Removing Overflow Boxes from Acrylic Tank

[Steve and his Animals]

I acquired a standard 300 gallon acrylic tank last year, it's been sitting empty in my garage throughout the cold months, but I want to start working on it before the summer ends. My first concerns are the scratches (the tank is over 25 years old) and the overflow boxes.

There are two acrylic overflow boxes, one on each short end, from top to bottom in the center of the sides. I would like to remove them and install some drill-through boxes to maximize floor space and get rid of the dead spots in the corners.

Does anyone have any ideas about removing them? My first instinct is to smash them out with a hammer, Dremel out the smaller remaining pieces, then sand down the rest, but if there's a better way I would be all ears.

 

[W31Olds]

I would'nt smash, you may damage your tank. I would use a multitool with a appropriate blade so as not to overheat the plastic to cut them out flush, then sand and polish.

 

[bluemon]

I acquired a standard 300 gallon acrylic tank last year, it's been sitting empty in my garage throughout the cold months, but I want to start working on it before the summer ends. My first concerns are the scratches (the tank is over 25 years old) and the overflow boxes.

There are two acrylic overflow boxes, one on each short end, from top to bottom in the center of the sides. I would like to remove them and install some drill-through boxes to maximize floor space and get rid of the dead spots in the corners.

Does anyone have any ideas about removing them? My first instinct is to smash them out with a hammer, Dremel out the smaller remaining pieces, then sand down the rest, but if there's a better way I would be all ears.

If you hammer them, you run a very big risk of cracking the tank itself, as acrylic bonds STRONG, like chemical bonds stronger than acrylic itself.

Your best bet is to saw it off and sand it down

 

[Troylee]

Put the hammer down! cut them out with a angle grinder then sand the remaining plastic town and polish if you’d like.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

If you hammer them, you run a very big risk of cracking the tank itself, as acrylic bonds STRONG, like chemical bonds stronger than acrylic itself.

Your best bet is to saw it off and sand it down

I would'nt smash, you may damage your tank. I would use a multitool with a appropriate blade so as not to overheat the plastic to cut them out flush, then sand and polish.

I was considering using a sawzall, but I didn't know if the continuous vibrations would be worse than just hammering out the broad strokes. For reference, the tank is very old so the acrylic is about 1inch thick.

 

[W31Olds]

Sawzall can't get flush like a Multitool can and they are not a finesse tool to say the least.