DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[Duane867]

I guess I am just cheap. I look for the best buys and then figure out how thin I can go.
Where you used 3/4" I would have only used 1/2" ( easily half cost. it also depend son where you buy just as much )
I would have used 3-4 small European hinges in place of the piano hinge.


WAIT !! HOLD THE PHONE !!!
Now I know why you paid so much.... LOWES !!!
Those bastages are almost twice as much as Home Depot on EVERY THING. when I have to walk in there because Home Depot doesn't have what I am looking for I get sick.
Man they charge $8.70 something for stryrofoam wall panel andf at home depot for the SAME PANELS are $5.97.
Stud grade 2x4's at Home depot...$1.97 Lowes : $2.76

It sickens me when I have to go.


But you still saved big by doing it your self.
Post a pic or tell me what page yours is on so I can oogle over it !

 

[danorth]

Got some pics on that canopy? I need help designing it with the hinges. It would be sweet to have some gas shocks like a tailgate lift to keep the canopy lifted without a prop.

 

[Mako Shark II]

Lowes vs. Home Depot...... Hmmm... there's a debate.

Where MY Stores are, there's no contest. Lowes has a much better selection, better diversity. The Depot is more like a Wal-mart (Buy what we have, or move along.)


Sad thing is: I find myself havign the leverage the two against eachother at times.

I'll post the canopy & Stand shots soon. I've been so busy "doing", than I han've been "posting".

MY costs are also higher, becuase in addition to building the stand and canopy ground up, I also blew out the back of a closet to act as the "Sump Closet". (So there's been Drywall work too.)

The $pousal Unit gave permission to waste a closet, so I changed a 44" wide by 28" deep linen closet under stairs, to 44" wide by 72" Deep, albeit under the stairs with a angled ceiling.

Only the Closed loop pump will be under the tank (Primed with Exterior Kilz)

And the Canopy is 3/4" seven verneer plywood, becuase it IS it's own structure.

Pixel's Pending.

 

[stevedola]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12865460#post12865460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Duane867
Unless the stand is freakin' 10' long I don't see how you can have over $150.00 in a stand man. Even buying choice 2s's or 4x's. ( unless your buying cedar, or oak, or cherry or something? )

Bingo! a 15' piece of 1x10" red oak is 90.00 nevermind all of the other sizes I need.

Ill never get wood from HD or Lowes ever again for any project. They have junk at the stores near me. I found a lumber warehouse near me that has great employees that know the trade and have superb wood. They even cut the pieces and trim off any bad spots-try getting that at the depot. I asked the guy about using a nail gun on oak and how difficult it would be to fire threw it he told me what to do and then turned around to hand me a piece to practice on so I didnt waste my purchased wood.

 

[urville]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866855#post12866855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mako Shark II
Lowes vs. Home Depot...... Hmmm... there's a debate.

Where MY Stores are, there's no contest. Lowes has a much better selection, better diversity. The Depot is more like a Wal-mart (Buy what we have, or move along.)

Indeed.
Here Lowes is by far always cheaper, but carries completely different vendors. It's a shoot, you have to go to both. Sometimes Lowes has the best quality, sometimes HD.

 

[Duane867]

Made my stand. All 1x4's and solid as a rock. I got on top of it (right in the middle of it in fact) bounced up and down a couple times, then put my feet at one end and my hands at the other and rocked back and forth to test it out pretty dang hard ( I weight 238lbs). Not even a creek or a bow. Still in the final stages of finishing though:

Thats only the second coat of paint so bear with me here people it isn't gonna look all raggity like that when its done :lol: I'll lightly sand it after the final coat, tack it off with a damp towel then clear it with poly a couple times, and sand rub it down with note book paper. ( that puts a SUPER smooth finish on it )
I am going to use 2 pieces of laminated shelving cut to fit the bottom inside the stand, then I will slap some laminate trim on the edges where I cut to fit. I think I am also going to make a little shelf for a power station hanging from the top inside the stand. I'll be making two big *** door and will probably use rounded edge 1x4's running from top to bottom on the sides and fit them so they can be removed. I have been toying with the idea of fastening them from the inside so that the end of the stand actually frames it. know what I mean? so it looks like a picture frame with nothing in it.

 

[Im SpSing]

Started mine today, this is just the bottom frame, and I added to more braces to the bottom so I can put my sump underneath. Tank will be a custom 75g 36"x24"x20", and will have a 30l sump. Stand will be 36x24x36

 

[tsouth]

So does the stand have to be "perfect?" I have a slight wobble from the front right side and the stand isn't level from left to right but perfect from front to back. I put a piece of 1/2" plywood on top and i'll have another 1/2" of foam on top of that. The tank is rimless w/ no bottom plastic brace so it's going to sit directly on the stand. Is it okay to use shims to even out the stand? The wobble is maybe 1 to 2/8ths the levelness has the bubble all the way to one side.

 

[Duane867]

Its going to be a little warped naturally unless you got some seriously perfectly straight ultra grade wood. Hell it will warp just from sitting out side or in your garage from drying out or even a damp rainy day while sitting in your garage.
The full weight of the tank on it it should straighten it right up.
I would do a test fill out side before I shimmed it to see it the weight will straighten it out. Shims are and if'y kinda thing to use under a stand.

A little tip for any one making this design ( rockets original post )..
MAKE SURE you flush cut all 8 pieces your using for your support legs.
If they are even a little off it will create a noticeable gap when you assemble. Also make sure you flush up the box frames as perfect as you can get them to avoid the same thing in the same spot.
Mine were just a friggn millimeter or two of set and it showed big time when I did a test assembly.
This would pretty much make the design principle useless IMO since its designed to transfer weight directly through the box frames and legs and not the screws. any gaps are a potentially serious risk down the road.
What I did to eliminate this problem with the legs pieces was to cut 2 stack of 4 just a hair longer then they were supposed to be for my application. Then I glued them together at a 90, nailed them then made my final measure and flush cut each end with my compound miter saw to the exact measurement so all 4 legs would be perfectly flush.
The box frames are a little trickier to get flush on the tall edges when assembling. This is where good old fashioned wood glue and 36" bar clamps come in handy. Cut all 4 long runners of the frame at the same time in one cut or 2 at the same time the same way described above. Same for the shorties on the ends.
Then apply glue and place your clamps just snug over on end.
go to the other side and do the same. Have an assistant ( with a good eye ) flush up one end while you do the other and tightly clamp it down, or do one end at a time while going back and forth as best you can making them even.
Sounds like a PITA but its not that bad and WELL WORTH the extra effort at final assembly.

 

[rnhrtfan]

well here is a link to my recently completed stand built off this design.......

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1269026

 

[tsouth]

Nvm it was my flooring! Stand is PERFECTO!

 

[kfisc]

Oops ! wrong thread!

 

[Blazer88]

I'm going to need to build a new stand for a 90G tank with dimensions of 30x30x24. Would I be able to use 1x4's for the construction or would 2x4's be needed? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[urville]

I had to shim due to the floor. Lots of people end up shimming. No big deal. I had to lift a tank with water in it on a car jack and shim it once. easily done actually!

 

[Duane867]

Hey Blazer,
I would use 1x4's. Especially since your dimensions are only 30"x30". Use treated 1x's though if you can. They are closer to 1" than regular pine 1x4's that are untreated and they are twice as sturdy.
I would have went with them but every one was out of them and I am impatient ! It still holds just fine though. Mainly due to Rockets design. Its rock solid man. Because no boards are flat and all are on edge it relies completely on compressive strength running on the edges, which is the strongest point of any piece of lumber.
If you use treated ( or even untreated ) and you want to use screws PREDRILL AND COUNTER SINK.
If you don't counter sink the head of the screw WILL split the wood.
Be sure not to over tighten the screws either or you'll split the wood quicker then the roadrunner running from the coyote ! Then your SOL and have to start with a new piece.
I just glued the snot out of it, clamped it and then used barbed finish nails because the lumber I used split on the 1st try at pre-drilled holes and screws.

Just about every commercial stand you will see on the market available at your local LFS for large or small tanks has a 1x4 with particle board stand. But they all rely on a design similar to rockets.
Thats why they work. Its all about 2 things.
Making sure no boards are flat. (Make them all stand on edge or on end and.)
Making sure that the weight is transfered through the legs only and not the joints. Look at it like bridge. The bridge is sitting directly on pilers that transfer the weight. Not bolted to the sides. Because of this it can handle much greater loads.

See the two 1x4's I have glued and nailed together long edge to long edge to form a 90 degree angle? Those are the legs. See that rectangle with 12 nails in it? Thats attaching the legs to the box frame on top and on bottom but little to no direct weight is being transfered through them because the box frame is sitting directly on top of the 2 1x4's forming a 90 degree angle on top. It looks identical on the bottom as it does the top. The legs are on top of the frame. Because its a direct contact surface just about all the weight is transfered directly through them from the box frame.
If you glue them and nail them ( or screw them) in place those rectangles will not go any where and will be amazingly strong for their size and keep it from wobbling from side to side.

Beleive me when I 1st thought about using 1x4's for my 75 I was like NO WAY ! Then I though what the heck ! I'll try it becaus eits cheap to make from 1x4's any way. I'll just test it out real good 1st.
Well so far I have literally climbed on top and bounced up and down right in the middle of it with no effect to the stand at all. ZERO. ( I weight over 230 lbs btw) I also put my feet at one end and my hands at the other and rocked back and for pretty hard to see if it would give any. NADA. not even a creek or moan.

I am sure I rambled there some where... sorry.. its late here am I am TIRED !!

 

[stevedola]

how much cheaper is it to use 1x4s compared to 2x4? it cost me all of 20 bucks for all of my frame 2x4 wood.

 

[Blazer88]

Thanks for the response Duane867. I figured 1x4's would be sufficient since the footprint is only 30x30. I built the stand for my current 65G with 2x4's and 4x4's which is completely overkill, it weights a figgin ton. I'll be sheeting the new stand with 1/4" birch and then staining. I'm hoping to have removable panels that are held together with magnets rather than doors this time though. I'll post in here once I'm done.

 

[Duane867]

No problem Blazer.
I hear ya man! I over built my 60" 100 gallon stand as well. I made it from 2x4's but screwed 3 2x4's together for a total of 6 legs. I bet that sucker weighs every bit of 100 lbs and its just a 2x4 skeleton.

Just take your time and be sure to cut your leg pieces, and your box pieces flush with one another, and take the time to glue and clamp your box frames flush and square. If you flush and square every thing up then you can easly glue and clamp the box frames to the legs as well for added strength ( which I recommend doing). Its well worth it to take the time to do it for the added stability and strength. I glued every surface that touches another piece of wood.
I suggest buying a couple 36" clamps if you don't have them, and at least 2 smaller clamps. ( not squeeze clamps, screw clamps squeeze clamps are weak and wont always press them flush when you glue.)
Do a dry fit with your clamps 1st though before fastening or gluing anything. even if its all squared up it will warm out of shape a little and need to be clamped back on square on final assembly so no worries about that. Its normal with thinner wood. Since you'll be making sure every thing is flush and square AND gluing all contacts you wont have to worry about it being way out there and cracking on you when you bring it back to square with the clamps. for final assembly. Plus it will make skinning it easy as heck because you'll have a nice even smooth surface all the way around. The skin is only as smooth and flat as whats under it.


Stevedola,
It cost me about $20.67 for 8 1x4's to build a 48 1/2"x 18 1/2" x 30" stand. Plus $2.97 for brushes, $5.97 for paint, $ 2.79 for finish nails, $16.00 for two 36" bar clamps from Big lots, $5.97 for wood filler, $1.97 for wood glue, $18.95 for 2 black laminated 50" 12" x 1"shelve planks, and $0.97 for 150 grit sand paper. I have to build the side panels and doors yet so I figure another $15.00 in additional 1x4's to finish plus around $9.00 for hinges, and $2.00 for magnets.
So when I am finished I reckon it will have cost me right around $104.00-$103.00 for a finished stand to hold my 48" x 18" 75 gallon aquarium that will weigh 50lbs or less when finished after its all together ( BACK SAVER I SAY !! ), versus a similar stand made with a 2x4 frame that would weigh 120lbs plus easily after being skinned and finished.

 

[Im SpSing]

Here is my finished frome for my 75g 36x24x20

 

[jon56048]

ok I am in need of some help I am building 75g stand with 40g breeder for my sump I want the stand to be 2fx6in the rest I need your guy help like how long should my screw bord be and if it going to be 40g breeder for sump should I make the front to back be as wide as the 40g breederor the 75g please help I was going to go pick up the wood to day but need to now this stuff first