DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter JohnL
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MichaelBrock
New member
I hand-picked my lumber at Lowes too. Dimensional lumber is "never" the same width from piece to piece. The wood I ended up with varied by as much as 1/8 inch. To alleviate this I ripped the top and bottom pieces so that they had all the same dimensions.
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Not my thread as I bought 2x8's and made the top frame. Did not come in contact w/ all the legs (was cupped and bowed too?) I did pick through boards too. Went back and was extra picky about the boards and it was perfect from teh top frame to the legs but like you said the pieces aren't completely perfect sized and such I had a 1/8 or less area where one board was taller than the other. I sanded the top of the frame down and used a 2'level to check to make sure the while level touched. I am getting the tank tonight and will place it on the tank and sand again to make sure it ALL touches evenly w/ no gaps
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
Rhodes19
New member
Are you off 3/4" between the bottom frame and the floor? It the tank sits flush with the top frame and you have a 3/4" gap at the floor you can either shim the stand to fill the gap and give the frame support or if its a cement floor and its unlevel, you could pour some leveler (not sure of its proper name) to make the floor level. HTH<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15647998#post15647998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by indydog1
i can see a sliver of light here and there between tank and stand. but it is perfectly square level and true.....
but then comes the basement floor.
i am off by 3/4 of a inch left to right. arrgh!! what should i do?
So ive built up most of my skeleton at this point just missing the top, using 1x4's with a 2x2 screw post ( trying to save room inside my stand for the sump ) . Following the diagram. The tank is roughly around 40 gallons, is this skeleton strong enough that I do not have to worry about my skinning material , or do i have to use some heavy duty outside wood for reinforcement ?
the dimensions are 3 x 2 for the stand and 2 x 2 for the tank I will be installing a offcenter center brace in the back at the 24 inch mark, but i want to leave one side more accessible.
should i be sealing the skeleton at this point with some kind of wood sealer ? or do i wait and paint the whole thing at the same time ?
the dimensions are 3 x 2 for the stand and 2 x 2 for the tank I will be installing a offcenter center brace in the back at the 24 inch mark, but i want to leave one side more accessible.
should i be sealing the skeleton at this point with some kind of wood sealer ? or do i wait and paint the whole thing at the same time ?
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Well took the cardboard packaging out from under the tank to see how close the tank trim was to completely setting on the 2x8s and I can see light through most of the bottom. So it is not completely touched the 2x8's I'm sure this is due to the 2x8's not being 100% perfect.
The front two corners that I had to sand cause the 2x8's were not perfectly mated are the worst. I'm talking less than 1/8" I can barely fit the tip of my tape measure in there, its tight to go in.
My question is now what should I do?
Sand the top of the 2x8's till they are all flat? How long will this take to get all sides touching 100% or is this even possible?
Or do I do a piece of 3/4" ply on top. Will that make up any indifference in the top of the 2x8's?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Lunchbucket
The front two corners that I had to sand cause the 2x8's were not perfectly mated are the worst. I'm talking less than 1/8" I can barely fit the tip of my tape measure in there, its tight to go in.
My question is now what should I do?
Sand the top of the 2x8's till they are all flat? How long will this take to get all sides touching 100% or is this even possible?
Or do I do a piece of 3/4" ply on top. Will that make up any indifference in the top of the 2x8's?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Been marking and sanding and what a PITA. How much light shining through should I be concerned about. Most places you can only see a sliver of light no big gaps just enough to see the tiniest sliver of light
????
Lunchbucket
????
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Well I think I'm gonna put a piece of 3/4" ply on top. I've been sanding for hours and am close but want to make sure the corners have something solid and I think one of my corners got sanded a little bit to much 
moondoggy4
Team RC
On my new stand I will put a PVC sump on the bottom. Can you put cork on top of the bottom shelf? Thanks in advance PS Getting ready to paint.
Hi Rocket and everyone
I am planning to build a stand
I don't have alot of experience but the detailed plans are an inspiration
As far as the wood is concerned - is there any particular grade of 2 x 4 or 3/4" plywood I should be looking for?
Also - as far as screws can someone tell me exactly what type screws I am looking for?
Finally - do I need to stain or coat the stand - what is recommended
Thanks in advance
Will
I am planning to build a stand
I don't have alot of experience but the detailed plans are an inspiration
As far as the wood is concerned - is there any particular grade of 2 x 4 or 3/4" plywood I should be looking for?
Also - as far as screws can someone tell me exactly what type screws I am looking for?
Finally - do I need to stain or coat the stand - what is recommended
Thanks in advance
Will
moondoggy4
Team RC
MO Will go to a lumber store where then sell lumber for patio covers. Make sure all of your measurements are correct. Have them cut all of your lumber. both ends and top and bottom. I got mine done for 25 bucks and I built a 120 gallon stand. Marine plywood is the best it comes in 5x5 sheets, the least amount of voids between the ply's the better. If you do not have a Kregg or can borrow one, then use wood or sheet metal screws, brass or stainless. Paint or stain is your choice.
JonnyD91
New member
Hi
I used this thread to make my stand. I just finished leveling it and 3 of the 4 corners sit flush. On the 4th corner there is a gap you can fit a credit card in. Can i shim that side with a piece of plastic that thick? I cant dismantal the stand its glued and screwed.
I also have a thread about this in reef discussions, figured this thread my be better.
here is the other thread and a pic of the gap
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1702562&highlight=gap+in+stand
I used this thread to make my stand. I just finished leveling it and 3 of the 4 corners sit flush. On the 4th corner there is a gap you can fit a credit card in. Can i shim that side with a piece of plastic that thick? I cant dismantal the stand its glued and screwed.
I also have a thread about this in reef discussions, figured this thread my be better.
here is the other thread and a pic of the gap
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1702562&highlight=gap+in+stand
Rhodes19
New member
Hi All,
I need some advice on shimming the stand. From left to right the level is spot on. From front to back it is off by 3/8" on both sides of the stand with the low side to the front. I know its due to the floor because the work surface I made it on was leve as was the frame when I made it. The stand is 6' x 2' for my 180.
What would be the best way to level it? I have used shims in the past but never on anything this heavy. Do I use one long 6' shim or do I place shims every few inches? I guess another option is to raise the floor a little. I do have to go into the crawl space an put up some vertical supports (to be on the save side). Thanks.
Chris
I need some advice on shimming the stand. From left to right the level is spot on. From front to back it is off by 3/8" on both sides of the stand with the low side to the front. I know its due to the floor because the work surface I made it on was leve as was the frame when I made it. The stand is 6' x 2' for my 180.
What would be the best way to level it? I have used shims in the past but never on anything this heavy. Do I use one long 6' shim or do I place shims every few inches? I guess another option is to raise the floor a little. I do have to go into the crawl space an put up some vertical supports (to be on the save side). Thanks.
Chris
1DeR9_3Hy
New member
I need some pics/advice on the canopy guys. The stand is finished (except the last 4 pieces of crown trim, and 4 pieces of door molding i need to nail on), but i cant figure out how i can build a simple canopy to somewhat match this stand.
I made a frame for the top of the tank out of 2x4, then i was thinking of nailing some 1x8 or 1x10 to the 2x4 frame for the canopy sides then using some type of ply wood on top that would be hidden with more crown molding (you would only be able to see it looking top down...which is if you are 7 ft tall). Then using some window casing as a trim on the bottom of the 1X to finish that off.
Will that work? What about a hinge? Im using T5's retroed, how long are the 39 watt'rs with the end caps on them?
I made a frame for the top of the tank out of 2x4, then i was thinking of nailing some 1x8 or 1x10 to the 2x4 frame for the canopy sides then using some type of ply wood on top that would be hidden with more crown molding (you would only be able to see it looking top down...which is if you are 7 ft tall). Then using some window casing as a trim on the bottom of the 1X to finish that off.
Will that work? What about a hinge? Im using T5's retroed, how long are the 39 watt'rs with the end caps on them?
moondoggy4
Team RC
What I did was get some 1'' X5'' thick board popular or white oak and cut them 1'' inch square ( so they would be 1'' x say 6 feet long) and then cut to whatever the height of the canopy will be. Get 1/2'' plywood, I do not like using screws that go into plywood not very strong, so I use the 1'' strip wood for the frame and screw into that. You could make it a false top so that it is open. that would be very easy to do. PS my next canopy. I will try to post some pictures.
moondoggy4
Team RC
I found a new lumber store this place is huge I bought 10 board feet of Afromosia appr 16 feet long by 7'' inches wide and 3/4'' thick. 118 dollars my wife is going to be mad. So far 25 dollars for the lumber 15 dollars for the screws 52 for the 1/4'' teak plywood and 118 for the Afromosia and 96 dollars for the 4 corner pieces.
