--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan"
<stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> BTW what a coincidence - my tank sprung a leak today! Luckily the
> plastic
> safety container the tank sits in does it's job well. I drained all
> the
> etchant into bottles and found it leaked in the same place again.
> The
> etchant seeps through the gap between the edge of a panel and the
> bottom
> plate which i must not have sealed properly. I had already put
> silicone
> all the way around the outside of this joint to seal it up when it
> leaked
> "back then", but i didn't do a terribly good job and such things
> tend to
> come back and haunt you. So i carefully cut away the old silicone
> there
> and re-did it properly. Will try tomorrow if it is OK now.
>
> So, if you build a tank, do put silicone right on the edge of each
> panel
> so this gap is sealed all the way. Check if it is sealed by looking
> from
> the other side, i did not do that...
> The aquarium people manage to hold together the whole tank by gluing
> only
> at that very edge, i prefer to let one panel protrude so i can put i
> nice
> bead on the outside of the tank. I glued the first tank outside and
> inside, but it is tricky to get into a narrow tank so i didn't do
> that
> with this one. It shouldn't be needed when the rest is done
> properly.
>
> And do make sure the whole thing sits in a larger vessel that is
> reliable,
> VERY reliable.
>
>
I used Plumber's Goop or Household Goop when I built vertical etching
tanks, rather than silicone. I never had a problem with leaks, but I
used a rather large amount, just to make sure. I like this glue for
pretty much everything, though it's pretty thick, so there are some
jobs for which it's a bit too messy.
I used to keep the etching tank in a 13 qt sweater box (#5 plastic),
and now use the #5 boxes directly. Double-boxing it would probably be
a good idea - if you leave your supplies outside, periodicly check to
make sure the plastics aren't getting brittle.
Never ever store used etchant (or anything, really) in those thin
1-gallon milk/water bottles, either. Heavier #2 containers are the
best thing to keep it in, then store those inside a bigger leak-proof tub.