DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter RocketEngineer
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skimmer is about 22" tall which is about the same depth as the tank. The skimmer is designed to be in sump. It's a turboflotor T-1000, will there be any problem having it submerged in 14-16" of water?
But it needs to be a lot taller than just the height of teh skimmer right? If the top rail is 2x6 and the bottom rail is 2x4 and i have 3/4 ply for the top and bottom decking then i'm left with 42"-.75"(top decking)-5.5"(2x6)-.75"-3.5"(2x4)-18"(55g)=13.5" So that's all the room i'll have above the tank for everything that needs to go above the tank. Should i make the stand taller?
But it needs to be a lot taller than just the height of teh skimmer right? If the top rail is 2x6 and the bottom rail is 2x4 and i have 3/4 ply for the top and bottom decking then i'm left with 42"-.75"(top decking)-5.5"(2x6)-.75"-3.5"(2x4)-18"(55g)=13.5" So that's all the room i'll have above the tank for everything that needs to go above the tank. Should i make the stand taller?
cpeisher, I'm having almost the same question. In this thread I am posting my ideas for a stand for a 90 gallon with a 55 as the sump:
Any of your thoughts would be welcome.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1449932
Any of your thoughts would be welcome.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1449932
I am building a stand for a 180g tank. I like your design, but was wanting your opinion on having the bottom and upper rails lay flat. This way you would have more room inside the frame for sump access, and it seems to me the wider contact with the floor would help spread the weight out.
Please tell me if I am wrong, and any comments.
A quick sketch.
red = 2â€Âx8â€Â
black=2â€Âx8â€Â
Yellow=2â€Âx4â€Â
Thanks for your input,
Ron
Please tell me if I am wrong, and any comments.
A quick sketch.
red = 2â€Âx8â€Â
black=2â€Âx8â€Â
Yellow=2â€Âx4â€Â
Thanks for your input,
Ron
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
cpeisher,
Why not place the sump between the bottom rails instead of on top of them? This will give you an additional 3.5" of access. Also, remember that once you get inside the opening, you will have another 5.5" as the rails only extend 1.5" under the edge of the tank. I think you have a lot more space then it first appears.
Logzor,
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1169964&perpage=25&pagenumber=9
ron69,
Laying the boards down so the 1.5" dimension is up defeats the purpose of the board width. This applies somewhat for the bottom rails but especially for the top rails. In essence, what you have is a 2X2 top rail supporting the tank. If you want more room under the tank, make the stand taller.
Why not place the sump between the bottom rails instead of on top of them? This will give you an additional 3.5" of access. Also, remember that once you get inside the opening, you will have another 5.5" as the rails only extend 1.5" under the edge of the tank. I think you have a lot more space then it first appears.
Logzor,
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1169964&perpage=25&pagenumber=9
ron69,
Laying the boards down so the 1.5" dimension is up defeats the purpose of the board width. This applies somewhat for the bottom rails but especially for the top rails. In essence, what you have is a 2X2 top rail supporting the tank. If you want more room under the tank, make the stand taller.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
RocketEngineer, where do you work?
I ask because there's not really a "rocket engineer" profession, and an engineer would design a plywood stand with no 2x members whatsoever. (for any size tank)
I ask because there's not really a "rocket engineer" profession, and an engineer would design a plywood stand with no 2x members whatsoever. (for any size tank)
saltee dood
New member
living near Houston, we have lots of "rocket engineers" around here.
Thing is, their job titles arent "rocket engineer", they are engineers that work with NASA developing rocket systems.
I dont know what discipline the OP is, but there are any number of engineering positions that pertain to aerospace.
Thing is, their job titles arent "rocket engineer", they are engineers that work with NASA developing rocket systems.
I dont know what discipline the OP is, but there are any number of engineering positions that pertain to aerospace.
saltee dood
New member
a more on-topic replay here...
I'm ready to start building the stand for a 46 bowfront, and I would like to use the basic design shown here, but....I do want to have the front conform to the bow as much as possible.
(Like this )
Is this doable? What changes would you make to the design for bowfront tanks?
Any tips/advice would be muchly appreciated, I'm not a particularly good woodworker so this isnt coming easy to me.
I'm ready to start building the stand for a 46 bowfront, and I would like to use the basic design shown here, but....I do want to have the front conform to the bow as much as possible.
(Like this )
Is this doable? What changes would you make to the design for bowfront tanks?
Any tips/advice would be muchly appreciated, I'm not a particularly good woodworker so this isnt coming easy to me.
Last edited by a moderator:
RedEDGE2k1
Member
People around here are terrifed by the idea of building stands without three 2x4s in every corner and a big 2x6 header all around the top. People do not seem to understand that the biggest weakness with DIY stands is racking (lateral, twisting movement).
The strange thing is, people around here DO acknowledge that long skinny sticks fastened to each other at the ends aren't very strong, so they wrap the entire contraption in 1/4" plywood. This prevents the racking force that they seem to ignore in the beginning. All they're ever focused on is the straight-down, dead-weight, gravity force.
So why not build the entire stand out of 3/4" plywood and be done with it? No 2x4s or 2x6s. Lighter. Easier. Cheaper. Neater. Less time.
I just don't get it.
This is a much better solution...
Than this.
The strange thing is, people around here DO acknowledge that long skinny sticks fastened to each other at the ends aren't very strong, so they wrap the entire contraption in 1/4" plywood. This prevents the racking force that they seem to ignore in the beginning. All they're ever focused on is the straight-down, dead-weight, gravity force.
So why not build the entire stand out of 3/4" plywood and be done with it? No 2x4s or 2x6s. Lighter. Easier. Cheaper. Neater. Less time.
I just don't get it.
This is a much better solution...
Than this.
Last edited by a moderator:
Rededge .. I dont think its an obsession at all. Rocketengineer provided the readers here with a simple formula nd schematic to build a sound stand with woodworking for 'dummies' like me ... whose woodworking skills and knowledge of physics is 'below average'.
Wed all be delighted to view your alternative plans using plywood or similar to make our own decisions about 'how'. Particularly me as good 2 x 6 is proving impossible to source where I live.
BTW - Rocketengineer has courteously answered our 'dummy' questions with good grace , so I think his efforts are to be lauded, dont you ?
Wed all be delighted to view your alternative plans using plywood or similar to make our own decisions about 'how'. Particularly me as good 2 x 6 is proving impossible to source where I live.
BTW - Rocketengineer has courteously answered our 'dummy' questions with good grace , so I think his efforts are to be lauded, dont you ?
RedEDGE2k1
Member
My plywood method, with all the build pictures you can handle. Nothing fancy here, all it took was a handheld saw, straightedge, drill, screws & glue.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1213499&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
RedEDGE2k1,
I work at NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility. I'm a contractor for NASA working on the Sounding Rocket side of things. I am responsible for designing the hardware from the top of the motor forward while another individual is responsible for the vehicle stack and ignition/separation systems. These are the only two engineers responsible for the mechanics of the rocket. When each mission only has one ME, we have to wear many hats and be very diverse in our understanding of what it takes to get a rocket off the pad. So TECHNICALLY I am a rocket payload engineer.
Sure, I won't argue about there being ways to engineer a plywood stand. In fact, there are many well built plywood stands displayed in various sections of Reef Central. The reasoning behind this thread was to give folks a very basic stand that required nothing more the a miter box, handsaw, and a drill the option of building their own stand. As I do not own a table saw or a circular saw, a plywood stand would be difficult for me to make. The result is the plans in the original post. I do not claim any credit for the design. All I did was take the excellent work of others and condense it into one thread.
BTW, AWSOME STAND! The attention to detail is phenomenal; the hinges, the access doors. Very professional. And I like how you posted each of the steps in both 3D (SketchUp?) and in real life. Nice work.
saltee dood,
A series of flats along the front of stand would probably be your best bet. For that, consider small supports at each corner. For a 46g tank, you could get away with much smaller lumber then 2X4s If you post exact dimensions I may be able to work something up for you.
I work at NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility. I'm a contractor for NASA working on the Sounding Rocket side of things. I am responsible for designing the hardware from the top of the motor forward while another individual is responsible for the vehicle stack and ignition/separation systems. These are the only two engineers responsible for the mechanics of the rocket. When each mission only has one ME, we have to wear many hats and be very diverse in our understanding of what it takes to get a rocket off the pad. So TECHNICALLY I am a rocket payload engineer.
Sure, I won't argue about there being ways to engineer a plywood stand. In fact, there are many well built plywood stands displayed in various sections of Reef Central. The reasoning behind this thread was to give folks a very basic stand that required nothing more the a miter box, handsaw, and a drill the option of building their own stand. As I do not own a table saw or a circular saw, a plywood stand would be difficult for me to make. The result is the plans in the original post. I do not claim any credit for the design. All I did was take the excellent work of others and condense it into one thread.
BTW, AWSOME STAND! The attention to detail is phenomenal; the hinges, the access doors. Very professional. And I like how you posted each of the steps in both 3D (SketchUp?) and in real life. Nice work.
saltee dood,
A series of flats along the front of stand would probably be your best bet. For that, consider small supports at each corner. For a 46g tank, you could get away with much smaller lumber then 2X4s If you post exact dimensions I may be able to work something up for you.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
No, they're still there. I used a 2x6 header on the front of the cabinet (only), because I wanted to span the entire length of my 90g tank without needing a plywood center brace between the cabinet doors.
The plywood alone would have supported it without breaking, but the sag would have made me uncomfortable. So, I beefed it up and carried the front load to the floor with 2x4's. The rest of the cabinet is plywood.
RedEDGE2k1
Member
RedEDGE2k1
Member
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