DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter RocketEngineer
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Ckreef,
Take the stand calc that I posted use a 24x 12 inch stand. Then when you start cutting pieces make the side panels 22 1/2 inches long rather than 10 1/2 inches long (part C), make the stand top F 24 x24 rather than 12x24 as listed Part E the floor frame cross braces would be 21 inches long rather than 9, and the stand floor part G would need to be 22 1/2 by 22 1/2 to fit your 24x24 tank. With the top of on it you do not need any other bracing at all on the stand.
Kim
Take the stand calc that I posted use a 24x 12 inch stand. Then when you start cutting pieces make the side panels 22 1/2 inches long rather than 10 1/2 inches long (part C), make the stand top F 24 x24 rather than 12x24 as listed Part E the floor frame cross braces would be 21 inches long rather than 9, and the stand floor part G would need to be 22 1/2 by 22 1/2 to fit your 24x24 tank. With the top of on it you do not need any other bracing at all on the stand.
Kim
I've built my stand per this thread for myh 150 gal 4ft tank. I went out and bought some wood for the sides/panels but I bought 1/4" birch. Looking back through the thread it seems lot of people are using 1/2" :\.
Do you guys think I'll be ok using just the 1/4" birch or should I scrap it and go back and buy 1/2" wood for the siding ?
Do you guys think I'll be ok using just the 1/4" birch or should I scrap it and go back and buy 1/2" wood for the siding ?
Siffy
New member
Finally with RO/DI water and some salt in it as of this morning. Just aerating with outside air now.
If I push on the tank, it rocks a little bit, but it's not the stand giving. The stand moves with the rocking solidly. I think the bottom of it isn't perfectly plane. I have to drain the tank again, so I'll be adding plywood and foam under it. Ultimately my stand is about 2" too tall. I'm just over 6' and I catch under my shoulder when reaching into the tank unless I'm standing on about a 3" higher surface. It was originally built for the 40g setting in the floor beside it. Anyway, I was just showing that 1/4" is plenty strong to help hold a 24" tall tank.
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If I push on the tank, it rocks a little bit, but it's not the stand giving. The stand moves with the rocking solidly. I think the bottom of it isn't perfectly plane. I have to drain the tank again, so I'll be adding plywood and foam under it. Ultimately my stand is about 2" too tall. I'm just over 6' and I catch under my shoulder when reaching into the tank unless I'm standing on about a 3" higher surface. It was originally built for the 40g setting in the floor beside it. Anyway, I was just showing that 1/4" is plenty strong to help hold a 24" tall tank.
Doors closed
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Siffy
New member
Looks good. That's actually as far as I was involved in building mine. I can't take credit. I just built the frame. I had a friend do all the outer finishing work on mine. All he left for me to do was dust it off and to seal and paint the inside.
Oh, and I didn't mention it again on this page, but my frame consists of 1x4 legs and 2x2 screw strips for more weight and inside space saving. As it is, I'm only going to have about an inch on either end after installing the UV and TLF reactors, and I'll have about 3 inches in front of the sump.
The plans for the 40g are another simple stand that's just the frame and plywood top. If it turns out similar to the first, it will be plenty strong without the plywood skin.
Oh, and I didn't mention it again on this page, but my frame consists of 1x4 legs and 2x2 screw strips for more weight and inside space saving. As it is, I'm only going to have about an inch on either end after installing the UV and TLF reactors, and I'll have about 3 inches in front of the sump.
The plans for the 40g are another simple stand that's just the frame and plywood top. If it turns out similar to the first, it will be plenty strong without the plywood skin.
lunarlanderboy
Premium Member
So I made the frame and now I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to give me the quick and dirty on how to skin the thing. Do I just screw plywood sheets right onto the frame? Just want to make sure that there's not some secret I don't know about because all of my know-how has come from looking at the pictures to see how you guys have done things.
Siffy
New member
A finishing nail gun is preferable when attaching skin and trim to a tank stand, canopy or any furniture. That or just wood glue. Both is probably most common. I've heard many times that nails'/screws' main purpose is just to hold wood in place while the glue dries and the glue is where the real strength is. So if you don't have a nail gun and compressor, which is a considerable investment when good tools are concerned, you could get by with plenty of clamps and a bottle of glue.
urville
Member
I'd like to throw my tank stand and pictures... what I have taken in to the ring as well. Thanks for this thread, great stuff. I had wished a bit more of the fine tuning in wood working had been in here, but then that wasnt the point of the thread. Just some still unanswered concerns I had in previous pages.
Never-the-less... I recommend Harbor Freight for pretty darn good tools at great prices. harborfreight.com for the one closest to you.
Now, I know the extra verticals were not required. I dont care, they add strength along the whole should anything ever actually rock into it hard or anything. I like over design in the name of safety.
Here it was. I had finished the base frame and I was looking at the heights of the supporting lumber and checking for levelness. never let anyone at a home store cut your wood. Maybe it's just my home stores but.... shameful. The original stand is behind it, built by the guy who sold me the 75.
Here it is from behind and skinned. For whatever reason I didnt flick it again until this point. I did the base, the top, then the vertical supports, then the top, then skinned, then finishing then I'll stain it. Bombay Mahogany.
Here you have the final touches. Only missing the side trim. Did one of the blocks with the stars wrong. Still looks good. First ever wood project so, you know... there were mistakes, but I learned sooo much. Needs to be stained but wont be just yet.
I'll post the final pics soon. Including the Canopy. Nothing special for my first time pretty plain.
Never-the-less... I recommend Harbor Freight for pretty darn good tools at great prices. harborfreight.com for the one closest to you.
Now, I know the extra verticals were not required. I dont care, they add strength along the whole should anything ever actually rock into it hard or anything. I like over design in the name of safety.
Here it was. I had finished the base frame and I was looking at the heights of the supporting lumber and checking for levelness. never let anyone at a home store cut your wood. Maybe it's just my home stores but.... shameful. The original stand is behind it, built by the guy who sold me the 75.
Here it is from behind and skinned. For whatever reason I didnt flick it again until this point. I did the base, the top, then the vertical supports, then the top, then skinned, then finishing then I'll stain it. Bombay Mahogany.
Here you have the final touches. Only missing the side trim. Did one of the blocks with the stars wrong. Still looks good. First ever wood project so, you know... there were mistakes, but I learned sooo much. Needs to be stained but wont be just yet.
I'll post the final pics soon. Including the Canopy. Nothing special for my first time pretty plain.
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tsouth
New member
My new aquarium is 48"x18"x16"H (65 gallons). The tank is rimless w/ no trim on the top nor bottom. With these plans and skinning involved, is it okay for the plywood on the front and sides to go higher than the top of the stand to cover up the foam between the top sheet of plywood and the bottom of the aquarium as long as it's glued to the proper pieces or does the top piece of plywood have to go over all of the sides? Also how do you go about leveling the stand throughout construction to eliminate the use of shims after completion? Just a bubble level I assume?
urville
Member
Thats what I did. I cut each leg individually to maintain the levelness. More work but... I did let some things slide. Overall it's about a 1/16th off from left to right and a little less front to back. came close. Too close for shims, thier almost too much change.
I used a standard bubble level NO shorter than 4 feet.
I asked here but never got a response, asked around some other forums and WWM, I was told at that deflection (1/16, which appears still in the lines of the bubble level thoguh obviously sided) the pink foam at 1/4 should even out small change like that. I've read foam is always a good idea, period. hope it's true!
I did my plywood an inch higher. Boy that was too short. I didnt have the tank till I was almost done. Dang.
As expensive as oak plywood and trim is, I just let it go. I just ran low on stand budget, but for about 180 I got a mahogany stained and finished oak faced stand that I could keep a car on and it's only flaw is that it shows the black trim a bit. I'm gonna go again once I have some more formidible skills on me.
I used a standard bubble level NO shorter than 4 feet.
I asked here but never got a response, asked around some other forums and WWM, I was told at that deflection (1/16, which appears still in the lines of the bubble level thoguh obviously sided) the pink foam at 1/4 should even out small change like that. I've read foam is always a good idea, period. hope it's true!
I did my plywood an inch higher. Boy that was too short. I didnt have the tank till I was almost done. Dang.
As expensive as oak plywood and trim is, I just let it go. I just ran low on stand budget, but for about 180 I got a mahogany stained and finished oak faced stand that I could keep a car on and it's only flaw is that it shows the black trim a bit. I'm gonna go again once I have some more formidible skills on me.
Kentanner11
New member
urville-what skin did you use?
urville
Member
I used a 1/4 inch stain grade oak plywood. Then I picked some basic oak trims. I didnt want victorian, a bit more modern but still... you know... oak... lol.
For the corners i just bought a little 1x4 block. I think it was maybe 2 feet long. I used a mitre to cut the angles, glued them, then glued the poplar stars, then I glued and nailed them to the skin. I wanted the stars lighter, for look, you know?
It's okay... I would have fixed the height. But the oak ply wood is expensive, so... If you let the store rip your plywood thats okay... btw... A rip is a cut WITH the grain. But crosscuts will fray, so have those done somewhere else or do them yourself if so inclined.
I didnt have tools, well, power tools. Thats how most of my mistakes came out. Hand tools are far more inaccurate and so I had alot of minor inconsistencies that as they compounded grew into larger issues.
For the corners i just bought a little 1x4 block. I think it was maybe 2 feet long. I used a mitre to cut the angles, glued them, then glued the poplar stars, then I glued and nailed them to the skin. I wanted the stars lighter, for look, you know?
It's okay... I would have fixed the height. But the oak ply wood is expensive, so... If you let the store rip your plywood thats okay... btw... A rip is a cut WITH the grain. But crosscuts will fray, so have those done somewhere else or do them yourself if so inclined.
I didnt have tools, well, power tools. Thats how most of my mistakes came out. Hand tools are far more inaccurate and so I had alot of minor inconsistencies that as they compounded grew into larger issues.
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lunarlanderboy
Premium Member
Thanks Siffy!
Kentanner11
New member
Thanks for the info!
Siffy
New member
Just to add to that, crosscuts will fray if an incorrect blade is used. They can be made cleanly, just not with the blade the hardware store usually has on their saw. But for those without the tools at home to do it, the upside is that you can cover most of the plywood edges with trim so it 100% doesn't matter what those cuts look like. You'll still want to have accurate measurements, but it does make things easier.
wfgworks
Premium Member
Ok, I'm building a stand for my Pentagon Tank that I'm setting up. I have a few questions if someone could help me out.
1. Red and Yellow(Top Frame) are going to be 2x6s since that tank is right around 150 gallons. Should everything than be 2x6s or can I go 2x4s for the bottom frame and the rest of the stand?
2. Should Purple(Uprights) and green(Uprights) be 2x6s?
What type of screws do you recommend for building these stands and at what length?
Thanks!
1. Red and Yellow(Top Frame) are going to be 2x6s since that tank is right around 150 gallons. Should everything than be 2x6s or can I go 2x4s for the bottom frame and the rest of the stand?
2. Should Purple(Uprights) and green(Uprights) be 2x6s?
What type of screws do you recommend for building these stands and at what length?
Thanks!
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