Laminating painted glass together?

[cocojakes]

Okay, so I'm currently in the process of building a custom AIO out of a 40B, and am doing so on a student budget. My most recent issue is that the false acrylic wall I need, costs 160 dollars for just the damn sheet of 1/4 inch black acrylic. None of the glass places near me have solid black glass, and so I thought maybe I could get two pieces of 1/8th inch glass, paint the back of one of them, and then use black silicone to laminate them together and seal all the edges so that water doesn't get in. Does this seam like a feasible solution? any ideas or input are welcome

[tibbsy07]

I don't see why not?

[mechishark7]

Have you looked into black ABS plastic instead of the acrylic?

[Horerczy]

Check Amazon for cast acrylic. Much cheaper.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009AEAG2E?cache=0f937368f3a9f1a86ddc55b8afa780bc&dpID=31HFHkfvj1L&dpPl=1&dpPlWS=1π=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1413572762&ref=plSrch&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

 

the linked item has black as a color option in a multitude of thicknesses and sizes.

[Huizer]

I am in Hamilton as well. Also looking for black acrylic sheet to turn a 45 gallon cube into an AIO. Called P&A plastics and almost fell over. $115 for a 2'x 4' sheet of .25" black acrylic!!.

There was some used on kijiji, but I got no response. Thought of getting clear acrylic from home depot and painting it with krylon, thought of window tinting a piece of glass, thought of applying black vinyl (like the kind used for sign lettering) over piece of glass or clear acrylic. Never thought of laminating two pieces though. Might be hard to drill through both at the same time. I dont know...

 

Might just go with clear and let it grow coraline and algea until its covered. At least the equipment will be out of the display.

 

Let me know what you come up with.

 

Dan

[cocojakes]

I broke down and paid the hundred dollars for the piece of acrylic with little overflows cut in the corners. Drilled it myself to save the extra 40 dollars they wanted just to punch two holes in the damn thing. It looks really nice now though. Just finished the tank and stand and transferred all the livestock over. Happy with how it turned out, was still cheaper than buying a pre fab AIO

[Huizer]

Pics?

Did you get it from P&A Plastics?

Dan

[jeremy_2385]

I've painted two sheets of 1/8 plexiglass black. Then used black silicone to stick the painted sides together. Let dry and you can drill and cut with ease. Because you will have baffles behind the false wall you shouldn't need to thick off plexiglass.