Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!

[Acrylics]

Hey guys...

I'm getting some bad looking seams and I was hoping that a few of you could maybe give me some pointers and getting better...I've tried waiting anywhere from 15 to 45 sec using WO4 and tried pins and small guitar strings as well.

The only thing I haven't tried is a different applicator, I'm using the little bottle with a 25gauge (I think) needle. Oh, and I route my edges and clean them when I'm done so the edges should be fine...I think it has to be my technique.

What is the brand and type of material you are using?

 

[tmcelveen]

I asked them when I first went in what kind of acrylic they use and the said cell cast Plexi, but when I looked at the paper on the pieces (I asked for scrap pieces to practice on) it said Marga CIPTA?

 

[Acrylics]

I asked them when I first went in what kind of acrylic they use and the said cell cast Plexi, but when I looked at the paper on the pieces (I asked for scrap pieces to practice on) it said Marga CIPTA?

We've been through this don't even both practicing with it IMO, practice with what you'll actually be using.

James

 

[tmcelveen]

Alrighty...I'll get some of the good stuff and give it try...I just wanted as much practice as possible without it hurting my wallet too much

 

[Acrylics]

look in their scrap bin/garbage and see if you can find some pieces to play with. Everyday I throw pieces out that could be used for practice, I'm fairly certain they do as well

James

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Solvent or reaction adhesives

Solvent or reaction adhesives

Depends entirely on how well you can machine your parts and how good the edge preparation is. If you do a good job, either is fine.

Evonics states to use 2-part because they know that most people will not get better than a 50% glue joint. While the 2-part will be better in this regard, it will be filled with tons of bubbles unless you put it through a vacuum or centrifuge. Weld-On 42 helps with this but you will need to buy the applicator gun and static mixing tips.

Please do not pay any attention to Evonics stating that the 2-part is stronger. It is only stronger if annealed which your tank cannot be and is only stronger in the joint itself and has zero bearing on it's adhesion to the acrylic. 2-part adhesive (not annealed) is about on par with a good solvent at 2700-3000PSI which is far above any pressure we will see in hobbyist size tanks - yours included.

I have much bigger tanks in service that are ~20 years old and in public aquariums where they are drained and filled often. Solvent is just fine for this application if you do your part.

FWIW: For those not familiar with Plexi-Glas GS, it is the same material is Acrylite GP. Evonics owns Cyro (mfrs of Acrylite) and the European rights to the name "Plexi-Glas"

HTH,
James

It took some time but we are ready to order the plexi panes now.
Weld-on 4 is not available in Belgium. We think that ACRIFIX® 1S 0117 (agrifix 117) is about the same. It is optimized for capillary effect, can be used without applying pressure to bonded parts and has enough working time. Evonics advices to use it for XT (extruded) only. For GS ( cell cast) they fall back to the reaction adhesives 2 component or 1 component. I have all Acrifix adhesives attached in pdf. As we will have some left overs to practice on we want to try out wich is best for us, unexperienced as we are. We can not try out all of them, so we will limit us to two types of glue. We need your advice here. Panes will be 35mm and 25 mm.
Can not attach file, to big. http://www.acrifix.com/sites/dc/Downloadcenter/Evonik/Product/ACRIFIX/de/191-1 ACRIFIX®_en.pdf
Thank You
Belgian Anthias

 

[motortrendz]

where is a good place to buy tube acrylic? and what is the best way to bond it?
want to make my own reactors.. ive made a few out of pvc they work great but i would like to make them out of acrylic.. any sugestions on good sites or places in the NY/NJ area to buy would be great..

thanks
mike

 

[jdargonaut]

[/IMG]

Ok thanks, maybe I'll cut my cost and risk and just make it 36"x36"x12" and use the 1-3/16" material for all sides. That way, less pressure, and I only invest in the bottom piece which is the cheaper 1/2" material.

btw, I demoed the store, so lives are no longer in jeapardy. (i'm a contractor, the store did not belong to me).

thanks so much for the advice.
Jason

Does anyone have advice for a beginner for using Weld On 40? I got my acrylic cut, it is now mocked up with tape. Unfortunately, the plastics shop could not route the edges for me, so they suggested to do some light sanding being careful not to round the edges, then use Weld On 40 instead of Weld On 4. My router table is not available right now. They said a sanding block with 600 grit would be fine, but I do have micromesh if that is better.

What should I use to apply the 40? Should I use the "pins" method? A little step by step direction or tips would really help. As mentioned by many others, this is a hugely valuable resource for us rookies, so thanks again!

 

[tmcelveen]

James - went back to the plastic dealer today to get some 1/4" and all they had was Plexiglas MC? I seem to remember some one a while back asking about the MC but I can't find it now....I don't really have many options the only other plastic dealer is 3 hours away, what do you think?

On a side note, these people are starting to tick me off...it took what seemed like an act of Congress to get someone to tell me EXACTLY what brand and type of acrylic they use and then they act like I'm a pain in their butt for daring to ask such frivolous questions!

 

[tmcelveen]

James - went back to the plastic dealer today to get some 1/4" and all they had was Plexiglas MC? I seem to remember some one a while back asking about the MC but I can't find it now....I don't really have many options the only other plastic dealer is 3 hours away, what do you think?

On a side note, these people are starting to tick me off...it took what seemed like an act of Congress to get someone to tell me EXACTLY what brand and type of acrylic they use and then they act like I'm a pain in their butt for daring to ask such frivolous questions!

I guess it would help to tell you what I'm planning on using it for, huh?

A 48"x6"x6" invert holding tank for a friend of mine who is starting his own business is what I'm planning if that makes a difference...

 

[Acrylics]

It took some time but we are ready to order the plexi panes now.
Weld-on 4 is not available in Belgium. We think that ACRIFIX® 1S 0117 (agrifix 117) is about the same. It is optimized for capillary effect, can be used without applying pressure to bonded parts and has enough working time. Evonics advices to use it for XT (extruded) only. For GS ( cell cast) they fall back to the reaction adhesives 2 component or 1 component. I have all Acrifix adhesives attached in pdf. As we will have some left overs to practice on we want to try out wich is best for us, unexperienced as we are. We can not try out all of them, so we will limit us to two types of glue. We need your advice here. Panes will be 35mm and 25 mm.
Can not attach file, to big. http://www.acrifix.com/sites/dc/Downloadcenter/Evonik/Product/ACRIFIX/de/191-1 ACRIFIX®_en.pdf
Thank You
Belgian Anthias

0117 is their methylene chloride free formula that they are trying to push - IME it doesn't work as well as they'd like. Try to find one that is methylene chloride based. I can't tell from the PDF what is in it - maybe you can look around?
The 1090/0020 2-part formula is a monomer/catalyst (methylmethacrylate/benzoil) peroxide based formula. Very similar to WO 40, if not exactly the same.

As for which to use, up to you - whatever you're comfortable with but I would *not* use the 0117 for aquaria.

where is a good place to buy tube acrylic? and what is the best way to bond it?
want to make my own reactors.. ive made a few out of pvc they work great but i would like to make them out of acrylic.. any sugestions on good sites or places in the NY/NJ area to buy would be great..

I don't know where to buy it in the NJ area, but the phone book works "plastics, sheet, rod, film" or something to this effect. As for bonding, the easiest method would be solvent. Read through this thread and/or the "Pins Method" thread started by Zephrant IIRC if you want to search for it

James - went back to the plastic dealer today to get some 1/4" and all they had was Plexiglas MC? I seem to remember some one a while back asking about the MC but I can't find it now....I don't really have many options the only other plastic dealer is 3 hours away, what do you think?

On a side note, these people are starting to tick me off...it took what seemed like an act of Congress to get someone to tell me EXACTLY what brand and type of acrylic they use and then they act like I'm a pain in their butt for daring to ask such frivolous questions!

MC is simply their extruded Plexi-Glas line (MC=Melt Calendar) and it'll be fine for small stuff. I'd be bent too if they couldn't tell me what crap they're selling. I've got folks around here trained on this. The Plexi-Glas stuff you're looking for is Plexi-Glas G if you can find it in your area.

James

 

[henrystyle]

check out my self made 41.5 gallon sump.

 

[marspeed]

very nice sump henrystyle

 

[henrystyle]

very nice sump henrystyle

Thanks

 

[chriscobb]

Very nice sump Henrystyle

 

[henrystyle]

Very nice sump Henrystyle

thanks bro

 

[crsaz]

alright, I think I am going to try my hand at working with acrylic.
first I want to try and build somthing like this(link) for holding my 2-part solution. I have 72" of 6" tubing(1/8" wall) I want each cylinder to be 8" tall
My question is how would I router a recess in the lid so it will sit on top of the cylinders perfectly?
http://www.reefconcept.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=39_245&products_id=1839
and for my second project I want to take the remainder of the tubing and build a dual chamber calcium reactor copying the design of the MTC pro-cal calcium reactor, but with 2 18" tall reaction chambers, me question is will 1/8th" wall tubing be thick enough?

And finally I want to try my hand at building some tanks, 10'x4'x10" euro-braced, what thickness sheet should I use? and what about for a 3'x3'x12" rimless tank 3/4"?

 

[Acrylics]

alright, I think I am going to try my hand at working with acrylic.
first I want to try and build somthing like this(link) for holding my 2-part solution. I have 72" of 6" tubing(1/8" wall) I want each cylinder to be 8" tall
My question is how would I router a recess in the lid so it will sit on top of the cylinders perfectly?
http://www.reefconcept.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=39_245&products_id=1839

the pics won't come up for me so I'll assume a step or a channel in the lid. For a step in the lid, use a rabbet bit. For a channel, it requires you to plunge route the channel using a guide, if by hand. If you have a router table you can do it on there.

and for my second project I want to take the remainder of the tubing and build a dual chamber calcium reactor copying the design of the MTC pro-cal calcium reactor, but with 2 18" tall reaction chambers, me question is will 1/8th" wall tubing be thick enough?

yep, one would prefer thicker wall simply for the gluing surface but if you do your part - 1/8" wall will suffice

And finally I want to try my hand at building some tanks, 10'x4'x10" euro-braced, what thickness sheet should I use? and what about for a 3'x3'x12" rimless tank 3/4"?

for the big tank, 1/2" will do okay with a crossbrace, 3/4" without. But much of this depends on how wide you want the eurobrace. For the small tank, yep, 3/4" will do nicely.

HTH,
James

 

[crsaz]

I was thinking 3" or 4" eurobrace and 3 cross braces, I assume that if I go rimless I can use 1/2" for the bottom is my thinking correct? and is it best to place the side "panes" on top of the bottom sheet? what about for glass.

 

[Acrylics]

I was thinking 3" or 4" eurobrace and 3 cross braces,

then you're good to go

I assume that if I go rimless I can use 1/2" for the bottom is my thinking correct?

yep

and is it best to place the side "panes" on top of the bottom sheet?

yep. With acrylic, you (almost) always want the sides to sit on top of the bottom

what about for glass.

glass can go either way in many cases. Best is to place the sides on top of the bottom with an internal (bottom) euro-brace. This way, you're maximizing tensile and shear strength.

HTH,
James