Cutting a tank in half....

AquaDiva · 01/10/2007, 04:26 PM

OK, how would one do this.

Recently aquired a 4'x2x36 inch tall acrylic tank. Scratches, and bowing are prevent me from using it in it's current form as a display tank. We were thinking of cutting the tank in two....

a 12 inch tall bottom, to use as a frag tank, and a 24 inch tall upper section. We'd add a new bottom to the upper section and use it as a "sump/refugium".

The acrylic is 1/2 in think. Any suggestions on the best way to cut this. It's kinda unweildy to put on a table saw. ?? Router or circular hand saw, perhaps ?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

rustybucket145 · 01/10/2007, 04:42 PM

table saw is the only thing I can see working. May have to take it to a shop with a big sho-nuff table saw with alot of surface area to work with.

AquaDiva · 01/10/2007, 04:45 PM

bummer...

MCary · 01/10/2007, 04:54 PM

Clamp a straight edge on it and cut it with a 60 tooth blade on a circular saw. Joint or route the edges. Bob's your uncle.

Mike

CMcNeil · 01/10/2007, 05:00 PM

you can use a table saw to cut it in half.make sure to mask off the tank so you dont scratch it anymore.and cut nice and steady,dont feed it to fast,and you should be fine.i have cut tanks down numerous times.if i were you i would cut the 2' sides first,then cut the 4' sides.if you dont have a tablesaw you can jigsaw it in half then router the edges straight and clean.

douggiestyle · 01/11/2007, 07:30 AM

circular saw easy enough.
i cut a glass tank in half just as youve described with a circular saw.

AquaDiva · 01/11/2007, 08:16 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I was hoping there was a way to do this cheaply.

Maybe I'll take some pics and post the results... good or bad. People seem to love this stuff.

Reef_bones · 01/11/2007, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by douggiestyle
circular saw easy enough.
i cut a glass tank in half just as youve described with a circular saw.

HUH

Cutting glass with a circular saw?

please elaborate. That doesn't seem posible.

MinibowMatt · 01/11/2007, 08:47 AM

straight edge and a router will clean up the edges after you cut it up with the circular saw. The top section will be very flimsy once its cut so support it very well so you dont pop the seams open.

douggiestyle · 01/11/2007, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reef_bones
HUH

Cutting glass with a circular saw?

please elaborate. That doesn't seem posible.

diamond bladed wet saw.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...d_id=100476869

douggiestyle · 01/11/2007, 09:13 AM

should also mention that i broke the tank. had nothing to do with the circular saw. after cutting three sides i went to flip the tank over and didnt support it. the top kinda flopped and broke the last uncut side. if i had to do it over again i would cut one side at a time and then support that side with some hot glue and strips of wood. working may way around one side at a time doing each the same. then remove all the strips of wood. i would also have an extra pair of hands to help flip the tank. this would be a problem encoutered regardless of saw type.

MCary · 01/12/2007, 12:43 PM

If I were going to cut it in half to make two tanks, I would go ahead and install the bottom panel on the tank. Making it an enclosed cube before I cut it. That would give alot of support while cutting.

Mike

AquaDiva · 01/12/2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MinibowMatt
The top section will be very flimsy once its cut so support it very well so you dont pop the seams open.

I don't think this is going to be too big of a problem, because there is quite a hefty top to the tank with only three small openings routed out. There must be at least 4-5 inches of 1/2 inch acrylic around the edges.

any suggestions on the type of saw blade to use?

TIA

AquaDiva · 01/12/2007, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by douggiestyle
circular saw easy enough.
i cut a glass tank in half just as youve described with a circular saw.

Iconz · 01/12/2007, 01:49 PM

i've been using a 140-tooth blade on my acrylic and it works fine.

I would also be sure to keep the blade stick down no more than 1/2 an inch through the acrylic to help keep it from getting too hot.

just my .02

BeanAnimal · 01/12/2007, 02:14 PM

You can use double sided tape to secure your cutting guides. Use a high tooth count blade. Be VERY careful of chipout at the end of the cut.

W wooden jig inisde (a simple post or t-bar) would help a lot if you can get one in there.

bmilam · 01/12/2007, 04:39 PM

Can a circular saw cut 1" acrylic? I have a 500gallon that is cracked along a bottom edge.

bmilam · 01/12/2007, 07:13 PM

Anyone? I don't want to kill myself trying if it can't do it

01/10/2007, 04:26 PM	#1
AquaDiva Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 273	Cutting a tank in half.... OK, how would one do this. Recently aquired a 4'x2x36 inch tall acrylic tank. Scratches, and bowing are prevent me from using it in it's current form as a display tank. We were thinking of cutting the tank in two.... a 12 inch tall bottom, to use as a frag tank, and a 24 inch tall upper section. We'd add a new bottom to the upper section and use it as a "sump/refugium". The acrylic is 1/2 in think. Any suggestions on the best way to cut this. It's kinda unweildy to put on a table saw. ?? Router or circular hand saw, perhaps ? Any suggestions would be appreciated. __________________ Linda Current Tank Info: 75 RR LPS, 30gal refugium, 50gal sump, 2x175 MHs,2x110w actinics, ASM G4

01/10/2007, 04:42 PM	#2
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	table saw is the only thing I can see working. May have to take it to a shop with a big sho-nuff table saw with alot of surface area to work with. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

01/10/2007, 04:45 PM	#3
AquaDiva Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 273	bummer... __________________ Linda Current Tank Info: 75 RR LPS, 30gal refugium, 50gal sump, 2x175 MHs,2x110w actinics, ASM G4

01/11/2007, 08:16 AM	#7
AquaDiva Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 273	Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I was hoping there was a way to do this cheaply. Maybe I'll take some pics and post the results... good or bad. People seem to love this stuff. __________________ Linda Current Tank Info: 75 RR LPS, 30gal refugium, 50gal sump, 2x175 MHs,2x110w actinics, ASM G4

01/11/2007, 08:47 AM	#9
MinibowMatt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: In Another Times Forgotten Space Posts: 3,389	straight edge and a router will clean up the edges after you cut it up with the circular saw. The top section will be very flimsy once its cut so support it very well so you dont pop the seams open. __________________ ----------------------- Matt Prop & Save! "Sure dont know what I'm going for, but I'm gonna go for it for sure!"

01/10/2007, 04:54 PM	#4
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	Clamp a straight edge on it and cut it with a 60 tooth blade on a circular saw. Joint or route the edges. Bob's your uncle. Mike

01/10/2007, 05:00 PM	#5
CMcNeil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: St.Petersburg,Florida Posts: 7,368	you can use a table saw to cut it in half.make sure to mask off the tank so you dont scratch it anymore.and cut nice and steady,dont feed it to fast,and you should be fine.i have cut tanks down numerous times.if i were you i would cut the 2' sides first,then cut the 4' sides.if you dont have a tablesaw you can jigsaw it in half then router the edges straight and clean.

01/11/2007, 07:30 AM	#6
douggiestyle Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: MOON Posts: 1,736	circular saw easy enough. i cut a glass tank in half just as youve described with a circular saw.

01/11/2007, 09:13 AM	#11
douggiestyle Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: MOON Posts: 1,736	should also mention that i broke the tank. had nothing to do with the circular saw. after cutting three sides i went to flip the tank over and didnt support it. the top kinda flopped and broke the last uncut side. if i had to do it over again i would cut one side at a time and then support that side with some hot glue and strips of wood. working may way around one side at a time doing each the same. then remove all the strips of wood. i would also have an extra pair of hands to help flip the tank. this would be a problem encoutered regardless of saw type.

01/12/2007, 12:43 PM	#12
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	If I were going to cut it in half to make two tanks, I would go ahead and install the bottom panel on the tank. Making it an enclosed cube before I cut it. That would give alot of support while cutting. Mike

01/12/2007, 01:49 PM	#15
Iconz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perry, GA Posts: 115	i've been using a 140-tooth blade on my acrylic and it works fine. I would also be sure to keep the blade stick down no more than 1/2 an inch through the acrylic to help keep it from getting too hot. just my .02 __________________ "For every new, idiot-proof system, a better and bigger idiot is born." Current Tank Info: 20 high Display, ~25lbs LR, 20lbs Agraalive sand, Coralife 65g SS, CLM pushed by a Quiet 1 3000, Q1 1200 Return from sump. Fuge 12x12x12 w/ DSB, LR Rubble, & LOTS of cheato. 4x24 T5 Lights.

01/12/2007, 02:14 PM	#16
BeanAnimal Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 20,772	You can use double sided tape to secure your cutting guides. Use a high tooth count blade. Be VERY careful of chipout at the end of the cut. W wooden jig inisde (a simple post or t-bar) would help a lot if you can get one in there.

01/12/2007, 04:39 PM	#17
bmilam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bay Minette, AL Posts: 130	Can a circular saw cut 1" acrylic? I have a 500gallon that is cracked along a bottom edge.

01/12/2007, 07:13 PM	#18
bmilam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bay Minette, AL Posts: 130	Anyone? I don't want to kill myself trying if it can't do it