... And I've been wanting to do something longer than 8 feet. I'm thinking 16 feet long, unless I decide to go overkill (as if 16 feet isn't a bit overkill already). I have questions on joining/bracing plywood on something longer than 8 feet on a budget.
I've read a few dozen pages into the DIY forum and see recommendations of overlapped sheets of plywood, two layers thick, recommended a few times. I'm looking at a community tank, possibly discus down the line. I'm not really into the big cichlids and I think I'll stay out of saltwater a few more years. I'm looking at keeping it 24 inches tall max, and figure by the time it's all said and done there's likely to be about 20-21 inches water in the tank....
Here's where it gets a bit dicey. I figure if I end up with essentially a 6 inch wide double thick brace (due to overlapping 2 offset sheets of plywood) in the middle of that tank on the front panel I'll be able to caulk in two 7'10" by 22" sheets of glass or acrylic once I seal the thing (sounds like I need to use a poly based caulk if I go acrylic).
I'm wondering about this.... I really don't want a 6 inch wide vertical brace in the middle of that expanse, but I don't want to go to the effort involved in trying to butt join two sheets of acrylic with Weld-on 40 and trying to polish out the joint. I'm wondering if butt joining the acrylic with Weld-on 4, then poly caulking it to the front panel with a 3 inch vertical double thick brace to hide the joining work, then running an interior brace the length of the front panel with cross braces to an equally reinforced back panel put in every two feet (the cross braces would have to go in after the acrylic is in place since it'd be essentially just shy of a 16 foot sheet).
I know weld-on 4 would be pushing it strength-wise if I were to try an un-braced front panel, but essentially I'd be relying on the vertical brace to do most of the work supporting the center of the front acrylic panel, and then what additional strength and leak-proofing I get out of the weld-on 4 joint on the acrylic sheets as a bit of a bonus.
The goal is to have a 3.5-4 inch frame around the front panel (top, bottom and outer edges), with as minimal amount of a center front brace as possible. I hope what I'm suggesting is clear. Any thoughts on whether a three inch wide 1.5-2inch thick (depending on what thickness of plywood I go with) vertical brace would do the job?
Thanks for any thoughts.
I've read a few dozen pages into the DIY forum and see recommendations of overlapped sheets of plywood, two layers thick, recommended a few times. I'm looking at a community tank, possibly discus down the line. I'm not really into the big cichlids and I think I'll stay out of saltwater a few more years. I'm looking at keeping it 24 inches tall max, and figure by the time it's all said and done there's likely to be about 20-21 inches water in the tank....
Here's where it gets a bit dicey. I figure if I end up with essentially a 6 inch wide double thick brace (due to overlapping 2 offset sheets of plywood) in the middle of that tank on the front panel I'll be able to caulk in two 7'10" by 22" sheets of glass or acrylic once I seal the thing (sounds like I need to use a poly based caulk if I go acrylic).
I'm wondering about this.... I really don't want a 6 inch wide vertical brace in the middle of that expanse, but I don't want to go to the effort involved in trying to butt join two sheets of acrylic with Weld-on 40 and trying to polish out the joint. I'm wondering if butt joining the acrylic with Weld-on 4, then poly caulking it to the front panel with a 3 inch vertical double thick brace to hide the joining work, then running an interior brace the length of the front panel with cross braces to an equally reinforced back panel put in every two feet (the cross braces would have to go in after the acrylic is in place since it'd be essentially just shy of a 16 foot sheet).
I know weld-on 4 would be pushing it strength-wise if I were to try an un-braced front panel, but essentially I'd be relying on the vertical brace to do most of the work supporting the center of the front acrylic panel, and then what additional strength and leak-proofing I get out of the weld-on 4 joint on the acrylic sheets as a bit of a bonus.
The goal is to have a 3.5-4 inch frame around the front panel (top, bottom and outer edges), with as minimal amount of a center front brace as possible. I hope what I'm suggesting is clear. Any thoughts on whether a three inch wide 1.5-2inch thick (depending on what thickness of plywood I go with) vertical brace would do the job?
Thanks for any thoughts.
