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View Full Version : Best glue for acrylic to glass?


Beza
03-28-2010, 12:36 AM
So I'm rebuilding a 75gal bowfront I got for free because it was leaking. Someone cut the top brace off... who knows why, but that's what caused it to leak.

Best I can come up with to replace the top brace is acrylic sheet cut to go in 3 spots - each side and one in the middle.

Anyone know of a good product that will allow me to do something this silly? I'm working with what I've got here...

The Grizz
03-28-2010, 12:56 AM
The only thing that I have ever heard and done is to take the acrylic use some PVC primer on it where it is going to attach to the glass and then silicone it. Other then that go to a glass shop have them cut some strips of glass and silicone them in. Good Luck

Beza
03-28-2010, 01:16 AM
I dunno, I think that in this case there would be an extremely high tendency for shear on a butt-joint held by something like silicone, which allows flex. I was thinking of a solid bond by something like an instant glue, backed up by a big bead of silicone.

The problem is the stupid butt-joint, which is the weakest connection available. The braces that normally are on these work because they are a single molded form, and they hold on 3 different axis. Acrylic has tensile strength with torsion, and the torsion is going to be a weak spot. I might have to go with glass on this one, or use a thicker piece of acrylic with ridges cut into it. Sigh.

The Grizz
03-28-2010, 02:21 AM
Ya I know what you are talking about with the bow front as I have a 155 now. I would go with glass and silicone it on top of the tank and not the inside, this is how my 165 gal 8' tank is braced.

fencer
03-28-2010, 04:45 AM
oops

Aquaria
03-28-2010, 04:59 AM
i had the same problem 46g bow and i got a 1/2" with 1/4"tabs on the ends x 3 inch glass brace cut and then used marina silicone and its been going for around four months now

zeddy
03-28-2010, 11:47 PM
if its acrylic couldnt you cut it longer and notch the ends to fit over the outside of the glass and then use silicone just to hold it down

byee
04-03-2010, 04:12 PM
if its acrylic couldnt you cut it longer and notch the ends to fit over the outside of the glass and then use silicone just to hold it down

CAN'T silicone acrylic to glass. I siliconed some strips of acrylic to my sump to hold up a cover and its fallen off. Its just a lid with no pressure and not below the water line.

Silicone a glass cross brace to lust below the plastic moulding at the top of your tank. Many glass stores can contour the glass by sanding it for you to conform to the bow profile of your tank. Just bring a cardboard cutout.

Good luck