DIY Cabinet for Reservoir & controller/etc?

[JoeBellz]

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone local is good at building cabinets or has any advice on where to get one?

I want to buy/have made a simple black cabinet that will house my 10g reservoir and also a place I can mount all my controllers/electronics nicely. Since my daughter is 1 now she is oh soooo very interested in playing with daddy's "wires" by his tank .

Anyone have any advice or is good with your hands, I'm not, I can play you a song but I can't build anything for my life. I would def pay anyone willing to try and help, materials cost, labor.

Basic specs are:

- 30'"h x 18"d x 24"w
- flat bottom, level with floor
- top needs to be hinged or removable so I can pour water into reservoir
- can have an open back, nothing fancy so I can run wires around the back

My funny picture I made in MS paint:

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Joe

 

[scolley]

Joe - I'll be interested in what you find, if anything. I keep buying "build it yourself from our parts" stands, and would love to locate someone local. I think House of Fins will do custom, but it costs an arm and a 'spill.

That said, you might turn your browser to Ikea. They sell lots of things like floor cabinates that are dirt cheap. And since you are not supporting anything, they could work. I doubt they'll have removable tops. But you could put that reservoir on something that rolls or slides out and accomplish your needs.

Good luck.

 

[JoeBellz]

Joe - I'll be interested in what you find, if anything. I keep buying "build it yourself from our parts" stands, and would love to locate someone local. I think House of Fins will do custom, but it costs an arm and a 'spill.

That said, you might turn your browser to Ikea. They sell lots of things like floor cabinates that are dirt cheap. And since you are not supporting anything, they could work. I doubt they'll have removable tops. But you could put that reservoir on something that rolls or slides out and accomplish your needs.

Good luck.

Thanks so much for the quick reply & advice Steve. Duh, I totally forgot about IKEA, I was there not to long ago, shoulda looked. I will shoot on over to their site now and check around.

Hopefully other locals may chime in too, I know I'm not the only one who is looking for some aesthetically pleasing ways to hide their tank equipment that won't cost us a fortune.

Thanks again!

 

[scolley]

Joe - I'm sure your need is not unique. Actually I've got one that is pretty similar, but I've not looked because its not yet critical. So pls let us know what you find.
: )

 

[thefuz]

I have the same issue and have been looking at bathroom sink cabinets. They seem close to the right fit but haven't found one that matches the spaces nor the aesthetics the wife demands (that's the real trick, eh?). Good luck!!

 

[terahz]

Cmon guys, get yourselves a couple of sheets of 3/4" ply and the sky is the limit DIY all the way

 

[JoeBellz]

Cmon guys, get yourselves a couple of sheets of 3/4" ply and the sky is the limit DIY all the way

I know I know, I want to be a man's man, but I just can't seem to find the time to whip anything up. If only Richard Dean Anderson was here

 

[Wheel of Time]

you would want it to match your current tank stand Im assuming?
Post a picture of your current stand please.

Your diagram looks very simple. Can whip this up in a few hours I would think depending on trim etc. Should not be hard. Maybe you could come over this weekend and we will knock it out for you (converted part of my garage into a woodshop...)

 

[scolley]

OMG Joe! THAT is an offer that you should take up. You may not know it, but I think your fairy godmother just waved her magic wand at this little project.

 

[RTMA]

Hey Seth, what tools do you have in your woodshop? I've always wanted to add a Jointer, thickness sander and planer. The Reef hobby eats all my "extra" funds nowadays. Add a large bandsaw to that too . Do you use a Kreg kit? Love mine. Would be kinda cool to know what you have

That is also an awesome offer - I'd make the same offer, but I'm sooo darn busy, I barely have time to clean my glass.

 

[JoeBellz]

awesome Seth, PM on the way!

My stand is a very simple ventura by Perfecto,in black. Honestly, the cabinet wouldn't have to be fancy at all, just functional.

 

[Wheel of Time]

That is no problem. Let's touch base on getting together.

As for the woodshop -- Im with you Joe its cool to have all the 'necessary' tools. But yeah, Ive got a sweet delta unisaw from the mid '60s (back when they made everything with solid iron), a big bandsaw, planer and jointer etc. all the toys necessary to make a nice pile of scrap wood and sawdust! Ive got the kreg kit too for when I want to make somethign really fast and not mess around with dovetails etc. The kreg system really is very handy.

 

[RTMA]

oh that sounds like a sweet woodshop! I was at Home Depot tonight drooling over the thickness planers lol. Picked up a bunch of wood to start the walls. Not looking forward to the Norwalk permit process tho. Also picked up the wood I need to make my stand.

I have a dovetail jig, thinking about using it somewhere on the stand skin...we'll see!