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DIY Do It Yourself! Advice on how to make beer, plant a garden, use power tools, record music, and build things yourself.

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 #1 
Old 2008-09-25, 01:17
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a gravity well
Default Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

I have a protein skimmer for a large fish tank and it has cracks on the output end.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj317/lovecraft_2007/skimmer2.jpg
What would be the best way to repair this.
I have some 1/8 in acrylic I could heat and bend and place over the cracked area and then drill a new hole and glue.Anyone have experience with plastic?
Here is a shot of the hole thing.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj317/lovecraft_2007/skimmer1.jpg
 #2 
Old 2008-09-25, 01:34
Runaway_Stapler Runaway_Stapler is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

I've never bent acrylic before, but if you go to any place that cuts it you should be able to get plenty of scraps big enough to cover that. Experiment until you figure out how to get it even, then bend a piece to the diameter of the cylinder that's big enough to cover the hole. Coat the whole backside in a thin layer of aquarium silicone[available at any hardware store] and clamp in place with rubber bands, let cure for 48 hours. Tadah.
 #3 
Old 2008-09-25, 02:09
Spatula Tzar Spatula Tzar is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

PVC glue works great on acrylic. Brush some on, and press on the plastic to open the cracks slightly, allowing the glue to seep in. Then quickly place a thin flexible acrylic patch over it, and hold it until the glue dries.
 #4 
Old 2008-10-02, 06:36
G_P G_P is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

5min Epoxy.

Once fully cured it wont be toxic to the fish. Hell I used that grey clay like stuff you knead up and mix together to attach light reflectors to my hood and to repair some decorations ive broken. Let it dry fully for at least 24 hrs more than the max curing time listed on the package and then wash it afterwards to remove any unmixed/uncured parts and youll be fine.

No need to get all complex bending acrylics and shit.
 #5 
Old 2008-10-02, 23:58
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Anacortes, Washington, US
Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

PVC glue works great on acrylic.

O rly?

Thanks for that :)
 #6 
Old 2008-10-04, 00:43
Dragonflame Dragonflame is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

If you need to fix acrylic without being able to see where the crack was, such as on the face of a fish tank, then acrylic glue works wonders. It's made of acetone with some acrylic dissolved in it, and you can make it thicker by adding more acetone. If you need to repair a chip ect, it's also possible to make up some thick glue, and then sand it down perfect with the rest of the tank.
 #7 
Old 2008-10-05, 12:55
pyrogeek pyrogeek is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

wouldn't you make it thicker by adding more acrylic, not acetone? The acetone is the solvent, the acrylic is the solute.
 #8 
Old 2008-10-05, 16:01
emag emag is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

wouldn't you make it thicker by adding more acrylic, not acetone? I'm pretty sure you're correct.
 #9 
Old 2008-10-06, 16:11
Dragonflame Dragonflame is offline
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Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

<_< >_> <_<
Yes...
 #10 
Old 2008-10-07, 01:51
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a gravity well
Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

Thanks for all the info.
I ended up using some two part plastic welder type shit,it worked real good but looked like jezz all over it so i painted the lower part after the glue dried.
I will post pics later, thanks again you guys were a help:)
 #11 
Old 2008-10-18, 00:27
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a gravity well
Default Re: Whats the best way to repair plexiglass

its up and running:)
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj317/lovecraft_2007/skimmer.jpg
 
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