Acrylic Fabrication Q & A

[TherealplexiG]

It's skimz, a singapore based manufacturer. Initially they were a fish and coral farm lately came into acrylic scene with skimmers and various other products. What is the sump size and thickness of acrylic used on it? You sure might have a distributor/dealer who would replace you against your claim.

 

[Obsessed]

Just need help repairing it, already been handled thru the shipper

Sump is 36x15 using 1/4"

 

[TaylorPilot]

LOL. He's already getting a new one. No reason not to fix the other one to!

 

[TherealplexiG]

You cut the entire end panel? Its not clear from the pic. Seems like an ATO
reservoir at that end. If seams on the end panels are flush or true and sits flat if placed on a sheet. You can try fixing a new pane outwardS as you mentioned. The way to bond it is already mentioned start of the thread by floyd turbo. Or make a smaller size ato and fit it flush from the end panel.

 

[TaylorPilot]

The problem is you are going to have to machine off the end to get it flat and with a non polished surface. Normally I would just use a giant table saw (mine is 4'x8') with a straight edge. Have the fuge between the blade and the fence. Take about about .5", then glue a whole new piece on the end and flush cut it. The problem is the opening on your eurobrace look like it is really close to the edge.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I had a sump come in damaged, the whole end was smashed in. I've cut the broken piece out, what would be the best way to fix it and what type of bonding material?

My thought was just get a piece of white 1/4 acrylic and bond it right to the top of the entire end of the sump.

As a general rule, you don't want to bond to polished edges. Definitely not if they were flame polished - the joint will craze like nuts and will be weak

The other issue is that you need a planar surface to bond to, and those 4 edges are not necessarily co-planar, but that's relatively easy to fix even without a router - but it will take about an hour or so of scraping with a razor blade to clear off the polished edge so that you have a flat smooth planar surface. Then you just stand it up on end on top of the replacement panel, use the pins method, off you go. Make sure to follow all the steps (cleaning, foam padded boards, blowing off surfaces, etc)...and I would probably use 3/8" if you can get it, the front panel looks like 3/8" to me, maybe 1/4" for the top and bottom but the side wall is where you need the strength.

 

[Obsessed]

Does it make a difference if it's just being added for structural support and not to hold water? As mentioned earlier it's a separate compartment for ATO and I won't be using it, just thought it would be smart to add a panel to tie it all back together.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Does it make a difference if it's just being added for structural support and not to hold water?

When it is structural support it will hold water.
Refer to what Floyd stated about the coplanar edges, skimming any polished surface and using the pin method. That is the way you do to acheive structural strength.
Where exactly it has cracked, can't know from the picture.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

Where exactly it has cracked, can't know from the picture.

The panel is completely gone except for a few bits here and there - look close.

Does it make a difference if it's just being added for structural support and not to hold water?

The main structural parts of the tank are the exterior panels. You don't know for sure that the white 2nd panel for the ATO is structural. One might consider that panel to be a non-structural baffle or panel that is not quite so critical to the structural integrity of the overall tank, because the end panel is the main structural part...so I wouldn't count on that myself, but that's me...

 

[Obsessed]

The end piece of the sump was cracked, it's the piece sandwiched between the front/back and top/bottom pieces.

Since I'm not using the ATO section I might just leave as is, the next wall is where the actual sump begins and its sound.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Yeah @Obsessed i understand.

 

[TherealplexiG]

@Floyd R Turbo
what round over bit to use for 1/2" thk?
What radius i mean

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

It's mainly preference but 1/8", 3/16" will look decent, 1/4" will look pretty nice, but no more than that.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Double Post

 

[TherealplexiG]

Ok i understand now. Thanks.

It's mainly preference but 1/8", 3/16" will look decent, 1/4" will look pretty nice, but no more than that.

 

[West1]

I glued some acrylic together and I see some bubbles in the seam, do I need to take it off and sand it down again? Or is there a different way to get a full seal?

 

[imustbenuts]

I glued some acrylic together and I see some bubbles in the seam, do I need to take it off and sand it down again? Or is there a different way to get a full seal?

 

[West1]

It's pretty tricky to use the pins method. The first side I thought i pulled the pins to fast. 2nd side, i left them for approx 40 seconds and it still seemed to long. Acrylic would slide when I attempted to pull a pin. After a couple tries Im happy with the results, I don't see any bubbles at all, the seams look like a mirror.
Tyvm, that video helped me a lot.

 

[cromag27]

I glued some acrylic together and I see some bubbles in the seam, do I need to take it off and sand it down again? Or is there a different way to get a full seal?

There should be no sanding involved at all. if you have bubbles then you did not prep the edges properly, blow out any dust, and/or utilize the pins method properly.

 

[cromag27]

This technique works fine for a skimmer stand. not so much for anything larger, or that will hold water.