sparrowmayhem Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I am looking into making a tank to see if it cheaper then buying a tank what i would like to know is have others done this,and is it worth while i would also like to be pointed in the right direction to places to get hold of glass Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockwork Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 yes i have made mine and yea it a bit cheaper and you get more pride out of making it than buying it. as for the glass just go to some one like smith and smith or other glass shops shop around tho as some places are cheaper than others. as for silicone i use selleys glass silicone sealant for windows and aquariums it takes a week to fully set but worth the wait so it dont leak ($15 per tube) hope that helps you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishandchips Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I have found that glass is cheaper from local glaziers then the bigger chain stores. If you are doing something bigger and you can't get some help to hold pieces corner clamps come in handy and also you can make a frame as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockwork Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 thats a good idear fishandchips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 It depends on how big the tank is but most of mine have been from 10mm glass. I found it cheaper to buy from a glass merchant and get the offcut peices as they are usually used in larger windows They will usually sell the offcuts at a cheaper rate. With thinner glass it is sold right down to smaller pieces so there realy are few offcuts. You can therefore get 10mm at a similar price to thinner glass. Also it pays to ask what they want for cutting to size as they do it all day and it saves you paying to get rid of the waste yourself. You need to know exactly the sizes you want. Paying cash helps as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RixIce Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 just remember polished edges dont sick well give them a ruff up with sum sand paper before gluing .... Learned that lesson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 just remember polished edges dont sick well give them a ruff up with sum sand paper before gluing .... Learned that lesson Sorry mate but thats not correct Some glass companies can use a spray polyurithane to gloss up the glass... it makes it nice and shinny...Silicone that is made for glass sticks possibly better to perfect surfaces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 There is actually an advantage in having polished edges (if you wish to pay the megabucks to have it done) and that is that any chips or small defects are removed. This is a considerable weakness and where a break will usually start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RixIce Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 i have worked at a glass company before and i never herd of them using a spray polyurithane who dose this ? I know they used a UV glue for a mitered edge and that worked fine but i had polished edges on one of my huge tanks and i used silicon and it ended up splitting away from the glass had to ruff it up before gluing again and it worked sweet as Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 There are ways to put a big tank together so that the contact areas are increased where they need to be (using additional straps) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 i have worked at a glass company before and i never herd of them using a spray polyurithane who dose this ? I know they used a UV glue for a mitered edge and that worked fine but i had polished edges on one of my huge tanks and i used silicon and it ended up splitting away from the glass had to ruff it up before gluing again and it worked sweet as PM sent UV glue should not be used in mitre joint as it sets with no give and expansion of one piece and retraction of the other will creat thermal breakages. UV glue is normally used in a situation where maximum strength is needed and there is no temperature difference in glass. It should never be used in aquaria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockwork Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 PM sent UV glue should not be used in mitre joint as it sets with no give and expansion of one piece and retraction of the other will creat thermal breakages. UV glue is normally used in a situation where maximum strength is needed and there is no temperature difference in glass. It should never be used in aquaria that i agree with and if a glazier tells you to use this then make sure you get it in writing that they will replace tank and fish if it brakes or the fish die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Rick (to be fair) wasnt5 suggesting UV glue but I just wanted to make sure there was no confusion. No glass merchant will or can offer a garentee other than leakage as the use of it is beyond out control For instance. UV glue (it sets when exposed to UV light) is great to use in a showcase as its really clear and is best when the joint is very thin (Silicone works best when it has a 1mm or 2 of gap) so you get a very clean joint. I have made some like this for showcases for antique dolls and similar but after they leave my factory, I have no control what they will be used for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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