DIY Overflow with Acrylic. How do you fold three corners? And some other DYI info's

[mr. angelfish]

Instead of cutting and glue three corners by fold them to 3 (or 2) corner?
Additional information:
How thick of opening teeth (to cut with fine-teeth saw) is recommend? and how deep? (1/2-1-ish inches?)
What type aquarium-safe paint to paint the overflow? (black or blue) While applying the paint, apply inside or outside of overflow?
I am going to try DIY on that one as price is way much cheaper than order one. Wish me luck after all need information are provided. Thanks for helping.

 

[03]

i would not paint the plastic it might peel off,also 1 inch slits will be fine about 1/4 inch apart 1/8 inch wide

 

[steelgluer]

Mark off your bend clamp it to a straight edge make sure it is square then use a heat gun. Works Great.

 

[edwar050]

Paint with krylon fusion if you decide to do so, this is what I am going to do but I will let it cure for a week in water just in case. "though I am using it now underwater with no problem"
I am searching trying to find dimensions of overflow teeth to no avail

 

[acrylic51]

Depending on the thickness of the acrylic you would actually want to use an actual acrylic bender.......You might get lucky with a heat gun, but you don't get even heating of the piece that way and your work will likely look poor, and you have to apply just the right amount of heat or it won't bend properly or if you overheat it; it will distort and worse you'll have unsightly bubbles in your bend.......I have a 48" acrylic heater and love playing with it and even with the right tools it's something you have to practice and play with before you actually tackle your good work piece.......
When it comes to cutting good looking teeth....use a dovetail jig if you have or can get your hands on one......A router will give you the cleanest cut out there....A jig saw will work but it's not clean and makes more clean up and sanding time for you before you can flame polish your finished work........You don't want to flame polish any part of your acrylic where you will be joining it with another piece.
I wouldn't try to paint the overflow cover at all....I don't think it would hold up but just might. If you want the overflow black or blue, why not contact a good acrylic dealer and they can get you smoked (black) acrylic the thinkness you need or they can get you blue as well and then there's no need to paint anything............

 

[chipmaker]

I would think twice about painting any acrylics with Krylon Fusion paint. Krylon will point out really quick that they do not adivse painting acrylic with "ANY" of their paints as it can make the acrylic craze and crack even months later........While Fusion is for plastics per se, it basically lists just certain familys of plastics.... like PVC and styrene etc.......If you need it a different color why not just buy a solid color acrylic to begin with. I did quite an extensive seach of a lot of companies that make paints (automotive to aerospace companies) and not one of them had a paint they would recomend or say would work on acrylic without the possiblity of crazing the material, and in a worst case altering the acrylics properties to the point it could actually be made quite fragile..........About the only paint I would use would be a latex based paint on the back side of a tank etc, but not within the tank.

 

[acrylic51]

Boy!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I had just said about buy the color acrylic you wanted and do your project with that!!!!!!!

 

[edwar050]

Well I have been using it in my tank with no problems on my overflow boxes - Ever hear of agrocrete? Portland type II cement with oyster shell used to make LR. Point is you can put alot more in your tank than you realize if cured properly as long as it does not break down into a soluable substance that would be toxic. For your fish that is

 

[edwar050]

Though I would avoid it if possible but colored acrylic can run up a pretty penny depending on where you live-

 

[acrylic51]

Colored acrylic isn't going to cost and arm and a leg regardless where you live.....If it's that expensive you can order the stuff online

 

[edwar050]

We cant get any around here in Tuscaloosa Cheap, but some would consider 200$ cheap. Its double to triple the price around here. Good point though about getting it online-

 

[m000240]

know of any good online retailers that sell colored acrylic? Also, what is flame polishing?
Alex
Honolulu, HI

 

[acrylic51]

Try Total Plastics.....I know they sell online, but I have one local here so don't use online......What size acrylic are you looking for and thickness again?????? Flame polish is were you clean up your exposed edges and use a torch to make them clear as glass by passing the flame over the edge your flame polishing.....Takes a little practice to develop the correct speed and such, but once you've practiced a bit you'll get the hang pretty quick.....The key is to not heat the acrylic to quickly or to much or you'll get nasty little bubbles in your work.......

 

[acrylic51]

Here's some quick pics......