The Rebuild Begins!!!

[TimmyG]

Geoff, The best way I've found to cut acrylic is with a table saw with a fine tooth blade or a router, the table saw being my first choice.

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by TimmyG

Geoff, The best way I've found to cut acrylic is with a table saw with a fine tooth blade or a router, the table saw being my first choice.

thanks, i am finding this out now. i had a fine tooth blade that i used to use for my circular saw. it worked fairly well for that, but it works quite well in the table saw.

HDPE on the other hand is just a real bear to try and cut. anybody try cutting starboard or cutting boards? i have not found a way to keep this stuff from melting. i though acrylic was tough, this stuff is nearly impossible. i am so glad it does not have to look good, it just needs to be filler.

G~

[TimmyG]

GE polymer in Columbia SC uses the same table saw for acryiic and cutting board. I would think that a courser blade would work better for that.

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by TimmyG

GE polymer in Columbia SC uses the same table saw for acryiic and cutting board. I would think that a courser blade would work better for that.

i finally fought through it, it was not pretty, but i am done with that silly HDPE. i tried a 60 tooth blade, but that was only marginally better. i am sure i am missing something in my technique for this stuff.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

The best thing to cut that with is a long band saw set very low with an aggressive blade in it. I'm sure you have one of those lying around, Geoff. I'm sure it would have been worth it to go to HD and buy one then take it back after your done. Hinde sight is always 20/20 though, Geoff. Next best thing is a 5 1/2 inch 18 volt circular saw with a pretty dead battery in it and an aggressive blade.

[Geoff]

time for another update. starting to actually get going on the tank itself. this first pic is an adhesive experiment on HDPE. none of the adhesives worked. which was exactly what i was hoping for on the silly cone, but i was hoping one of the other two would work. the only adhesive i could find that would work on HDPE was 3M 90 spray adhesive. this worked very well at adhering the sand impregnated epoxy to the HDPE.



here is the HDPE fitted into the bottom of the tank. this pic was taken just before i started filling in all of the edges with silly cone. i should be able to remove them when the silly cone has cured. at least this is what i hope, and from my observations from the previous experiments.



i am painting the front of the coast to coast overflow only. Zac had a good idea of leaving the bottom clear so that some light would get through to the LR below. this is what i am going to do. i used Krylon Fusion Satin Black for the paint.



this is my new acrylic friend. my $100 Delta table saw with stand. i can not see how i was doing all of my acrylic work before without one of these. using circular saws is possible, but not very reliable. jig saws are even worse.



can anybody guess how these are going to become my new light pendant? who ever said that a light pendant had to have corners.



i am going to start seperate detailed threads in the DIY forum for all of these individual projects.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

Where is you get that mill core?

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

Where is you get that mill core?

which part?

the concrete form tubes i get at Lowe's

the HDPE i get a Target. $10 for a 14X17 sheet. it even comes in black if you want.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

Ha ha, a concrete form tube. Thats funny. I see 100 of those crushed every day. How much do they cost?

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

Ha ha, a concrete form tube. Thats funny. I see 100 of those crushed every day. How much do they cost?

i do not remember exactly, but i am pretty sure it was less than $10. i also like to use them for subwoofers.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

Maybe, I should stop crushing them and start selling them as concrete forms. I'll sell them for 3 bucks each.

[Geoff]

what do you use them for? why are they being crushed? what diameters do you have them in?

G~

[three90s&125sump]

They are the cores or the rolls of paper we run through are presses. They are crushed because they get recycled. We have mostly 12 inch diameter 31 inches to 49 inches long but occationally we will get some that are 16 inch diameter.

[gitsumpottery]

You know, you combine three90's source and Geoff's creativeness and I think you have a business deal here. Geoff could be manufacturing these, and three90 could be hauling loads of these forms to Geoff occasionally.

It's a new way to make a million for you two (but of course, I get a million too since I mentioned it).

(Hey Geoff, this is off topic, but you may need to help Abbey watch my tank for another week if you would be willing. I am going back down to Cozumel for another week of diving on the 19th of Feb.) hehe

Work... it's overrated.

Zac

[gitsumpottery]

Oh yeah, the cutting board looks really good. I like the new equipment purchase too!