Glass, Plexiglass

what type of glass (is it plexiglass) that most installers use in there cars. for visibility threw material and lights and stuff........to build a fishtank would anyone use plexiglass. and how can you curve glass to fit and mold weird custom shapes.... (what tools should i use) and how should i go about getting the pieces to mold together at the ends. should i use superglue to get the ends to stick together and use (what type of sealant?) to keep the water from leaking???  any information would help

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Biznisman2u

yep, its plexiglass.  if youre trying to build a fish tank, id suggest you get some really good glue.  not superglue.  i mean strong silicone based glue to bond it plus seal it.  as for the glass, id say at least 3/8" thick plexiglass.  for shaping it youll need a heat gun and just slowly bend it as it gets softer.  dont overheat it tho.  personally, i wouldnt recommend building your own tank unless youve researched it alot.  plus, for the price youd be in it for it would probably be cheaper to buy a new one professionally made.  altho it would be a fun experiment.  if your going to do this, id say search the net for plexiglass, waterproof sealant and glue, and also search for fishtank sites or diy plexiglass project tutorials.  good luck.

I believe its E6000 or E9000 that is made in a clear sealant that can be used. There are a few other products also available for attaching pieces of plexi together. I stated in other posts Select Products is pricy with the things they sell, however, they do have products available for doing these type of things. Check with them to see what they suggest as well.
www.selectproducts.com



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a nice tool for this type of job is a strip heater... it heats a line in the plex allowing you to do perfect straing bends.... pricy but VERY handy

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Two things to make sure of when doing this is (1) Make absolutley sure that the adhisive and sealant you use will not leak anything into the fishes water. You don't want every fish you put in there to die within a few days because of chemicals in the water. (2) Make sure you can seal the tank completely. You don't want to have to slam on the brakes and through water all over the place.  I would check with some local pet shops or websites to find out what the best silicone to use is. Good luck. I'd like to see pics up here if it all works out!

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if its jammed force it - if it breaks in the process it needed to be fixed anyway

i'm not going to get any one hopes up on no pictures, i dont think we will be seeing any of those soon but. when i do i will remember to put some up. Where can i find a strip heater and some one told me that there is no way to bend plexiglass, was i using the wrong type of plexiglass that looks a lot like glass and has no flex to it at all?

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Biznisman2u

WAIT. Are you putting this in your car or house? Please say car.

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dream it, build it, fiberglass it

why would you think i would be building this for my house? yes its for my car. I'm curious what would make you think that

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Biznisman2u

You never said it was for your car and i wouldnt put one in my car so i was wondering.

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dream it, build it, fiberglass it

oh okay. i was just wondering how to bend the plexiglass, and i use a fish tank as a visual example.... I dont think i would be putting no fish tank in my car soon. I do wont to get an air pump and water pump and have a little water fall, like them little $20 gift items with it build inside

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Biznisman2u

o cause this whole forum got into talking about the leaking and all that stuff.

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dream it, build it, fiberglass it

yeah, i know. but that was some future information for me. I try to learn all i can so if i do decide i could perhaps benefit from it. but i get your point

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Biznisman2u

If you want to do the enclosure with nice clean joints, you might look into using Methylene Chloride (Weld-On is a brand) and apply it using a syringe.

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what is Methylene Chloride what do it do? i mean i use it on what? and for what reasons

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Biznisman2u

It is used to melt acrylics to one another, it has a relatively fast drying time also.  Who ever you buy your plexi from should sell it and like I said Weld-On is one brand that makes some.

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