Acrylic help

[duec22]

I’ve got a CPR HOB fuge that the center brace has come undone on. I went to TAP’s over the weekend and got two new braces to install. When I asked they guy about what glue to use he told me to use marine silicone. Not what I want….I don’t think that is going to give me the strength I need from these bonds. Any other suggestions as to what to use..

 

[rickyfins]

Weldon #4 or #16.

#4 is for light duty and its one part

#16 is for heavier bonds and is a two part mix.

thanks,

Rick

 

[sumyungviet]

if its just acrylic to acrylic, you should be able to use the acrylic glue they carry. i have a can with a good amount of it left and an aplicator im not using if you want to drop by tomorrow and pick it up. LMK
-Larry

 

[duec22]

I've got some Larry, thank you for the offer though. I think the guy at TAPs was being overly causious when he recomended me not to use it, as it may leach into the water. However, I'm planning on letting it cure for a good while befor putting it back in line.

Rick, is the #16 a better bond than the typical acrilic glue? I don't want this thing comeing apart again...one reason I'm going with three braces rather than just the one it come with.

Thanks for you help guys...

 

[rickyfins]

The #16 is a 2 part and ends up melting the two together. Its not thin either its a thick substance like epoxy. What it really is is melted acrylic and when it hardens there is no chance of leak. But it really isn't necessary to use unless you have a big tank project. The #4 glue should work very well.

thanks,

Rick

 

[pepe.king.prawn]

#16 is not a two part mix like epoxy, it's for glueing pieces which have too loose of fitment to use capillary solvent cementing. #16 will shrink dramatically as it dries and will leave bubbles, so don't use it like caulking. I would recommend you use the Weldon #3. None of these will appreciably leach anything into the water. They are an extremely volatile solvent and will evaporate quickly after making the bond.

 

[pepe.king.prawn]

Also, CPR products are indeed acrylic, so there should be no problem as far as compatability of the plastics. I promise weldon #3 will be the strongest bond even though it looks water thin

 

[Sparkss]

Thanks Tristan... as I read down I was about to post something similar . Also about #16, as it shrinks it has the potential to crack the acrylic you are gluing. #3, #4 and #16 all melt the acrylic to bond the pieces, the main differences in #3 and #4 are the set times. #16 is basically #4 with melted acrylic chips in it to give it more consistency for filling gaps IIRC. Some people recommend letting it cure/dry overnight after gluing it, but we have built tanks in the morning, leak test in the afternoon and fish swimming in them that evening (ok, a little extreme, but 2 of our prop tanks were on that schedule ).

 

[Brian Prestwood]

For seems I clamp or tape the pieces together and use the runny stuff (#3 or #4). After it dries I run a bead of the thick stuff #16 in for good measure.

The trick with seems is to keep the facing down so both gravity and capiliary action draw the glue into the seem.

 

[pepe.king.prawn]

How do you keep the capillary cement from capillaryaction-ing the tape? haha.. if you know what I'm talking about

 

[Sparkss]

yea, when I am not careful I end up with "tape marks" where the weldon wicked in between the tape and acrylic and etched the acrylic

 

[fishnfst]

If your pieces are nice and flat as well as the part you are bonding too weldon 3-4 is fine.. IF the cuts aren't perfect you might want to true them up a bit and then use weldon 16 it has some gapfilling properties...

 

[Brian Prestwood]

Oh, you want pretty acrylic. Sorry, I don't do that. I just do water tight and strong enough.

I did make a few nice looking seems when I built a dosing pump. If you finish the edges as recommended and use pipe clamps, which reach around the seam, then you will get nice looking seems. I used a table router to finish the edge. It only took a little sanding to get it ready after that.

If you're building something that is going to be hidden in the stand then just use tape.

 

[duec22]

I got the pieces cut at TAPs so I would be sure they were strait, and they fit pretty snug. So I guess the #3 or #4 would be best, and I think I may do as Brian suggested with the extra bead of #16 aftward. I don't want t this thing to break and leak all over my floors, and since it's behind the tank it doesn't need to be pretty...

Thanks guys for the quick acrylic lesson..it's something I've never worked with...with the exception of a few acrylic tubes back in highschool...

 

[pepe.king.prawn]

hahaha good work