Recommended Reading for DIY Acrylic Projects?

[goodfortune]

Hello everyone


I am interested in learning how to work with acrylic and plastic piping/tubing to build reef aquarium-related DIY projects.


Can anyone recommend a few good books, or a few websites that describe the basic techniques, materials, and tools needed to work with acrylic and plastic piping/tubing? Thanks.

[bamann345]

http://www.tapplastics.com/aa/pinfo/...g_acrylite.pdf

http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/p...s/pdf/pb02.pdf

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/jg/

There are also some LONG LONG posts on reefcentral.com on acrylic too.

[kpatterson]

Here is a great (but very long) thread from reef central.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...threadid=96763

[goodfortune]

Thanks for responding Bamann345 and Kpatterson!

Where do you like to go to get acrylic sheets in town? I've checked out Home Depot and Lowes, but the sheets they carry look too thin, even for baffle walls to be placed inside of a glass tank.

I have several ideas about how would like to set up my sump and refugium. I have seen on a lot of postings were people will include a drawing in order to get suggestions or comments on their design, and I would like to do the same in a later post. What programs or software packages are commonly used to create these drawings? Where can I find these programs or software packages?

Also always, I look forward to your responses!

[kpatterson]

Originally posted by goodfortune
Thanks for responding Bamann345 and Kpatterson!

Where do you like to go to get acrylic sheets in town? I've checked out Home Depot and Lowes, but the sheets they carry look too thin, even for baffle walls to be placed inside of a glass tank.

I have several ideas about how would like to set up my sump and refugium. I have seen on a lot of postings were people will include a drawing in order to get suggestions or comments on their design, and I would like to do the same in a later post. What programs or software packages are commonly used to create these drawings? Where can I find these programs or software packages?

Also always, I look forward to your responses!

Not sure about where to get much stuff locally. McMaster-Carr has all kinds and you can pick it up there off of Fulton Industrial.
McMaster

I have ordered acrylic through US Plastics as well.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/cat...Acrylic&Page=1

Most people I have seen post diagrams use Visio. I have seen others use Paint for basic stuff.

Looking forward to seeing your plans!