Acrylic Aquarium Renovation / Weldon 4 & 40

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thanks for the advice, Wednesday. And I didn't think that you specifically were ignoring me. I just cannot believe that of all the people who belong to this forum that you are the only one that has experience in applying this stuff. :) And just to give you more kudos... that was better advice that what I got directly from Weldon.

Cheers,
Kayte
 
I used syringes and cut the tip off so there is a fairly large opening. You really need a few of them. I found out after a few times refilling them the plunger gets beat up pretty good
 
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Kayte said:
Thanks for the advice, Wednesday. And I didn't think that you specifically were ignoring me. I just cannot believe that of all the people who belong to this forum that you are the only one that has experience in applying this stuff. :) And just to give you more kudos... that was better advice that what I got directly from Weldon.

Cheers,
Kayte
Click to expand...

People/Tank mfg...are cheap these days... #40 is used in a method of tank building that was more popular 20-30yrs ago and kinda got lost over the years with cheaper glues/solvents like #4. Its also harder to get but becoming more available now with inernet sales so making a comeback to the masses. Great product tho imo. and the strongest of all the weld-on products. A local acrylic shop ordered it for me back in 2010 and they didnt even know what it was, told me they couldnt get it but was available in their catalogue lol... lmk if theres anything else ur worried about or can think of to ask...im sure i skimmed over something. Theres alot more info on it on the reefcentral forums...but same thing, info spread from one main member that happened to work in an acrylic fab shop.
 
Actually I do have another question. I was thinking that I could mix the 40 in a clear cooking measuring container. I have a couple of glass ones that I use in cooking. I am wondering if it would be safe to mix the material in them before putting the mix into the application bottle and still use them after giving it a good long wash with soap and water? I did find some cheap plastic measuring containers at the dollar store but I cannot tell if the plastic is polypropolene/polyethylene. Is there a way I can identify the plastic?
 
Most all cheap plastics should be fine and are more than likely petroleum based. I do not recommend the glass container... being food safe is not the issue... I dont think u could physically get it out when it hardens lol... with the plastic type mixing containers u can bend them and get the glue reminents to peel off in one piece. It wont stick to the glass but becomes 100% sold and can/will easily get stuck in the bottom.
 
Good job Wednesday13. I am also trying to do this on my 120 gallon acrylic aquarium as well. Now O.P. I hope you can tell me exactly how you got rid of the silicone that the last owner used? So far I have scraped off the big silicone pieces using a plastic pain scraper but not so clean. I hope anyone can help so I could start the resealing using the weld-on 40.
 
@ noinoi24... I would love to tell you what I used but honestly I don't remember. If you are willing to wait a day, I plan to stop by the store I bought the stuff at. I'll take a picture of it and post it. I would say that it didn't take it 100% off but it did a pretty darn good job... perhaps 90% to 95%. It definitely helped take the frustration out of scraping the stuff off. I am convinced the only way to get this stuff off 100% is to use a sander on the residue and since the silicone bead was in the joints along the bottom I believe a craft dremel with a sander would have done the job right.

W Wednesday ... Well I have used the Weld on 40 to lay 2 of the acrylic sheets on the bottom. I got one more to go. I figured that since I have to have my whole body in the aquarium to do this properly I should let the two sheets cure before kneeling on the sheets. I just have to lay down the middle sheet. Anyhow... I just wanted to say that you were right about the fumes. And that tip of using a hair coloring applicator was brilliant. If anyone wants to do this go to the $1 Store and just buy boxes of hair color. Rinse the developer out of the hair color applicator, let them dry and you have a $1 Weldon 40 applicator which is much cheeper than buying them on amazon or Sally's Beauty Supply.

That my update. I'm gonna keep at it. Next step after laying the last piece of acyrlic is to sand down the inside and then onto polishing. Fun!!!!!

Kayte
 
SO glad I found this post! I need some help too! I decided to reinforce my "new" 375(there's some crazing) and had no idea what to use to apply it! Great suggestions and it just seems so obvious now... Can someone tell me about how much I'd need to mix to do one 8ft long piece and what the measurements would be for A and B? Should I still sand the edges if it's just to reinforce? I plan on reinforcing every seam. Sorry for all the questions but it's hard to find information about this stuff! Not trying to hijack your post, but I've been looking forever for a post that wasn't dead!
 
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