts: 340
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by josmith »

Thanks for introducing a topic that was a step beyond dead
User avatar
frhrwa
Posts: 897
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2002 1:01 am
Location: Eastern Washington (state) and N. Las Vegas (winter)
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by frhrwa »

that's really interesting that there is a mirror that auto dims for you when some knothead has out of alignment/high beams on the back of your head... I'm going to have to check that out.. I had thought of a pair of windshield squirters that would shoot oil back toward the lightforce, but this might suffice... thanks
JESUS”…… don’t leave EARTH without HIM!
gadgeteer
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 1:01 am
Location: Ok!
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by gadgeteer »

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Thanks for introducing a topic that was a step beyond dead<hr></blockquote>He he he! Hopefully it WAS a "step-beyond-dead"... ;) <p>The new Chryselors have the "electrochromic" mirrors. Have NO IDEA what the fluid is, but the mirror is constructed just like a liquid crystal display --- except the BACK surface is MIRRORED (except for a pencil-erasor-sized-hole for the CDS photocell). Now, LCDs cannot tolerate even a TRACE of DC, that will destroy them. THIS however works ON DC. I have two mirrors, one has "dim" and "black" --- "dim" uses a 0.5 volt bias and "black" uses 1.0volt bias. Of course, the mirror has no polarizing filter...<p>Each mirror has TWO cadmium photocells; the FRONT-looking-one senses NIGHT, and will deactivate the circuit in DAYLIGHT. The BACK-looking-one (the one that peers through the mirror) senses the tailgator-highbeam. I haven't figured out why the "darkening" doesn't mess up the signal from the "back-looking-cds"...
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>I had thought of a pair of windshield squirters that would shoot oil back toward the lightforce, but this might suffice... <hr></blockquote>My 1974 Ford Capri had non-electric windshield washers. So the harder you STOMP on the pump, the harder and higher the spray goes. I used it alot for tailgators ---- (stomp-stomp-stomp-stomp-stomp!) and the spray would OVERSHOOT the Capri roof and spray their windshield. I've actually driven a mile or two watching THEIR WINDSHIELD WIPERS, before it DAWNS on them what's happening and they BACK OFF...<p>...if only I had been able to hear their conversation... <p>Call a salvage, Wayne, that has Chryselor parts. Most of the mirrors have a REVERSE-LIGHT input, that shuts off the mirror when you BACK UP. But salvage price will be much less than dealer...<p>If anybody knows what the fluid is, I will appreciate it. It doesn't actually turn BLACK, but very very dark green...
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 4325
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Bieber Ca.

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Chris Smith »

Gm had them 20 years ago on the Olds but theirs tilted a second plane mirror [100% reflective] away or down, and the remaining mirror surface became just a slightly glazed piece of glass, see through, but reflective enough to still see back wards and into the dark, but not blinding. It was coated around 10% reflective? When it was dark, the normal mirror would swing back into the parallel plane and the two photo sensors would do the day/ night trick. They cost $275 in 1980.
gadgeteer
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 1:01 am
Location: Ok!
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by gadgeteer »

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>They cost $275 in 1980.<hr></blockquote>Holy cow! That's what the new electrochromic ones cost! I was aware of the "wedge-shaped-mirrors", but only the ones with the MANUAL lever; didn't know they had AUTOMATIC ones.<p>It's really something to watch one of these mirrors automatically darken.<p>Unfortunately nothing like this exists for outside mirrors. That's why they made MOTORIZED JOYSTICKS; but there should be a better aiming system. When that pickup-truck (they're usually the big offenders) gets close and blasts my mirrors, I just turn the mirror so it throws the light back into his eyes. Usually results in him changing lanes. But if there was a better AIMING system, so I would KNOW when the mirror is targetted on his eyes...<p>Hey, it's his own light; if he doesn't LIKE it, there's always the "GET-IT-FIXED/ADJUSTED" route...<p>BTW the car-parts-store rearview mirror adhesive does seem to be in the "cyanocrylate" group. But I can't imagine ANY glue that prefers smoothe glass to rough surface. A suction cup yeah; but not glue...
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 4325
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Bieber Ca.

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Chris Smith »

There is a "Epoxy Like" one that cures in seconds, if not 20, and the cryo types come in thin and thick. They make them for both smooth, and rough surfaces, based upon viscosity and other things. When I play with critical parts and the cryo types [super glue], I apply alcohol to the surface to speed up the curing. They work on water molecules to start the curing process, called "hygroscopic" curing. Alcohol has some water, and lots of extra hydrogen atoms and does good, and bad things to the glue. If you ever spill any super glue on the hand, or parts unwanted, pour alcohol over it to render it safe and removable when wet.
gadgeteer
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 1:01 am
Location: Ok!
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by gadgeteer »

How long do you have to pour alcohol (we assume isporopy 70%?) after you glue your fingers together?
User avatar
frhrwa
Posts: 897
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2002 1:01 am
Location: Eastern Washington (state) and N. Las Vegas (winter)
Contact:

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by frhrwa »

sticking your fingers together with super glue reminds me of the time I stuck the spoon in my mouth after dishing up some Ice Cream... yep.. stuck hard and fast to my lips... yep again.. ripped the skin right off when I pulled it out.. and yep.. I don't do that no more...
JESUS”…… don’t leave EARTH without HIM!
User avatar
Chris Smith
Posts: 4325
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Bieber Ca.

Re: Rear View Mirror

Post by Chris Smith »

It doesn’t work that way. If you spill, [not stick] SuperGlue, you can cancel it out for safety,... and clean up the stuff using alcohol. Once stuck, is a whole different ball of wax.
When poured over a drop of glue, and mixed in with a non stick item like a nylon adjuster screw driver, or wood match, you can make safe the mess and even remove it all safely.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot] and 42 guests