So I have been wanting to set the ATO up in my sump so I can stop having to fill the sump from my 5 gallon jugs every day or two. I finally got into the garage and came up with my design and started working on it. I decided to go with Plexiglass, but I am not even close to the work the Marc does. But I figure that since my ATO floats are in the sump and don't have to be seen so I am going to use what I came up with. I started with three scraps of Plexiglass.
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I started off with the smaller strips and drilled the holes for the screws and the float, then heated it up with a torch and bent them into shape. I hit the edges with sand paper to clean them up a bit and then hit them lightly with the torch to give them more like a polished edge.
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The larger one there turned out to not be tall enough so I tossed it and cut down another sheet that I had. Problem was that it was an older sheet and had sat outside for a while. The plastic film and glue on it degraded so bad that on one side I had to use a DA sander to sand off the film. On the other side I used a razor blade and was able to get it off. I scratched it up so much that I ended up just sanding that side so it would all look the same. I wish I did not have to do this as it covered up when the plexiglass was ready to bend and I got it way too hot and it bubbledcrazied the surface. It does not look near as good as the float mounts but it will do the job for me. I think that if I had not sanded the plexiglass that it would have came out just as clear as the mounts.
I used my table saw to rip it down to 4" wide and then my router and router table to cut the slots into it.
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I added the bends using the torch just like the mounts but I had to do three bends in it. The bottom bend was to just keep it a little more level in the tank when it is hanging.
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In the next few days I'll drop by either Lowes or Tanner Electronics and pick up some nylon bolts and nuts to screw the mounts into the slots. I figure they will be better than using metal bolts that may corrode or bind up in the salt water.
I started off with the smaller strips and drilled the holes for the screws and the float, then heated it up with a torch and bent them into shape. I hit the edges with sand paper to clean them up a bit and then hit them lightly with the torch to give them more like a polished edge.
The larger one there turned out to not be tall enough so I tossed it and cut down another sheet that I had. Problem was that it was an older sheet and had sat outside for a while. The plastic film and glue on it degraded so bad that on one side I had to use a DA sander to sand off the film. On the other side I used a razor blade and was able to get it off. I scratched it up so much that I ended up just sanding that side so it would all look the same. I wish I did not have to do this as it covered up when the plexiglass was ready to bend and I got it way too hot and it bubbledcrazied the surface. It does not look near as good as the float mounts but it will do the job for me. I think that if I had not sanded the plexiglass that it would have came out just as clear as the mounts.
I used my table saw to rip it down to 4" wide and then my router and router table to cut the slots into it.
I added the bends using the torch just like the mounts but I had to do three bends in it. The bottom bend was to just keep it a little more level in the tank when it is hanging.
In the next few days I'll drop by either Lowes or Tanner Electronics and pick up some nylon bolts and nuts to screw the mounts into the slots. I figure they will be better than using metal bolts that may corrode or bind up in the salt water.