Ok... Here is my first foray into building a tank from acrylic... This is 32 X 12 X 12 and built from scrap given to me by a plastics shop.. The purpose was to get my feet wet & see if I could pull it off. Based on this I think I can.. It is not pretty but it does hold water..
I initially started with joining/welding the seams using a "butt" method where the two panels rest against one another. This is an easier, less time consuming approach that in my experience produced less than desirable results. Solvent puddling in the seam, permanently staining the panel, etc.. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of joining them this way..
I started shooting when I started joining using a "pin & shim" method.. I have far from perfected it, it is more laborious & time consuming but IMO will produce better results.
I still struggle with "placing" the solvent without allowing to much into the seam but am getting better with more practice.. Here are a few photos of that. The lip that is overhanging the face will be route edged with a trim but that is typically used to edge the face of a Formica counter-top once bonded to the MDF, ply, whatever..
Setting up to join:
After & with pins removed..
Close ups of the seams... Ouch! I am hoping that the trim bit will clean up the "bubbled" areas on the outside of the panel..
Here are some that are on the inside of the panel. Basically, there isn't much that I can do about it.. I think there may be two things that are causing it..
1) The pin that I am using is too large & is producing too large of a gap & too much solvent is accumulating in the seam.
2) I am not letting the solvent set up long enough prior to removing the pin.
It could also be a combination of both.. Still working on it..
