Ideas on how to patch a 1/4" hole in window frame track?

[musigenesis]

My bus windows came with plastic stops riveted into the tracks of the upper window that prevent them from being lowered more than 4" or so. I removed one of my windows and I drilled out the rivets for these stops, so now the top window can open fully but I have two 1/4" holes in the track that I need to patch (watertight unless I'm misunderstanding window drainage):









I was going to glue 1/2"x1" pieces of plexiglass over the holes on the inside track, but I'm worried that won't give sufficient window clearance since the plastic stops were not much thicker than that to begin with, and if I glue them to the outside I still have to deal with sealing the rim of the hole on the inside (which is the part exposed to rain).

Cut a little aluminum disk and JB weld it in place? Probably too much effort to get the disks. I'm thinking maybe hold my finger over the hole on the inside and put a dab of seam sealer on the other and kind of smear it on both sides. Won't look great but this is a pretty invisible spot. I'm more worried about how long that would last, but it's always something I could touch up from the outside.

Edit: fark, I forgot to convert these images to PNG before posting. Sorry about the orientation problem, it's all JPEG's fault.

 

[HazMatt-SKO]

The first thing I'm curious about, is if there was evidence of water trickling down from the rivits.
Next, how far into the frame's exterior (away from the window) did the rivet head protrude?
Presuming they were in the top sash's track, to prevent fully opening, and that it slides down behind the fixed glass. (A properly oriented, " Before," shot'd help with these dumb statements) [emoji57]
Al disks'd be simple enough to make with a pair of scissors and an empty pop or beer can's side, then JB'ed in place. Tho square or rectangular pieces would be much easier, and with their larger area give a better fix, IMO.
The other solution would be to lay a piece of mesh over the hole from the outer side, & bondo it in, with a little smooshed smooth to fill flush on the track's side, if cosmetics are a concern.
Given that it won't be touched after the reinstall, you could simply lay on a strip of Gorilla Tape cut to the channel's width, and black magic marker the tiny bit of the sticky side showing...

 

[peteg59]

JB Weld or similar branded product that comes in a tootsie roll shape.
Cut a small piece off, knurl in between fingers to activate built in hardener, and stuff it in the hole.
Wipe off excess on outside and inside with your finger or a rag. Done.

 

[musigenesis]

JB Weld or similar branded product that comes in a tootsie roll shape.
Cut a small piece off, knurl in between fingers to activate built in hardener, and stuff it in the hole.
Wipe off excess on outside and inside with your finger or a rag. Done.

Is this the stuff you're talking about? https://www.jbweld.com/collections/epoxy-putty-sticks/products/autoweld

This sounds most promising. That's kind of what I was going to do with a bit of Dynatron-500 but what you're talking about sounds like it would work better.

 

[musigenesis]

The first thing I'm curious about, is if there was evidence of water trickling down from the rivits.
Next, how far into the frame's exterior (away from the window) did the rivet head protrude?
Presuming they were in the top sash's track, to prevent fully opening, and that it slides down behind the fixed glass. (A properly oriented, " Before," shot'd help with these dumb statements) [emoji57]
Al disks'd be simple enough to make with a pair of scissors and an empty pop or beer can's side, then JB'ed in place. Tho square or rectangular pieces would be much easier, and with their larger area give a better fix, IMO.
The other solution would be to lay a piece of mesh over the hole from the outer side, & bondo it in, with a little smooshed smooth to fill flush on the track's side, if cosmetics are a concern.
Given that it won't be touched after the reinstall, you could simply lay on a strip of Gorilla Tape cut to the channel's width, and black magic marker the tiny bit of the sticky side showing...

Sorry, I should have taken before pics, but both windows I have at home now I've already drilled out the rivets.

The rivets holding these plastic stops in are rusty on their surface in all the windows, but there's no sign of any water leaking through the stops.

I dunno about Gorilla Tape - that seems a bit too improvised for me. I like the aluminum can idea, or maybe even a bit of an aluminum cooking tray so the piece is flat.

 

[HazMatt-SKO]

I don't always save the best for last! (Tho I'd betcha it'd work for a down n dirty fix. That stuff is fantastically strong!)
The cans are thinner & easier to cut, and a mallet will quickly flatten the marginal curvature.

 

[musigenesis]

I don't always save the best for last! (Tho I'd betcha it'd work for a down n dirty fix. That stuff is fantastically strong!)
The cans are thinner & easier to cut, and a mallet will quickly flatten the marginal curvature.

I meant like the cheapie one-use trays they serve to go food in etc. That's probably too thin, though, although I'll confess I thought about using aluminum foil for a second.

 

[HazMatt-SKO]

Buy a Stouffers lasagne, and you'll have plenty of a thicker gauge to work with! Their Lasagne Italiano is actually quite tasty, especially if you like fresh basil, tho their chicken lasagne will do in a pinch...
Triple folding aluminum foil would prolly do it, I'd be worried it might eventually serve as an aquaduct.

 

[musigenesis]

JB Weld or similar branded product that comes in a tootsie roll shape.
Cut a small piece off, knurl in between fingers to activate built in hardener, and stuff it in the hole.
Wipe off excess on outside and inside with your finger or a rag. Done.

Just ordered this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RN7CT2U

Which gives me the rest of the day off! Thank you, this stuff seems like exactly what I need.

 

[peteg59]

Is this the stuff you're talking about? https://www.jbweld.com/collections/epoxy-putty-sticks/products/autoweld

This sounds most promising. That's kind of what I was going to do with a bit of Dynatron-500 but what you're talking about sounds like it would work better.

Yes that is it. It is sand able and paintable once cured, if you want to pretty it up.
I was looking for a link to post for the stuff, but you beat me to it!

 

[Sleddgracer]

Just ordered this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RN7CT2U

Which gives me the rest of the day off! Thank you, this stuff seems like exactly what I need.

I'd like to give these a try one day - I work with aluminum from time to time and if these are as advertised, they would save me time and $'s

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html

https://www.amazon.com/customerpicks/Best-aluminum-welding-rods-for-propane/dc1bfc1754958f108366

 

[CMORGANSKOOL]

You could just cut a little square of plastic or metal and glue it to the back side of the hole. My stops were screwed in but the holes aren't exposed to the outside.

 

[musigenesis]

You could just cut a little square of plastic or metal and glue it to the back side of the hole. My stops were screwed in but the holes aren't exposed to the outside.

How did that work? My stops were on the inside of the track for the upper window, so if the upper window is in the closed position rain could blow into that track and through the hole.

 

[musigenesis]

I'd like to give these a try one day - I work with aluminum from time to time and if these are as advertised, they would save me time and $'s

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html

https://www.amazon.com/customerpicks/Best-aluminum-welding-rods-for-propane/dc1bfc1754958f108366

Very interesting. Harbor Freight has become probably my favorite store, not because of the cheap-as-poop power tools (although those have worked out well for me so far) but because of all the things they carry that the big box stores don't, like 20-packs of bondo spreaders, 1/4" aluminum rivets, welding masks, cheap two-stroke engine oil, these aluminum welding rods etc. I even got my sheet metal break there which has really come in handy.

 

[jimburke77502]

Simple. Replace metal with metal.

 

[musigenesis]

Simple. Replace metal with metal.

My hole is really close to the gasket on the lower (fixed) window. Would heating the window to 700+ possibly melt or dislodge the gasket?

 

[Sleddgracer]

My hole is really close to the gasket on the lower (fixed) window. Would heating the window to 700+ possibly melt or dislodge the gasket?

you might get away with it by covering the gasket with a soaking wet rag - I've used the rag when arc welding close to something I didn't want to burn/melt/mark

 

[jimburke77502]

The rag is good. Do that all the time on sweating in A/C units. I know it's a count of 300 but I did a quick search on these. Once you put it through the hole, bend the tabs over flush with the metal. https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Hol...ole+plugs+1/4&qid=1564274778&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

[musigenesis]

The rag is good. Do that all the time on sweating in A/C units. I know it's a count of 300 but I did a quick search on these. Once you put it through the hole, bend the tabs over flush with the metal. https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Hol...ole+plugs+1/4&qid=1564274778&s=gateway&sr=8-2

These wouldn't be watertight without some sealant, would they?

 

[jimburke77502]

A dab of RTV, silicone, or real seam sealer like they use to seal body joints on cars is what I would use. The seam sealer can be brushed smooth with thinner and painted.