Check this stuff out!

scbrooks87

New member
So I just started looking at this tape made by 3M, it's a permanent bonding agent that adheres to both plastics and glass. It forms an invisible bond, is almost water tight (id still use silicone in corners to be sure) and can be dye cut to fit almost any application


http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/VHB/Tapes/

Check out their product page, could this make aquarium building easier for anyone who wants a DIY tank? I see the practical use as making it so the glass is permanently bonded, no worrying about the silicone letting the glass go and the front of a tank falling off. Again, Id still silicone the corners solely to assure it's water tight, but in small applications, im sure that step wouldnt be necessary at all.

What do the experts think? lol.

-Scott
 
Without rendering an opinion (hey i spelled that one right), I will simply post information.

VHB Tape:

Peel Adhesion (adhesive strength- how well the tape sticks to something else--20 lbs/in. (RP62)

Tensile Strength (how hard it is to pull the tape apart)--95psi (RP16. RP62-- 80 psi)

Momentive RTV108 Silicone:

Peel (described above) 40 lbs/in

Tensile (described above) 400 psi.

The reason silicone works so well on glass, simply put, is due to chemical similarities. So would this be a fair comparison? Would reducing the width of the tape, to accommodate differing glass thicknesses, affect its strength, and if so by how much? (Silicone is affected this way-- the wider the seam, the stronger the seam.) Would the differences be proportional and and maintain the basic comparison above?

Jim
 
Good points made Jim, I didn't see the info on the strength comparison.

Your technical knowledge astounds me, and ultimately I always appreciate your posts as they are backed by factual knowledge!

-Scott
 
Lol, Id believe it Bean! I'm currently in the process of building your silent overflow system. Thank you for coming up with that design! The girlfriend feels much better with the double emergency drain system.

not to be off topic, but I had someone at a LFS tell me that my main drain line is not nearly big enough, but it's a 3/4" line, but will only be moving approx 300gph. I did my math and it seems like 3/4" is plenty for the main drain line yeah?

My open channel is 1 1/4" as well as my emergency, it's just the main drain that I made smaller.

Thanks!
-Scott

(sorry for getting off topic on my own thread!)
 
He learned that from me too....

brooks 20 odd years ago I tried to iron the letters

Be An Animal onto a shirt to wear to wrestling practice... I guess I put the letters too close together, becuase everybody wanted to know what a "bean animal" was.
 
As for the drain line, 3/4 should carrry the flow. There is a calculator on my website that will give you an idea how much 3/4" can handle at different head (siphon) heights. The emergency does not need to be that big... 1" should do fine.
 
Thanks Bean... I do appreciate the history lesson of your name lol, and greatly appreciate the help with this overflow, I've read a LOT from your thread.

I'll check the chart on your website, and I've already purchased the fittings for a 1.25" drain so ill just go with it now hehe.

Much appreciated.

-Scott
 
Check out their product page, could this make aquarium building easier for anyone who wants a DIY tank?

heck no! building an aquarium is supposed to be HARD! if building an aquarium were easy everyone would be doing it! we would all put aquarium builders out of business!

/whistle
 
heck no! building an aquarium is supposed to be HARD! if building an aquarium were easy everyone would be doing it! we would all put aquarium builders out of business!

/whistle

So... safe to assume you build aquariums for a living? haha :beer:
 
heck no! im too paranoid about the tanks i buy! i would never sleep at night if i actually built one of the containers for water in my house.

im just saying lol
 
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