epoxy instead of bulkheads

[ieatqiue]

have any of you ever used this epoxy from devcon

http://www.devcon.com/devconfamilyproduct.cfm?familyid=183

its ridiculously strong.. i dont see why you couldent rotozip a hole in the glass like 3/16" larger than the pipe and use the epoxy to glue it in place, filling the gap and making a small fillet on the outside of the glass..

15 bucks a piece for 2 inch bulkheads is too much if you need a lot of them.. i think using the epoxy like this would be fine..

the package it came in from the true value hardware store (not the same as pic in link, its a smaller tube) lists what it is good for use on and glass is listed.. the package looks like that but has the black tube of plastif welder in it...

http://slofly.com/cart/product_info.php?cPath=60&products_id=621&osCsid=aae8442b2f1bf33e655b18cc7dd09367

just something i was considering.. let me know what you think


- frank

[BeanAnimal]

At $4 a tube, it will get expensivve. I have used 4 tubes on a big diy skimmer for seating the body tube into a routed flange (1/8 gap). I also used it to build a well shaped venturi by stretching a 1" piece of thinwall PVC and then inserting it into a 1 1/4 PVC pipe and filling the gap with the epoxy.

The stuff works well and has a solvent to help it melt and adhere to the plastic.

That said, you will make one hell of a mess trying to build a bulkhead out of the stuff. What exactly are you trying to put a bulkhead in? If it is a plastic tank or sump, then a bulkhead is a much better choice, as the epoxy will only glue "thermoplastics" and not "thermoset" plastics. That means that plastic welding would be a better option, or a bulkhead. In the case of polypropelene and other thermosets, the stuff will not stick, nor will most glues and a bulkhead is still your only choice.

If your speaking of glass... forget it.

You may also want to know that this stuff gets rather hot when mixed and and mass of it will tend to bubble and outgas, deforming the shape or leaving "worm holes" in it.

Stick with the bullheads or get a plastic welder :)

[schristi69]

$30.00 for bulkheads or loss of $1000.00 plus for fish and corals when your mickey moused system fails and dumps your tank water on the floor. I am constantly amazed at the number of people who try to cheap out on their hardware, only to suffer the consequences and cost of a failure. Do it right the first time.

Remember salt water is a corrosive environment. Tested the effects of salt on the epoxy over several years? Willing to risk your whole tank?

[ieatqiue]

yea i know what your saying, and thanks for the replies... i feel like if you 'scuffed' the glass with the rotozip bit around where your fillets would be you could safely get away with it.. am i about to try it on my tank?? not really...

i designed a closed loop for this tank im working on that requires ten 2" bulkheads.. .ouch...

[BeanAnimal]

If you can afford a tank with (5) 3,000 gallon closed loops, the pumps to run those loops and the electricity to run the pumps, then the bulkheads are a drop in the bucket. Honestly.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/6843/cid/1860

$12 each.

[ieatqiue]

nice i hadn't found that site yet thanks.... and im not tryin to put 3000gph through each hole... i'll start a tank thread soon when im a little closer

[Atomahawk]

At 15.00$ a piece thats a small price to pay for peace of mind. If you can get them at that price locally, why even bother to order them online for 12.00$ ?

[baja_01]

If you want to get cheap, get a male and a female threaded fitting and add and o-ring and you have your self a cheap working bulkhead.

I have a 1/2 one on my 36 corner that has been working perfectly for a year now.

[MarkBailey]

I'm the cheapest person on earth, and am always looking for a cheaper way to do something. However, this is not where I would try and save money. Go ahead and spring for the bulkheads and save yourself the worry, and the potential disaster.