DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[CorkPullerPHL]

I've skimmed the entire thread and wow, there's a ton of great info in here. Please bear with me for a couple real DIY Noobie questions....

What tips can you give me for getting this thing square? I plan on using a Miter Saw (as a chop saw) to cut the 2x4's cleanly. Is this a good approach? What other steps are critical to having a square stand?

I'm planning on a plywood top and foam under a 36.5x18x25, 70 Gallon. The cuts I'm most worried about are the ply. I'm terrible ripping with a table saw. What do you think about a circular saw with an edge rail?

Help me out DIY Guru's.

 

[rangerD275]

I've skimmed the entire thread and wow, there's a ton of great info in here. Please bear with me for a couple real DIY Noobie questions....

What tips can you give me for getting this thing square? I plan on using a Miter Saw (as a chop saw) to cut the 2x4's cleanly. Is this a good approach? What other steps are critical to having a square stand?

I'm planning on a plywood top and foam under a 36.5x18x25, 70 Gallon. The cuts I'm most worried about are the ply. I'm terrible ripping with a table saw. What do you think about a circular saw with an edge rail?

Help me out DIY Guru's.

I used my miter for all of the 2x's and everything came out pretty square. Use a framing square after EVERY step to make sure. The last thing you want to do is skin it then find out it's off. Problem is, all 2x's are not created equal...some are kinda straight. Also, use the smooth 2x4's as they will be easier to paint. I used some of the rough ones and I wish I used all smooth

Some of my plywood I had cut at Home depot, and Lowe's but I didnt use too much. I don't like table saws either, so I used my circular with a factort 1x4 clamped down as a guide.

I didn't use a top because I have a glass tank w, a ledge.

One thing I did that I like is to bring the top of the finished portion above the actual stand support. It will hide the below surface yuck of my substrate.

Also make sure you account for your bulk head fittings. I had to groove my top back support slightly to fit the outer ring of the bulkhead. Good thing I used 2x6's for the top.
Let me know if I can help...

 

[moondoggy4]

First I got my measurements down. Then I went to a lumber store that sells resawn wood for patio covers. I then had them cut everything. Get a carpenter square and use it every time you fasten one piece of wood with another. I think the wood costed somewhere around 25 dollars for a 120 tank.

 

[ERICinFL]

I'm planning on a plywood top and foam under a 36.5x18x25, 70 Gallon.

The plywood is fine, but you don't need foam under a glass tank. You don't want any weight being supported by the bottom pane of glass. The weight is distributed to the corners of the tank. If it's an acrylic tank, the foam will be fine.

 

[Rhodes19]

I've skimmed the entire thread and wow, there's a ton of great info in here. Please bear with me for a couple real DIY Noobie questions....

What tips can you give me for getting this thing square? I plan on using a Miter Saw (as a chop saw) to cut the 2x4's cleanly. Is this a good approach? What other steps are critical to having a square stand?

I'm planning on a plywood top and foam under a 36.5x18x25, 70 Gallon. The cuts I'm most worried about are the ply. I'm terrible ripping with a table saw. What do you think about a circular saw with an edge rail?

Help me out DIY Guru's.

First, when you get your 2xs, get the ones that are the straightest. No bends, twists, warping, or curves. Go through the whole pile if you have to. Hardware/wood stores don't mind. They know what you are looking for.

For cutting, I used a miter saw but before I used it, I made sure the blade and back stop were at 90 deg. For uniformity of length, I put in a stop so every piece would be the same length. It worked out well.

If you have a regular glass rimmed tank like rangerD275 and Ericinfl mentined, you won't need a plywood top. But, if you do or you want a plywood top, cut it the best you can with a table saw or circular saw and make the dimensions a little bigger than what you need. Secure the plywood to the top of the frame and then use a router to trim the excess overhanging plywood flush to the frame. HTH

 

[scarolina01]

I've skimmed the entire thread and wow, there's a ton of great info in here. Please bear with me for a couple real DIY Noobie questions....

What tips can you give me for getting this thing square? I plan on using a Miter Saw (as a chop saw) to cut the 2x4's cleanly. Is this a good approach? What other steps are critical to having a square stand?

I'm planning on a plywood top and foam under a 36.5x18x25, 70 Gallon. The cuts I'm most worried about are the ply. I'm terrible ripping with a table saw. What do you think about a circular saw with an edge rail?

Help me out DIY Guru's.

I am by no means a DIY Guru, but I'll give you some advice that I found very helpful.

1. Dig for your 2x4's or whatever you're using to build the frame. Take your time and find the straightest ones. I took about 20-30 mintues in HD to find the best ones. This is one of the best ways to ensure a straight, square frame, get the best boards available.

2. Use a t-square every step of the way. Always check everything, twice! If you don't own a t-square make the investment and get a nice one.

3. As for cutting, I used a miter saw that we've had for years. It worked more then fine.

4. TAKE YOUR TIME! This is probably the most important thing I can stress to you. Don't rush through this, that is when mistakes will happen. Measure twice, or three times and then cut once.

I hope this helps you out a bit. I know I found this thread to be very resourceful.

 

[gbothepro]

I just bought a tank that came with a stand, the thing is that its only the frame. About how much would it cost in materials to skin the stand?


Thanks!

 

[rangerD275]

I just bought a tank that came with a stand, the thing is that its only the frame. About how much would it cost in materials to skin the stand?


Thanks!

Do you plan to paint it, or stain it? Do you have a craig jig, mitre saw, jig saw, router, and/ or drill?

 

[hjscm]

so i have been looking through this thread and the split one. i think i am ready. first question is what tye of software do most of you use to design the stand? i have a 30g bow front glass right now but i am upgrading to a 120 very son. was thinking about practicing on the 30 but really want to get started on the bigger tank. just don't know what tank i am going with yet. need to look at some to see. i am going glass.

thanks
chris

 

[Rhodes19]

first question is what tye of software do most of you use to design the stand?

thanks
chris

Stubby pencil, a ruler and a pad of paper.

 

[naprestsleep]

Stubby pencil, a ruler and a pad of paper.

or graph paper

 

[mandingCa]

Classic thread!

I am building stands for a multi tank frag system. I have three tanks that I would like to make one or two stands for.

2 tank dimensions are 47 1/2"L x 18" D x 12Tall 42 gallons
the third is 47 1/2" L x 12" D x 12"Tall 32 gallons
116 total gallons on stand.

Could i modify Rockets plan to fit these three tanks?

The overall stand design would be 4'w x 6'long x 3' tall.

I am mainly concerned that the edges of the tanks wont rest directly above the 2x's.
I plan on using 2"x6" for the top rim.


Here is a ROUGH sketch
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wfs8sqBOT8UDmQ5Sbk738Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9cQz0b5Pr3U/S2TBnBPCnrI/AAAAAAAAJEk/VDbd5jhRM_s/s144/frag%20stand.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sacbowens/TheBowenReef?feat=embedwebsite">The Bowen Reef</a></td></tr></table>

 

[strout]

I just finished reading the second half of this thread, now I will start at the beginning, lol. I think this thread has put alot of the stand builders for the tank companies out of work. I read some where in this post that this thread has most likely helped more people than any other thread, I agree.

 

[Monkeyfish]

Great thread. However, I'm a total noob at wood working. Here's a few questions.

1. If the wood is glued together (using clamps and a t-square) are screws necessary?
2. How do you make sure the screw strip is squared?
3. 2.5" or 3" coated deck screws?

I'll be using a compound miter saw for the cuts. Wood glue, drill and coated deck screws. Square and clamp and a level. Anything I'm missing tool-wise?

 

[strout]

I was thinking the oppisite of you Monkeyfish. I would think you wouldn't use just glue in case the glue failed over time and your stand would fall apart. I can't understand why you would use glue at all if you are using screws. Is the glue really needed?

 

[ChknWing]

Strout glue is actually much stronger than screws. Screws will degrade over time but the glue actually bonds the wood. There have been many tests done where the wood itself failed before the glued joint failed. Screws are usually used to hold the frame together. The key is to put all of your stresses into the wood itself and not put any load bearing areas on the screws as they will fail before the wood will, or they will pull through the wood.

 

[David - Miami]

YES, screw are necesary. I am sure that glue is an additional comfort, but rocket's design is with the screws. Remember that the screws are not load bearing but for structural integrity.

 

[Monkeyfish]

I'm gonna use both. The glue to keep things together so it'll be easier for me to screw the wood together. This oughta be interesting

I just spent 90 minutes looking for boards that weren't warped. Yippee.

 

[reefermad619]

Does anyone know which wood glue is best? I want the strongest stuff out, but every manufacturers label says that their glue is the strongest. Thanks.

 

[Wannabe29]

Monkey, this thread is too long for me to look through so I don't know if I'm repeating what's already been said...however:

Make sure that your saw blades are heeled correctly (cuts at a true 90 angle). If they're off by even a little bit, the frame is going to be a freakin' nightmare.

I just went through this with my stand. I made the top and bottom boxes, clamped them down to a flat surface and made sure all angles were at 90 degrees and screwed the pieces together. When I removed the clamps, the damned things went cockeyed...looking like they were slightly twisted.

I mostly corrected it by using the side boards that I skinned the tank with to make sure everything was plumb and square by screwing the bottom box and uprights to the side boards. Then I attached the top box frame to the legs and finished screwing the side boards to the frame. What a royal PITA though.

It's still a little off so I'll have to sand down the two corners that are making the "high spots."

Good luck.

Oh! I would also recommend using pocket screws. They're awesome and you'll save yourself some room under the stand by not having to use those extra upright boards inside the stand. Don't bother with Home Depot for those because they only sell a jig that comes with one size screw. They don't sell the screws there (that or the guy helping me just didn't know what he was talking about). Lowes sells a really cool little jig and several sizes of pocket screws.