barrel stand build help

[speedstar]

Hi everyone, I am setting up a 40g AIO tank. I figure the final weight will be around 500#'s. My wife would like to keep the decor of the room and not have a rectangular stand. She would like it on a whiskey barrel. I realize that the top plate needs to be rigid and that is why I am here.

Do you think any of these ideas could be safe. The barrel top diameter is 22 inches the tank foot print is 24X20. I want the top to be 24X28

Building a top plate of 2 sheets of 3/4 plywood lamented together with another 3/4 inch piece of aspen on the top.

Or

Use a 1/4inch steel plate 24X24 under the piece of aspen as the top.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[mcgyvr]

A single 3/4" sheet of ply with something like a 1x2 trimmed around it to cover/pretty up the cut edge of the ply is more than sufficient..

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Agreed on plywood being sufficient. Trim with the aspen if you want it to look like aspen. Don't use a solid board. You want something stable, plywood is going to be better in that respect.

Getting the top plate evenly supported so it doesn't distort under weight is going to be the most important thing. I don't know how flat/true the top of a whisky barrel is.

 

[speedstar]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess the way it will load will make a difference, I was concerned because of how I could see some deflection with a single piece of plywood if I put all my weight on a corner.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

A tank with a rim loads it's perimeter pretty evenly. The perimeter needs to be true (flat, all in the same plane) and it needs to be stiff enough to transfer load to whatever is supporting it, without going out of true. Point loading one corner isn't really a fair representation of what happens when a tank is on it.

That said it's hard to picture exactly what this will look like since I've never built something with a whisky barrel before. If you're concerned about stiffness in the top plate, I'd go with your plan of laminating a second layer of the plywood.

And this should go without saying, but use a high quality plywood and make sure it's intact without voids or splits in any of the plies. And finish it in a way that water can't soak in, especially on the endgrain.

 

[mcgyvr]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess the way it will load will make a difference, I was concerned because of how I could see some deflection with a single piece of plywood if I put all my weight on a corner.

Adding the 1x2 will drastically increase its strength and mitigate any deflection problems..
If you want to just go with 2 x 3/4" sheets then trim it with the 1x2 also then thats totally fine too but not needed..

 

[speedstar]

Adding the 1x2 will drastically increase its strength and mitigate any deflection problems..
If you want to just go with 2 x 3/4" sheets then trim it with the 1x2 also then thats totally fine too but not needed..

Thanks I'll be sure to band it then with 1x2.

 

[speedstar]

here it is, it is centered and barrel is the same size top and bottom, just and illusion in the pictures. Thanks

 

[dtapke]

SCREW THE BOTTOM BANDS IN PLACE. They may fall over time if not, which could lead to instability of the "stand"

 

[speedstar]

SCREW THE BOTTOM BANDS IN PLACE. They may fall over time if not, which could lead to instability of the "stand"

Thank you for mentioning it. I already did as they have fallen over the years.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

The real question here, will there be any whiskey in the barrel?

 

[Misled]

With the whisky in it, it will be more stable, but then, that would take away from being able to drink it.

 

[mcgyvr]

The real question here, will there be any whiskey in the barrel?

The real question is do those that provided the data/knowledge of the construction of said top get some whiskey sent to them to enjoy as a Thank You..

Looks good man... Fill it up..
It would be cool to put a door in that barrel to keep all your supplies/ato container,etc... in..

 

[speedstar]

The real question is do those that provided the data/knowledge of the construction of said top get some whiskey sent to them to enjoy as a Thank You..

Looks good man... Fill it up..
It would be cool to put a door in that barrel to keep all your supplies/ato container,etc... in..

I thought about that as well, but I ended up ordering a smaller half size barrel that will sit next to it and i'll make it a cabinet.