Working with Acrylics - routing

[Marc Levenson]

Some of you wonder about how to make sumps. Here's a page that will help you
visualize this stuff a little more easily, I hope.

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/routing.html

Marc

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[ReeFeR_MaN]

Marc, where do you find the time ???

Thanks for that a picture says 1000 words.



"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Some of you wonder about how to make sumps. Here's a page that will help
you
> visualize this stuff a little more easily, I hope.
>
> http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/routing.html
>
> Marc
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[ReeFeR_MaN]

P.S. Good to see the eye safety wear, what about your ears ? I have damaged
my hearing and don't recommend it.
Very neat work, do you happen to have measurements for the overflow, it
looks terrific and I would like to tackle one myself.





"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Some of you wonder about how to make sumps. Here's a page that will help
you
> visualize this stuff a little more easily, I hope.
>
> http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/routing.html
>
> Marc
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Acrylics]

You're having too much fun Marc....
When are you gonna build your "L" shaped tank? ...or have you put that on the
back burner for now

James

[Marc Levenson]

I'd rather heard the blood curdling screams when the router hits a stray finger
than not. ;)

Measurements? Like this?
http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/tank/overflow.html

Marc ;)

ReeFeR_MaN wrote:

> P.S. Good to see the eye safety wear, what about your ears ? I have damaged
> my hearing and don't recommend it.
> Very neat work, do you happen to have measurements for the overflow, it
> looks terrific and I would like to tackle one myself.
>

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Marc Levenson]

James, I simply can not get a perfect glued seam yet. I'm seriously considering
buying a jointer (I believe that is the right name). I saw one for $200 at Lowes.

I see small bubbles in the finished results. Is this because I'm using #3 instead
of #4? Is it because I'm holding the pieces by hand instead of using mounted
speed squares? Is it because I'm not using pins, but just wick the weldon in to
the joint?

I get some good spots, and some less clear areas.

Marc

Acrylics wrote:

> You're having too much fun Marc....
> When are you gonna build your "L" shaped tank? ...or have you put that on the
> back burner for now
>
> James

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Kevin M]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
| I see small bubbles in the finished results. Is this because I'm using #3
instead
| of #4? Is it because I'm holding the pieces by hand instead of using
mounted
| speed squares? Is it because I'm not using pins, but just wick the weldon
in to
| the joint?

Marc,
I had the same problem on my first two sumps. Your problem is twofold.
First, I've had much better luck with #4. Its slower cure time is much
easier to handle when we come to reason #2.
Reason #2 is, you're not using the pins method. I can safely say I've made
over 100 seams now, and without pins, they'll never come out bubble free.
The pins method, in conjunction with #4, can even make up for less than
perfect edge finishing. I've found that if I leave the joint soaking a
little longer before pulling the pins, that it doesn't necessarily have to
be a perfect edge. This won't help with imperfections any larger than about
1/64" (I've noticed this is how much the vertical piece "sinks into" the
horizontal piece in the joint after being softened by the solvent), but with
pins & #4, I can get a bubble free seam with edges straight off the table
saw (Ryobi 10" w/ DeWalt 80 tooth TC carbide). I watch closely for the first
minute or so after pulling the pins to see if any areas are starting to suck
air as the solvent shrinks away, and add a little solvent if needed.
On the last sump I did (75g sump for a 75g tank) out of the total 34' of
seams, I have about 3-4" of seam with bubbles, the rest is perfectly clear.
I mostly have trouble only with corners these days, perhaps it's because of
my construction order. I think I'll try a different sequence on the next
one.
As for the pins themselves, I've had too much trouble with actual pins, and
have switched to twist-ties with the paper stripped off. Pins seem to be too
heavy a guage, or maybe just the ones I was using were...anyways.
I'd be happy to come over and go through a couple of seams with you some
weekend, if you like.

Kev

[Marc Levenson]

I just bought the exact same setup. Did you notice that you have to buy the
Ryobi router to fit their table saw? GRRRR.

Marc


Kevin M wrote:

> saw (Ryobi 10" w/ DeWalt 80 tooth TC carbide).

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Acrylics]

> I'll make some squares though.
>Do you use plywood or solid? Do you use 3M doublestick tape on each edge, or
>just
>the base? Or nothing? LOL

I don't have to do that at all anymore, I've got a 10' horizontal panel saw
that makes my square cuts for me :-)
But you can measure the diagonals and calculate squareness from there. Or
built a sliding platter for your table saw. Also, unless you *really* like 3m
tape, use Intertape #591, it's like doublestick masking tape but only $2 n
change a roll.

>As far as I know, it is Acrylite. For the past few months, I'm not getting
>the
>kind with paper backing. It is either blue or whitish plastic wrap now.

In Acrylite, the blue film is the "FF" (extruded), the whitish film is "GP"
(cast). The #3 is just fine for FF, probably a little fast for GP.

>You are talking about a single piece of wood, right? Just cut it on a 90

Nope, 2 pcs both cut at 90. One glued to the other so that you get an ell "L"
shape - make them as long as you wish. Put one face on the bottom and clamp to
the vertical piece. You will have to ease the corner so that solvent doesn't
flow under.

>Please do! Or give me more info to add to my website. LOL Hey, weren't we
>going
>to do this a few months ago? ;)

Yeah, Cyro's after me as well. They're the ones that approached me with this
funky idea about a year ago.

BTW, I have started writing the Web site, so not too far off :)

James

[david]

havent read rest of thread yet but that is a good set of instructions Mark


"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Some of you wonder about how to make sumps. Here's a page that will help
you
> visualize this stuff a little more easily, I hope.
>
> http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/routing.html
>
> Marc
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

Acrylics wrote:

> use Intertape #591, it's like doublestick masking tape but only $2 n
> change a roll.

I'll look for it.

> In Acrylite, the blue film is the "FF" (extruded), the whitish film is "GP"
> (cast). The #3 is just fine for FF, probably a little fast for GP.

Hmm. So I want extruded, right? I know you've told me before, but I forgot again
which is preferred. I need to keep a journal of all these facts! :(

> Nope, 2 pcs both cut at 90. One glued to the other so that you get an ell "L"
> shape - make them as long as you wish. Put one face on the bottom and clamp to
> the vertical piece. You will have to ease the corner so that solvent doesn't
> flow under.

"ease" the corner? As in route the edge with a round-over bit so no wood is
actually in the seam?

> Yeah, Cyro's after me as well. They're the ones that approached me with this
> funky idea about a year ago.
>
> BTW, I have started writing the Web site, so not too far off :)
>
> James

Post the link already! I'm happy to learn more.

Marc

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Acrylics]

>So I want extruded, right? I know you've told me before, but I forgot again
>which is preferred. I need to keep a journal of all these facts! :(

Kinduva toss up for most hobbyists in some respects.
Cast is the preferred material for stress, aesthetics and bowing.
However,
Extruded is "easier" to work with for most hobbyists as it is more forgiving
insofar as edge preparation is concerned. Basically, because the stuff will
turn to mush easier - it's easier to get better looking glue joints. It is far
more consistent where thickness is concerned, and is cheaper. But it does have
a much higher propensity to craze and melts faster when cutting.

>"ease" the corner? As in route the edge with a round-over bit so no wood is
>actually in the seam?

yep, or simply tilt your saw blade and run it through the saw to remove this.

>Post the link already! I'm happy to learn more.

still on paper, I bought the domain, have the host, just need to finish writing
the text and putting the corresponding pics with it. Now that I've actually
paid for - I'm much more apt to actually get it done
Working on it on a "sorta" daily basis ;-)

James

[Kevin M]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
| I just bought the exact same setup. Did you notice that you have to buy
the
| Ryobi router to fit their table saw? GRRRR.
|
| Marc

The one I got doesn't have a router attachment point. It *does* have a very
nice, 27" fence, though.

Kev