building overflow

[mattboy]

Hi Brian;

I was looking through the chat logs, and found some good info on building an overflow. I'm pretty sure it was a chat I had missed. Anyhow, I don't know about bending; I was thinking of using 1/4" cast, and gluing the corner. It's a 5" X 8" overflow for a 100 gal; I'm probably only going to push about 700-800 gph through it. (Most of my circulation will be closed loop)

I don't have the right tools to bend, it looks like. I could borrow a heat gun or hairdryer I guess, but I didn't find any mention of this in the lesson. Any advice? BTW, I just registered for the skimmer class, so I'll be bugging you throughout the summer...

Matt

 

[fergy]

I don't think I'd use a heatgun, because you can't regulate the heat well, and you risk overheating it, or underheating it, or just ruining the piece.

You can use a heat tape, but they tend to leave marks in the plastic. Someone else in the group just bought one, maybe you can work out a deal with them.

BRIAN
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Love Forums

 

[Modo]

Do you really need to bend it? I haven't seen the plans you're talking about, but I imagine you could come up with a nice one that doesn't involve bending. Just cut all the pieces and glue it up like the base of the reactor.

What part is needing bending? I'm going to assume it's the part that hangs over the tank edge. In that case you can measure how thick you need it and make it a custom job.

Or if it's the tube, I believe their is flexible tube out there that you could utilize for the job.

Good luck and if you have a link to the plans or discussion I would like to check it out.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[mattboy]

Modo;

This is just a simple, in tank overflow. Basically a 2 sided acrylic piece that fits in the corner and is siliconed to the tank. Looking through the chat logs, Brian recommended bending the acrylic rather than welding 2 pieces together. This is the way most commercial overflows are made.

What I'm wondering is, can I weld it instead? It's only 5" X 8". (20" tall) If I set it up so the 8" piece is being pushed against the 5" piece by water pressure, at least the majority of the pressure will not be trying to break the seam. I can use pins, flush trim, maybe even round off a bit for looks. It really seems easier to me than bending, given my sorry state of toolessness and lack of experience. Will it work? I could use weldon 40 also, if you think that's necessary, Brian.

On another note, if whoever bought the heat tape is willing to comment on using it, I'd be really interested in knowing how easy it is to get a nice clean bend.

Thanks, Matt

 

[fergy]

Oh, glue away. That's perfectly fine. Did I suggest bending over that, or just say that most places do that? It does create a structurally stronger piece to bend it, but you're not going to break it. No need for #40 either. And you can run the roundover bit on it, for a nicer edge.

BRIAN
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[Modo]

Oh, right on. I was picturing a hang-on overflow with a U-tube.

 

[hfmann]

Hey Matt,

FWIW, and before I learned we weren't supposed to use heat guns, I used a heat tape to make my overflow (3 sided). It did leave some marks, but weren't noticeable on the black acrylic. Having seen fergy's earliest remarks on a preclass thread about heat tape problems, I went out and bought a heat gun :lol:. Low and behold that wasn't the recommended method either! But I didn't know that when I did some more small size projects and it worked great. I'm going to use the heat gun again tonight to bend some brackets. The pieces are only 3 inches wide so I seem to be able to get the heat spread well enough over the bending area without burning it. The variable heat gun with attachments was only about $40 and usable for a lot of things around the house. I'm going to keep on using it for small sized minor acrylic projects.

Like it said FWIW. Wish I could sign this anonoymously so the teacher wouldn't mark my grade down AGAIN for this public heresy. :lol:

Take care
Hal

 

[Anonymous]

louey hits Hal with a large brown trout

:lol:

Louey

 

[hfmann]

he,

Man I miss our weekly class chats! Guess we can pick up with the skimmer class, but I may have to wear a nose and mustache disguise and alter my voice before fergy lets me into the classroom! :lol:

Hoping to get my CO2 tank tomorrow. So I should get the Calcium reactor hooked up this weekend.

Take care,
Hal