Sword filled with fluid

[CharlesHouse]

My girlfriend has been working on a blood sword for probably more than a year. It is made from two layers of plexiglass and wedges of material between them. The bottom is unsealed so she can fill it with liquid and seal it. However, it has leaked. Every time. She has used hot glue, clear caulk, silicone caulk, clear silicone, flex seal marine spray over that, and it helped but there are still a few holes she can't seal. I suggested marine JB Weld but he had heard it can't be used with silicone adhesives. I cleaned the edges with a razor to apply a new seal. What would work best?

 

[vidman]

Hi there,
the only thing you didn't mention is plexiglass glue (solvent adhesive) like the stuff that melts pvc pipe but for plexi .

 

[Darth Lars]

Paint the inside with red paint. It shouldn't look any different from a sword full of blood.

 

[cavx]

A product like Weldon#3 would be your best bet to seal layers of Perspex. It melts the surface of each layer and fuses them together. Done right, and you end up with a perfectly clean join and no visible bubbles or bond marks. To seal the actual fill hole, ideally you should use a threaded plug with a o'ring, requiring tapping of the hole.

 

[TheDarkPope]

I was going to say exactly what cavx said, well the first 3 sentences anyway. I didn't think far enough ahead to figure the 4th

If you had your location listed, and it said California, I would tell you that it is not available for sale or purchase in our state. You can thank the California Air Resources Board. You can however find sellers of it on Ebay that don't know that, and will ship it to you anyway. But since you don't have your location listed, I won't tell you that.

 

[CharlesHouse]

Paint the inside with red paint. It shouldn't look any different from a sword full of blood.

The liquid will move inside the plexiglass layers, where as paint would be static.

- - - Updated - - -

I appreciate the responses. The issue I might find with solvent is that the pieces she uses between the layers aren't solid, they're small pieces placed around the edges, so there are gaps. I think she thought the glue she used to hold them in would also hold the gaps together.

 

[cavx]

Ideally to so this properly, you would want 3 parts cut to the shape of the blade with the centre part hollowed out. Then bond the 3 parts with the Weldon #3 and fill from the end of the handle. That is how I would tackle a project like this anyway.

 

[CharlesHouse]

That's what I suggested, but at this point she has a sword that is built already with a few leaks and has been unable to stop them

 

[Contec]

Could you post a picture of the sword? I have a hard time understanding how it looks.

 

[CharlesHouse]

I can post one later, but you won't see much; it is assembled and colored. It looks like this and is assembled like this:

Basically, two of these glued together with small pieces between them making edges. The suggested method would be a third layer that was hallow in the middle, only an outline, but she has already done the two layers and put a bunch of effort it it.

Here is the actual piece in the show and an diagram.

 

[vidman]

another possibility is to use super glue and backing soda to plug up the leaks;

make sure the area is clean and dry, put a drop or 2 of sg in it then force backing soda into the hole/gap ( repeat till gap/hole is filled) . It will become hard as a rock and can be sanded smooth. With a red sharpie color the plug you just made and should last a long time.

just an idea used decades ago for sealing leaks in plastic fish tanks and other plexi things :cool

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

If you're having that many problems right now, I'd say tear it apart, simplify it, and redo it; it seems like these gap pieces seem to be your problem. If you're so intent on keeping it fluid filled, I'd get rid of these gap pieces and make a either one whole "separation" piece or cobble one from other pieces (but ideally one whole piece) and keep the side pieces, then just fuse them all together.

Personally, if I were to do this, I'd make a mold of this with the holes plugged with clay and then just cast this in red tinted clear resin. If this thing is filled completely with red tinted water and you can't see it slosh around, then there'd be no difference in the effect with the red plastic option.

 

[CharlesHouse]

another possibility is to use super glue and backing soda to plug up the leaks;

make sure the area is clean and dry, put a drop or 2 of sg in it then force backing soda into the hole/gap ( repeat till gap/hole is filled) . It will become hard as a rock and can be sanded smooth. With a red sharpie color the plug you just made and should last a long time.

just an idea used decades ago for sealing leaks in plastic fish tanks and other plexi things :cool

I will give that a try. Thank you.

If you're having that many problems right now, I'd say tear it apart, simplify it, and redo it; it seems like these gap pieces seem to be your problem. If you're so intent on keeping it fluid filled, I'd get rid of these gap pieces and make a either one whole "separation" piece or cobble one from other pieces (but ideally one whole piece) and keep the side pieces, then just fuse them all together.

Personally, if I were to do this, I'd make a mold of this with the holes plugged with clay and then just cast this in red tinted clear resin. If this thing is filled completely with red tinted water and you can't see it slosh around, then there'd be no difference in the effect with the red plastic option.

Thank you for the response. She had access to people who could cut plexiglass prior to moving in; now we are in the city and 8 hours away. At no point did I say it would be completely filled, which you are correct, would be pointless. She wants to see the fluid move.

 

[TheDarkPope]

At no point did I say it would be completely filled, which you are correct, would be pointless. She wants to see the fluid move.

Here's something to consider...

Skip ahead to 2:30...

The oil gives the illusion of movement while the guitar is completely (99%) filled with water. The completely filled sword would allow for easier handling as there wouldn't be drastic changes in balance points when the sword is weilded. That being said, it will be much heavier.

 

[CharlesHouse]

I'm familiar with those; oddly enough, I build guitars as well. I appreciate the idea, though.

 

[Kubla Kraus]

meybe comstick or bestine? check them out... one of them might work.