Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
I wanted to ask another question regarding my tank which is 72X24X24 with no center brace. 1/2 inch acrylic
Since adding a center brace doesn't appear to be an option.
Would it help a lot if I mounted a 2 x4 behind the center of the back panel of the tank.
I could support this by running 2x4 to the floor and to the studs on the wall behind it.
Above ground pools and hot tubs don't have center braces so I was trying to think of a way to give lasting support to this tank.
I can't do anything about the front panel but maybe this will help?
Thanks for any advice
Since adding a center brace doesn't appear to be an option.
Would it help a lot if I mounted a 2 x4 behind the center of the back panel of the tank.
I could support this by running 2x4 to the floor and to the studs on the wall behind it.
Above ground pools and hot tubs don't have center braces so I was trying to think of a way to give lasting support to this tank.
I can't do anything about the front panel but maybe this will help?
Thanks for any advice
James,
Speaking of old glue....
I always wrench my solvent cap back on, and it still has that real stinky solvent smell after a year.
Is there any way to "test" the glue other than to glue a test piece?
Does the solvent break down chemically over time, or is it just that the MC evaporates out?
Out of curiosity, how much glue to you "make" (mix?) at a time, and how long do you keep your undiluted MC? What type of container?
Thanks for letting us bug you so much!
Chris
Speaking of old glue....
I always wrench my solvent cap back on, and it still has that real stinky solvent smell after a year.
Is there any way to "test" the glue other than to glue a test piece?
Does the solvent break down chemically over time, or is it just that the MC evaporates out?
Out of curiosity, how much glue to you "make" (mix?) at a time, and how long do you keep your undiluted MC? What type of container?
Thanks for letting us bug you so much!
Chris
slavearm
New member
I have a 12" OD x 1/8" thick wall diameter tube. I am trying to find a way to route a small channel 1/8" deep by 1/8" wide 12 diameter in a 3/8" acrylic sheet to set and glue the tube into. I have access to shapers and routers, but for some reason, how to get it perfect is eluding me. Because it is only 1/8" thick, I think it is really important to get that channel perfect so it can seal on three sides (bottom, OD, ID).
I had also thought about making a 11 7/8" acrylic circle to insert into the bottom of the tube, glue (weld-on #4 or maybe #16) the piece in the bottom of the tube, then glue the whole assembly to a flat acrylic sheet.
I am making a monster skimmer. Thanks for the help.
Shane
I had also thought about making a 11 7/8" acrylic circle to insert into the bottom of the tube, glue (weld-on #4 or maybe #16) the piece in the bottom of the tube, then glue the whole assembly to a flat acrylic sheet.
I am making a monster skimmer. Thanks for the help.
Shane
Ive had better luck going from 300 grit on up to 800 as final and then buffing with a high speed buffer with most any form of rubbing type compound then polishing compound. Cleaning up with novus 2 by hand at the end finishes nicely and removes any dust and faint scratches.
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=113& it is designed specifically for plastics.
1 is for final wipe downs and anti static
2 for restoring and fine scratches
3 for heavier scratches
If youve had good results with cars, take that same approach to acrylic, they act similarly in terms of removing scratches. So much so that I hired a car painter to do all of my polish work.
1 is for final wipe downs and anti static
2 for restoring and fine scratches
3 for heavier scratches
If youve had good results with cars, take that same approach to acrylic, they act similarly in terms of removing scratches. So much so that I hired a car painter to do all of my polish work.
Helter,
Not sure how much that would help to be honest. I can imagine the tank still wanting to bow in the back and "pushing" forward but don't know really. I kinda think if you trust the front, then you'd trust the back as well ?
Chris,
Don't know if there is any specific test method, I keep the individual solvents isolated until I make a solution. I usually make 6oz at a time which will last about a day. If we are doing a 6 x10 kreisel, maybe a quart. Indiluted solvents are kept in the original glass bottles that they come in. I buy 4-6 gallons at a time, figure quart a week, gallon a month. So I prolly buy twice a year, never had a problem keeping solvent around for 6 months or so. WO40 - different issue
Shane,
Why make a channel? If you have a CNC router - easy. On a router table, double face tape a (round) template to the acrylic, set a coupla stops to hit the template and spin it. Not sure if this makes sense in text. Concept is easy, explaing it is the hard part sometimes
FWIW, I've always just glued the tube directly to the sheet, never had one fail.
HTH,
James
Not sure how much that would help to be honest. I can imagine the tank still wanting to bow in the back and "pushing" forward but don't know really. I kinda think if you trust the front, then you'd trust the back as well ?
Chris,
Don't know if there is any specific test method, I keep the individual solvents isolated until I make a solution. I usually make 6oz at a time which will last about a day. If we are doing a 6 x10 kreisel, maybe a quart. Indiluted solvents are kept in the original glass bottles that they come in. I buy 4-6 gallons at a time, figure quart a week, gallon a month. So I prolly buy twice a year, never had a problem keeping solvent around for 6 months or so. WO40 - different issue
Shane,
Why make a channel? If you have a CNC router - easy. On a router table, double face tape a (round) template to the acrylic, set a coupla stops to hit the template and spin it. Not sure if this makes sense in text. Concept is easy, explaing it is the hard part sometimes
FWIW, I've always just glued the tube directly to the sheet, never had one fail.
HTH,
James
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9410114#post9410114 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Acrylics
Helter,
Not sure how much that would help to be honest. I can imagine the tank still wanting to bow in the back and "pushing" forward but don't know really. I kinda think if you trust the front, then you'd trust the back as well ?
Thanks for the input.
What I'm thinking is if I can keep the back panel from bowing it would make it less likely the tank could fail?
I'm assuming if a tank is pulling from the front and the back, it's going to be more stressful than just bowing from the front?
Does this make sense? Maybe my 5 inch top collar could handle the stress from just the front?
I have a carpenter friend coming in a couple of days, I'll see what he thinks.
There has to be way to make this tank stronger.
RokleM
Premium Member
My first acrylic project (the cube back a couple of pages) went decently well with no leaks. My second project has not.
I've attempted something quite a bit more difficult, and am having some issues. Amazingly enough, I didn't have too much difficulty actually designing and building it, but the issues came during the testing phase.
It's a chamber for rowa-phos. Below is a picture during the build.
The bottom is actually leaking. In order to create a more solid hold (which in hind sight might have done the opposite), I routed a clean 1/8" or so inch ring for the tube to sit in. I then soaked both sides of the (tube and routed ring) , inserted, and put an extra bead around the rim. It's leaking slowly at this point when I fill it with water (no pump pressure).
Sadly enough, I did this as well with the top, and fear it will leak there as well. What are my options? Do I need to scrap the project and start from scratch? It's drying now from the water testing. From past reading if I recall right, I have maybe two solutions. 1) bead a little weld-on 4 back in the recessed channel, hoping it will fill and seal. 2) use something like weld-on 40 (or 42???) if I can get it locally, and actually create a seal around the outside edge that would resemble more like a caulk/silicone seal.
Although I'm not 100%, the tube was pre-cut and looked very smooth and flat, as well my routed ring seemed to come out very well.
I guess you can't win them all. At least it didn't happen on some of the future more material intensive projects I have planned
I've attempted something quite a bit more difficult, and am having some issues. Amazingly enough, I didn't have too much difficulty actually designing and building it, but the issues came during the testing phase.
It's a chamber for rowa-phos. Below is a picture during the build.
The bottom is actually leaking. In order to create a more solid hold (which in hind sight might have done the opposite), I routed a clean 1/8" or so inch ring for the tube to sit in. I then soaked both sides of the (tube and routed ring) , inserted, and put an extra bead around the rim. It's leaking slowly at this point when I fill it with water (no pump pressure).
Sadly enough, I did this as well with the top, and fear it will leak there as well. What are my options? Do I need to scrap the project and start from scratch? It's drying now from the water testing. From past reading if I recall right, I have maybe two solutions. 1) bead a little weld-on 4 back in the recessed channel, hoping it will fill and seal. 2) use something like weld-on 40 (or 42???) if I can get it locally, and actually create a seal around the outside edge that would resemble more like a caulk/silicone seal.
Although I'm not 100%, the tube was pre-cut and looked very smooth and flat, as well my routed ring seemed to come out very well.
I guess you can't win them all. At least it didn't happen on some of the future more material intensive projects I have planned
Call your local plastics distributor and ask for a small 4oz kit of weld-on 40 and use this to seal around the tube. Don't bother with 42 as you need an applicator gun ($200) and static mixing tips ($1 each use). You *might* try using 16 but it's kinda iffy IMO, if it doesn't work - you just killed it.
Another option (if the joint is weak enough) is to just pull the tube back out and glue it to another piece of acrylic.
What size tube? if'n ya don't mind me asking
'course if it doesn't work out on this one, cheap mistake in the long run, better to learn on small, inexpensive things.
HTH,
James
Another option (if the joint is weak enough) is to just pull the tube back out and glue it to another piece of acrylic.
What size tube? if'n ya don't mind me asking
'course if it doesn't work out on this one, cheap mistake in the long run, better to learn on small, inexpensive things.
HTH,
James
RokleM
Premium Member
It's a 4" tube, 1/4" wall. I'll see if I can get the 40 locally. If I remember, 16 shrinks a lot correct? If so, I can see how that would not work well in this situation. What's the consistency of 40? Is it more like "syrup" (for lack of a better term) or something in-between that and 4?
The joint unfortunately is very solid, but obviously something isn't 100% right. I tried a forceful pull on it without any luck, as I was thinking the same thing.
Was it a bad idea to attempt the recessed channel? Should I just put it straight down on the plate? Or would 40 have worked well with my idea, just not well with 4? Why is the sky blue? How can you stand all of us crazy non-knowledgeable newbies? hehe
And I agree on the cost. Although it's no fun to "waste" material, it's certainly better in the long run to do it now. My next projects will be going back to doing some of the square boxes with as perfect precision as possible now that I have the router table.
Thanks for your help!
The joint unfortunately is very solid, but obviously something isn't 100% right. I tried a forceful pull on it without any luck, as I was thinking the same thing.
Was it a bad idea to attempt the recessed channel? Should I just put it straight down on the plate? Or would 40 have worked well with my idea, just not well with 4? Why is the sky blue? How can you stand all of us crazy non-knowledgeable newbies? hehe
And I agree on the cost. Although it's no fun to "waste" material, it's certainly better in the long run to do it now. My next projects will be going back to doing some of the square boxes with as perfect precision as possible now that I have the router table.
Thanks for your help!
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
The channel was fine. The tolerances needed to be tighter and often when routing a groove like that, the bottom of the groove does not come out perfectly flat.
The solution would be tigher tolerances and a longer soak and more pressure to push the solvent softened areas together.
If you have a dremel, you could drill and try to inject #16 with syringe into the leaking area. As James mentioned, a bead of #40 around the whole tower would also work very well.
Bean
The solution would be tigher tolerances and a longer soak and more pressure to push the solvent softened areas together.
If you have a dremel, you could drill and try to inject #16 with syringe into the leaking area. As James mentioned, a bead of #40 around the whole tower would also work very well.
Bean
40 is like a heavy syrup. It is an actual acrylic resin whereas 16 is essentially a solvent thickened with monomer (acrylic).
I personally don't like the channel but understand the reasoning. The problem is that getting the bottom of the channel machined without pitting is tough because the tops of cutters tend to pit acrylic. Since you are getting the most bond out of the joint at the end of the tube, that joint is compromised by a pitted channel. The channels only work well if you fill the channel about 1/2 full of 40 then drop the tube in. It works great with wood work as the glues tend to fill around, not the same with acrylic unless you have something that actually fills, like 40.
I always glue straight to plate and it works well, but obviously not the only way.
Hmm, how can I stand it? I was a newbie once too
James
I personally don't like the channel but understand the reasoning. The problem is that getting the bottom of the channel machined without pitting is tough because the tops of cutters tend to pit acrylic. Since you are getting the most bond out of the joint at the end of the tube, that joint is compromised by a pitted channel. The channels only work well if you fill the channel about 1/2 full of 40 then drop the tube in. It works great with wood work as the glues tend to fill around, not the same with acrylic unless you have something that actually fills, like 40.
I always glue straight to plate and it works well, but obviously not the only way.
Hmm, how can I stand it? I was a newbie once too
James
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Or what he said... as I am just an aprentice.
