Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
newreef8584
New member
James,
Do you find you have issues with the pieces of acrylic twisting after you bend them? I just cut and bent an overflow for my new project tank and find that it no longer sits flush to the bottom of the tank now. I didn't use any fancy jig or anything just a pair of of 2x4's sandwhiching it then heat and bend.
Any tips before I bend up another one and make the same mistake??
Do you find you have issues with the pieces of acrylic twisting after you bend them? I just cut and bent an overflow for my new project tank and find that it no longer sits flush to the bottom of the tank now. I didn't use any fancy jig or anything just a pair of of 2x4's sandwhiching it then heat and bend.
Any tips before I bend up another one and make the same mistake??
I'm trying to find a calculator to find out acrylic thicknesses for an aquarium I'm considering building here in a few months (hopefully).
I want to build a hillstream loach river aquarium (long, low height, fast moving water). I was wanting to make it as long as a sheet of acrylic (so 8' I think?) and about 18" height and 2' width giving around 170gal tank.
What thickness of acrylic would I need?
I want to build a hillstream loach river aquarium (long, low height, fast moving water). I was wanting to make it as long as a sheet of acrylic (so 8' I think?) and about 18" height and 2' width giving around 170gal tank.
What thickness of acrylic would I need?
newreef8584
New member
jimmyj7090
aka John K
James,
Thanks for creating this amazing thread/resource.
Two quick questions;
I've seen you say that you use spiral cut router bits. I finally got around to picking one up and I am very impressed with how nicely it works (no grabbing while cutting overflow teeth, seems to leave a cleaner cut). Do you know if there is such thing as a flush cut spiral bit? (spiral cut with a bearing on the end, just in case I'm not using the correct terminology)
Also, would you suggest "up-cut" or "down-cut"? I got an up-cut and it seems to work great.
jk
Thanks for creating this amazing thread/resource.
Two quick questions;
I've seen you say that you use spiral cut router bits. I finally got around to picking one up and I am very impressed with how nicely it works (no grabbing while cutting overflow teeth, seems to leave a cleaner cut). Do you know if there is such thing as a flush cut spiral bit? (spiral cut with a bearing on the end, just in case I'm not using the correct terminology)
Also, would you suggest "up-cut" or "down-cut"? I got an up-cut and it seems to work great.
jk
JK,
Yep, a few companies make them, Whiteside and Amana both come to mind, I use Whiteside for whatever that's worth. CMT also makes them but with less pronounced spiral in the flutes. I'm sure there are others as well. I use up-cuts only as I mount them in the router table so they are "down-cuts" for my purposes. I'll try to get a pic of one and part numbers in the morning
HTH,
James
Yep, a few companies make them, Whiteside and Amana both come to mind, I use Whiteside for whatever that's worth. CMT also makes them but with less pronounced spiral in the flutes. I'm sure there are others as well. I use up-cuts only as I mount them in the router table so they are "down-cuts" for my purposes. I'll try to get a pic of one and part numbers in the morning
HTH,
James
jimmyj7090
aka John K
Sweet, thank you. I can't wait to pick one up.
newreef8584
New member
Very nice little tank, seams look sweet.
bchbum has a good point with that MJ so low. What would be neat and easy to change that if the tank is not full yet. If there is room in the rear chamber, turn the MJ so it is picking up through that hole then put a new hole or two somewhere in the divider and make a simple closed loop then add another pump for a return.
Is that chamber where the MJ is sealed from the other two? If so how will you be protecting the pump from running dry due to evaporation.
Will the tank be run open topped or are you making a canopy for it?
bchbum has a good point with that MJ so low. What would be neat and easy to change that if the tank is not full yet. If there is room in the rear chamber, turn the MJ so it is picking up through that hole then put a new hole or two somewhere in the divider and make a simple closed loop then add another pump for a return.
Is that chamber where the MJ is sealed from the other two? If so how will you be protecting the pump from running dry due to evaporation.
Will the tank be run open topped or are you making a canopy for it?
RokleM
Premium Member
The baffle seams aren't great, but I only needed them to hold in place. The rest of them turned out very well. As well, I scratched a panel on the side, so I was "given" the opportunity to fix my first scratch.
The water is kept topped off just below the left acrylic separator. In turn, the water level only drops the 1/2-3/4" in the main tank.
The left chamber is chaeto and heater. The right has a carbon bag in the bottom and a sponge filter that goes just to below the overflow itself. The middle is just the pump.
Lighting is a 2x18 PC that rests on the edges of the tank (tank built for that size light). Evaporation is only approximately 1/2 cup a day at max.
The water is kept topped off just below the left acrylic separator. In turn, the water level only drops the 1/2-3/4" in the main tank.
The left chamber is chaeto and heater. The right has a carbon bag in the bottom and a sponge filter that goes just to below the overflow itself. The middle is just the pump.
Lighting is a 2x18 PC that rests on the edges of the tank (tank built for that size light). Evaporation is only approximately 1/2 cup a day at max.
jimmyj7090
aka John K
thanks again James
jk
jk
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
I was wondering if it is possible to remove the corner overflows on my tank so I can go with a center overflow. The current corner overflows are the black acrylic about 3/8" and the tank sides are 3/4". Can these be removed with damaging the acrylic? I want to make the tank a peninsula but with the overflows on the back I cant do that. TIA
wharfrat48
Premium Member
First and maybe last acrylic project. I just bought a used acrylic sump (glasscages) and need to seal a bulkhead hole cut in the bottom of the tank. My plan was to cut a square piece of acylic and use it as a patch (inside the tank) using Weldon #16. Will this work? How much larger then the hole should the square patch be? Anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks
Thanks
They can be removed but the joint itself will always be there, meaning you will not able to have it as if it was never there. Hope this makes sense
Sure it'll work, just make the patch 1" bigger all around, so a 2" hole would take a 4" square patch. It's not necessary to go that big but doesn't hurt either. FWIW, I'd just use silicone if it were my tank
HTH,
James
wharfrat48
Premium Member
Silicone--- really? I just spent 20$ getting a tube of Weldon shipped to me 
But seriously.. would silicone be better?--- no leaks is my goal.
Thanks again
But seriously.. would silicone be better?--- no leaks is my goal.Thanks again
I'd personally use silicone as the patch can easily be removed, so in that sense it's better for me as I like to keep options open
You can use 16 and it'll work just fine though.
FWIW, use of silicone in this application is fine as it's purpose is simply to stick the patch on and act as a gasket, and not structural in any way. I've used silicone in my own tanks & sumps to patch holes and never any issues.
James
You can use 16 and it'll work just fine though.
FWIW, use of silicone in this application is fine as it's purpose is simply to stick the patch on and act as a gasket, and not structural in any way. I've used silicone in my own tanks & sumps to patch holes and never any issues.
James
