cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons. It would be prism shaped, 30 inches
long, 20 inches on each side and 18 inches across the top. I figure there
might be 25 square feet of plastic at most. I was told the material alone
was $800. That's something like $30/square foot. Is that what 3/8" thick
poly sheets go for these days? I didn't think those plastic cutting boards
you buy at Wal Mart cost $30.
So is this the going rate these days?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons.

I had two 50 gallon oddly shaped water tanks fabricated out of food
grade polyethylene a few years ago for about $500 each delivered. I'd
say you ought to keep looking.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman inscribed in red ink for all to know:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons. It would be prism shaped, 30 inches
long, 20 inches on each side and 18 inches across the top. I figure there
might be 25 square feet of plastic at most. I was told the material alone
was $800. That's something like $30/square foot. Is that what 3/8" thick
poly sheets go for these days? I didn't think those plastic cutting boards
you buy at Wal Mart cost $30.
So is this the going rate these days?




I had Ronco make me a 45 gallon holding tank - it was no where near the
price you quoted. They were very professional, and delivered ahead (!)
of the promised date.

Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

I'd second the sentiment to keep looking. I had a 35 gallon tank
fabricated 6-7 years ago out of 3/8 poly for less than $200. The shape
was a straight forward rectangle.

Matt


RW Salnick wrote:
Gordon Wedman inscribed in red ink for all to know:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons. It would be prism shaped, 30 inches
long, 20 inches on each side and 18 inches across the top. I figure there
might be 25 square feet of plastic at most. I was told the material alone
was $800. That's something like $30/square foot. Is that what 3/8" thick
poly sheets go for these days? I didn't think those plastic cutting boards
you buy at Wal Mart cost $30.
So is this the going rate these days?




I had Ronco make me a 45 gallon holding tank - it was no where near the
price you quoted. They were very professional, and delivered ahead (!)
of the promised date.

Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

RW Salnick wrote:

Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/

Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons.

Ye gods...who tried to hold you up for that price???

Ronco Plastics makes top quality thick walled rotomolded polyethylene
tanks for a very reasonable price and has more than 400 shapes and
sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular...and they install fittings
in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the
tank.

Ronco does NOT fabricate custom tanks, however...they don't make welded
tanks, only the rotomolded tanks for they have molds...and the cost of
making a mold for a one-off would be prohibitive. If they don't have a
mold that suits you, there are two companies who do make custom welded
tanks for a reasonable price:

http://www.seafabtanks.com/

http://www.triplemplastics.net/

They both use polypropylene instead of PE, which is fine for water or
waste holding.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Dan Best inscribed in red ink for all to know:
RW Salnick wrote:


Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/


Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?

It is Latin. Looks like a place-holder for the real text... don't know
where it went...

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:21:45 -0800, Dan Best wrote:

Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?

Latin

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

I bought a Ronco tank a few years to replace an old holding tank. I
picked the closest size/shape from their huge catalog, and then gave
them a sketch showing where I wanted all the various input, output, and
vent fittings. On price, on schedule, and a perfectly done product.
That's fairly rare these days!

They are the only way to go in my opinion

Mike Bennett
Islander Freeport 36 "Getaway"
San Francisco



Gordon Wedman wrote:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons. It would be prism shaped, 30 inches
long, 20 inches on each side and 18 inches across the top. I figure there
might be 25 square feet of plastic at most. I was told the material alone
was $800. That's something like $30/square foot. Is that what 3/8" thick
poly sheets go for these days? I didn't think those plastic cutting boards
you buy at Wal Mart cost $30.
So is this the going rate these days?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Dan Best wrote:
RW Salnick wrote:

Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/

Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?

It is nonsense Latin used by typesetters as an example of how a font
looks.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 09:23:55 -0800, Dan Best wrote:

Gordon Wedman wrote:

Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons.

I had two 50 gallon oddly shaped water tanks fabricated out of food
grade polyethylene a few years ago for about $500 each delivered. I'd
say you ought to keep looking.

I say keep looking too. The actual process of making these is neither
difficult nor expensive. Like any other kind of welding, you could do it
yourself with the right materials and some practice. The only reason some
charge so much for it is, well, that's what they can get.

Matt O.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Charlie Morgan wrote:
On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:50:40 -0500, Jeff wrote:

Dan Best wrote:
RW Salnick wrote:
Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/
Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?
It is nonsense Latin used by typesetters as an example of how a font
looks.

In the publishing world this practice is technically known as "Greeking". Using
Latin for Greeking is pretty funny. Usually it is just random letters used to
fill the spaces where text will go while working on layout and design issues.

Actually, the phrase "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..." has been used for
a long time for greeking.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

RW Salnick wrote:
Dan Best inscribed in red ink for all to know:

RW Salnick wrote:


Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/



Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?


It is Latin. Looks like a place-holder for the real text... don't know
where it went...

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

http://www.lipsum.com/

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons.


Peggie Hall wrote:

Ye gods...who tried to hold you up for that price???

Ronco Plastics makes top quality thick walled rotomolded polyethylene
tanks for a very reasonable price and has more than 400 shapes and sizes,
over 100 of which are non-rectangular...and they install fittings in the
sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank.

Ronco does NOT fabricate custom tanks, however...they don't make welded
tanks, only the rotomolded tanks for they have molds...and the cost of
making a mold for a one-off would be prohibitive. If they don't have a
mold that suits you, there are two companies who do make custom welded
tanks for a reasonable price:

http://www.seafabtanks.com/

http://www.triplemplastics.net/

They both use polypropylene instead of PE, which is fine for water or
waste holding.

When the told me over the phone " twelve hundred dollars" I said "one
thousand two hundred dollars???" I was certainly taken aback considering a
friend told me he had a tank made by them "a couple of years ago" for
something like $300. "Oh the cost of crude oil has gone up so much the
plastic is really expensive". Yea, especially if you are a gouger.

I can see why the roto molded tanks would be much more reasonable in price
but $1,200 is pretty rediculous for a custom tank.

I'll check out the two links you provided. Thanks for that and thanks to
other respondents.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:

I can see why the roto molded tanks would be much more reasonable in price
but $1,200 is pretty rediculous for a custom tank.

I agree...which is why I'd like to know who quoted you that price so I
can be sure NOT to recommend 'em.

If you'd rather tell me privately, my email address is (my.name)at
gmail(dot)com.


--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

That would be LATIN
"Dan Best" wrote in message
...
RW Salnick wrote:

Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/

Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon,

The holding tank on my boat is an oddly shaped trapezoid, about 7 feet
long, that follows the curve of the bilge. When the PO's previous
disastrous attempt at building one failed (a ugly story in itself), we
built our own, using fiberglass, about 1/2" thick, with baffled walls,
air vents, access ports, etc. It hold more than 50 gallons.

The entire project's cost was under $500, and we had a lot of epoxy and
cloth left over. We used additives that made the glass less porous to
liquid or oder. It has worked well ever since.

Because it was our first exploration into using glass, it was probably a
bigger job than it should have been, but even still, we couldn't find a
cheaper alternative, given the odd dimensions we were trying to fit.

Given that todays epoxy prices have increased I'm not sure how cost
effective this might be, but compared to the prices you're quoted, it
still sounds like a better solution.

If you want additional advice about it, contact me off list. Good luck
with your project.

Cheers,

Robb



Gordon Wedman wrote:
Anyone had a plastic holding tank fabricated lately? I was quoted $1,200
for a tank that might hold 15 gallons. It would be prism shaped, 30 inches
long, 20 inches on each side and 18 inches across the top. I figure there
might be 25 square feet of plastic at most. I was told the material alone
was $800. That's something like $30/square foot. Is that what 3/8" thick
poly sheets go for these days? I didn't think those plastic cutting boards
you buy at Wal Mart cost $30.
So is this the going rate these days?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Charlie Morgan wrote:
On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:40:50 -0500, Jeff wrote:

Charlie Morgan wrote:
On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:50:40 -0500, Jeff wrote:

Dan Best wrote:
RW Salnick wrote:
Check http://www.ronco-plastics.net/
Bob,
Go to that link and click on the About Us tab. Any idea what language
that is (I don't recognize it) or what it says?
It is nonsense Latin used by typesetters as an example of how a font
looks.
In the publishing world this practice is technically known as "Greeking". Using
Latin for Greeking is pretty funny. Usually it is just random letters used to
fill the spaces where text will go while working on layout and design issues.
Actually, the phrase "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..." has been used for
a long time for greeking.

Yes, I know. I just find mild amusement in the idea of using Latin for Greeking.
Is that okay with you, Jeff?

Indeed, when I first heard the term, about 35 years ago, I was amused.

However, I was commenting on the fact that "Lorem ipsum ..." has a
long history, it isn't, as you say, just random letters. Is that OK
with you?

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

The Ronco link works fine this morning.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
t...
Gordon Wedman wrote:

I can see why the roto molded tanks would be much more reasonable in
price but $1,200 is pretty rediculous for a custom tank.

I agree...which is why I'd like to know who quoted you that price so I can
be sure NOT to recommend 'em.

I asked my local plastics supplier, Industrial Plastics (Nanaimo) for the
quote but I think they just send it to another company in Victoria, BC.
Don't think you would accidentally recommend them to anyone.
What do you think of the idea of fabricating a holding tank from plywood, FG
cloth and epoxy as suggested by AMPowers? A friend is thinking of doing
this and I might consider it as well.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:

What do you think of the idea of fabricating a holding tank from plywood, FG
cloth and epoxy as suggested by AMPowers? A friend is thinking of doing
this and I might consider it as well.

It's a lot of work that doesn't save enough money--if any--to be worth
the time and effort (the $500 AM said he spent is more than even a good
quality custom welded tank of only 15 gals should cost you)...it's a lot
of extra weight compared to plastic...and the plywood will rot/tank will
leak if ANY liquid gets to it, which will eventually happen if the epoxy
develops hairline cracks. Because any problems will be on the inside of
the tank, you won't know about 'em till they become serious enough to be
obvious from the outside of the tank.

Btw...you can save a lot in shipping charges on things you buy from a US
source--and get 'em a LOT faster--if you live close enough to the border
for it to make sense to rent a "Mailboxes Etc" or similar address in the
US. You wouldn't save any duty owed, but you would only have to pay
domestic shipping charges and eliminate charges like the "customs
brokerage fees" that UPS charges. We had quite a few Canadian customers
who went together with dockmates on a US address and took turns driving
across to pick up the stuff they bought from us and other US retailers.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:

What do you think of the idea of fabricating a holding tank from plywood,
FG cloth and epoxy as suggested by AMPowers? A friend is thinking of
doing this and I might consider it as well.

Peggie Hall wrote:

It's a lot of work that doesn't save enough money--if any--to be worth the
time and effort (the $500 AM said he spent is more than even a good
quality custom welded tank of only 15 gals should cost you)...it's a lot
of extra weight compared to plastic...and the plywood will rot/tank will
leak if ANY liquid gets to it, which will eventually happen if the epoxy
develops hairline cracks. Because any problems will be on the inside of
the tank, you won't know about 'em till they become serious enough to be
obvious from the outside of the tank.

Btw...you can save a lot in shipping charges on things you buy from a US
source--and get 'em a LOT faster--if you live close enough to the border
for it to make sense to rent a "Mailboxes Etc" or similar address in the
US. You wouldn't save any duty owed, but you would only have to pay
domestic shipping charges and eliminate charges like the "customs
brokerage fees" that UPS charges. We had quite a few Canadian customers
who went together with dockmates on a US address and took turns driving
across to pick up the stuff they bought from us and other US retailers.

Thanks again for the reply. I agree that you wouldn't know you had a
problem until it was too late to do anything about it. If I can get a
plastic tank for less than $500 I would be happier.

As for the shipping issue, I've been onto that one for several years.
Fortunately I've lived close to the US border for the last 15 years and
consequently it has been easy to drive across to pick up items. Living in
Nanaimo its not quite so convenient as it once was but I drop into Blaine,
Washington, to pick up items when I visit my brothers on the mainland. I
really hate to pay a Customs Broker $25 to clear something that is worth
$15. For anyone interested, I use Mail Boxes Plus in Blaine, 360-332-1816.
I once had 350 pounds of chain delivered to them.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon Wedman wrote:
What do you think of the idea of fabricating a holding tank from plywood, FG
cloth and epoxy as suggested by AMPowers?

Um, I never suggested using plywood, that is what failed in the first
place, prompting us to build a new one. I built mine from cloth & epoxy
resin. Looking at current prices, my guess is it would be much less
than that to build the size tank you described. My original point was
that we used the project as an excuse to teach ourselves how to work
with the material. If you want to learn how to as well, then this
approach might work, otherwise I'd suggest you pay someone on a fixed bid.

cost of fabricating plastic holding tanks
 

Gordon weird wrote:
What do you think of the idea of fabricating a holding tank from
plywood, FG cloth and epoxy as suggested by AMPowers?

I think it sucks.

I built a 65 gallon holding tank using epoxy and and double bias
knitted glass.

You won't save any money.

You will reclaim space since you can custom build a tank shape to
utilize every cubic inch of weird shaped space using the "lost foam"
process.

Reclaiming what would otherwise lost space on a boat, has a value that
is tough to estimate.

The smaller the boat, the more valuable the usable space on a cubic
inch basis.

Lew