DIY Stands Template and Calculator

[Floyd R Turbo]

Hmmm....so would I take a piece of plywood cut to the footprint of the stand, place something compressible under it (carpet in this case would probably work), the put the stand on that and shims between the stand and the plywood?

Or...shims between the carpet and the plywood sub base? Problem there might be the shims would just further compress the carpet...maybe not then.

 

[sjames]

Hmmm....so would I take a piece of plywood cut to the footprint of the stand, place something compressible under it (carpet in this case would probably work), the put the stand on that and shims between the stand and the plywood?

Or...shims between the carpet and the plywood sub base? Problem there might be the shims would just further compress the carpet...maybe not then.

i was not talking about a piece of plywood, this would need to be rigid. i was thinking a 2x4(6) sub base, built to the same dimensions as the rough stand. shim between the sub-base and the stand.

of course you would want to attach the stand to the sub base after shimming.

 

[TheFishMan65]

I forgot where I read it. But the floor is not so much the issue, but I sort of forgot in earlier post and it is best practice for the floor to be in full contact.

BUT

Floor are rated at pounds per square foot. They get some really high point loads. They can be around 230,000 lbs per square foot. Now the floor can't take 230k lbs, but it handle very high point pressure since the flooring level is out over the joists. So I would say shim where you can, I guess.


If my math is correct: 100 lb lady in stiletto heals (1/4x1/4 inch) is 100 per 1/16 of an inch squared or 1600 per square inch or 230,400lb per square foot.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Ok I guess I'm having a hard time following the logic. If I build a 2x4 box frame to set the stand on, then I shim between the stand and the frame, the situation will be better because the stand won't be in a situation where it could get racked due to not being on a level surface. However I would still need to shim under the frame to fill in the gaps due to waviness of the floor to make sure the load is spread properly from the sub-frame to the floor.

Wouldn't I essentially get the same effect if I used rigid 3/4" oak plywood (which I have several pieces of) and did carpet and shims? I think if the end effect is (1) the stand sits on a flat level surface and (2) the floor has minimal point loads, that would do the trick. Or is there something else I am missing?

Thank you guys for all the help by the way...while I need to do this really fast, I don't want to do it wrong...

 

[Forfend]

Instead of putting band-aids on, why not level the floor? Maybe $20 in materials.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

It's solid oak with a finished basement below.

 

[Donw]

I think your over thinking it. You can scribe a scrap 2x and make a full length shim.

Personally with a tank that small I wouldn't worry about it. I'd use regular old every day fir shims from the hardware store. Back the floor side with moleskin and be done with it. The key is to use the shims properly meaning stacked one going one direction and one going the other to get full contact.

Don

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Thanks Don, I know what you're talking about with alternating shims. And the scribing too, if I have the time and had my router table.

I like your "with a tank that small" comment...this is the biggest tank I've ever owned, but I guess it's all relative, right?!!? Good to know that I can probably stop fretting quite so much over it.

 

[Donw]

Thanks Don, I know what you're talking about with alternating shims. And the scribing too, if I have the time and had my router table.

I like your "with a tank that small" comment...this is the biggest tank I've ever owned, but I guess it's all relative, right?!!? Good to know that I can probably stop fretting quite so much over it.

Sorry if the small comment offended it wasn't meant that way. You would use a jigsaw, bandsaw or table saw to cut the full length shim. Shouldnt take more than 5 minutes. Sticky back mole skin works great to protect hardwoods. I use it on buildins.

Don

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I meant I liked it in a good way. No offense at all, like I said it put it in perspective. Having never built my own stand before, at least not for a tank this size, I really have no reference point.

So if I have say a need for a shim that raises one corner by 1/4 over 4 feet, then I just take a 4 foot 2x4, use the same technique for flattening one side as I will for the top/bottom box, then mark the line on it, and run it through the table saw.

What I will do then is make the stand, put it in place, shim it level (edit: temporarily, with fur shims), measure the gaps, and make the full-length shims. Then attach the moleskin to those, put them in place and use the smaller fir shims between the full-length shim and the stand to take care of any inconsistencies in the floor between the corners.

I think I have a plan. Thanks!!!

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I made all the part and put the tom and bottom boxes together last night. I picked out some pretty good wood, because it was all pretty straight and true, so I didn't need to rip/plane, just will probably sand a little. My table saw isn't the greatest (don't buy the Ryobi saw it's junk and it's going back) and I think the blade slipped out of square a little the bottom box was slightly off square, but we'll see how it comes out after taking the clamps off today. I think to be safe I'm going to do a double-diagonal brace on the top and the bottom.

Next step is to mock up the legs in position and double-check measurements and look for other mis-cuts, then square up all the leg ends and put it together.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Thank you all.

PS this is not finished - I haven't glued it, but drilled all the pilot holes and put screws in 90% of the way (except the top/bottom boxes, those are glue and screwed).

I have to say that this is a totally awesome design. It is rock solid.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

It's all done now, and yes I did add the center span brace. I was putting away tools and remembered it! Now to move everything around so I can set it in place...

 

[RocketEngineer]

Floyd R Turbo,
That right there is why I started this thread. You went from being unsure with a bunch of questions to a very functional stand. Looks good so far. Be sure to keep us posted as it comes together.

RocketEngineer

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Floor sucks

Floor sucks

So I decided why move the 37 when I have space next to it. Just have to figure out where to put the dog kennels, but hey I have priorities man!

Here is where I set the stand:

Here is where I discovered how badly they installed the floors. Or maybe this is the standard go, but it's bad if you ask me. The stand is in full contact with the floor on the left 1/3 of the tank:

There is a little LED flashlight behind that section. No light. Now here's the right 2/3:

I turned the stand around just to make sure it wasn't lackluster construction technique. Same result.

Then here is the front left corner:

So the floor is in good contact with the front 2x4 from about 1/3 of the way from the left front corner, then the front left corner is out of contact.

As I was moving the stand into position, I had it sitting in the middle of the room and it rocked on the corners like it was twisted. The concrete floor I built it on was flat, and turning the stand around yields the same results.

Sitting as it is, it is stable (doesn't rock at all) but is just barely out of level. Maybe 1/8" from left to right (right needs to go up).

At this point I have to do what I can. Unless anyone else can suggest something better (and easy), I'm going to put the tank on it and shim it like mad and be done. I still have fish, corals, and upwards of 300 LB of LR to transfer and need to do it without blowing a tank up when I take the weight out.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

One more thing that I've figured out. The front 2x6 has an ever so slight crown right in the middle. Probably about 1/16", I can put the level in the middle and rock it just a bit. I'm guess that I should probably hit this with the sander just to be safe. The rest of the stand looks to be very flat. I haven't set the tank on it to see if there are any other similar areas. It seems to me that if everything else is at the same level, and there even a slight crown in that location, that I would need to shim on both sides and along the front on either side of the crown, which seems like more work. Or am I worrying too much?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Just to clarify, it's about 1/16" up in the middle, so a level pressed down on the left raises the right 1/8"

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

The wife chimed in and said she wants it more centered in the room. I managed to drain enough out of the 37 to move it while on the stand and here is the situation now:

I was right about the floor though, there is a high spot dead center running through the room

When I stand on the right side, this is what it looks like

That pack of shims is 1.5". I have a LOT of work to do today. A LOT.

 

[David - Miami]

Are you sure that it will not be a problem with the vent right there? Looks great though.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

That's a return air vent, and with no sump should be no problem. If I add a sump I'll have to add some kind of filter behind it to prevent corrosion in the furnace I suppose.

A couple of swipes with the hand planer and checking it with the new 48" level I bought and the top of the stand is awesom-o.

Now I need someone to help me lift a 150 lb tank onto it...