When I left off, I had just finished the last bend. Now it's time to trim off the extra and finish the edges so that it can be glued together.
I clamp the tank to the bottom so that I can mark where I need to cut. I'll mark at the bottom and then use a square to draw the line. Since the protective paper is removed, I put a piece of masking tape on both sides to cut through (to protect the acrylic from scratching and chipping). I set my jigsaw to a 30 degree angle and cut carefully -- really really carefully -- to the other side. Once done, I set it on the base again and test the fit.
<a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4181576cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4181576cs.jpg" border="0"></a><a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4181578cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4181578cs.jpg" border="0"></a><a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4181580cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4181580cs.jpg" border="0"></a>
Now that the cut is made I have to make the other end of this seam angled as well. I'll do this by and with a file. It's slow going but it's safe and lets me get it just right. I also use the file to smooth the cut I just made on the other end. Once that's done I tape the thing together securely and apply thickened acrylic solvent to the inside of the seam.
<a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4201581cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4201581cs.jpg" border="0"></a><a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4201583cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4201583cs.jpg" border="0"></a>
Once the glue has dried, I put the acrylic tube through the hole in the base and glued it in. Then I glued the tank to the base and that's where I'm at as of today.
<a href="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/pictures/p4221585cs.jpg"target="_blank"><img src="http://www.techquarium.com/hextank/thumbs/th_p4221585cs.jpg" border="0"></a>
After work today I will fill it with water and see if I've got an aquarium or if I have a leaking mess (it's not going to leak!). I have some more work to do on the wood parts which had got ugly over the years. Currently it is mostly sanded down and I'll be finishing it tomorrow.
Sorry that I don't have more pictures of some of the stages of this build. Next time I do a project I would love to document it fully and make a set of web pages as a tutorial. In the meantime this weekend I will try to take pictures of the tools and glues I used for this project so you'll have some idea what you need to work acrylic.
End part 2.