Thank you for the reply! I must have missed the 3-5 minute sitting period or it isn't on the stuff I bought. It does say to mix for 1-3 minutes which I have been opting for at least the 3. I have 2 or 3 seems left to pour but now winter has struck with a vengence so I'm not sure if I should pour with it so cold out now. I have been working on it in our uninstalled sun room (3 walls of windows open for ventilation). I've also dribbled in a few spots that I opted not to wipe up but wishing I had now since I think it would have been easier to wet sand.
Weld-on #40 and #42
- Thread starter wednesday13
- Start date
Ive actually poured a couple tanks on my sun porch/room in the colder months lol... too smelly for indoor use. Check the label for cure temps im not positive but u could prob throw in a space heater while u work for a couple days. I wouldnt glue while its freezing or anything but i think 50-60degrees should b fine.
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Thanks again for the tips. I don't think we'll see 50 again before spring but maybe. I can do a space heater to finish the tank up though.
Very informative thread. I picked up a used 70 gallon tank. I did a 36 hour leak test with no leaks, but some of the seams are suspicious looking. The previous owner had the tank on cider blocks covered in a large sheet of brown pleather. After getting it home and unrolling the pleather (he had it disassembled when I arrived) I noticed a lot of water deposits on the pleather as if the tank had been leaking or at least something hanging off the back was leaking. Either way I've purchased a very expensive oak stand for it and I have no intentions of letting this tank leak. The tank has a single front/side piece with curved front corners. I had ordered a tube of Weld-On 16 because it's thicker than 3 and 4, and the tube would make for easy application. After reading this thread I cancelled the order and will place an order for 40.
This is my plan:
Create a 45 degree jig-like area for it to sit. Using something like a syringe or ketchup dispenser, put a bead along the front, then back, then sides, then corners, over the course of a few days, without using any acrylic stock. Can I assume it won't take much of a bead to seal it up considering that it's not leaking right now?
Also, I'm going to refinish the surfaces of the tank using Novus polish. Should I do this before or after sealing it?
Front seam:
Same seam, different angle:
Will my plan prevent future problems?
This is my plan:
Create a 45 degree jig-like area for it to sit. Using something like a syringe or ketchup dispenser, put a bead along the front, then back, then sides, then corners, over the course of a few days, without using any acrylic stock. Can I assume it won't take much of a bead to seal it up considering that it's not leaking right now?
Also, I'm going to refinish the surfaces of the tank using Novus polish. Should I do this before or after sealing it?
Front seam:
Same seam, different angle:
Will my plan prevent future problems?
Hi Demigod, glad you joined to ask some additional questions.
It would also be helpful to post the thickness of the acrylic as well as the tank dimensions since you aren't planning on adding the acrylic stock to the corners.
It would also be helpful to post the thickness of the acrylic as well as the tank dimensions since you aren't planning on adding the acrylic stock to the corners.
Seams look pretty scetchy demigod...good u want to improve them... theres no way to make the existing bond better per say...but with square rod 1/8"-1/4" and weld on #4...or small fillets of weld-on #40 u can basically make a new seam inside the existing one if that makes sense to both reinforce it a bit and give u a good watertight box. In this scenario id almost go with some 1/8"-1/4" square rod and weld on #4 due to the acrylic thickness being only 1/4". The weld-on #40 heats up thinner material alot and can reveal crazing as it cures. #40 will work also but u need to be sparingly with it and keep ur fillets around 1/8"....a pint kit of #40 should do the whole tank. You'll need to find a small syrnge applicator or squeeze type bottle to keep ur pours that small.
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hi wednesday13 tried to PM u but it says i don't have access guess i'm just a noob. But i have a 300 acrylic tank that I bought of CL and I just so happened to crack it.... From the top right of the back panel to maybe about a foot going towards the middle.
You seem like an a guy who knows a lot of about acrylic so this is my question to you. I used weldon 4 in the crack itself followed by weldon 16 on the inner part of the plexi glass i was given by my local "plastic shop" and put it on the crack itself followed by a bead of weldon 16 again around the outside of the plexi glass strip imo creating a really good seal. I repeated the same process on the inside of the tank creating almost like a plexi glass sandwich on the crack itself covering all basis on the inside and out. But upon stumbling on your post today about weldon #40 & #42 do you think i should buy the said product and apply it some more? thank u.
You seem like an a guy who knows a lot of about acrylic so this is my question to you. I used weldon 4 in the crack itself followed by weldon 16 on the inner part of the plexi glass i was given by my local "plastic shop" and put it on the crack itself followed by a bead of weldon 16 again around the outside of the plexi glass strip imo creating a really good seal. I repeated the same process on the inside of the tank creating almost like a plexi glass sandwich on the crack itself covering all basis on the inside and out. But upon stumbling on your post today about weldon #40 & #42 do you think i should buy the said product and apply it some more? thank u.
