Acrylic brackets

[cobra]

Howdy Guys,

I am contemplating/brainstorming a design for an acrylic bracket that would serve as a light mount for a buildmyled light fixture. I have an ADA 90-H and the buildmyled is likely the light source that I will buy and use.

Hanging the fixture from the ceiling or wall is not an option (I wished that I could), because I am leasing the house that I am in.

I prefer to not just have the fixture sitting directly on the tank as I think that it takes away from the beauty of the lilly pipe glass works as well as the aesthetics of the tank itself.

Anyway, I was toying with the idea of having an acrylic brace midway on the tank and having the light fixture mounted under slung. I would drag my router out and cut a right angle groove into the acrylic so that it would rest flush with the tank glass edges.

Does anybody know of a company or individual that could make me this acrylic piece?

Thanks Much!

G

[Soothing Shrimp]

Problem with using acrylic for a lid is that it warps pretty badly when used for that...er...use. heh

[cobra]

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

Problem with using acrylic for a lid is that it warps pretty badly when used for that...er...use. heh

Huh?

[thelub]

Somebody here just made an acrylic light bracket by heating and bending 1/2" acrylic. Do a quick search and you'll find it. It wasn't long ago.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Stupid me. I was thinking lid and reading bracket. *bonks head*

[cobra]

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

Stupid me. I was thinking lid and reading bracket. *bonks head*

[Lurch98]

I bought acrylic from US Plastic and made a light bracket for my 20L. My first attempt warped due too the acrylic being too thin and my design not bracing it well enough. Depending on what you have in mind, glass may be a better option. If not. consider how heavy the light is and bracing/thickness.

Good luck! It's fun but frustrating to work with acrylic. My second attempt was structurally on target, but my bonding skills are terrible (lots of air bubbles) and I scratched the heck out of it trying to polish it. All part of the fun of DIY.

[rk923]

I made some out of 1/4" acrtlic for my 48" CFL fixture over my 55g for the same reason. Here are some pictures, i kept it simple but effective.





Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[mach_six]

I'd be careful about the acrylic warping and falling into the tank over time. I had a 1/2" acrylic lid warp and I didn't even had lights for the years I had it running.

[DKShrimporium]

Acrylic plastic has a molecular structure that takes up moisture, so on the side that is exposed to humidity, you get swelling and bowing.

Polycarbonate (Lexan brand is an example) is a different molecular structure that does not do this much.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Originally Posted by DKShrimporium

...Polycarbonate (Lexan brand is an example) is a different molecular structure that does not do this much.

Just had it happen to poly on a 2.5g tank. So although it may not do it much, it did for me within 1 day.

[Hoppy]

Originally Posted by rk923

I made some out of 1/4" acrtlic for my 48" CFL fixture over my 55g for the same reason. Here are some pictures, i kept it simple but effective.

This looks like a great way to use acrylic to prop up a light. The moisture exposure is the same on both sides of the vertical pieces, so they shouldn't warp significantly. The horizontal pieces are reinforced by the glued on vertical pieces, making them very resistant to warping. And, it looks great!

[76dragon]

I think it will warp over time. The vertical pieces should be length wise to the horizontal pieces. I have the lexicon plexi as tops and they warp pretty badly. If the vertical pieces were the same length to go to the sides of the tank, I think you would have a much better chance of them not warping

[cobra]

Thanks All for the replies!

Is there an acrylic fabricator here on PT? I asked about this on RC, but got no bites. I have some tools at home (built my ADA stand) and could do it myself, but to be quite honest-I have a lot going on with work and grad school and don't have the time to make myself smart on acrylic joinery, etc.

The brackets I want to build would be thicker than the 10mm glass of my 90-H. The fixture that these brackets support is a 36" buildmyLED fixture. With this thickness and the light weight of the fixture I can't see warping being much of an issue.

I have attached a screen shot of the bracket in mind.

Thanks,

G

[newbieplanter]

Originally Posted by cobra

Thanks All for the replies!

Is there an acrylic fabricator here on PT? I asked about this on RC, but got no bites. I have some tools at home (built my ADA stand) and could do it myself, but to be quite honest-I have a lot going on with work and grad school and don't have the time to make myself smart on acrylic joinery, etc.

The brackets I want to build would be thicker than the 10mm glass of my 90-H. The fixture that these brackets support is a 36" buildmyLED fixture. With this thickness and the light weight of the fixture I can't see warping being much of an issue.

I have attached a screen shot of the bracket in mind.

Thanks,

G

Seems easy enough! What are u looking at for size, I work this stuff everyday so I might be able to do it for ya. You would go through me instead of my co for a savings?