Flame Polishing Acrylic

[asonitez]

Has anyone here on the forums ever flame polished acrylic before? I recently got a acrylic frag tank (don't ask.. but its small...) and the edges are a little rough from the router. Has anyone here ever flame polished edges of a tank before? I mean it looks darn easy. Just grab a blow torch from home depot and run it along the edges.

 

[iTzJu]

may I ask how you got the frag tank?!?!


seriously though, IME, nothing ever is easy. I wouldn't trust myself with a blow torch and acrylic, something will go terribly wrong.

 

[MatteZ]

Don't use mapp gas. It gets way to hot.

 

[kschweer]

I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on doing this. Some say its perfectly fine and others say it can lead to crazing. I have not personally done it but when talking to a tank manufacturer I know he advised against it and said that they do not do it to any of there tanks

 

[Baxreefs]

I chickened out on flame polishing my sump. I did learn that before you atempt that, the edge should be very smooth, certainly not rough. Try running a trim router or laminate trimmer across the edge first. Or at least a sanding block. As aid above you don't need a high flame.

 

[asonitez]

I'm thinking of just taking a buffer to the edges and making them nice and clear. I have some Cerium Oxide from my Starphire glass repairs on my solana. I can always throw that up on my orbital buffer or my dremel with a felt pad and give it a go!

(I'm too chicken to do the flame polishing lol)

 

[mikem]

I've flame polished lots of times. Never had a problem.