Poly Marine Livewell Tank Mod

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AnglerC

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I need to mod a livewell tank that came out of a Lund. It's 8" too long. I plan to chop it and glue the end back on with epoxy. Has anyone ever attempted this? Any tips, tricks or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Angler, I didn't shorten a tank but I removed a bench seat from my boat, flipped it upside down and made a 21 gallon livewell out of it. I'll try to post a link to my build so you can see how I did it. It wasn't hard and it still holds water today.
 
in my world, most anything can be cut down to make
it longer or shorter - as long as it has the proper support
on the seam...... some 1 to 2" strap of something or other
screwed, riveted or glued over the seam for reinforcement.

50 or more pounds pounding in a boat ride could rupture
even the best seam job...... support support support.
 
If I were tackling that project I would start with calling a local plastic material supplier to ask if they weld plastic....or have a customer that does. Another source for welding plastic would be a dedicated kayak dealer near you. Most all of them either weld plastic or have a contact that will.

A weld joint is going to be far stronger than epoxy on a flexible material. Not saying it can't be done...just how I would do it.

Just an option.
 
Thanks guys. All helpful info. I'm going to do some looking to see if I could get it welded. That seems the best alternative. However I plan to frame it in and build the deck around it. That should afford me plenty of support.
 
Angler, since you will theoretically have 8" of scrap
poly material left over - why not experiment with
some of it to see what will work for your situation.
For instance: heating a large chisel or screwdriver
with a torch and heat welding two pieces together.
Soldering Iron with whatever blade that works for you.
Chemical Adhesive that will melt/weld/fuse the material together
such as Plastic Solvent Adhesive. (there are several brands).
and still use a splice of some kind to reinforce the seam.
Since this will most likely be a one time deal, there
is not much reason to put a lot of money into the more
expensive tools or equipment.

jus my Dos Centavos
 
Epoxy won't hold if the plastic is the same stuff that kayaks are made out of..which I think it is.

Plastic welding will be the right way. There are tons of YouTube videos showing how to do it. I sealed some holes in a plastic tub with my soldering iron. Check this video out. There are many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kibSo9JqWyo

richg99
 
Polyethylene and polypropylene plastics are notorious for not allowing adhesives to bind to them & require they be welded. Sight unseen I'd bet one of these is the type of plastic that tank will have been made from & I'd be another +1 to suggesting you get it sonic welded.
 
Youtube has a ton of these vids on welding plastic. Harbor Freight even sells a welder. Going to do some more research and see which is the better route to go. I'll keep you all posted.
 
Alright. As promised I am going to post my progress on my tank mod... So here we go. Pix to come.
 
This is the tank in question. I love this tank. It's big. Beautiful...And will hold all my bait and several walleyes... I was certain it would fit...
 

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Missed it by THAT much...
 

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I struggled cutting this beauty.... I stood there several minutes with saw in hand making sure I truly wanted to cut into a perfectly tank. I worked though it and was able to make my cuts.
 

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Three pieces. Bait well, Live well and end cap.
 

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Support strips and welding rods...
 

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End support for Johnny!!!! :mrgreen:
 

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A man just can't get a break. More to come after the rain clears...
 

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The steel cross braces you put in between the stringers is not needed. When you install the floor you put rivets through the floor into the stringers.
I hope the tank works out.
 
lckstckn2smknbrls said:
The steel cross braces you put in between the stringers is not needed. When you install the floor you put rivets through the floor into the stringers.
I hope the tank works out.

When I ripped out the old deck there was treated 2x between them. the stringers got quit wobbly when I took it all out so I replaced it with steel thinking they were needed.
 

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