Acrylic

[Tim Marvin]

I can set-up a workshop for those of you that are interested in doing acrylic work. It is actually fairly easy to do but you have to have woodworking knowledge. It uses a lot of the same principles. We can make small things like bulb racks to sumps, refugiums, tanks, or skimmers. Just about anything you can think of can be built. Some things a lot less than you can buy.

[Chris]

I just picked "I'd like to learn" :-D

[REEFAHOLIC]

This is such a great idea. I would love to learn who to build a refugium,
sump. Great idea Tim.

Tina

[Texreefer]

Tim I am toying around with designing a skimmer and a reactor... i've done acrylic work.. its really easy to work with.. we might have to share some ideas and develope some equipment.

[Tim Marvin]

There is a student up here at UT that does a lot of acrylic sumps, tanks, and refugiums. I use him for a lot of my acrylic work. I'll see if I can't get him to come down to a meeting and we'll do a little class. We can also collect the money for materials ahead of time and he can instruct on techniques for bonding. That way it will be hands on.

[Texreefer]

for those of you who want to mess with the acrylic stuff. regal plastics here in san antonio has everything you could possibly want.. that is where i got all the stuff to make my sump.

[Chris]

Cool. They're not exactly close to me, but i'll have to check them out some day.

Regal Plastics (http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Typ&addr=4041+Rittiman+Rd&city=San+Ant onio&state=TX&csz=San+Antonio,+TX+78218&slt=29.485 006&sln=-98.414716&zip=78218&country=us&BFKey=&BFCat=&BFCli ent=&cs=9&name=Regal+Plastic+Supply+Co&desc=(210)+ 599-8291&poititle=&poi=&ds=n&mag=6&newmag=8)

[Tim Marvin]

I wasn't sure if they had one down there. Regal is were I bought most of the solvents and tools that I use, as well as the heat strips. Bill, the other guy up here gets the plastic at a discounted rate through his connections so we can build almost the same price as glass.

[JesterGrin]

:-D That I do feel is a fantastic idea. I would like so much to build a refugium sump as well as skimmers and also a Calcium reacktor. :) . And since I do believe you have to purchase this plastic in a certrain length if we get a few people that want to make skimmers or Calcium reacktors then it will be cheaper than have to purchase a whole piece of something and eat the rest since we didnt use it.



Good day to all. :)

[Jeff Post]

I would love a class where we can actually build something with someone knowledgable to guide us. A refugium sump seems to be a common desire. If we could arrange for your associate to buy all of the necessary supplies at his discount, that would be even better. I have no problem with paying in advance.

[Tim Marvin]

Refugiums are the rage! Acrylic is the only way to go on these in my opinion because they are so tough, yet easy to add on, change, drill, mount things, and so on. I have a call out to him so I'll let you guy know if he is interested in making the trip. He is a college guy with a girlfriend so we'll have to see if he can spare a Saturday.

[Jeff Post]

It would be great if he could come here but for this I would travel to Austin as long as it is on a weekend and not between December 15th and 22nd.

[Chris]

Any idea yet Tim if you friend(or you) will be making it to the meeting?

[Tim Marvin]

Bill said he would come down and show us how he does it. We will need to get demensions of things you want to build and he'll get you a cost for material. This must be paid up front and we'll have it cut so it will only need bending, glue, and so on.

[dow]

Just out of curiosity, did you guys ever do this? If not, then I'm interested in getting in on it. If so, then I'd like to learn from somebody. it'd be nice to have a refugium, and the prices I see on the net seem to border on the absurd.

[Tim Marvin]

We haven't done this yet. We were side tracked. This will be done at another meeting. I promise. Unless you want to do a sump refugium then let me know and we can build a small one really quick out of a ten or twenty gallon tank. You would need to bring the tank.

[dow]

Bump ^^

[RedDragon]

Hey Tim,

If you ever do start to build tanks or any thing :twisted:
on thistopic I'll be you #1 man :-D so keep in touch.

Thanks,
PlayUnique@aol.com

[Tim Marvin]

I am hoping Bill will be able to attend a meeting and give a short course on this.

[Andrew]

If it's not too expensive, I'd like to build a small overflow for my 40 gal, maybe a sump/refug as well depending on price.

Acrylic workshop would be a lot of fun :D

I have a 20 gal. that could serve as sump, refuge
if a media container could be made for the top.
would still need an overflow too

[fishtankrob]

Did this ever happen?

[fishtankrob]

How come seems like such a good idea....

[Jimnorris]

I would also like to learn.
Jim

[brewercm]

I've just been doing a bunch of reading about how to do it, but sure would like a short class for instruction.

[matt]

With all the delays for the summer MACO acrylic course, there actually may be time for some last minute registering. The hold up has been due to Cyro suspending production of cast acrylic during the war in Iraq, at least that's what they're saying. (It's a great excuse, if it's not true...) Anyhow, if you want to build the skimmer, parts are about $230 (this is not a cheap skimmer!) but the course itself is $35. The course is much more than a DIY walk-through; all kinds of good info and excellent question and answer chats.

Anyhow, they're threatening to finally start the course, so it may be too late. The next thing up is a lighting class by Sanjay Joshi; wouldn't it be nice (to quote Brian Wilson) if someone in our club took the class and then could help the rest of us with good lighting advice...

Matt