Neptune Aquatics

Taking a Jigsaw to an Acrylic Tank

I would be worried at all times about it even if you left it alone and used it as is :(
 
age of course :)

All my tanks are acrylic. I prefer glass, but they are all acrylic.
 
Coral reefer said:
Thanks! I've got a heat gun that's puts out 180 degree heat if anybody ever needs to borrow for those reasons
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I would really advise against that. It needs to be HOURS, heat spread over a wide area, and cool slowly.
One mistake, and you melt/burn it, or make the problem worse.

A kitchen convective oven would work, but that would not fit.
 
GDawson said:
OK this is starting to sound a bit more complicated than anticipated. I guess the questions are:

1) Is this really worth doing to a tank this old?
2) If done by an amateur (me!) is there a chance that I'll just de-stabilize the whole structure and come home to a mess one day?
3) If I just leave it do acrylic tanks have a life expectancy and should I just replace it?

-Gregory
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As long as the old tank is not valuable as-is, I would give it a try, and see what happens.
1) Glue on lots of extra acrylic for support.
2) Cut gently. Lots of water for cooling.
If it breaks, oh well...
If not, success!
If it does not crack/craze during the cutting, and you have extra supports, should last.
 
rygh said:
GDawson said:
OK this is starting to sound a bit more complicated than anticipated. I guess the questions are:

1) Is this really worth doing to a tank this old?
2) If done by an amateur (me!) is there a chance that I'll just de-stabilize the whole structure and come home to a mess one day?
3) If I just leave it do acrylic tanks have a life expectancy and should I just replace it?

-Gregory
Click to expand...

As long as the old tank is not valuable as-is, I would give it a try, and see what happens.
1) Glue on lots of extra acrylic for support.
2) Cut gently. Lots of water for cooling.
If it breaks, oh well...
If not, success!
If it does not crack/craze during the cutting, and you have extra supports, should last.
Click to expand...

Seems resonable, but am I setting myself up for leakage down the line?

-Gregory
 
40T thin kerf teflon coated carbide tipped circular saw blade works pretty good for cutting acrylic. I'd use that before a jigsaw.

You can use an air hose to keep the chips from melting back into the kerf. But it's not that much of an issue with that blade.

You won't need water for cooling if you clear out the chips with your air hose.
 
GDawson said:
Seems resonable, but am I setting myself up for leakage down the line?
-Gregory
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I am definitely positively not sure. 8)

Nobody can make that kind of prediction.
Sorry.
The odds are low. Compare that with the effects of a leak.
For me, with my own house, hardwood floors, on a cement slab, not a big concern.
A person in an expensive top floor rented apartment should think twice.
 
Mr. Ugly said:
40T thin kerf teflon coated carbide tipped circular saw blade works pretty good for cutting acrylic. I'd use that before a jigsaw.

You can use an air hose to keep the chips from melting back into the kerf. But it's not that much of an issue with that blade.

You won't need water for cooling if you clear out the chips with your air hose.
Click to expand...

Well, I have used a similar blade on my table saw.
While it cuts a much straighter line of course, the edge is arguably worse.
I think enough of the sides of the blade rub at high speed to melt it.
But not Teflon coated. Maybe that is the trick.

Router is far superior to both.
 
That blade shouldn't be rubbing on a table saw.

I've gotten a clean enough edge for gluing from that blade cutting free hand with a circular saw. Done it a bunch of times on various tanks including a 4'x8' flat.

But you can rough cut with a circular saw and finish with a router if necessary. That's the fastest combination for the quality of finish.
 
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