Where to buy?

Shelli

Im finding it hard to source some of the materials I need for a little project Im working on. Any ideas where I might buy the following in Dublin?

Plexiglass sheet . Thick clear plastic
Stainless steel chain (thin)
Aquarium Sealant
Corks.
Small piece of thin slate.

Also, how do a trim slate to a certain size with out breaking it?

Shelli

Can I safely bend Plexiglass using an oven? I've heard you can do this.

CJhaughey

Using a blow torch and a straight edge I think it is quite easy.
take your time and practise on scrap first to judge the heat you need..

rooferPete

Shelli wrote:

Im finding it hard to source some of the materials I need for a little project Im working on. Any ideas where I might buy the following in Dublin?

Plexiglass sheet . Thick clear plastic
Stainless steel chain (thin)
Aquarium Sealant
Corks.
Small piece of thin slate.

Also, how do a trim slate to a certain size with out breaking it?

Hi Shelli,

Try www.accessplastics.com they are in St. Margarets County Dublin (beside the Airport).

Aquarium Sealant, try Hilti Ireland Dublin Industrial Industrial Estate Glasnevin, D 11, you must be able to tell them exactly which products you are bonding.

Small piece of thin slate, how small and how thin ?

You trim a slate to thickness by cleaving it, even with a life times experience it's not easy to do, to trim a slate to size (length x width) I use a Slaters Knife and Stake or a guillotine, or you could try a small angle grinder.

Sorry, chains and corks are not in my job description

I hope the above is of some help.

.

Shelli

Thanks guys, problem with those big stores, esp for the plexiglass, is that I only need a small rectangle, about 12"x8", the same with the tile.

Any suggestions?

It might make it easier if I told you what I'm "trying" to make, it's a suspended basking platform for my turtles tank. I want to hang the plexiglass down into the tank with the stainless steel chain, the lip will be bent down into a kind of ramp, covered in cork for grip, the slate will cover the basking area where a heat lamp will shine.

GreeBo

Get one of those plastic chopping boards, cut to size and suspend it at an angle , 30 degrees should be fine.
Let one end be in the water and the other out.
the rough surface should afford grip in such a small slope.
If you wanted you could rough it up some more.

Shelli

Great Idea! Ill try that, thanks!