Acrylic 101!!!!!

[Troylee]

Weldon 3 or 4 strength and then come back with 16 like a bead of silicone to fill and voids or gaps if there a leak.... I personally don't like 16 because it shrinks back about 30percent and causes tons of bubbles... I have been doing it long enough to get it right with solvents alone but for you guys learning use the solvent "it's about 200 times stronger than 16" then come back with 16 to seal it if need be....

 

[torombolo]

Thanks Troylee, will keep you posted on how UGLY come out LOL!!!!:smile:

 

[Jcr's Reef]

Weldon 3 or 4 strength and then come back with 16 like a bead of silicone to fill and voids or gaps if there a leak.... I personally don't like 16 because it shrinks back about 30percent and causes tons of bubbles... I have been doing it long enough to get it right with solvents alone but for you guys learning use the solvent "it's about 200 times stronger than 16" then come back with 16 to seal it if need be....

I have only used #16 once and hated it. Constantly stinging every where (spider webs) and is overall messier than the #3 IMO. Even when I first started working with acrylic, I had better luck with #3 vs. #16.

 

[GIT RITE]

Hey Troy, I have a couple of questions. How do you keep your material square and do you use a fence on your router table to keep all your material the same size?

 

[Troylee]

Yup a fence " straight edge" is a must... Keeping my materials square when gluing I have some wooden stands I made... I'll see if I can dig up a pic or 2....

 

[JackoChang]

A few questions: I don't have the space to get the big boy power tools, I'm using the acrylic cutter from lowes and 1/8" acrylic. Can I use a dremel to "route" the edges? If so, what attachment do I use? I'm having troubles getting the acrylic to snap clean once scored, it breaks in every direction instead. Any tips?

I read somewhere that Miracles is bonding acrylic and glass, any info on this?

 

[five O]

A few questions: I don't have the space to get the big boy power tools, I'm using the acrylic cutter from lowes and 1/8" acrylic. Can I use a dremel to "route" the edges? If so, what attachment do I use? I'm having troubles getting the acrylic to snap clean once scored, it breaks in every direction instead. Any tips?

I read somewhere that Miracles is bonding acrylic and glass, any info on this?

You would be better off just getting the pieces prof cut. If you can't afford the correct tool, it will save you money most likely as opposed to messing up a few pieces.. You would be surprised how affordable it is to have a piece or two cut (like sump baffles)

 

[five O]

Double post

 

[lilqtpierikki]

Wish i would have read this a few days ago... I ended up siliconing my acrylic sump... I did brace it with aluminum elbow joints on the bottom and all 4 sides with epoxy. I'm hoping that the elbows hold it together. If not, i'll have to take it apart and get all the silicone off so i can glue it with the weld-on... Sigh...

 

[Clearwater]

What a great thread. Some great tips thanks. Will keep a eye on on this thred.

 

[Emoney]

Awesome information!! Thanks for taking the time

 

[BWA_84]

Can you please tell me where the best place to buy acyrlic is

 

[returnofsid]

Glad to see this thread revived! Lee, help us build a tank!

 

[Sumpthing Fishy]

any threads on the pin method?

 

[Sumpthing Fishy]

hello again . if you where to use 1 inch acrylic ?would the solvent method be the best way to go. if i was building a very large tank does the welding method differ? any video on this pin method out there.thanks eric

 

[Sumpthing Fishy]

one more..okay if i was done glueing and had hardened glue on out side of tank ,like around all glue up joints .would this sand off.

 

[Phixer]

Large public aquariums use two part polymerizable cement such as 40 or 42. With panels that large and assembly on site many of them are not annealed. If the panel edge was heated during machining it will normally craze when bonded using solvent or the 2 part stuff. An easy way to tell ist to wipe the edge with denatured alcohol. If it crazes you will need to remove more material until you can repeat the process without crazing.
Annealing is is recommended to relieve the material of internal stress developed during machining but for the majority of professionals who used 2 part cements it is not done.

 

[Rikerbear]

I need to polish out some scratches both inside and outside my 29 folwr tank. Does the Novus polish/scratch kit actually work as reported....and if used inside the tank will it poison my fish?
I am VERY afraid to try using wet fine grit sandpaper and rouge to buff them out....I just know I'll get it too hot and make swirls :sad:

 

[Reef Fever]

lets see some finished products!

 

[Phixer]

Id look at the ingredients of the polish and call the MFG. Ive only removed scratches when the tank is empty using micromesh kits. First evaluate the depth of the scratch. This will determine the grit of the sand paper to start out with, you work up progressively to finer grades of sand paper eventually finishing with rubbing compound and then polish. You normally dont want to remove more material than you have too so try not to start with a grit too coarse. I normally try to start with 6-800 which takes a little longer but eventually removes the scratch leaving a series of smaller ones at the same depth as the original scratch. Use finer grades with water until you eventually get it to a blur as if someone rubbed it with steel wool. Then switch to rubbing compound and then buff out with polish. It takes some time. I prefer to do this by hand but know others who prefer to use a buffer.