I learned several lessons when working with the close to 400 pound cell cast acrylic window for my 4300 gallon aquarium.
The first lesson was that you should never make any assumptions about the size of the acrylic you order. Don't assume that ordering a specific size is going to get you that specific size. Acrylic sold for glazing applications seems to be sold based on the VIEWABLE area. In example, the 2" thick sheet I ordered was labeled 48"x96"x2" though the actual size was 50"x99"x2" which is a wee bit different. Always ask the salesperson to go put a tape on the sheet so that you have an accurate measurement.
The second lesson can be prevented by taking the advice of the first lesson. Measure the acrylic when it arrives BEFORE it is unloaded from the truck. It is far easier to refuse a shipment when the monster piece of acrylic is still on the truck. You'll also save yourself some heartache and headaches. I assumed the piece was the right size and we applied the Dow 795 to the frame without checking. It sucked really bad to waste that Dow 795 even though I got a credit for it from the acrylic company. It sucked worse to arrange for people to be there, have them show up, and then have the frustration and embarrassment of the piece not fitting.
The third lesson is that sealant should be applied to both the acrylic window and to the frame. This makes sure that you'll have enough sealant on both surfaces without voids.
A lesson learned from ordering from unscrupulous salesperson at Nationwide is to always to confirm the shipping arrangements in writing and get a tracking number.
Advice: Get quotes from Nationwide Plastics and ACI Plastics then call Laird Plastics to match the price and order your cell cast acrylic.
The first lesson was that you should never make any assumptions about the size of the acrylic you order. Don't assume that ordering a specific size is going to get you that specific size. Acrylic sold for glazing applications seems to be sold based on the VIEWABLE area. In example, the 2" thick sheet I ordered was labeled 48"x96"x2" though the actual size was 50"x99"x2" which is a wee bit different. Always ask the salesperson to go put a tape on the sheet so that you have an accurate measurement.
The second lesson can be prevented by taking the advice of the first lesson. Measure the acrylic when it arrives BEFORE it is unloaded from the truck. It is far easier to refuse a shipment when the monster piece of acrylic is still on the truck. You'll also save yourself some heartache and headaches. I assumed the piece was the right size and we applied the Dow 795 to the frame without checking. It sucked really bad to waste that Dow 795 even though I got a credit for it from the acrylic company. It sucked worse to arrange for people to be there, have them show up, and then have the frustration and embarrassment of the piece not fitting.
The third lesson is that sealant should be applied to both the acrylic window and to the frame. This makes sure that you'll have enough sealant on both surfaces without voids.
A lesson learned from ordering from unscrupulous salesperson at Nationwide is to always to confirm the shipping arrangements in writing and get a tracking number.
Advice: Get quotes from Nationwide Plastics and ACI Plastics then call Laird Plastics to match the price and order your cell cast acrylic.
