what does everyone think of this idea???

jones57742

Julie:

This thread is going by so fast that I overlooked information in one of your posts.

You are probably aware of this but just in case:

The maximum transverse stress in the front and rear walls in a 24" deep x 24" wide x 10' long vessel is not linear with respect to the maximum transverse stress in a 24" deep x 24" wide by 1' long vessel.

ie. the maximum stress in the 10' vessel is not 10 times the stress in the 1' vessel.

I believe (from trying to remember the content of two chapters in a mechanics of materials book 25 years ago) that the maximum stress can be represented by a 2nd order polynomial:

y = ax^2 + bx +c

where
y= maximum stress
x= 10
a <= 1
b >=1

The values of a, b and c will vary depending on the hinge conditions along the sides and bottom of the front and rear walls.

TR

daisycutter

how about putting a large plastic water tank into a wooden box and siliconeing a window in the side? or perhaps using a water tank and just using the wood as a covering?

usmc121581

I never knew you could do that, but one thing. To prove me wrong. I want to see one with fish and water in it. Then I might try t do my own. That actually looks like it would be fun to do.

Mrmofo

wow yea it does look like it would be fun to do...even make a couple small ones that fit together for a couple quantine tanks, if they r cheap enough to build...

Falina

all depends on the price of this blasted epoxy paint if and when i find it

not meaning to be pushy but, if the epoxy paint wasnt available to me, or was just too expensive, thin perspex inside the wood work - would anyone have any ideas on why this wouldnt work?

thanks for all the help

jones57742

Julie:

As I indicated earlier I was not familiar with Perspex.
After minimal research I learned that Perspex is a Lucite's brand name for acrylic.

Please refer to:
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/perspexmanual.pdf

Some of this handbook is devoted to topics applicable to simple DIY projects and may be of help should you decide to pursue the laminate avenue.

The handbook also contains the materials parameters of Perspex.

Page 29 of the handbook (Page 31 of the PDF file) discusses laminates with not acrylic substrates.

Fortunately this handbook is a British publication and has several British contacts on the last few pages.

TR

Falina

thanks jones

ill have a good read over this

daisycutter

theres a detailed section on bulding these on a site im not allowed to link too its a forum and involves ciclids only google knows

Falina

daz actually gave me a link to a cichlid forum with a detailed section on it - im guessing its the same one :)

Mrmofo

so exactly why cant u use marine grade silicon?im pretty sure its cheap at home depot or what ever its called in america ive seen it b4, our equivlent is 'bunnings" and it is about 12 bucks a tube and it goes in like a gun think which u can rent out for 10 bucks a day over here