Cracked Skimmer

[hawks66]

So as i was doing my yearly pull out of the skimmer for vinegar bath, my dog decided to knock the skimmer off the table and it cracked. here are some images.

http://imgur.com/a/xqHga

the cracks aren't that bad, and im hoping it can be repaired. some searches have yielded that i should use weld on 4 or weld on 16. a few questions...

weld on 4 is thin, would it work on those cracks up the side? just paint it on?
or go thicker with weld on 16, and just smooth it out,

should i try to get the adhesive between the black base plate and the clear sidewall? or should i do it as a seal, like with silicone where it butts up against the two.

should i put some weight on the top of the skimmer as it sets?

the fixes dont need to be pretty as this is down in the sump obviously.

what do i need to know, ive never used weld on or worked with acrylic before.

 

[mcgyvr]

4 "should" work just fine for those particular cracks and would look much better than a "caulk job" with 16..
Heck.. even super glue would work just fine and unless you are entering your skimmer in a beauty pageant thats what I would use and call it done

If you have some scrap acrylic you can also put some shavings in the 4 to thicken it up some and to fill some gaps..

 

[tjnorthdakota]

I use 16 for repairing pretty much everything, might look a little rough but never had it fail yet

 

[reeftivo]

weld on 4 will soak into the crack better. I would probably use both the 4 and 16 and apply the 16 over the crack after the 4 sets up. Those cracks aren't bad but they will spider if not kept in check. I've used weld on 4 with two skimmers and it worked great. once was on the cup of a BK 160 mini and the other time was the base of an old RO skimmer which like yours, was knocked off a counter-arrg!

 

[hawks66]

bought some 4. will update with pictures and updates on how it goes.

 

[hawks66]

bought 4, the thing is sealed up with thick metal, i punctured it with a screwdriver and a hammer and made a big mess trying to pour it into the applicator, I felt like a box cutter was not gonna open that thing. is there a better way to open it?

anyways, used the needle tip and pulled the base back a bit just enough to get the needle in there, and when i squeezed the epoxy out it really wicked around the whole base, i could see it. so that was a better solution than the 16, i put enough in there until it started leaking out. then i set a toolbox on top of it to put some pressure on it while it set. while the dog was inside this time. We'll see if it holds water tomorrow morning.

 

[hawks66]

the weld on worked and it held water. there was bubbling around the baseplate where the weld occurred. i got so excited to put it back in the sump i forgot to take pictures! thanks to all on my first adventure using weld on and acrylic.