Need some advice on acrylic work.

[fishhugger]

Help me acrylic fifety-wan Kanobi, your my ONLY hope! =P
Well my original plan for my sump/refugium was two 10 gallon tanks. Unbeknownst to me, the glass in 10 gallon tanks is supposedly too thin, and extremely difficult to drill with a high rate of success.
So I'm thinking that I'll be better off building my own out of acrylic. I can get this

OPTIX 36 in. x 48 in. x .093 Acrylic Sheet
For about $35.
I am concerned that at a 10th of an inch it might be too thin though. And in fact, after doing some reading, I dont think it will work AT ALL. Correct me if I'm wrong. If I cannot use it, what would be a good alternative at a good price? I have a lowes and home depot nearby, I do not know what kindof smaller more specialized shops there are though.
I dont know anything about working with acrylic. I am sure I can do it, and I have the tools to do it, but I need the acrylic work 101.
If I think this through and cut the sheet right, I should be able to get all my panes from just the one sheet; I I think Ill get about 15gallons, maybe 20 tops. I am not sure however, If I want to build one single tank for the sump/fuge and lower it into my stand before I put my tank on it, or build 2 tanks incase I need to take one of them out for whatever reason. I do know though that I want the refugium side to be taller for a DSB.

 

[acrylic51]

The plexi you get at Lowes and HD honestly isn't designed for this use.....You are correct it is to thin. I don't see what the issue is with drilling the 10 gallon tanks. Your not applying tons of pressure....Your letting the bit do the work....your more or less along for the ride. My best advice would be to contact a actual acrylic/plastics dealer and get 1/4" acrylic if you want to abandon the 10 gallon drilling. Personally if you already have the bits and dremel or Rotozip to drill the glass I'd give it a shot. Remember to keep the area cool & flooded with water.......don't press or force the bit into the work piece. it will slowly work it's way into the glass. Once you get a hole through the glass you just start working in a circular motion enlarging the initial hole till your bulkheads fit.
Another option that I've seen done and I can't remember who uses them; I think it's Florida Joe, but rubbermaid containers....That would be the other route you could take. Have you checked the phone book for plastics dealers?

 

[al&burke]

I Agree with Acrylics51 with drilling the tank, I did a small tank a couple of months ago, no problem like acrylics said take your time, ten gallon tanks are cheap maybe you can pick up a cheap 20 gallon long or something like that to fit perfect in your stand. I was totally new to drilling tanks I made a guide so the bit wouldn't dance across the glass check out my thread, easier than hole sawing plywood I always say.

 

[al&burke]

Here is that thread https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/forum/thread/381388/newbie-drilling-a-tank

 

[1snapple]

Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/383160/need-some-advice-on-acrylic-work#post_3349103
The plexi you get at Lowes and HD honestly isn't designed for this use.....You are correct it is to thin. I don't see what the issue is with drilling the 10 gallon tanks. Your not applying tons of pressure....Your letting the bit do the work....your more or less along for the ride. My best advice would be to contact a actual acrylic/plastics dealer and get 1/4" acrylic if you want to abandon the 10 gallon drilling. Personally if you already have the bits and dremel or Rotozip to drill the glass I'd give it a shot. Remember to keep the area cool & flooded with water.......don't press or force the bit into the work piece. it will slowly work it's way into the glass. Once you get a hole through the glass you just start working in a circular motion enlarging the initial hole till your bulkheads fit.
Another option that I've seen done and I can't remember who uses them; I think it's Florida Joe, but rubbermaid containers....That would be the other route you could take. Have you checked the phone book for plastics dealers?
Watch out about these containers, only get heavy duty industrial ones, the ones for keeping clothes in ect. are NOT to be used as a sump. PERIOD. It will eventually catastrophically fail and you may lose all your water in your sump and everything in it.