DIY Acrylic mesh screen with splines - step by step

[sfdan]

Again thanks for the write up. I just completed mine using your technics. Routering the grooves were a pain as stated. I should have ordered the correct bit for acrylic.

Since I made this I've done a bit more routing on acrylic with just normal bits and I think the key is just to take shallow passes and keep the bit moving. If your bit isn't cutting smoothly then your passes are too deep. Based on my experience with acrylic, doing shallower passes and moving the bit relatively quickly is much better than doing deep or even intermediate passes while moving the bit more slowly.

But I'm sure if you have the bits designed for acrylic it probably is much easier.

 

[sfdan]

Nice job
I had 1/4" acrylic that warped. Hopefully the 1/2 in will be thick enough you don't have to worry.

Now that I have 3 months of history with the screens, I can answer the warping question!

I wasn't sure exactly what would happen with the heat of MHs above and the water from the tank below, but I have the answer. My screens have a slight warp, where each end of the 44" screen is about 3/16" off the tank bracing, so each top looks like a very very shallow smile. My guess is the cause is that little pools of water inevitably get on the bracing for my acrylic tank, and the bottom of the screen absorbs the water causing it to expand a little bit and create the upward bend.

For me personally this 3/16" is not a concern at all, as they still look fine and the gap is really tiny and there is no way a fish could get out, but if you were very obsessive about your top being dead flat, maybe choose acrylic that is a little thicker.

 

[cellingson]

Now that I have 3 months of history with the screens, I can answer the warping question!

I wasn't sure exactly what would happen with the heat of MHs above and the water from the tank below, but I have the answer. My screens have a slight warp, where each end of the 44" screen is about 3/16" off the tank bracing, so each top looks like a very very shallow smile. My guess is the cause is that little pools of water inevitably get on the bracing for my acrylic tank, and the bottom of the screen absorbs the water causing it to expand a little bit and create the upward bend.

For me personally this 3/16" is not a concern at all, as they still look fine and the gap is really tiny and there is no way a fish could get out, but if you were very obsessive about your top being dead flat, maybe choose acrylic that is a little thicker.

Good to know. My 1/4" warped noticably. Not enough to let a fish out. Luckily the cut was completely symmetric and I would just flip the top each week when I cleaned the tank.

 

[JTL]

I made mine from 3/8 poly carbonate and it has not warped.

 

[d0ughb0y]

I made mine from 3/8 poly carbonate and it has not warped.

I think OP used 1/2" thick acrylic. so is polycarbonate like lexan?

 

[BrianD]

Some posts on this thread had to be deleted due to some type of error with a post. I'm sorry that was the only solution I could determine.