Hunting blind window options

I've always hunted East Texas, mostly from ladder and ground stands, but started to migrate to box stands about 10 years ago (hunted 75% out of a ladder stand last year though). So I built me a nice 4' x 6' blind I'm going to set on a pipeline on a new lease with full length 12" shooting space/windows. I want to cover them with a hinged option so if it is really cold I can close them. I plan to put a Lil Buddy heater in it. Several guys on my new lease have them and have good hunting success. The windows will cut the draft and hopefully hold a little warmth. I will admit I have gotten softer over the years (mid 60's).

Back to the questions:

---- plan on drilling 3/8" sheet acrylic plexiglass and put simple brass piano hinges. How easy is it to screw up the acrylic putting small (1/4"?) holes near the edges of this material?

---- Are there better options? What and why?

---- What would you do or what have you seen/done and liked in the past?

Need the THF wisdom for my blind.

Easier and less headache over the years to just pony up and buy Deerview Windows

This. I built my own on the last blind I built. The cost was about half, but with the time invested, I wished I'd have just bought them.

This, but if going with Plexiglass, you can use thinner, and I would use strap hinges to get farther away from the edge of the Plexi. I used 1/8, but I also framed the Plexi in 1x2's.

If you do decide to do it yourself, run the drill bit slowly and with very light pressure. Depending on the material, it's very easy to crack it at the edges. If you run the bit too fast, it'll melt the lexan and make a rough edge. Design them to where they can open fully, folding back up against the wall, or so that they open out, so they don't intrude into the blind. The very first blind I built the windows only fold 90 degrees back and up, and they're a pain. You can build them where they slide, but if you use tinted lexan, you'll effectively shutter one area to be able to see more clearly out of another. Also, make sure the wind can't blow them open if they're sliding, I tape the windows closed when I leave one of my stands to prevent this. The down side to sliders, they can be noisy.

I'm building some now. I'm no carpenter.
So far I bought a piece of plexiglass from.Lowe's. 24x48. Had them cut in.Half for 2 sheets.
Plexiglass 26 dollars.
Wood for gram 12 dollars.
Bolts washers, hinges 7 dollars.
45 dollars for 2.

Cry once and buy the deerview windows. Plexiglass frosts up from the sun and scratches very easily from dust. I've owned both and will never use plexiglass again.

Dickinson feed has some Windows.

Deerview windows are great. Good group of people to deal with and the quality is there.

There are some second hand lumber yards. Think one up 35 north of Sanger on east side of highway, couple in Ft. Worth.

5 minute epoxy will work fine for the hinge attachment to the pexiglass. If you drill, drill into a piece of wood, do not hang it over the edge. Using a brad point drill instead of the usual drill bit for metal helps.

I did a lot of research before drilling plexiglass. Had no issues.

Bought a bit that listed plastic as a type.

Put olive oil on plexiglass

Let the bit do the work, no applied pressure.

Drilled through glass, then through wood.

Used bolts and washers to attach glass to frame.

Windows open back to me. I will probably leave them down most of year to cut down on sun exposure, or cover them to conserve the plexiglass.

The reason I did this is my blinds are homemade and were already on the lease. Tey only have a couple years left, plus I may switch leases. I just wanted to stay warm and maybe cut down on scent.

Like others have stated if you can buy Deerview


Easy to install
Plenty of selection
Plenty of sizes
No Maintenance

I've had a set on my blind going on 4 years now and they look great. Much better than the other hunters on my lease and many of them switched over from plexi to deerview after seeing mine

Id go Deerview as well.