Acrylic Fabrication Q & A

[Dragon52]

Ha I was falling for the optical illusion as well - I can see now they are on the outside

You'll want to keep an eye on these but these are not technically "cracks" they are seam separations. Do you have other physical cracks elsewhere?

I've seen some seam separations that look like they are all the way through, and inches long. So this example is not horrible, but it points to some potential fabrication issues

I have one that is about 18" from the top that goes from inside to about an 1/8 of an inch from the outside but it has not gotten any bigger either. It's more feathered that cracked, hard to see in pics.

 

[cromag27]

hard to see because the photos are out of focus. is that a crack? or maybe someone forgot to pull the pin in time. lol. i personally would be weary of any separation or other goofiness that occurs within a few months after setting up the tank. this is the crucial period where acrylic is obsorbing water.

 

[cromag27]

nm

 

[Dragon52]

hard to see because the photos are out of focus. is that a crack? or maybe someone forgot to pull the pin in time. lol. i personally would be weary of any separation or other goofiness that occurs within a few months after setting up the tank. this is the crucial period where acrylic is obsorbing water.

It's real hard to get my DSLR to focus on it, there's a hairline crack with some feathering on the upward part, it has been like this for about year.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

Try this: focus on something then press the shutter button to lock focus, then move to the crack so you can get the camera positioned right so that the focus is on the crack

I really want to see this defect a lot better...

 

[Dragon52]

I

Try this: focus on something then press the shutter button to lock focus, then move to the crack so you can get the camera positioned right so that the focus is on the crack

I really want to see this defect a lot better...

had to use my phone to get it.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

Great pic. That one is interesting. It doesn't look like a crack to me, cracks in acrylic are very well defined by a 3-dimensional looking "hovering plane". This looks again like it's in the seam, something that is a result of a fabrication step of some kind. It looks kind of like bubbles that are somewhat "stretched" out, almost as if there was a bubble in the seam after the solvent was added, and the tried to "scoop" it out before pulling the pins - but that just ended up spreading it out a bit because the solvent was already setting up.

I take it that this has been there all along? Or has this one started showing up over time as well?

What do you think @acrylics does that look like what happened here?

Can you say who made the tank? You can PM me that if you don't want to post it publicly.

 

[cromag27]

doesn’t look like it to me because the line doesn’t travel all the way to the left side,which is where the pin would have been pulled out.

looks like there was some air in the seam and the seam was pushed together, then pulled apart slightly as the solvent was drying.

in any case, i’ve never built anything that has issues like these after filing it with water. i wouldn’t trust this tank.

 

[Dragon52]

Great pic. That one is interesting. It doesn't look like a crack to me, cracks in acrylic are very well defined by a 3-dimensional looking "hovering plane". This looks again like it's in the seam, something that is a result of a fabrication step of some kind. It looks kind of like bubbles that are somewhat "stretched" out, almost as if there was a bubble in the seam after the solvent was added, and the tried to "scoop" it out before pulling the pins - but that just ended up spreading it out a bit because the solvent was already setting up.

I take it that this has been there all along? Or has this one started showing up over time as well?

What do you think @acrylics does that look like what happened here?

Can you say who made the tank? You can PM me that if you don't want to post it publicly.

Fish Tanks Direct out of Florida made the tank.
This flaw showed up about a month or so after the others & like them has not gotten any worse. These flaws have been in the tank for almost a year as is.

 

[Dragon52]

doesn’t look like it to me because the line doesn’t travel all the way to the left side,which is where the pin would have been pulled out.

looks like there was some air in the seam and the seam was pushed together, then pulled apart slightly as the solvent was drying.

in any case, i’ve never built anything that has issues like these after filing it with water. i wouldn’t trust this tank.

So I guess your saying ditch this tank & get another from some where else? I have no one in the area (Augusta, GA) that does Acrylic that I know of, there is or used to be a company in Atlanta that made acrylic tanks that I could check out. I need acrylic because of weight but cost is an issue since I just bought this one last yr.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

Fish Tanks Direct out of Florida made the tank.

Have you contacted them? These look like manufacturing flaws to me.

 

[Dragon52]

Have you contacted them? These look like manufacturing flaws to me.

Yes both phone calls & pics sent by email. the rep returned a call once after initial contact & told me not worry. He never responded to any of the pic emails & most of the time I called after the 1st contact message said his machine couldn't take anymore messages because it was full. I just left another message last wk & still haven't heard from them.
I have emails with pics sent within a month of receiving.

 

[mrpizzaface]

Any chance you gurus could outline your polishing methods?

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

The shot version is in this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acrylic-fabrication-q-a.224773/page-27#post-3080277

 

[mrpizzaface]

The shot version is in this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acrylic-fabrication-q-a.224773/page-27#post-3080277

Thank you very much.

 

[mrpizzaface]

After spending the better part of yesterday reading through this thread I have decided to make my own sump. I ordered 1/2 inch cell cast acrylic. It will be a pretty basic 3 chamber Triton sump.
16 inches tall- 18 inches deep
Section 1 (20 inches long) refugium section with one baffle before...
skimmer section (12 inches long)with 3 baffle bubble plate before...
return section. (12 inches long)

Do i need the top plate?

 

[TheEngineer]

I’m planning a DIY project for my local club. I’d like to make really simple top down viewers so people can learn to weld acrylic. Finding the rounds for the bottom is easy but I’m having no luck with tubing. I’m looking for 6” od in 4” lengths. The best I have found is like $20 a foot. Is there a better source?

 

[mrpizzaface]

After spending the better part of yesterday reading through this thread I have decided to make my own sump. I ordered 1/2 inch cell cast acrylic. It will be a pretty basic 3 chamber Triton sump.
16 inches tall- 18 inches deep
Section 1 (20 inches long) refugium section with one baffle before...
skimmer section (12 inches long)with 3 baffle bubble plate before...
return section. (12 inches long)

Do i need the top plate?

@Floyd R Turbo

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I ordered 1/2 inch cell cast acrylic. It will be a pretty basic 3 chamber Triton sump.
16 inches tall- 18 inches deep
Section 1 (20 inches long) refugium section with one baffle before...
skimmer section (12 inches long)with 3 baffle bubble plate before...
return section. (12 inches long)

Do i need the top plate?

I would say you can get away without a rim on that, but to be sure, post a sketch. Cross section from the front so I can see the baffle positions and heights/etc

 

[m0nk3y69d]

Great thread but I have a couple of questions I am getting ready to make baffles for my new sump I have a 40 Breeder and I’m using red acrylic for the baffles most of my cuts I’m going to make with a score knife and a jigsaw because that is what I have on hand but I was wondering what do I need to do for edge prep before I glue on the acrylic to acrylic seams. I was also wondering what kind of hole saw can use to cut the holes for 2 4” filter socks.