Handbook of Acrylics

[Trixter]

Hey James, I finally got a copy of "The handbook of acrylics for submersibles, hyperbaric chambers and aquaria" have it on temp loan from the library of congress. This book is phenominally well written and addresses all sorts of acrylic charictaristics. Probably why the price is so expensive, Im about 1/2 way through is before I have to turn it back in. Will let you know how it turns out. An awesome book for anyone serious about acrylic fabrication.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, it is expensive because there is very low demand for it. It is like one of my textbook back in the student days that costed me $120 and only have 90 pages. Only a few hundred copies is printed per year, so the publisher need to charge a bit for it. Same for the THOA.

I took a closer look at it, and it does have a lot of useful info. It is definite worth $200 for those who make good use of it. In particular, there are a few pages on the proper way to sand/buff/polish, and about the cause of crazing and structural failure, and the effect of various solvent on the material as well as an entire chapter on acrylic usage in aquaria. I wish I have read it a few years ago.

 

[liquid]

For reference purposes I thought I'd add the TOC to this thread (from http://www.bestpub.com/bookdetail.asp?B ... cellaneous):

Table of Contents

Preface
Section 1.0 The Quest for Panoramic Vision Underwater
Section 2.0 Introduction to Acrylic Plastic
Section 3.0 Sources of Window Design Data
Section 4.0 Structural Properties of Monolithic Cast Acrylic Plastic
Section 5.0 Acrylic Aquaria Enclosures
Section 6.0 Pressure-Resistant Windows
Section 7.0 Plane Disc Windows with Flat Bearing Surfaces
Section 8.0 Plane Rectangular Windows
Section 9.0 Conical Frustum Windows
Section 10.0 Plane Disc Windows with Twin Conical Bearing Surfaces
Section 11.0 Spherical Sector Windows
Section 12.0 Spherical Pressure Hulls
Section 13.0 Cylindrical Windows
Section 14.0 Illumination of Vessel Interiors
Section 15.0 Stress Relieving Processes
Section 16.0 Joining Acrylic Components
Section 17.0 Effect of Submersion in Water
Section 18.0 Crazing
Section 19.0 Deterioration of Acrylic in Service
Section 20.0 Optical Characteristics
Section 21.0 Safety Standards
Index

FWIW, there's a guy on ebay that has 50 of these for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Handbook-of-Acrylic ... dZViewItem

However he wants the same as what Amazon wants. :sigh:

I may have to put this on my wish-list as I've always wanted a good textbook on this subject.

Now if I could find something similar for making glass aquariums.

Shane

 

[Trixter]

Yeah, Id like to purchase it for refrence but not for 195 bucks. Always thought that strange how textbooks can cost so much when the subjects havent changed in 100s of years. Thanks for the links.

 

[trido]

Seems kinda like the hobby to me. Specialty items cost more. Id charge you more to build (anything) as well if you wanted something only I knew..

 

[Anonymous]

Do you think I maybe able to get a $25 off if we pool an order of 5 books or more? :? Or it is still too much for non-professional hobbyists?

 

[Anonymous]

I'd buy one for 25$


That's about my limit, my wife keeps me on a short leash....


Man, I have been involved with short things all my life and here I am 6 foot tall.


Short leash, Short lunch, Short bus.....

 

[bleedingthought]

Short leash, Short lunch, Short bus.....

Hopefully not "short life" KH! 8O

 

[Anonymous]

:lol:

now you got me furiously knocking on wood....