DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[BlackShark087]

Hello Want to make sure thats Strong Enough? Any advice ?

Marineland 265 Gallons + 125 gallons sump total of 1,7 tons.

 

[RocketEngineer]

It looks like parts of that are made out of particle board. If that's the case, I would have serious concerns about it.

 

[BlackShark087]

Hello thank you for quick answer - the diagram was a draft, the picture that illustrate the most the skeleton is the second, we removed 3 panels and doubled both extremity, All the frame is Plywood and sprayed up with urethane to prevent from humidity to attack the frame. Yes Full plywood panel at the back and doors front and side, but all the doors will open the only part that add strength is the back plywood panel, All the skeleton is plywood (kind of high density plywood) the fiberwood you saw was just a test everything is replace by solid walnut trim and doors. Every part of plywood skeleton are glued together and we used stainless screws.

all Plywood like this

 

[waynefish]

Hi All, I've built a stand with 2x4's previously, but want something a bit roomier this time around. Any thoughts on the tank below? It'll be made with 3/4" Baltic birch plywood (13 plies)

There's no vertical support in the middle because I wanted to be able to remove my sump if needed. Instead I've tripled up on the front piece running across. There is a vertical panel that will be used to divide the electronics and it will act as support.

I didn't put any vertical support on the front sides in order to be able to attach some Blum hinges.

There will also be a 3/4" top sheet of plywood as well. I will pocket screw and glue the stand together.

Thanks for your input folks!

 

[BlackShark087]

Why not slide the sump from the side like I do ? and mayby try to find russian Cherrywood ply wood thats a pearl ! straight clean and have a nice finish..

 

[waynefish]

Sump too wide

Sump too wide

I had considered that, but my sump is 13" wide which would be too big an opening for me to be comfortable with.

 

[BlackShark087]

L shape your corner and you might be ok for the opening. Anyway I will fill mine and if it dosent collapse I will keep you in touch lol ! Here is more picture, I will Add a 4inch brace for the center to make sure I am L shaped everywhere.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Anyway I will fill mine and if it dosent collapse I will keep you in touch lol

Let us know how it goes either way. We can all learn from success and failure!

I'm not saying it will fail. Overall it looks good and the addition of 'L' structure should be all positive.

 

[sprint_9]

Thought I would post up some more finished pictures now that Im done with the stand.

 

[BlackShark087]

here is the stand with renforced braces

 

[booyaa138]

Thought I would post up some pictures of mine, it came out much better than I had thought it would. Currently Im in the process of doing the final coats of varnish.

How did you do the lip at the top of the stand? Crown molding under?
What size board is it?

 

[sprint_9]

How did you do the lip at the top of the stand? Crown molding under?
What size board is it?

I took a pic of how everything is tied together, the view is looking inside of the crown molding and the top board.

What I did was run the 1/4 inch ply to the height I wanted, then ripped a 1x2 piece of pine in half, giving me a 3/4 x 3/4 inch glue and nailing strip. I nailed and glued this to the 1/4 inch ply so it was flush with the top edge. Then I put the top board on first, it was a 1x4 piece. After the top board is on you can use that to fit your crown molding in place.

It takes quite a bit of time to get it to fit together with everything cut right. A powered miter saw and an air powered finish nailer are almost necessary to do this, I dont think I could have done it without either of those tools.

 

[drauka99]

I was wondering if anyone could check on the pressure I am placing on the top frame of my stand. I am building a 40B display over a 40B sump with a 20L for an ATO. Since I wanted a minimalist stand i wanted to keep the sides tight to the tank. My only worry is the strength of the "face" joint on the top. Granted a 40B is not a terrible amount of weight but I always like to over engineer things
Each of the vertical joints are held with 3- 3" deck screws. all wood shown is 2x4 stud grade

I'm thinking I might add a 3rd support mid-tank on the sides and perhaps one on the back as well.

 

[mmn]

I was wondering if anyone could check on the pressure I am placing on the top frame of my stand. I am building a 40B display over a 40B sump with a 20L for an ATO. Since I wanted a minimalist stand i wanted to keep the sides tight to the tank. My only worry is the strength of the "face" joint on the top. Granted a 40B is not a terrible amount of weight but I always like to over engineer things
Each of the vertical joints are held with 3- 3" deck screws. all wood shown is 2x4 stud grade

I'm thinking I might add a 3rd support mid-tank on the sides and perhaps one on the back as well.

You have no vertical support other than screws. Not good! The lateral pieces should sit above and below the vertical pieces with screw strips on the inside as per the diagram at the beginning of this thread.

 

[drauka99]

You have no vertical support other than screws. Not good! The lateral pieces should sit above and below the vertical pieces with screw strips on the inside as per the diagram at the beginning of this thread.

yes I realize that. I need to determine the shear strength of the connection. otherwise how do you fit a 40B under a 40B. things can be designed around issues, not every stand has to be built just like the original diagram.

I am estimating the full tank with sand and rock (water alone is 333lbs(for 40 gallons obviously the rock, sand and such will displace some of that)) to be around 500lbs.

I am finding the shear strength per screw to be about 165lbs - that would equate to almost 500lbs of shear strength per corner.

 

[woodnaquanut]

yes I realize that. I need to determine the shear strength of the connection. otherwise how do you fit a 40B under a 40B. things can be designed around issues, not every stand has to be built just like the original diagram.

You pose a good question. For sure RocketEngineer's stand is the better support system, but at some point tanks will be small enough to not bother with the extra support.

I just posted this in another thread but it works here too. Check out these stands. It's a commercial fish room LOADED with tanks and stands built 'wrong'. Note the extra support blocks under the shelf. Easy way to add more support and not take up space needed for the sump.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32052&stc=1&d=1201235924

Here's the full thread:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?61740-New-fish-room-project/page2&highlight=discus+hans

 

[drauka99]

Can't view the site without signing up. I think I know what you were talking about. I was thinking along the same lines, adding a block beneath the upper frame to assist in the transfer of the weight to the outer "post" I would glue and screw that block off to the post. Since nails have a greater resistance to shear I might shoot a few of this in as well.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Can't view the site without signing up. I think I know what you were talking about. I was thinking along the same lines, adding a block beneath the upper frame to assist in the transfer of the weight to the outer "post" I would glue and screw that block off to the post. Since nails have a greater resistance to shear I might shoot a few of this in as well.

Drats! Let me paint you a word picture!

Stands hold 20G H tanks, small side to the front. Three shelves ( just really a 2x4 frame ) high with 18 tanks on each shelf. There's a leg/support every three tanks, front and back. The shelf is attached to the leg with four screws and there is a block (3.5" x 3.5") below each shelf with two screws attaching it to the leg.

Doing the math, there is 360 gallons of water on each shelf supported by 14 legs using 84 screws total. I find no indication he uses any glue.

There is a youtube vid, https://youtu.be/GQ3o3QJgMrs but you can't really see the construction.

I think your 40b will be OK!

 

[drauka99]

Yup I had the right picture in my head.

 

[pdiehm]

Well, we're done. We went from this:

to this:

To this!

Many thanks to Rocket and everyone else for helping on this part of my build!