Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!

[Acrylics]

AZ,

I'd use a router, preferably a router table. You'll need some double faced foam tape and a jig, but easy enough to make

Take another piece of acrylic or MDF, drill your template hole in it. Tape a coupla strips of acrylic or anything else to it, on both sides of the hole such that the hole is centered in the tube. Drill your pilot hole in your tube. Put a strip of foam tape on each strip and place the tube in the "cradle." Use a pattern bit in the router..

HTH,
James

 

[AZRippster]

Ah, got it! Dang, I can't believe I didn't think of that. I have all of what you are recommending and I'll give it a whirl on a scrap tube initially. Thanks a bunch!

 

[karimwassef]

Is there an easy low cost source for an acrylic cone?

I need a few large scale phyo and pod cultures. I have the cylinders, but the bottom needs to be a cone that ends in a standard PVC or large JG fitting.

The pro breeders have these (at high prices), but I can't find a low cost DIY acrylic source.

 

[AZRippster]

Is there an easy low cost source for an acrylic cone?

I need a few large scale phyo and pod cultures. I have the cylinders, but the bottom needs to be a cone that ends in a standard PVC or large JG fitting.

The pro breeders have these (at high prices), but I can't find a low cost DIY acrylic source.

Would something along these lines work for you? I own one of these used for hatching artemia, but I would think they would work for any culture.

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c9/large-hatchery-cone-stand-p243.html

 

[karimwassef]

I prefer a cone neck instead of a semi-sphere. I plan to inject the air inlet just under the faucet so anything that settles would be immediately kicked back up... I'd turn the air off and open the valve to draw out the phyto or pod extract.

I would also want to add a column cylinder above it for more volume. What's the diameter?

 

[AZRippster]

karimwassef,

I just took these pics for ya. It measure 5 3/4" in diameter. Hopefully these will help you get a better idea.

 

[karimwassef]

It's certainly big enough. The attachment to the acrylic cylinder may need to be a lot more solid since it looks very thin? I think a well designed stand should work though.

Where did you get it? That site says they're sold out.

 

[AZRippster]

The valve and how it's attached are actually pretty beefy. I've owned mine since 2011 and it's never given me a problem. It come with the stand that's in the picture from Brine Shrimp Direct and that's also where I purchased mine. I added that little elbow to it to better direct the collection of artemia. I clip a light to one of the legs of the stand.

 

[paphater]

I've made a dent in reading through this thread but my dimensions seem kind of borderline so I wanted to get some thoughts on my required thickness. I scored a great deal on some 1/2" acrylic so that's the thickness I'll be using. The pieces are cut so that the dimensions would be 94"x22"x22." What would be an acceptable water level considering the 1/2" thickness and what sort of bracing? I was hoping to get the water level to the 18-20" range.

 

[ReefPharmer]

Hey guys I'm designing an acrylic tank without the center brace and want to know whether it's safe to do so.
1 inch acrylic all around with a 5 inch euro cutout on top.
Dimensions are 96/32/23
It's an sps tank and I prefer to avoid the large crossbracing if possible

 

[Westcoastindia]

Thanks James,
Appreciate your feedback.

 

[Westcoastindia]

You're basing this sentence on a premise to which I do not subscribe. Who says it's not feasible? I do it all the time. The pic below is a single long run of 1.5" and 2.5" material, done with solvent in a single run, length is 10' and height is 6'. BTW, I built this in the 90s and this pic was taken last year. A closer view is in my album. So to think that solvent joints can't hold up over time is simply not accurate.

Neither, I make my own based on the material

That's a kreisel.
That's pretty sick tank though!
Thermoforming such large project in 90's? Wow!

Coming back to solvent.
What's your mix?
Do you change your mix depending on the thickness of acrylic?
What fills the gap and ensures that you don't get any bubbles?

 

[Acrylics]

I've made a dent in reading through this thread but my dimensions seem kind of borderline so I wanted to get some thoughts on my required thickness. I scored a great deal on some 1/2" acrylic so that's the thickness I'll be using. The pieces are cut so that the dimensions would be 94"x22"x22." What would be an acceptable water level considering the 1/2" thickness and what sort of bracing? I was hoping to get the water level to the 18-20" range.

Hopefully it's good acrylic? good brands are Polyone/Polycast or Plexiglas G, other than that, perhaps Cyro or RPG if casting the joints, but everything else that I've seen is pretty much garbage for tanks.

That said, you can bring the water height up to full capacity provided it's braced well. 3" perimeter flange/eurobrace and (3) 5" cross-braces yield 4 top openings, each measuring ~18 x 16". Orrrr, 4" perimeter flange and (2) 6" cross-braces should yield you something like (3) 14 x ~25" openings.

Hey guys I'm designing an acrylic tank without the center brace and want to know whether it's safe to do so.
1 inch acrylic all around with a 5 inch euro cutout on top.
Dimensions are 96/32/23
It's an sps tank and I prefer to avoid the large crossbracing if possible

Personally, I think that would be pushing it a little much. With a single 6-8" wide cross-brace, you could do a 4" perimeter flange and while you'd have the cross-brace to work around, the narrower flange would make the tank more easily serviceable as a whole.

HTH,
James

 

[Westcoastindia]

Got to say this, thanks for your time James.
You changed my perception, and you defy impossible.
I don't know how you do such long and thick solvent welding. You have nailed the technique precisely.

 

[Acrylics]

That's a kreisel.
That's pretty sick tank though!
Thermoforming such large project in 90's? Wow!

Coming back to solvent.
What's your mix?
Do you change your mix depending on the thickness of acrylic?
What fills the gap and ensures that you don't get any bubbles?

Yes, it's a kreisel, most of what I do.
The solution depends on the material, weather, and how much time I need to do the joint. If I need more time, add a bit more acid and/or ethylene dichloride. If it's thin material, use more methylene chloride and less acid. My base solution is ~5% acid, up or down from there, pretty much never more than about 8% acid otherwise the joints can come out looking grainy.

Gaps? no gaps.. just a few shims if necessary. If machining is accurate and tables are flat - there should be no gaps that a coupla .030" shims can't account for

James

 

[paphater]

Hopefully it's good acrylic? good brands are Polyone/Polycast or Plexiglas G, other than that, perhaps Cyro or RPG if casting the joints, but everything else that I've seen is pretty much garbage for tanks.

That said, you can bring the water height up to full capacity provided it's braced well. 3" perimeter flange/eurobrace and (3) 5" cross-braces yield 4 top openings, each measuring ~18 x 16". Orrrr, 4" perimeter flange and (2) 6" cross-braces should yield you something like (3) 14 x ~25" openings.


HTH,
James

Thanks James. The acrylic is Cyro, should I take some extra precautions considering the material?

 

[Acrylics]

Thanks James. The acrylic is Cyro, should I take some extra precautions considering the material?

To Be honest, I don't know the material anymore. They moved their mfg to China a few years ago and the material just isn't the same anymore. They say it is, but know a bunch of fabricators who would agree - it just isn't the same.

I would say practice with a few pieces and see how it goes. After curing for a coupla days - try to break the joints. Hit it with a mallet or whatever - try to break the joints. If you can, well, hell.. The joints should not break. The force of pretty much anything should cause the material to crack at a ~45 degree angle rather than the joints.. If you can make nice looking joints and they don't break - should be good to go

James

 

[pandimus]

Hey guys looking into do a sump build. This picture is just a really rough draft,but looking to see if 1/2 inch or 3/8 I good enough. I have left over 1/4 inch lucite L, was going to use that for the baffles sock holders etc..

Opinions? Think I need to eurobrace it?

 

[Acrylics]

Hey guys looking into do a sump build. This picture is just a really rough draft,but looking to see if 1/2 inch or 3/8 I good enough. I have left over 1/4 inch lucite L, was going to use that for the baffles sock holders etc..

Opinions? Think I need to eurobrace it?

If you put a eurobrace on it, either thickness would be fine. So, would *probably* be cheaper to do 3/8" with a eurobrace than 1/2" without, and the 1/2" without could be risking it a little.

Yes, I know plenty of people build sumps out of thin material without a top brace. I, however, see the sump as a "tank" nonetheless and it's paramount that the sump not fail, ever.

HTH,
James

 

[pandimus]

If you put a eurobrace on it, either thickness would be fine. So, would *probably* be cheaper to do 3/8" with a eurobrace than 1/2" without, and the 1/2" without could be risking it a little.

Yes, I know plenty of people build sumps out of thin material without a top brace. I, however, see the sump as a "tank" nonetheless and it's paramount that the sump not fail, ever.

HTH,
James

Is there a recommended width for a euro bracing?