200 Gallon in-wall project

[Hotpuppy]

Here are some pictures of my fence for routing. I bought a router table but found it was too small... I mean really, do you think you can run a 2'x8'x3/4" panel on a 18" x 18" router table? lol. I can't.

I used a pair of clamps, a work table and a closet shelf support. The shelf support is commonly at Home depot for around $12 and I swear it's sturdier then the purpose built ones.

A couple of things here.
- I'm compressing the acrylic (1/2") between the table and the fence. This keeps it still. Watch your pressure.
- Keep your clamps away from the face you are working... that way you can run your router across the whole edge.
- Be careful at the ends of the edge.

 

[Hotpuppy]

I'm getting some minor crazing in my first joint..... The rest of the joint is passable.

WO#4, pins.... I'm not sure if this is the 1am effect or if maybe the cement got forced out. Not happy about it, but I think it's solid. There is a nice fillet. Had a bit excess of solvent due to a leak in my applicator bottle.

I'm planning to reinforce the corner.... so if you reinforce it before you finish it... is it called pre-inforcing? lol.

The rest of the edge looks like this:

I should add... this is the back rear corner of the tank which will be against a wall and have the overflow added to it..... and be covered by trim.

Oh, one other thing, the panel is a tad oversized... like 96.125", so I have deliberately added some overlap that I will flush trim with a router. It looks a tad funky in the picture like a bad joint... that's the flash/light and really what you are seeing is a very minor exterior fillet that will be machined off when I finish the tank.

One of the techniques I really liked was Melev's Reef's idea of going oversize and finishing with a router. This results in perfect edges and is a great idea.http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/routing.html

 

[Hotpuppy]

After yesterday's minor setbacks I'm happy to have some progress....

Complete with spatula wedges

Your wife may not approve of this use of a frosting spatula.... however, I used to have a screenprinting company so I have a ton of these that were used for ink.

What I like about them is that they are thin, smooth, non-plastic (so they won't bond to the tank) and I can position them as needed. For gluing the top and bottom of the tank I have a bunch of them so it will work just fine.....