Acrylic Fabrication Q & A

TaylorPilot · Jul 5, 2016

TherealplexiG said:
So is the pricetag!

LOL..What are your fingers worth. It's kinda like helmets. If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet. I buy nice helmets to protect my already hard head.

TherealplexiG · Jul 5, 2016

TaylorPilot said:
LOL..What are your fingers worth. It's kinda like helmets. If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet. I buy nice helmets to protect my already hard head.

LOL..nice one..I like american products, IMO they are truly quality products crafted to perfection. Just like fergie.

For me its another story, i have to pay more then double to get one home..Somehow in my head it does not justify the pricing factor (The landing cost), waiting period..There are big brands who offer obsolete products locally. "Welcome to my-- THIRD WORLD"(My point of frustration). Awaiting for @cromag08 to adopt me..LOL
But with the help of folks from here..Especially Turbo, Lemon..Learning and putting things together in a good way that my lady does not kick me out..

domination2580 · Jul 5, 2016

Ok guys i need some help. I need to replace a small triangular window in my cavalier. Its gonna coat me 250$ for the small back window and to instal it. Im not willing to give some one that money for a small window. Thinking about using acrylic to make a window out of. Any options to form the acrylic to the window mold?

TherealplexiG · Jul 5, 2016

domination2580 said:
Ok guys i need some help. I need to replace a small triangular window in my cavalier. Its gonna coat me 250$ for the small back window and to instal it. Im not willing to give some one that money for a small window. Thinking about using acrylic to make a window out of. Any options to form the acrylic to the window mold?

"cavalier" is it a car?
Could you post a picture of the window that you wanna fix?

TaylorPilot · Jul 5, 2016

domination2580 said:
Ok guys i need some help. I need to replace a small triangular window in my cavalier. Its gonna coat me 250$ for the small back window and to instal it. Im not willing to give some one that money for a small window. Thinking about using acrylic to make a window out of. Any options to form the acrylic to the window mold?

Junkyard. I got my jeep broken into about 8 years ago, and they broke the little triangle window. They wanted $150 for a new one. Got one at a junk yard for $20 bucks. Using acrylic is going to be a pain.

domination2580 · Jul 5, 2016

TaylorPilot said:
Junkyard. I got my jeep broken into about 8 years ago, and they broke the little triangle window. They wanted $150 for a new one. Got one at a junk yard for $20 bucks. Using acrylic is going to be a pain.

Already checked into junkyards. Theres not one place in my state with one. Its out of state for the one i need.

domination2580 · Jul 5, 2016

It's the back driver side window

TaylorPilot · Jul 5, 2016

Yea, that was a very popular model. It is a pretty flat panel. My next question would be about thickness. I don't think that those windows are 6mm thick, they look a little thinner to me. I would look into whether it would fit in the rubber seal properly. Sorry you're having issues finding one. What year is the car?

domination2580 · Jul 5, 2016

TaylorPilot said:
Yea, that was a very popular model. It is a pretty flat panel. My next question would be about thickness. I don't think that those windows are 6mm thick, they look a little thinner to me. I would look into whether it would fit in the rubber seal properly. Sorry you're having issues finding one. What year is the car?

02

cromag27 · Jul 5, 2016

Exactly. a $70 new cartridge and $100 for a new blade is far less than losing parts of your body. although, I do have to put it in override mode to cut acrylic which negates the safety feature. but like I said, I do a lot of wood working too so it's definitely worth it for me.

TaylorPilot said:
LOL..What are your fingers worth. It's kinda like helmets. If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet. I buy nice helmets to protect my already hard head.

cromag27 · Jul 5, 2016

Try cutting it to fit, then use a heat gun to carefully mold it.

RE: car window.

Turbo's Aquatics · Jul 5, 2016

TherealplexiG said:
Turbo
"I can't remember the last time I used my squaring jig on my router table actually."

I think here he meant table saw instead of router table..

No, I meant router table

Turbo's Aquatics · Jul 5, 2016

TherealplexiG said:
Why is it resting on an end panel?
Is that vertical piece you trynna fix there?

Hard to explain and I'm not in a place where I can take the time to explain it. Basically affixing horizontal baffles between vertical baffles. Trying to make it perfect & bubble free (which worked by the way)

Turbo's Aquatics · Jul 5, 2016

cromag08 said:
Weld - ready from the cnc?

Yes

TherealplexiG · Jul 9, 2016

Hey Bud,
I dont know what cedar shakes is, im putting a tank tomorrow, could you please let me know the thickness for shims? I have 4 mm thick wood strips with me. Would that work?

cromag27 · Jul 9, 2016

To level the stand?

TherealplexiG said:
Hey Bud,
I dont know what cedar shakes is, im putting a tank tomorrow, could you please let me know the thickness for shims? I have 4 mm thick wood strips with me. Would that work?

TaylorPilot · Jul 9, 2016

No, we use wooden shims to adjust the bottom sheet so that all the wires are tight in the seam about to be welded. Imperfections in the table, or in the thickness of the sheets (cast sheets are usually inconsistent in their thickness). Wooden shims can be used from the hardware store, but they usually need to be sanded on a belt sander to get them to a fine point. Cedar shakes are another good option because you can pick through them and get the ones that are really thin. It usually doesn't take much to ensure that the pins are tight. We're talking the thickness of a few sheets of paper. Using camper foam to support the parts about to be joined can absorb some of the imperfections as well.

cromag27 · Jul 9, 2016

I misunderstood, I thought he was installing a new tank. I use composite shims for stand leveling and cedar shims for the pins method. I just go to the hardware store and get a package of assorted sizes and sand if needed.

TaylorPilot · Jul 9, 2016

cromag08 said:
I misunderstood, I thought he was installing a new tank. I use composite shims for stand leveling and cedar shims for the pins method. I just go to the hardware store and get a package of assorted sizes and sand if needed.

Maybe I misunderstood. I figured in the acrylic Q and A section if was about shims for welding seams. I use composite shims for tank leveling to.

TherealplexiG · Jul 10, 2016

Apologies, not to be specific. But i think bud used cedar shakes (i have no idea what those are, or called here locally) as shims to support pins, while welding. So to snug the pins what shims are to be used! Im not from USA, hence i don't have privilege of getting things at ease. What i can't get or buy ready-made i have to make one myself. Everything is ready except those shims for wicking. I just wanna know what thickness required ?
The shims are flat or tapered? If i can't make it taper would straight ones do? Im putting roughly 12" cube with 8mm thick acrylic, top is braced.