65ish gallon acrylic black frame build

[Not_Eeyore]

I fell hard for the idea of an 18" tall 65 gallon All In One. Clear for Life makes them but neither PetCo or Petsmart will special order one even if I pay for it right then. Plus I am not a fan of euro tops, the design of their AIO flow, or their placement on the back. Hunted for a used one for 3 months figuring price would forgive a lot. Nada. Commercial driver so my shopping area is a 1000 mile plus corridor between Scranton, Pa and Fargo, Nd with St Louis, Il to Scranton as the back haul.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Grr. Wait, there is a black frame that size by a company I trust... (Hear angels singing!)

and shipping is $400.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Tried searching for custom builders closer but no good prospects. Then I came across a very nice man selling everything to move. 1/2" cell cast cut to size $125 plus frame from Over The Edge $150 (got top and bottom of both kinds.) A shipping goof had the seller cutting it from the frame makers' numbers. The fit is super!

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Searched my area fish clubs/forums on FB, Band, and Discord for someone to put them together to no avail. I do no blame them. Between C19 and the short warm season here; everyone is frantic to be outside.

In my searches, this site came up again and again. I noticed the DIY acrylic build threads were active so here I am. Dragged kicking and screaming to bonding the parts myself; but determined to do a good job. Tracking down the recommended brand of camper-mount adhesive-backed foam was a pill and it will take awhile to get here. The rest of the supplies for doing the Pins method will be here in a week or so.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

#DIYwizards

#Turbo's Aquatics​

Building a black frame acrylic tank using the pin method. Is it ok to use the frame as a jig, pin all of it (painters tape to hold them,) shim/bond the horizontal seam, let cure, and then rotate to reach the next seam??

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[Not_Eeyore]

Weld on ordered. Some types are for other projects.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Weld on ordered. Some types are for other projects.

WOW! Packed and shipped the next day.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

A few more parts arrived. Now just waiting for answers about scraping and lower humidity.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Build order sorted; I need to anchor the bottom pane to the frame first. Marking the edges was easy. Peeling back the masking was a PITA.
.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Ugliest peel ever but proud of winning the 3 week battle to get the masking paper off the edges I will be welding.

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Now... about these edges... sigh. No router so scraper and Dremel it is.
#DIYwizards suggestions?

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Scrapers arrived!