Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help! - Page 105

gods child · 04/02/2012, 05:56 PM

My first blog was kinda vaige so I will be more specific this time. As friend of mine bought a house three mo. ago this is what he has ... 2 cylindars, 8' across, 10 feet high connected by another cylidar 4' accross w a gap of 10' between the two there is a leak in the bottom of one of the cylindars... would like to know what to use to repair this to stop the acrillic cyliindar leak. bases are fiberglass covered by gel coat. any help appreciated!

dahenley · 04/02/2012, 08:50 PM

pictures are going to do that better...

also, where is the leak? you say its where the horizontle and verticals meet, but is it at the spot where acrylic meets the fiberglass? or is it at a acrylic-acrylic joint?

gods child · 04/03/2012, 05:26 AM

its on the bottom of the cylinder the base is a gel coat The leak is real small I will gat some pictures as soon as i can

pico-reefer · 04/03/2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanK13

Always brace acrylic no matter the size. Stress on seams pulls them apart causing crazing and/or failure over time. Vertical seam issues are a giant PITA to repair that involves tearing the tank down and setting the bad seam vertically in order to weld it back together (which doesn't always work). Just brace it and increase the life without worries

anyone have any insight about this? i always see rimless tanks without any problems.

Floyd R Turbo · 04/03/2012, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gods child

its on the bottom of the cylinder the base is a gel coat The leak is real small I will gat some pictures as soon as i can

Def need pics. I an still not following your problem. 8 foot diameter 10 foot tall cylinders? An acrylic tank that size would be thick, heavy, and wicked expensive. Like $60K expensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pico-reefer

anyone have any insight about this? i always see rimless tanks without any problems.

Rimless = super thick. this compensates for stress on vertical seams. making a thin walled rimless tank is where more people create a problem.

mudsticker · 04/04/2012, 07:07 AM

would it be safe to build a 6'x2'x2' tank out of 3/8 plexi if i close the top and only cut holes for access leaving say 4" min at the sides and make three holes?

so essentially two braces

thanks

chris

plastic is sooo friggin costly here1/2" is 600 bux a sheet and i gotta drive two hours to get it(one way)

Floyd R Turbo · 04/04/2012, 08:22 AM

Where the heck do you live? I have to drive 2 hours but a sheet of 1/2" plex-g is less than $300 where I get it. You're getting ripped off unless you're looking for Polycast.

The Arkema (plexiglas brand) non-printed mask is $240/sheet for 1/2" (0.472). That's the "general purpose" grade - same stuff as "G", made in same plant, they just call it "import" instead of "domestic" even though it's all imported from Mexico. Even the black 1/2" is $260. I can get up to a pallet drop shipped to my front door for $100. Shop around dude. Sabic Polymershapes.

The Cyro (acrylite) tells me that 72 x 24 with closed top is .944 or 1" material. But according to James (or someone, somewhere in this thread) they tend to overshoot with a closed top and undershoot with an open top. So you could probably do 3/4". That being said I have seen ten e cor tanks 66 x 24 with 3/8" (polycast, so 0.375 not 0.354) and sea clear/etc tanks with 72 x 24 made from 1/2" but oh man you should see that 72 x 24 sucker bow. I would do minimum of 3/4" if it were me.

BTW 3/4" Arkema brand cell cast clear "general purpose" from Sabic <$400 sheet (approximately. Was $345 but 6% price increase just went through and I never have bought that stuff anyways so I don't know for sure what it runs now)

As for the cutouts, I would think that 4" perimeter and 2 6" crossbraces with 2" radius corners (that's the most important part) would do good. That's 3 16 x 16 cutouts, roughly. But that's a ? for James as I haven't built tanks that large and have no personal experience...

mudsticker · 04/04/2012, 08:46 AM

1" material...ya i think not. prolly cheaper to make it out of gold than get that stuff up here.

gonna see if i can find a place in Sault Michigan...maybe it's cheaper in the states.

i was told i had to use cell cast..all prices are for cell cast.

thanks for the info

Chris

Floyd R Turbo · 04/04/2012, 09:13 AM

All those prices I listed are for cell cast as well and yes that's what you want to use

mudsticker · 04/04/2012, 09:23 AM

just did some more calculations....gonna build it a bit smaller...

48"x24x24....that will make it possible to build it all sump, overflow, and whatnot with 2 sheets.

same idea, only two holes on top, hopefully I'm getting closer budget wise.

ohhh ya wife said original design was...lets say... "just a slice to big honey"(not the exact quote)

big enough i guess

thanks again

Floyd R Turbo · 04/04/2012, 09:36 AM

http://www.sabicpolymershapes.com/po...r/branchus.jsp

3 branches in Michigan.

Also might look up Laird, and I know there's another big one but can't recall. If you're in Canada I don't know if there would be some kind of taxes or something for bringing it across yourself, but I imagine so.

cyro's calculator still says .708 (.672 actually) for 24x48 but you can probably do 1/2" and possibly 3/8", but you have to remember that the people building these out of 3/8" are using polycast for which 3/8" = 3/8" not 0.354 and also a much 'denser' material, and their fabrication techniques are very good compared to the average hobbyist since they build thousands of tanks a year. So if you build it from 3/8" #1 better be done as close to perfect as possible #2 it's gonna bow which means you're more likely to scratch it.

Material is not the place to skimp when building your tank. You spend multiple times the amount of money you spend on your tank on your road to a full blown reef. Spending a little extra up front is pennies in the jar compared to the cost of a failure because you didn't do it right from the start. IMHO HTH

mudsticker · 04/04/2012, 09:47 AM

ya looks like 1/2 inch is gonna be the way to go....
i can get it in the Toronto area for 320 a sheet
and thanks for the list
cc

peppie · 04/04/2012, 05:32 PM

Floyd,
Any input on bending 1/4'' acrylic into a 16'' circle.
Was going to set a sheet of 1/4'' X aprox 12'' wide X the length needed for the 16'' diam.
heat it at 425 deg. for aprox. 30min. pull the sheet out of the heat and wrap it around the form???????
Any thoughts on Temp and Time for 1/4'' material?

vanzea · 04/10/2012, 04:22 PM

Hello Floyd

I think that I read in one of your posts that you made some frag tanks. I am looking to make one that is 48"x24" by 12" high. Thinking that I will have a solid top with one cut out giving three inches around the top....My question is what I should be using for thinkness. Thanks

Adam

gods child · 04/10/2012, 04:52 PM

Yes they would be two of them are connected by a 4ft across that connects the two of them and they are 6ft apart .That is the entrance to the pool which is in the house an the roof opens when it is nice out with another cylinder at the end of the tank .Price well over a half a mill has more than 60 grand in pumps its would be a lot easy-er 2 tell you over the phone than on a key board but the base is 6inc thick with a jell coat finish an ti is leaking at the base between the base an the cylinder h

Bax · 04/10/2012, 06:24 PM

For half a million dollars I'd be dragging my contractor back in to fix that !

Floyd is there a readily available substitute for solvent applicators that you could recomend?

The local plastics shop stopped selling anything smaller then full sheets, quartz of solvent and all small gizmose including ... applicators!

Floyd R Turbo · 04/10/2012, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanzea

Hello Floyd

I think that I read in one of your posts that you made some frag tanks. I am looking to make one that is 48"x24" by 12" high. Thinking that I will have a solid top with one cut out giving three inches around the top....My question is what I should be using for thinkness. Thanks

Adam

with a 3" perimeter euro on that tank you could probably do 3/8". Would be better with a 2-4" center brace though. I wish James would chime in and verify though

Quote:

Originally Posted by gods child

Yes they would be two of them are connected by a 4ft across that connects the two of them and they are 6ft apart .That is the entrance to the pool which is in the house an the roof opens when it is nice out with another cylinder at the end of the tank .Price well over a half a mill has more than 60 grand in pumps its would be a lot easy-er 2 tell you over the phone than on a key board but the base is 6inc thick with a jell coat finish an ti is leaking at the base between the base an the cylinder h

yeah that's way over my head. sorry. When you say gel coat I have no clue what you're talking about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bax

For half a million dollars I'd be dragging my contractor back in to fix that !

Floyd is there a readily available substitute for solvent applicators that you could recomend?

The local plastics shop stopped selling anything smaller then full sheets, quartz of solvent and all small gizmose including ... applicators!

www.craftics.net

Bax · 04/10/2012, 08:20 PM

Thanks!

gods child · 04/10/2012, 10:16 PM

he bought this house about 4 months ago for 27 mill with the setup all ready there .At that time there was no leak so now its dan dan can you help a brother out kind deal. thats nothing you should see the rest of the house

gods child · 04/10/2012, 10:20 PM

gonna try 2 get some pic but he not 2 keen on it he doesnt like to show the public what he has

Floyd R Turbo · 04/11/2012, 06:29 AM

Call in a pro bro. That's too much liability

gods child · 04/11/2012, 05:18 PM

L.O.L thats me no really he doesnt want people in his personal house. I have a talent, really a gift . no matter what I have put my hand too I was able to do it no matter what it was . Just need to c it done or be told how. An there is NO liability this is in a house of some one that is more than a buddy. I just dont want to catch fish, drain ,an fix more than once ... an this is small you should c what is at the office he has 25 or 30 thousand gallon shark tank. now thats something to c

dahenley · 04/11/2012, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gods child

L.O.L thats me no really he doesnt want people in his personal house. I have a talent, really a gift . no matter what I have put my hand too I was able to do it no matter what it was . Just need to c it done or be told how. An there is NO liability this is in a house of some one that is more than a buddy. I just dont want to catch fish, drain ,an fix more than once ... an this is small you should c what is at the office he has 25 or 30 thousand gallon shark tank. now thats something to c

I know he wants to be secretive.... and that's totally fine. But you should be able to get some pictures with a nice camera.. and use a setting to where the edges are softened. That we don't have to see his house or what not.

But the way it currently sounds is that you have a car, its making a noise in the engine and you want to fix it.
We ask what it is. Your answer is, its a secret, but its a v8....

Without more info/better info, and pictures. This conversation is pointless....

Does that make since....

When taking pictures. Get a whole shot. (You can Photoshop the contents and what not. If that makes you and your friend to feel better)

Comtek · 04/12/2012, 10:05 PM

is an acrylic tank shaped like this possible
Top view 8' long 4' wide 2' deep
also what size acrylic, euro brace width
and should the seams be arrange like in the pic
thanks guys

Comtek · 04/15/2012, 05:32 AM

nobody knows?

04/02/2012, 08:50 PM	#2602
dahenley Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lubbock, Tx Posts: 3,165	pictures are going to do that better... also, where is the leak? you say its where the horizontle and verticals meet, but is it at the spot where acrylic meets the fiberglass? or is it at a acrylic-acrylic joint? __________________ Its not just my tank, its OUR tank!!! :-) 240display, reef in progress Current Tank Info: 240 display, a few frags here and there. lots of fish, and lots of watching. (230 big screen getting re-sealed and going to add to the gallonage) My wife has no clue how addicted i really am.....

04/04/2012, 08:22 AM	#2607
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Where the heck do you live? I have to drive 2 hours but a sheet of 1/2" plex-g is less than $300 where I get it. You're getting ripped off unless you're looking for Polycast. The Arkema (plexiglas brand) non-printed mask is $240/sheet for 1/2" (0.472). That's the "general purpose" grade - same stuff as "G", made in same plant, they just call it "import" instead of "domestic" even though it's all imported from Mexico. Even the black 1/2" is $260. I can get up to a pallet drop shipped to my front door for $100. Shop around dude. Sabic Polymershapes. The Cyro (acrylite) tells me that 72 x 24 with closed top is .944 or 1" material. But according to James (or someone, somewhere in this thread) they tend to overshoot with a closed top and undershoot with an open top. So you could probably do 3/4". That being said I have seen ten e cor tanks 66 x 24 with 3/8" (polycast, so 0.375 not 0.354) and sea clear/etc tanks with 72 x 24 made from 1/2" but oh man you should see that 72 x 24 sucker bow. I would do minimum of 3/4" if it were me. BTW 3/4" Arkema brand cell cast clear "general purpose" from Sabic <$400 sheet (approximately. Was $345 but 6% price increase just went through and I never have bought that stuff anyways so I don't know for sure what it runs now) As for the cutouts, I would think that 4" perimeter and 2 6" crossbraces with 2" radius corners (that's the most important part) would do good. That's 3 16 x 16 cutouts, roughly. But that's a ? for James as I haven't built tanks that large and have no personal experience... __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

04/04/2012, 09:13 AM	#2609
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	All those prices I listed are for cell cast as well and yes that's what you want to use __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

04/04/2012, 09:36 AM	#2611
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	http://www.sabicpolymershapes.com/po...r/branchus.jsp 3 branches in Michigan. Also might look up Laird, and I know there's another big one but can't recall. If you're in Canada I don't know if there would be some kind of taxes or something for bringing it across yourself, but I imagine so. cyro's calculator still says .708 (.672 actually) for 24x48 but you can probably do 1/2" and possibly 3/8", but you have to remember that the people building these out of 3/8" are using polycast for which 3/8" = 3/8" not 0.354 and also a much 'denser' material, and their fabrication techniques are very good compared to the average hobbyist since they build thousands of tanks a year. So if you build it from 3/8" #1 better be done as close to perfect as possible #2 it's gonna bow which means you're more likely to scratch it. Material is not the place to skimp when building your tank. You spend multiple times the amount of money you spend on your tank on your road to a full blown reef. Spending a little extra up front is pennies in the jar compared to the cost of a failure because you didn't do it right from the start. IMHO HTH __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

04/10/2012, 04:22 PM	#2614
vanzea Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Fox Valley, Wisconsin Posts: 114	Hello Floyd I think that I read in one of your posts that you made some frag tanks. I am looking to make one that is 48"x24" by 12" high. Thinking that I will have a solid top with one cut out giving three inches around the top....My question is what I should be using for thinkness. Thanks Adam __________________ "I glue animals to rocks" Current Tank Info: 30 gal reef tank, 90gal reef-140 gal system

04/02/2012, 05:56 PM	#2601
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	My first blog was kinda vaige so I will be more specific this time. As friend of mine bought a house three mo. ago this is what he has ... 2 cylindars, 8' across, 10 feet high connected by another cylidar 4' accross w a gap of 10' between the two there is a leak in the bottom of one of the cylindars... would like to know what to use to repair this to stop the acrillic cyliindar leak. bases are fiberglass covered by gel coat. any help appreciated!

04/03/2012, 05:26 AM	#2603
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	its on the bottom of the cylinder the base is a gel coat The leak is real small I will gat some pictures as soon as i can

04/04/2012, 07:07 AM	#2606
mudsticker Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: elliot lake Posts: 15	would it be safe to build a 6'x2'x2' tank out of 3/8 plexi if i close the top and only cut holes for access leaving say 4" min at the sides and make three holes? so essentially two braces thanks chris plastic is sooo friggin costly here1/2" is 600 bux a sheet and i gotta drive two hours to get it(one way)

04/04/2012, 08:46 AM	#2608
mudsticker Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: elliot lake Posts: 15	1" material...ya i think not. prolly cheaper to make it out of gold than get that stuff up here. gonna see if i can find a place in Sault Michigan...maybe it's cheaper in the states. i was told i had to use cell cast..all prices are for cell cast. thanks for the info Chris

04/04/2012, 09:23 AM	#2610
mudsticker Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: elliot lake Posts: 15	just did some more calculations....gonna build it a bit smaller... 48"x24x24....that will make it possible to build it all sump, overflow, and whatnot with 2 sheets. same idea, only two holes on top, hopefully I'm getting closer budget wise. ohhh ya wife said original design was...lets say... "just a slice to big honey"(not the exact quote) big enough i guess thanks again

04/04/2012, 09:47 AM	#2612
mudsticker Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: elliot lake Posts: 15	ya looks like 1/2 inch is gonna be the way to go.... i can get it in the Toronto area for 320 a sheet and thanks for the list cc

04/04/2012, 05:32 PM	#2613
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	Floyd, Any input on bending 1/4'' acrylic into a 16'' circle. Was going to set a sheet of 1/4'' X aprox 12'' wide X the length needed for the 16'' diam. heat it at 425 deg. for aprox. 30min. pull the sheet out of the heat and wrap it around the form??????? Any thoughts on Temp and Time for 1/4'' material?

04/10/2012, 04:52 PM	#2615
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	Yes they would be two of them are connected by a 4ft across that connects the two of them and they are 6ft apart .That is the entrance to the pool which is in the house an the roof opens when it is nice out with another cylinder at the end of the tank .Price well over a half a mill has more than 60 grand in pumps its would be a lot easy-er 2 tell you over the phone than on a key board but the base is 6inc thick with a jell coat finish an ti is leaking at the base between the base an the cylinder h

04/10/2012, 06:24 PM	#2616
Bax Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,619	For half a million dollars I'd be dragging my contractor back in to fix that ! Floyd is there a readily available substitute for solvent applicators that you could recomend? The local plastics shop stopped selling anything smaller then full sheets, quartz of solvent and all small gizmose including ... applicators! __________________ 150 gallon Perfecto with 1500 gph GH overflow / DIY stand-wine bar / Dart Return / SRO XP3000 Ext skimmer / 75 g frag / 40 g fuge / 40 g DIY sump / Orphek P156 & Kessil 150A Current Tank Info: 150 DT/ 40B fuge/ 75g frag/ 40 g sump/ SRO XP 3000 Ext/ TUNZEs & VorTechs circulation/Dart return/ MTC Pro Cal/ UV & Oz

04/10/2012, 08:20 PM	#2618
Bax Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,619	Thanks! __________________ 150 gallon Perfecto with 1500 gph GH overflow / DIY stand-wine bar / Dart Return / SRO XP3000 Ext skimmer / 75 g frag / 40 g fuge / 40 g DIY sump / Orphek P156 & Kessil 150A Current Tank Info: 150 DT/ 40B fuge/ 75g frag/ 40 g sump/ SRO XP 3000 Ext/ TUNZEs & VorTechs circulation/Dart return/ MTC Pro Cal/ UV & Oz

04/10/2012, 10:16 PM	#2619
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	he bought this house about 4 months ago for 27 mill with the setup all ready there .At that time there was no leak so now its dan dan can you help a brother out kind deal. thats nothing you should see the rest of the house

04/10/2012, 10:20 PM	#2620
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	gonna try 2 get some pic but he not 2 keen on it he doesnt like to show the public what he has

04/11/2012, 06:29 AM	#2621
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Call in a pro bro. That's too much liability __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

04/11/2012, 05:18 PM	#2622
gods child Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 100	L.O.L thats me no really he doesnt want people in his personal house. I have a talent, really a gift . no matter what I have put my hand too I was able to do it no matter what it was . Just need to c it done or be told how. An there is NO liability this is in a house of some one that is more than a buddy. I just dont want to catch fish, drain ,an fix more than once ... an this is small you should c what is at the office he has 25 or 30 thousand gallon shark tank. now thats something to c

04/15/2012, 05:32 AM	#2625
Comtek Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Nova Scotia Canada Posts: 312	nobody knows?