Need ideas for the cover on my DIY filter.

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Jgray152

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 23, 2006
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The underside of the cover on my 6 gallon DIY canister filter is being designed now but my original idea is not going to work so pretty.

Originally I was going to shape the cover with expandable foam and then heat up acrylic and mold it to the shape but thats not going to work so good.

Stupid me decided to stick the cover and acrylic in the oven. What melted first? The cover. lol. So I decided to heat the acrylic up first and then put it on the cover which was sitting on the counter, but I can't get it to mold right even at 300*F which is th epoint when it starts to "bubble".

I can't leave the foam exposed because its absorbent and will probubly break down eventually and will not allow the canister to purge or function correctly.

So, my second though is to cover the expandable foam with silicone or epoxy.

The idea is to have all the air in the canister be forced to the sides as the canister fills with water so that when the pump is activated, the air is drawn into the purge tube little by little till the canister is fully purged.

Here is a picture of what the shaped cover looks like. Since this picture was taken I have shaved the "peak" down some more so I can't have it extrude very much.
moldedcover.jpg


you can get an idea of what the function of this is supposed to be looking at this picture.
aquax104.JPG


Any input would be great. Thanks :)
 
I was leaning more toward epoxy as well but I was thinking, since the foam is flexible, wouldn't the epoxy crack? Unless there is a flexible epoxy of some sort out there. Thanks for the input.
 
That would be a lot of epoxy. lol Take weeks for me to finish it since I would have to let it cure.

I wonder If I should just use polyurethane possibly.
 
Build a frame in the shape that you want it to be out of plastic, then stretch felt over it, and fiberglass it. It will give you a big hollow water tight shell. I would say just put fiberglass right over the top of what you have, but I bet it would dissolve the foam.
 
Know anybody with a lathe?

You could turn out or grind down a couple of stacked pieces of wood and then use it as a form or just waterproof it.

If your set on acrylic, make the mount (form) out of concrete and let it cure, then slowly heat it up on one shelf of the oven and when it's hot heat up The acrylic (vacuforming wood be good here) on the other shelf, place over mold and rub down over mold and cool.

Dr Joe

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Both are good ideas.

I'll have to decided.. :)

Any other ideas?
 
Heat the lid, put on the bucket and set a bowling ball on it :D.

Is that easy enough? :ROFL:

Dr Joe

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Dr Joe;1941180; said:
Heat the lid, put on the bucket and set a bowling ball on it :D.

Is that easy enough? :ROFL:

Dr Joe

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Click to expand...

That's actually brilliant!
 
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