Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Hi Kim,
They're kinda spendy, I think I paid ~$180 for the last one a coupla yrs ago.
The whole venture is not "cheap" and IMO will not pay for itself unless you use it alot and can factor in the time savings in using the 42 over the 40 which is my reasoning. I figure ~1/2hr/week of time savings so 25hrs/yr time savings - starts to add up to real money at that point. If you're using less than once a month - I wouldn't advise it, if you're using once a month - it's a definite maybe, more than that - it becomes worthwhile IMO.
It is a neat little set-up though, no question
James
They're kinda spendy, I think I paid ~$180 for the last one a coupla yrs ago.
The whole venture is not "cheap" and IMO will not pay for itself unless you use it alot and can factor in the time savings in using the 42 over the 40 which is my reasoning. I figure ~1/2hr/week of time savings so 25hrs/yr time savings - starts to add up to real money at that point. If you're using less than once a month - I wouldn't advise it, if you're using once a month - it's a definite maybe, more than that - it becomes worthwhile IMO.
It is a neat little set-up though, no question
James
sorry to ask more questions, but on my 8X3X10in frag tank today when we were trying to bond the seam together there is about a 16th of a inch gap between the acrylic and that is why the guy i bought it from had it caulked with silicone, Now Im reall confused what type of weld on would i use to fill in the gap, and then i would gusset it with the 2 inch strip of acrylic on the outside with the weld on 4, Am i totally off base what's the best way to fix this, Thanks SO much!
There are a couple of ways you could fix this. If you can do the gusset and seal it on both sides of the gap that will work.
You can also see if you can clamp the opening closer together and use some weldon 4 to seal most of it up, then gusset after that drys.
You could also gusset first, then fill the seam with weldon 40/42. To do this I would put the edge with the gap down, with each side at 45 degrees so the thick weldon will go into the gap and leave a nice fillet in the corner.
Kim
You can also see if you can clamp the opening closer together and use some weldon 4 to seal most of it up, then gusset after that drys.
You could also gusset first, then fill the seam with weldon 40/42. To do this I would put the edge with the gap down, with each side at 45 degrees so the thick weldon will go into the gap and leave a nice fillet in the corner.
Kim
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Why not just cut a thin strip of acrylic on the table saw and use it to form a fillet on the inside of the joint. Secure it with WO 4. Once dry, if you are still concerned you could fill the gap from the outside with shavings and WO 4 or 16 to form a solid filler.
Kim's idea will also work fine too.
Kim's idea will also work fine too.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Then again, for a tank that small I may just elect to rebuild it, I hate patched stuff...
-or- cut the entire side off on the table saw and attach a new one
-or- cut the entire side off on the table saw and attach a new one
Normally with a coast to coast overflow/drain, they are very short so there is very little water pressure on it. With that in mind it will work, but at 66 inches long I think it will bow quite a bit in the middle. I would put some supports from the front of the overflow to the back of the tank just to help hold it upright. If you did 2 supports, that would only give about 2 feet between support areas, and the overflow is shallow with only a few inches of water height on each side of the overflow you will not have any problems.
Kim
Kim
Malifluous
New member
Can acrylic be joined to gether using a hot air gun and a plastic rod to produce the bead for bonding?
I would like to use the following:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96712
and..
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41602
I would like to use the following:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96712
and..
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41602
i may very well be wrong, but i dont think that is a good idea for something holding water.
None of those "plastic" rods were acrylic. Yes acrylic is plastic, but theres hundreds of types of plastics all with little in common usually.
Ive also never trusted anything harbor freight sells. However, the thought of my welder singing me air supply songs might be a selling point....
None of those "plastic" rods were acrylic. Yes acrylic is plastic, but theres hundreds of types of plastics all with little in common usually.
Ive also never trusted anything harbor freight sells. However, the thought of my welder singing me air supply songs might be a selling point....
chrisncarol
In Memoriam
Yep use the pvc rods to join acrylic, takes a bit of practice but it can create quite a strong bond.
Chris
