My Carbon-Fiber 230 gal Tank

[MrSandman]

Damn! I used to work for an aerospace company and i was partially responsible for producing their carbon cloth. They ended up getting pre-preged going to rocket nozzles and other aircraft structures. We had to literally toss rolls and rolls of this stuff since they couldn't pass visual inspection (supplier issues). Were the "scraps" that you used on this tank similar? Did you fire the carbon cloth at your company? Did you have access to an autoclave for curing? Man, had i known there was another market for lower grade carbon cloth, i would have sold it instead of scrapping it!!

 

[Merkur]

you didn't know there was a market for that stuff??!!??

go visit rcuniverse.com and see some of the wacky stuff those guys do in the r/c jet forums or the pylon racing forums. those guys are nuts. some of them make reefers look like seriously well adjusted induhviduals.

think its hard explaining $300 pumps to your wife? try explaining $1,000 landing gear or a $6,000 jet engine for your "hobby" just to crash it into the ground at 200mph....

 

[H20ENG]

Thanks Merkur,
This is how many tanks are constructed (fiberglass with thick acrylic panes):
Black is tank frame
Light blue is glass
dark blue is caulk

 

[H20ENG]

So is this better?

 

[H20ENG]

Or this?
Thanks!

 

[Merkur]

If i wanted a tank to survive a quake, this is how i would glaze it. the only thing i would debate about this design is the spaces between the frame and glass. i show 1/4" at the joints and 3/8" at the head and sill. i might want to make those 1/2" and 3/4" really.

of course, i would have salt lick build me a wicked cool carbon kevlar frame

 

[H20ENG]

I cant see the wording. Is that backer rod down in below the caulk? Waht is the glass sitting on? High density foam blocks?
Thanks!

 

[Merkur]

this should be more legable. the .jpg compresion really trashes these autocad exports!!

 

[salt lick]

cant read pic, nice design

cant read pic, nice design

Merkur,
I cant read your pic, try saving as giff or tif or bmp. jpg trashes text. white backround too.

double sided is good way to go.

 

[Todd G.]

Very nice and "state of the art"
I have never seen anything like it.
Alot of TLC and craftsmanship went into it.
My hats off to ya'!!.
Todd G.

 

[Ken Sellick]

structural sandwich panel

structural sandwich panel

You mentioned in your first post that you used a fiberglass/pvc structural sandwich panel. Where can i find out more about these panels? I am planning a 120"Lx48"Wx36"H glass tank and am interested in using other materials for the bottom.
i like the carbonfiber frame design.

 

[salt lick]

Re: structural sandwich panel

Re: structural sandwich panel

You mentioned in your first post that you used a fiberglass/pvc structural sandwich panel. Where can i find out more about these panels? I am planning a 120"Lx48"Wx36"H glass tank and am interested in using other materials for the bottom.
i like the carbonfiber frame design.

the PVC foam inside the sandwich is called Divinacell, its expensive and used in boats and aircraft. Check out the "aircraft spruce and specialty" catalog or their web site. the core increases the strength of a panel with little weight addition. for a tank, particle board or plywood would work also, weight is not a factor. the aircraft spruce and specialty has a lot of the same materials I used and good laymans info.

 

[salt lick]

thanks again

thanks again

Very nice and "state of the art"
I have never seen anything like it.
Alot of TLC and craftsmanship went into it.
My hats off to ya'!!.
Todd G.

thanks again

 

[Merkur]

lets try it as a .gif!

 

[H20ENG]

The gif is much clearer, Thanks!
Many people just silicone the one side of the glass up against the front frame of a plywood tank. Would you recommend this, or build the channels into the framing so as to use the backer rod and caulk both sides?
The public aquarium I worked at (S.F., CA) had 320' of acrylic tunnel. It was set in a pocket of elastomeric sealant into the concrete walls. It was surrounded on 3 sides. This was per the drawings, I did not see actual construction. The tube was solvent bonded in 20' sections, and every 40' had an elastomeric expansion joint. Still dont think I'd want to be down there in a quake! I was there for several minor quakes and it all held tight.
Chris

 

[salt lick]

nice pic

nice pic

lets try it as a .gif!

Looks good now

 

[Merkur]

The gif is much clearer, Thanks!
Many people just silicone the one side of the glass up against the front frame of a plywood tank. Would you recommend this, or build the channels into the framing so as to use the backer rod and caulk both sides?
The public aquarium I worked at (S.F., CA) had 320' of acrylic tunnel. It was set in a pocket of elastomeric sealant into the concrete walls. It was surrounded on 3 sides. This was per the drawings, I did not see actual construction. The tube was solvent bonded in 20' sections, and every 40' had an elastomeric expansion joint. Still dont think I'd want to be down there in a quake! I was there for several minor quakes and it all held tight.
Chris

a detail like that could work if a bond-breaker (something sealant won't adhere to) is placed at the edge of the glass.

jeez... why did they use elastomeric sealants? man, nobody i mean NOBODY usess that stuff anymore...

 

[H20ENG]

Not entirely sure what exactly it was, but everyone said it was " a type of elastomeric sealant"
It was built in 94-95'.

 

[jman785]

salt lick:

A little late to be finding this post, but holy shiat....nice tank...good design...its easy to see your an engineer

- Jared

 

[salt lick]

thanks everyone!

thanks everyone!

thanks for the support
I will keep U posted as I progress