Lids

[burtbollinger]

The market needs a mesh lid builder with acceptable customer service and a wait time that isn't in the months....worth investigating.  Basic shapes...nothing too custom...Just the rim....buyers purchase their own mesh netting, etc.

 

 

[sapling]

4 hours ago, burtbollinger said:

The market needs a mesh lid builder with acceptable customer service and a wait time that isn't in the months....worth investigating.  Basic shapes...nothing too custom...Just the rim....buyers purchase their own mesh netting, etc.

 

 

das crazy, we were just talking about making screen lids on my thread about some stocking options, but yeah you must mean someone who is willing to make it for you and send it out yes? personally it seems like a good idea.

[burtbollinger]

36 minutes ago, sapling said:

das crazy, we were just talking about making screen lids on my thread about some stocking options, but yeah you must mean someone who is willing to make it for you and send it out yes? personally it seems like a good idea.

Yes.  Options currently available are not ones I would consider.  Time for some competition, something that splits the difference between a DIY screen kit and other exisiting options.

[Thrassian Atoll]

Yeah, my Clearview took 9 weeks.  I don't know anything about laser cutting Acrylic but 9 weeks seemed like a long time.  Also the price tag of around $175.  It's nice but for the wait and cost, the feed door is just a piece of Acrylic without a hinge or anything and the mesh is not straight.  The edges aren't polished either.

 

[sapling]

9 minutes ago, TILTON said:

Yeah, my Clearview took 9 weeks.  I don't know anything about laser cutting Acrylic but 9 weeks seemed like a long time.  Also the price tag of around $175.  It's nice but...

all I know is with acrylic and glass, is if it is machine cut, the price is dramatically higher than one hand cut.

I remember calling several glass companies for quotes when I was building my tank this year, for reference the amount of glass was for a DIY Fusion 20. the machine cut was nearly 150, vs handcut for 50. Some Glass companies wont even handcut and be extremely rude about it since aquarium glass isnt really a large order.

the difference I asked between the two is just how exact it is to the specified dimensions (0-2mm or so off handcut) and also if the score(the cut) was 90 degrees vs can be mildy angled. there isnt much of a difference otherwise that I can remember.

[Thrassian Atoll]

7 minutes ago, sapling said:

all I know is with acrylic and glass, is if it is machine cut, the price is dramatically higher than one hand cut.

I remember calling several glass companies for quotes when I was building my tank this year, for reference the amount of glass was for a DIY Fusion 20. the machine cut was nearly 150, vs handcut for 50. the difference I asked between the two is just how exact it is to the specified dimensions (0-2mm or so off handcut) and also if the score(the cut) was 90 degrees vs mildy angled. there isnt much of a difference otherwise that I can remember.

I don't think I would have a gripe with the price if I had a custom lid with a custom dimension tank but my buddy was quoted not much more for a large custom dimension tank lid.  I would think the price would be a lot less on the tank lids they already have the program setup to cut for vs one they need to do the programming. 

 

Also for the price, I think they could put a little more time into polishing the inside edges and making sure the netting is as straight as possible and the feed door has been bugging me lately.  It's kind of a pain to pull off and put back on.  They also said it would take 6 weeks.  

 

Its a nice lid overall but but I would not buy another one.  

[burtbollinger]

i'll just say this as not to badmouth any existing company:  I've researched what is out there and what you've described above is exactly why I'm begging ANYONE to do something and come up with an alternative.  I cannot support what's out there now.  My gut screams "don't do it."

[sapling]

1 hour ago, TILTON said:

I don't think I would have a gripe with the price if I had a custom lid with a custom dimension tank but my buddy was quoted not much more for a large custom dimension tank lid.  I would think the price would be a lot less on the tank lids they already have the program setup to cut for vs one they need to do the programming. 

it sounds like they might just have a base price to do it to begin with and a second price added for the cost of extra material as the design is made larger.

Im really interested in those corner pieces of your lid though, since that seriously looks like a possible far cheaper and better method to suspend the lid over the tank, vs using the clips that hang over the rim. Im not sure how I can look that up to see about making it.

the design that comes to mind most for a acrylic lid by hand would be to basically cut and create a eurobrace, then possibly siliconing or using the acrylic cement for the mesh to the sides. eurobrace style could easily allow that inside cut yours has for the little door tilton.

[Thrassian Atoll]

For the corners they started with a larger piece of Acrylic and cut the corners around the edge for size.  It's all one piece.  For the little feed door it's literally just a square piece of Acrylic with the notches on the end to sit.

[sapling]

the notches sound really hard actually to do with only simple tools.. maybe someone with a good saw and router would make quick work of those, they'd even be able to make the frame one piece rather than a eurobrace.

[cdelicath]

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[Oceanbox Designs]

I'm sure there is a great market for these but I have not dare to enter into since there are so many different systems and unique setups that would be impossible to make a one size fit all type of product. I think that from my point of view being worked with acrylic for almost 3 years with a few challenging custom projects, 6-8 weeks isn't actually a very bad timeline at all considered the heavy customization going into each one, there is a lot of work involved not just making it looking nice and neat but to work in details with the customer to produce something that fit your own tank and around your equipment perfectly, that is a very time consuming process! If you'd go to any custom acrylic fabrication and ask for a quote on a custom design on anything of high quality that is professionally built, I'm sure you'll be charged at least 3-4x more. You might have noticed I barely did any custom projects this year and it's because I have stopped doing custom works due limited time and costs and shifted focus toward retail. I think it's still great that there is still an option for a custom lid even though it's the only choice and may not be a great one. 

[Thrassian Atoll]

What about glass?  My acrylic lid is going to look like crap in no time after cleaning off the salt creep and what not.  The Acrylic scratches just by looking at.

[Boggers]

I know a local guy that makes them and it might be worth a chat.

@Texasfan010