Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help! - Page 10

Acrylics · #**226** 06/15/2007, 09:05 AM

Depends on how it's braced, but I'd use 1/2" with a 3" perimeter flange (AKA eurobrace) and a coupla 6" crossbraces. You'd have 3 openings in the top, each measuring ~18 x 26".

HTH,
James

jimmyj7090 · #**227** 06/25/2007, 09:35 PM

James,

Thanks for creating this amazing thread/resource.

Two quick questions;

I've seen you say that you use spiral cut router bits. I finally got around to picking one up and I am very impressed with how nicely it works (no grabbing while cutting overflow teeth, seems to leave a cleaner cut). Do you know if there is such thing as a flush cut spiral bit? (spiral cut with a bearing on the end, just in case I'm not using the correct terminology)

Also, would you suggest "up-cut" or "down-cut"? I got an up-cut and it seems to work great.

jk

Acrylics · #**228** 06/25/2007, 09:50 PM

JK,
Yep, a few companies make them, Whiteside and Amana both come to mind, I use Whiteside for whatever that's worth. CMT also makes them but with less pronounced spiral in the flutes. I'm sure there are others as well. I use up-cuts only as I mount them in the router table so they are "down-cuts" for my purposes. I'll try to get a pic of one and part numbers in the morning

HTH,
James

jimmyj7090 · #**229** 06/25/2007, 10:11 PM

Sweet, thank you. I can't wait to pick one up.

RokleM · #**230** 06/26/2007, 07:27 AM

I realized I never put my latest creation on here. It's a nano for a buddy who wanted to start a tank, but not put in much investment.

bchbum189 · #**231** 06/26/2007, 08:03 AM

looks good, but if the power to the pump is cut off, what stops all the water from back siphoning into the rear? That would lower the water in the front several inches possibly exposing corals, etc.

newreef8584 · #**232** 06/26/2007, 08:15 AM

Very nice little tank, seams look sweet.

bchbum has a good point with that MJ so low. What would be neat and easy to change that if the tank is not full yet. If there is room in the rear chamber, turn the MJ so it is picking up through that hole then put a new hole or two somewhere in the divider and make a simple closed loop then add another pump for a return.

Is that chamber where the MJ is sealed from the other two? If so how will you be protecting the pump from running dry due to evaporation.

Will the tank be run open topped or are you making a canopy for it?

RokleM · #**233** 06/26/2007, 09:41 AM

The baffle seams aren't great, but I only needed them to hold in place. The rest of them turned out very well. As well, I scratched a panel on the side, so I was "given" the opportunity to fix my first scratch.

The water is kept topped off just below the left acrylic separator. In turn, the water level only drops the 1/2-3/4" in the main tank.

The left chamber is chaeto and heater. The right has a carbon bag in the bottom and a sponge filter that goes just to below the overflow itself. The middle is just the pump.

Lighting is a 2x18 PC that rests on the edges of the tank (tank built for that size light). Evaporation is only approximately 1/2 cup a day at max.

Acrylics · #**234** 06/26/2007, 03:51 PM

Sorry for the blurry pics, bad camera, worse photographer

Whiteside part numbers:
RFT5125 for the 1/2" spiral upcuts, 1.25" cut length
RFT2100 for the 1/4" spiral upcuts, 1" cut length

jimmyj7090 · #**235** 06/26/2007, 04:13 PM

thanks again James

jk

evolust · #**236** 06/28/2007, 01:13 PM

I was wondering if it is possible to remove the corner overflows on my tank so I can go with a center overflow. The current corner overflows are the black acrylic about 3/8" and the tank sides are 3/4". Can these be removed with damaging the acrylic? I want to make the tank a peninsula but with the overflows on the back I cant do that. TIA

wharfrat48 · #**237** 06/28/2007, 02:22 PM

First and maybe last acrylic project. I just bought a used acrylic sump (glasscages) and need to seal a bulkhead hole cut in the bottom of the tank. My plan was to cut a square piece of acylic and use it as a patch (inside the tank) using Weldon #16. Will this work? How much larger then the hole should the square patch be? Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks

Acrylics · #**238** 06/28/2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evolust
I was wondering if it is possible to remove the corner overflows on my tank so I can go with a center overflow. The current corner overflows are the black acrylic about 3/8" and the tank sides are 3/4". Can these be removed with damaging the acrylic? I want to make the tank a peninsula but with the overflows on the back I cant do that. TIA

They can be removed but the joint itself will always be there, meaning you will not able to have it as if it was never there. Hope this makes sense

Quote:

Originally posted by wharfrat48
First and maybe last acrylic project. I just bought a used acrylic sump (glasscages) and need to seal a bulkhead hole cut in the bottom of the tank. My plan was to cut a square piece of acylic and use it as a patch (inside the tank) using Weldon #16. Will this work? How much larger then the hole should the square patch be? Anything else I should be aware of?

Sure it'll work, just make the patch 1" bigger all around, so a 2" hole would take a 4" square patch. It's not necessary to go that big but doesn't hurt either. FWIW, I'd just use silicone if it were my tank

HTH,
James

wharfrat48 · #**239** 06/28/2007, 03:20 PM

Silicone--- really? I just spent 20$ getting a tube of Weldon shipped to me

But seriously.. would silicone be better?--- no leaks is my goal.

Thanks again

Acrylics · #**240** 06/28/2007, 03:26 PM

I'd personally use silicone as the patch can easily be removed, so in that sense it's better for me as I like to keep options open

You can use 16 and it'll work just fine though.
FWIW, use of silicone in this application is fine as it's purpose is simply to stick the patch on and act as a gasket, and not structural in any way. I've used silicone in my own tanks & sumps to patch holes and never any issues.

James

evolust · #**241** 06/28/2007, 03:32 PM

I wont be able to polish out the mark where they came together? How would you recommend removing the overflow?

Acrylics · #**242** 06/28/2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evolust
I wont be able to polish out the mark where they came together?

As a product of a chemical weld, some of the black material will migrate to the clear and some of the clear into the black. You could get *most* of it out but there will always be some scarring/discoloration and possibly some crazing due to the secondary operations in polishing it out, not to mention the possibility of some structural damage. Properly glued, the pieces fuse together, for all practical purposes - as one new piece.

Quote:

How would you recommend removing the overflow?

Generally speaking, I wouldn't. A good bit of damage is apt to be done by attempting to remove it.

James

evolust · #**243** 06/28/2007, 03:56 PM

OK, Thanks for you help!

supereri · #**244** 07/30/2007, 07:59 PM

This thread was awesome I built my own sump based on what I learned. Thanks to everyone who gave info in this thread!!

supereri · #**245** 07/30/2007, 08:04 PM

BTW I used the stock blade that came with my tablesaw. But I did all of my edge finish work with a router. It was very easy this way. Just make sure you setup your router and fence and make ALL of the cuts you need for that dimension at once. That way all of the baffles or endpieces are the same length/width and you don't have to stress over reset your fence to the exact dimension. Also the straightcut routerbit I used wanted to draw the piece away from the fence if I wasn't careful.

malicemethods · #**246** 07/30/2007, 10:18 PM

Hello!

I am starting a sump/fug project and I think I will need a lot of help. I have a lot of sheet acrylic that I want to cut to spec dimensions for the sump/fug. I dont have a lot of tools, just a hand held circular saw and an electric drill. budget is super tight so i only have enough money to buy a saw blade.

is it possibly to cut precision straight edges with a hand held circular saw? if so how?

I have weld on 3 and 16 should i go out and get 4?

After the pieces have been cut, how do you start bonding them together? ie: sides to sides first?

and how do you cut multiple pieces of the same length? for the baffles dont they have to be pretty much the same length so some arent shorter than the other so they can be bonded to the side walls?

I know i have a lot of questions. I posted a thread with the same questions but noone seems to be replying. Thanks for any help!

bchbum189 · #**247** 07/31/2007, 01:26 AM

if you have wo 3 then just use it, 4 is very similar just sets slightly slower.

I bond sides to front, sides to back, then top to perimeter and bottom last.

malicemethods · #**248** 07/31/2007, 02:35 AM

I was given the impression that weld on 4 was stronger bc it melts more of the acrylic due to the fact that it sets slower, letting it get into the material more. and that 3 was a quick set bond, not for major jobs. is this true? or can i use 3 for my sump?

bchbum189 · #**249** 07/31/2007, 08:40 AM

it is "easier" to get a good seam with 4 than 3, however, 3 is more than capable of giving a very strong seam. Either one done wrong will fail all the same, so IMO if you get a good seam then i would not worry, if its full of bubbles then i would worry.
I dont consider 3 and 4 very different at all.

malicemethods · #**250** 07/31/2007, 01:14 PM

http://www.ridoutplastics.com/adandcem.html