Hello everyone,
I just finished assembling the shell of a 180g plywood tank, I'll be making the support and bracing tomorrow and then moving on applying the sealant on the next day. For the sealant I'm using:
- PondShield for the epoxy.
- Elmer Fiberglass mat: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GUKENC/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Bondo Fiberglass cloth: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bondo-8-sq-ft-Fiberglass-Cloth-20128/202077813
Since this is my first build I'm going to go with the extra safe route of using the fiberglass on the entire tank: the Elmer mat on the corner seams and the Bondo to cover the bottom and walls. I'm pretty sure the Elmer will work fine, but anyone know if the Bondo will work with this set up?
On PondShield itself I have research as much as I can about how to use it and at this point I think I have read and watch all the existing material on it (I literally spent 2 months researching before starting this build). Still I have a few question to be "extra" sure that I understand what I read and watched, or things I'm not clear about? (Like I said, this is my first built so please excuse the paranoid). So far I had learnt:
- Put the PondShield's container in hot water to make it easier to use.
- It's best to apply a wash as the first coat: the recipe is 2 part epoxy, 1 part hardener and 2 part alcohol. Question: most material seem to suggest doing this with a paint brush instead of a roller, is there a reason for this? And can I use a roller for this?
- During the "How to make a wooden tank" series by Pondarmor, it showed the wash is applied in the first video, the video ended with the author say letting it cures for 24 hours. In the 2nd video I see the fiberglass is installed at the seam, with another layer of (thin?) PondShield into the seam, then apply the fiberglass, then another wash on top of it. Is this process taken place right after the first wash was done? Since that's the impression I got from the 3rd video. I had also read some material saying to apply the fiberglass at the same time as the wash.
- Since I'm fiberglass the whole tank, is it safe to assume I gonna use "a lot" more pondshield than rated?
- So from what I understand so far, my process is like this:
+ Apply a wash to the entire tank, including the seam (just like the first video).
+ Go back and re-wet the seam with another wash, then push in the fiberglass, the apply another wash on top of it. (Per section as I go)
+ Repeat the same process when applying the fiberglass to the floor and wall.
+ Wait 24 hour.
+ Sand it down (do I have to do this with all the fiberglass underneath?)
+ Apply the actual coat: 2 part product, 1 part hardener and 1 part alcohol. I might do 2 coats of this.
Does that sound about right? Also I have been able to find only very limited information (ala none) on how to fiberglass a tank using fiberglass cloth (most people use a fiberglass resin for this) so if anyone have any tip and trick on how to apply it correctly, please share.
I just finished assembling the shell of a 180g plywood tank, I'll be making the support and bracing tomorrow and then moving on applying the sealant on the next day. For the sealant I'm using:
- PondShield for the epoxy.
- Elmer Fiberglass mat: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GUKENC/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Bondo Fiberglass cloth: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bondo-8-sq-ft-Fiberglass-Cloth-20128/202077813
Since this is my first build I'm going to go with the extra safe route of using the fiberglass on the entire tank: the Elmer mat on the corner seams and the Bondo to cover the bottom and walls. I'm pretty sure the Elmer will work fine, but anyone know if the Bondo will work with this set up?
On PondShield itself I have research as much as I can about how to use it and at this point I think I have read and watch all the existing material on it (I literally spent 2 months researching before starting this build). Still I have a few question to be "extra" sure that I understand what I read and watched, or things I'm not clear about? (Like I said, this is my first built so please excuse the paranoid). So far I had learnt:
- Put the PondShield's container in hot water to make it easier to use.
- It's best to apply a wash as the first coat: the recipe is 2 part epoxy, 1 part hardener and 2 part alcohol. Question: most material seem to suggest doing this with a paint brush instead of a roller, is there a reason for this? And can I use a roller for this?
- During the "How to make a wooden tank" series by Pondarmor, it showed the wash is applied in the first video, the video ended with the author say letting it cures for 24 hours. In the 2nd video I see the fiberglass is installed at the seam, with another layer of (thin?) PondShield into the seam, then apply the fiberglass, then another wash on top of it. Is this process taken place right after the first wash was done? Since that's the impression I got from the 3rd video. I had also read some material saying to apply the fiberglass at the same time as the wash.
- Since I'm fiberglass the whole tank, is it safe to assume I gonna use "a lot" more pondshield than rated?
- So from what I understand so far, my process is like this:
+ Apply a wash to the entire tank, including the seam (just like the first video).
+ Go back and re-wet the seam with another wash, then push in the fiberglass, the apply another wash on top of it. (Per section as I go)
+ Repeat the same process when applying the fiberglass to the floor and wall.
+ Wait 24 hour.
+ Sand it down (do I have to do this with all the fiberglass underneath?)
+ Apply the actual coat: 2 part product, 1 part hardener and 1 part alcohol. I might do 2 coats of this.
Does that sound about right? Also I have been able to find only very limited information (ala none) on how to fiberglass a tank using fiberglass cloth (most people use a fiberglass resin for this) so if anyone have any tip and trick on how to apply it correctly, please share.
