Custom Cabinet for 90g Reef (Build Thread)

RedEDGE2k1 · Jan 31, 2010

cannarella said:
Hey Dustin. Tank looks good. Did you ever buy a router and pocket hole jig for that canopy build you were doing?

Yep got them both. Bought the master Kreg set at Rockler new, and bought a used PC 690 router on Craigslist for $100. Made it out pretty good on that one, it came with a bunch of bits too. Great little router for handheld work.

I'm looking to build a router table in the near future, with the biggest PC router made permanently installed. I want to keep the 690 free for handheld use.

Dustin

cannarella · Jan 31, 2010

Check out the Hitachi M12. That is what I will get for a 3 hp router.

RedEDGE2k1 · Apr 24, 2010

cannarella said:
Check out the Hitachi M12. That is what I will get for a 3 hp router.

I ended up going with the Triton 3.25hp router, I couldn't beat the price. I got it on sale at Woodcraft in Alpharetta for $260, tax and all. Another plus was it doesn't require a router lift, it has macro/micro height adjustment (from above the table) built in and is precise enough for the work I will do on it.

I built a router table for it soon after, I copied Norm Abram's "Deluxe Router Table" from The New Yankee Workshop tv show. It's a great table and looks VERY nice. Plenty of storage as well, couldn't ask for anything better.

I have since built several stands/canopies for folks in the Atlanta Reef Club (see my links below) and have gotten great use out of this setup. I made my first pair of raised panel doors on the last project I made (the 70g canopy). I love this stuff!

Dustin

cannarella · Apr 24, 2010

WOW, you have been busy.

cannarella · Apr 24, 2010

I have been working on this up until a week ago when I broke my ankle and had to have surgery. Ouch.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/ideas/wood-shop-showcase/idea-shop-52/?page=11

It has a built in router table and will let me expand my rip capacity to 50" with the purchase of a longer rail. Check out the Shop Fox 1 1/2 hp dust collector setup from Highland Hardware. I saw the chips piling up from the raised panel bit. My wife got me one several years ago and it is great. I spent a little extra and got some shaker bags for ultra filtering. The also have some good Saturday classes on things like routers and such.

Be safe
Andy

RedEDGE2k1 · Aug 4, 2010

cannarella said:
Check out the Shop Fox 1 1/2 hp dust collector setup from Highland Hardware. I saw the chips piling up from the raised panel bit. My wife got me one several years ago and it is great.

A problem I realized (thankfully before buying a dust collector) is that my garage circuit trips if I have more than one high amp tool running at once. I tried hooking my shop vac to my router table, and when the shop vac turns on and wood hits the router bit, the electrical circuit trips.

I wish I had a dedicated wood shop!

Dustin

cannarella · Aug 4, 2010

Is you breaker panel in the garage? Adding outlets is easy.

RedEDGE2k1 · Nov 30, 2010

This is not a selling forum.

cannarella · Dec 1, 2010

Upgrading?

RedEDGE2k1 · Dec 1, 2010

cannarella said:
Upgrading?

Nah, just got out of the hobby this past summer. Wanted to devote my time and free cash to my woodworking hobby. It's too bad I probably won't get even 20% of my investment back on this stand, but that's hobbies for you....and someone will get a heck of a deal.

Dustin

cannarella · Dec 1, 2010

Ahh another expensive hobby. What else have you built? Good luck. Any woodworking forums you can recommend?

RedEDGE2k1 · Dec 1, 2010

cannarella said:
Ahh another expensive hobby. What else have you built? Good luck. Any woodworking forums you can recommend?

cannarella · Dec 1, 2010

Son, you have been busy. They look great. Any new tool acquisitions? I saw the bench pucks.

RedEDGE2k1 · Dec 1, 2010

cannarella said:
Son, you have been busy. They look great. Any new tool acquisitions? I saw the bench pucks.

Yeah I made a good trade just recently -- I traded the 75g stand (link above) plus $300 cash for a 52" Jet Exactasaw Deluxe cabinet saw. Sweetest deal ever!

Dustin

cannarella · Dec 1, 2010

Nice. Good trade.

H20Bonsai · Dec 8, 2010

Sad to see that you are getting out of the hobby. This 90 build was the inspiration for my dual 120"˜s that I hope to have running right after Christmas. Matching entertainment center coming soon. Thanks for the ideas and Great job! on the other cabinets.

http://www.panhandlereefers.com/forums/topic/3966-dual-120s-build/

meinestrasse · Apr 10, 2011

Wow, I was hijacked by this thread from the DIY 2x4 stand thread. Shocked your out of the hobby. Do you still have the same girlfriend? The one that bought you the Vortech early on in this thread? If so, can you post an updated pic?

RedEDGE2k1 · Apr 10, 2011

meinestrasse said:
Wow, I was hijacked by this thread from the DIY 2x4 stand thread. Shocked your out of the hobby. Do you still have the same girlfriend? The one that bought you the Vortech early on in this thread? If so, can you post an updated pic?

I do have the same girl, but she's now my wife

I'm not totally out of the hobby; I got bit by the woodworking bug and decided to focus my time (and money) on that. I've built about a dozen stands/canopies for folks on commission in my local reef club, and that has kept me busy on the weekends. On top of that, I'm working on a website to offer my build plans for folks who need help with a DIY stand. So I'm still very busy in the hobby although I don't have a tank at the moment.

Dustin

reefermad619 · Apr 10, 2011

I was checking out your threads... Damn! Good stuff. Are you still using that cobalt miter saw? I was checking one out at Lowes and it looks good. What are your thoughts on it? Thanks.

RedEDGE2k1 · Apr 11, 2011

reefermad619 said:
Are you still using that cobalt miter saw? I was checking one out at Lowes and it looks good. What are your thoughts on it?

I've definitely gotten my $199 worth of use out of it, so no complaints there. The quality isn't perfect; particularly the preset angle stops. They are not very accurate and so the blade angle must be manually verified before each new angle/cut.

To be honest I rarely use the miter saw now that I have a nice cabinet saw. I'm able to make much, much more accurate & repeatable cuts on the cabinet saw with nice miter gauge. I know it's not really fair to compare a $199 miter saw to a $2200 cabinet saw, but it's the truth. So if you have the room, and woodworking is a hobby of yours, definitely save up and make the big purchase (cabinet saw). It will make many other tools obsolete, so think of it as a way to save money. It will be the centerpiece and workhorse of your shop.

Dustin

Custom Cabinet for 90g Reef (Build Thread)

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