I tried to put a tank together for the first time and it didn't come out so good. The silicone is very sloppy (didn't use painters tape which I learned about later) and don't laugh but it is now siliconed to the stand. So first I need to get it off the stand (someone suggested running a piano wire under it) and then I need to either clean up the messy silicone job or some tips on how to take it apart and redo it. Any help, insight, advice, ok and/or jokes are very much appreciated!
Need help making my own tanks
- Thread starter cmantis
- Start date
uncleof6
Active member
Well, I will try not to make any real jokes...
I been buildin tanks for 20 years, and the best advice I can give, unless you can be taught hands on, is have someone else build it. There are simply to many variables to really teach someone online, and most of the online info is pretty far off from what really needs to be done. Everything from what surface to build on, what clamps to use, how to use a caulking gun, (there is a skill involved) to what silicone to use and why, how thick the glass needs to be, how to clean up the mess; how to keep the seams even (thickness,) that barely even scratches the surface of the topic.
Guitar strings will get it off the stand, (get a few packages.) Guitar strings will get the tank apart (another few packages.) Razor blades, (a carton of them,) Methyl Ethyl Ketone, steel wool, elbow grease, and about 24 hours of labor, to clean up the mess. And yes, if I were you, I would start over. At the same time, though, I suggest you have a professional build it. DIY can be done, don't get me wrong, but in the long run, having it built will be cheaper.
I been buildin tanks for 20 years, and the best advice I can give, unless you can be taught hands on, is have someone else build it. There are simply to many variables to really teach someone online, and most of the online info is pretty far off from what really needs to be done. Everything from what surface to build on, what clamps to use, how to use a caulking gun, (there is a skill involved) to what silicone to use and why, how thick the glass needs to be, how to clean up the mess; how to keep the seams even (thickness,) that barely even scratches the surface of the topic.
Guitar strings will get it off the stand, (get a few packages.) Guitar strings will get the tank apart (another few packages.) Razor blades, (a carton of them,) Methyl Ethyl Ketone, steel wool, elbow grease, and about 24 hours of labor, to clean up the mess. And yes, if I were you, I would start over. At the same time, though, I suggest you have a professional build it. DIY can be done, don't get me wrong, but in the long run, having it built will be cheaper.
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As much as I agree with the above"¦.I will also add that kudos to you for trying and don't give up. You only get that experience by doing..got to start somewhere.
You should have seen the first of the few TV's I hung in my house"¦after the last one it wasn't too bad.
scott3569
New member
+1 As I also agree with the above, I also give you kudos..if you really want to try again at building a tank( I have never done it). I would watch videos, read as much information, as as many questions as you can possibly think of..the more you get into it the more questions you will have..and maybe just by luck you will come across enough info to give it another try..That what I do when I want to try to learn something, and there is nothing wrong with that..Some times it has worked out and other times I realized it was better to let a professional do it. But hey at least I tried!!
