So I'm planning to order my 60g (24x24x24) tank soon, and will be building a stand for it. First, I want to build a new stand for my 20g (24x12x16) to get a bit of experience in the build.
I've done cabinetry etc. for a while and standard household items (tables, dressers, crowning achievement of bar stools) so I have a basic understanding of joinery and a decent set of tools.
Let me start by saying I am building this out of ply/hardwood * only * - I am not building one of these bulky, industrial, 2x4 skinned frame, over-engineered, guerrilla-style stands that seem to be all I can find plans for. Nothing against those stands, I just don't want one, and I want as much room underneath as possible. The 60g cube stand is already an odd dimension, much less cramming 4-8 2x4s under there.
So my initial plan was to just do the joinery with pocket screws and biscuit joints around the carcass, probably out of a nice birch or other cabinet-grade ply (3/4") then trim it in with hardwood. I'd use a 2x4 top box and bottom box support, which I'd rabbet into the top/bottom respectively. I've seen others though using simple rabbets all the way around.
Is there an industry standard of the joinery in a tank stand and can anyone recommend one way or the other what type of joinery you'd use - biscuits all the way or simple rabbets, or even another method? Most likely it will end up being a combination of both (biscuit front panel and rear panel with rabbet-inset sides, and rabbet-drop top frame). I'm going to post some illustrations later, just gathering some info before I start sketching.
I've done cabinetry etc. for a while and standard household items (tables, dressers, crowning achievement of bar stools) so I have a basic understanding of joinery and a decent set of tools.
Let me start by saying I am building this out of ply/hardwood * only * - I am not building one of these bulky, industrial, 2x4 skinned frame, over-engineered, guerrilla-style stands that seem to be all I can find plans for. Nothing against those stands, I just don't want one, and I want as much room underneath as possible. The 60g cube stand is already an odd dimension, much less cramming 4-8 2x4s under there.
So my initial plan was to just do the joinery with pocket screws and biscuit joints around the carcass, probably out of a nice birch or other cabinet-grade ply (3/4") then trim it in with hardwood. I'd use a 2x4 top box and bottom box support, which I'd rabbet into the top/bottom respectively. I've seen others though using simple rabbets all the way around.
Is there an industry standard of the joinery in a tank stand and can anyone recommend one way or the other what type of joinery you'd use - biscuits all the way or simple rabbets, or even another method? Most likely it will end up being a combination of both (biscuit front panel and rear panel with rabbet-inset sides, and rabbet-drop top frame). I'm going to post some illustrations later, just gathering some info before I start sketching.