quick questions on sump DIY

P

pskaggs11

Hi all,
I'm about to try my hand at the sump building using acrylic thing. I have some questions that I have not found in searching any of the different sites.

1. when using the pin method during solvent welding, do you put the pins all the way across the joint so that you can grasp the pin from either side of the joint, or does the pin only go in about half way on one side of the joint?

2. when using the pin method during solvent welding on the base, do you rest the whole body of the sump on pins on the base, then solvent weld one side pull the pins then move on to the next side, and repeat for the remaining sides? Or do you place the body on pins on the base, then solvent weld all the sides of the box to the base and pull all the pins once done? I ask as my sump is 16inch wide by 38inch long. those are some long runs. And I want to do this right the first time.

3. general info question, I see lots of write-ups about using ty-raps to bind rock together and so on. Is it okay to use a ty-rap that has the little metal tab used to lock the ty-rap, or should I use only ty-raps that are 100% plastic, no little metal tabs in the ty-rap head.

thanks for the input
 
1) The pins go in half way or more. Not all the way or Weld-on will wick all the way under the pin/wire and leave a damaged area in your sump at each point.

2) I try to do a full run per side, not stopping at any point before the end/corner. Pull the pins within 60 seconds of starting.

3) All plastic zip-ties. No metal in the water.
 
Marc,
I want to make sure I'm following you. So I lay the completed box on the base piece, pick a side and put pins between the box and the base on that one side, then solvent weld that side, and pull the pins. Then move to the next side and keep going around the box this way till the box and base are welded together. Do I have that correct?

Thanks
Paul
 
I would put pins under all four sides, making it ready for gluing. Then make sure the box is square. Glue one end, pull the pins. Glue the other end, pull the pins. Glue the front, pull the pins; glue the back, pull the pins. When the pins are pulled, you may need to slide your shims in a tad more, depending on how the project is reacting.

Then go back and check all four seams for any necessary touch ups.
 
For being your first diy sump, it looks well done. Much better than Marcs' first [smilie=rofl.gif] . Good job [smilie=clapping.gif] .





Marc, your sumps nowadays are awesome [smilie=wink.gif] . Just thought I'd add that. Might need you to build me a sump one day [smilie=lol.gif] .
 
Looks good. Just needs to be routed, but put some masking tape on the sump first (blue kind) prior to routing to avoid scratching the acrylic.
 
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