DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[stevedola]

1.5 inches wider

 

[Angler02]

I just got the frame built for my 210 gallon tank stand. I thank this thread for the ideas and just wanted to show it off a bit as well as get opinions. Got it done with help from Logiktest.

 

[mtiknoles]

Hello Everyone,
I found this thread by doing a search on yahoo and it is great! I spent an entire day reading this thread oohing and ahhing over the stands that you all have built. Fantastic jobs all of you! I recently purchased a 300g glass tank. The dim's are
96 x 24 x 30 with and AGA 125g sump 72 X 18 x 22 divided in to 3 chambers with glass baffles. The tank came with a stand. I originally intended to only "skin" it, but the way that it is built the stand literally has to be lifted off in order to get to the sump. Major design flaw! This will be my first attempt at any type of carpentry work and I'm planning on using Rocketengineer's design. It seems pretty straight forward. Those of you who have built your own stands care to give me any advice? And is there a design somewhere on here for canopies as well? Thank you all for your inspiration!
Tonya

 

[j_electric]

Here is my "rocket inspired" stand
48"x30"x42"tall
skinned with 3/4" maple staind natural
enjoy!

 

[foofooree]

that is a beautiful set up

 

[mtiknoles]

Love the tank!

 

[stevedola]

nice setup J_E

on a side note, stained the stand this weekend and put the first coat of poly on last night. lookin good, ill post some pics to show ya'll my progress. i think its coming along nicely.

 

[danorth]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993552#post12993552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TDonson
Hello Everyone,
I found this thread by doing a search on yahoo and it is great! I spent an entire day reading this thread oohing and ahhing over the stands that you all have built. Fantastic jobs all of you! I recently purchased a 300g glass tank. The dim's are
96 x 24 x 30 with and AGA 125g sump 72 X 18 x 22 divided in to 3 chambers with glass baffles. The tank came with a stand. I originally intended to only "skin" it, but the way that it is built the stand literally has to be lifted off in order to get to the sump. Major design flaw! This will be my first attempt at any type of carpentry work and I'm planning on using Rocketengineer's design. It seems pretty straight forward. Those of you who have built your own stands care to give me any advice? And is there a design somewhere on here for canopies as well? Thank you all for your inspiration!
Tonya

I suggest getting a good saw or using one yourself rather than having the cuts done for you by one of the major places like Lowes or HD. Also, have a bunch of clamps ready to go to square everything up while the glue dries and you get get the screws in correctly. Also measure your diagnols as you go. I had a hard time with the first attempt, and then tore it down and started over with a lot of new wood. Also, having someone to help hold stuff was nice. My father came over for that job.

I need to update a pic of my progress. Today I will!

 

[stevedola]

some updates of my stand
2nd coat of poly
<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/?action=view&current=DSCF5146.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/DSCF5146.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/?action=view&current=DSCF5145.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/DSCF5145.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/?action=view&current=DSCF5144.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/DSCF5144.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[stevedola]

<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/?action=view&current=DSCF5147.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/DSCF5147.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/?action=view&current=DSCF5148.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/stevedola/DSCF5148.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[stevedola]

I was going to router the edge but after looking at the quarter round molding I thought it would be easier than trying to router by hand. Im very glad i went this way because it came out perfect...really ties everything together and finishes the edge nicely. Ill prolly have it in place next week and then attach the cabinet doors.

 

[SHOmuchFUN]

Looks great Steve!
Very nice fit and finish.

 

[JJ4417]

I'm looking to do a two-tier design so I can put a fuge on the top a gravity drain it into the display. The display is a standard 120 (48x24x24). I haven't had the fuge built yet, but I was thinking 36x18x12 or so.

I saw the project with the green boards on the outside. My question is, with that design, I have to put the 120 on plywood as it won't sit directly on the supports?

 

[calli]

Jon56048 ... your Jack Rusell is going to LOVE the fish.. you have to make a stool for him/her to see.... Mine will watch for hours..

I am going to send you guys in the U.S. some "Robinson" head screws.. AKA WOOD Screws... lol

Thanks for this thread.. can't wait to get my stand going soon...

 

[simon.007]

Hi, I am building a stand for 48 x48 x 25" glass tank. My tank stand is 56 length x 51 width x 45" tall (due to sump inside it) and I have max head room of 84" (due to garage door) I was wondering if you could help with a few questions?

1. What should the framing parameter beams be? 4x4 or 2x4 (flat)?

2. I want to use 2x4x51 (15 pieces) layed flat, almost leaving no gaps in between them and screwed to the beams before I add a plywood. Do I need more support for these beams b/c of the span?

3. What size plywood on the 2x4?

4. How much tolerance does a glass tank have to uneven beams and surfaces? How do I help with these imperfections?

Thanks in advance
Simon

 

[cpeisher]

1.I'm trying to get the max total system volume I can with a 55g display tank. What I was thinking was using a 55g display over a 55g sump. This would give me lots of room in the sump for skimmers, calcium and phos reactors, fuge, ATO, etc. It also makes the system less sensitive to evaporative water loss issues, like elevated salinity, to ammonia spike from dead fish and make the system more buffered against catastrophic equipment failures. Evaporative cooling will be the the only cooling I will do if I can get away with it. Chillers are pretty expensive and it's just hard to beat 8,000BTU's per gallon for the price of a computer fan...However when I use this design and modeled it up in SW to fit the 55g under the tank I realized that I don't have any room for components that will hang off the tank and other things like electrical connections etc. Basically when I do this the only room I have is INSIDE the sump. Should I just go with a smaller sump or should I make the stand bigger/taller to accommodate the 55g sump and room for all the extras when they get added to the system?

here is a pic of the size of everything...

<a href="http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/iwearaskirt/?action=view&current=tank-stand-sumpcomparison.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc157/iwearaskirt/tank-stand-sumpcomparison.jpg~original" border="0" alt="Sump vs. Tank Size Comparrison"></a>

2.With regard to leveling and squaring of the joints and the stand I have heard that there is a higher grade of pine lumber called white pine that is usually exceptionally straight and less “twisty.â€Â Much more so that your standard grade 2x stock. Is this true?
3.I've also noticed quite a few people who are having trouble getting good square joints at the top corners. I'm wondering if those of you who are having difficulty with this are using a regular corded or cordless circular saw? I think the best way to get perfectly square cuts and equal lengths on the load bearing legs is to use a chop, or compound miter, saw. Possibly even a table saw if you had a rip fence and a miter gage slot. For those of you who used either the compound miter or table saw, did you have any trouble getting square cuts and equal lengths? Likewise I would think that a good framing or drywall square (the large kind, not a 6â€Â x6â€Â speed square) would greatly aid in the assembly of the legs to the top and bottom and keeping all the joints square.
4.Even if you don't get everything perfectly even on the bearing surface where the tank meets the stand, I have read that the best thing to do to ensure even load distribution over a “not so perfectlyâ€Â flat surface is to use the foam insulation boards. If you worried about that pink foam board showing you can just raise the skin enough to cover the thickness of the board. Which brings me to my next question...what thickness foam is ideal?

 

[stevedola]

table saw will work well but it depends on the quality of the table and guide. much easier with a nice chop saw. i used a sq on every cut and joint...its a must.
ive never used foam or know of anyone that has used foam. I supposed people could use it but Id rather use a hard wood top than foam. i dont think youll have a problem with a 55g if its off 1/32 or 1/16th of an inch.

 

[uncleant]

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/2d1tvd4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
so heres my stand. its for my 125 gal. its 72x18x34.
not bad for a 16 year old ay? haha

 

[cpeisher]

That's impressively done. Good job, but i would offer a couple fo fixes before you go any further with the build...

Your corner braces should be moved so that the braces on the end support the long piece and the cross piece. Check the template on the first post again and you'll see the difference.

Also, the 2x you have going across the front and back are rigid enough to hold the weight of the tank without the center support. The whole idea behind the template was to eliminate the center supports. It won't be hard to fix.

 

[uncleant]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13063596#post13063596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cpeisher
That's impressively done. Good job, but i would offer a couple fo fixes before you go any further with the build...

Your corner braces should be moved so that the braces on the end support the long piece and the cross piece. Check the template on the first post again and you'll see the difference.

Also, the 2x you have going across the front and back are rigid enough to hold the weight of the tank without the center support. The whole idea behind the template was to eliminate the center supports. It won't be hard to fix.

ok sounds good... thanks alot