DIY acrylic hood (lots of pics)(and words)

[bzc]

thats very cool. where'd you get the hinge?

WeedCali
No hinge, the front panels rests on the tank rim and a ledge that's attached to the back panel.

did you you the blade as pictured in the saw? or...did you reverse it?

kj5kb,
I used the blade as pictured. It's the blade that I use for cutting plastic laminate for counter tops. For non-straight cuts or cut-outs I used a jig saw with a 14 tooth per inch wood blade.

I wanted to add that I noticed you did not place you lighting on top of the acrylic yet. Before you do you may want to consider gluing on some longitudinal stiffeners like the box you made for your flow-tubes. Perhaps two vertical supports the length of the lid that houses the light hood and perhaps a new lift handle that runs the length of the lid, all to prevent moisture warpage. Your idea of a full canopy to support the light fixture is probubly your best bet.

You did a professional job which has inspired some idea to get my acrylic hood repaired, thanks.

Chief,
You are exactly right. I put two 3/4" pieces of scrap perpendicular to each piece running lengthwise on the bottom. It pulled everything back flat and level and nothing has moved in the five days since.

you only used super glue to hold all of together? i thought you had to use special acrylic stuff to weld the pieces together?

Rod,
Yep, just super glue. It tacks in just a couple of seconds and appears to be solid in about 30 seconds. Cut edges seem to "grab" easier and just require finger pressure. If gluing flat side to flat side I recommend a little bit of clamp pressure but not so much that you squeeze all of the glue out and starve the joint. I tried using acrylic adhesive, but in my very limited experience, it left the joints too thick and flexible.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Juice]

Really cool! I wish I had the tools to make something like that for my tank!