DIY Stands Template and Calculator
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
NaClH2Opgh
New member
What thickness are you guys going with for the sheets of wood when you skin the stand?
I think it is a preferance thing but I am using 1/2" all the way around cheap stuff for the back wall and berch plywood for the sides.
I used 3/4" sanded Birch. I would have gone thinner, but this was the best looking stuff I could find and I wanted to round the edges and 3/4" quarter round fit perfectly.
The black on black came out pretty nice....
NaClH2Opgh
New member
I used 3/4" sanded Birch. I would have gone thinner, but this was the best looking stuff I could find and I wanted to round the edges and 3/4" quarter round fit perfectly.
The black on black came out pretty nice....
Thanks guys. That's what I have been noticing too that it will probably come down to quality when I buy. I am only going to need two sheets so it probably won't matter much $ wise. I am building the stand attached to the wall in a corner on two sides so I don't need it for back or right side. I might go with the 1/2 inch since I might not make doors and just use magnets or clips to make removable panels.
Rhodes19
New member
I used 3/4" sanded Birch. I would have gone thinner, but this was the best looking stuff I could find and I wanted to round the edges and 3/4" quarter round fit perfectly.
The black on black came out pretty nice....
Very nice. What are you going to do for doors>
I will be cutting them out of the same Birch I used for the outside and then using trim around the edges to give them a finished looked. I will probably go with some kind of brushed or nickle hardware.
I can not find premaid cabinet doors locally and do not want to have to custom order them.
Rhodes19
New member
Perched Urchin
New member
Wow, just read through both the first and the second parts of this thread. That is a LOT of information.
But... I didn't find the answer I am looking for.
My sump is going to be remote from my DT in an unfinished part of my basement. My sump needs to sit about a foot off the floor so my return pump can sit underneath due to the location/configuration of my set up. My plan is to build a stand that will hold the sump (a 48"x18"x21" 75G) and then a smaller frag tank (36"x18" or 24"x18") above it.
How do I get adequate support under the rails on top when the tanks have the same depth from front to back and the tank on top is not as long?
Thanks in advance for the help!
But... I didn't find the answer I am looking for.
My sump is going to be remote from my DT in an unfinished part of my basement. My sump needs to sit about a foot off the floor so my return pump can sit underneath due to the location/configuration of my set up. My plan is to build a stand that will hold the sump (a 48"x18"x21" 75G) and then a smaller frag tank (36"x18" or 24"x18") above it.
How do I get adequate support under the rails on top when the tanks have the same depth from front to back and the tank on top is not as long?
Thanks in advance for the help!
Perched Urchin
New member
reice05,
I honestly have been thinking I will have to plan from ground up and where that second tank ends up is where it ends up!
Quick "back of the envelope" figures:
12" clearance under stande for pump (darn the fact that the Reeflo's output faces straight up!).
5.5" (2x6) for rail under 48x18x21 75G sump (I could go with 2x4 @ 3.5" and put in a middle leg, as I don't have to have clearance all the way across the span)
21" for sump tank
6" clearance above tank rim for access to skimmer collection cup (maybe more if possible)
This puts the bottom of any rail system at 43.5" or 41.5" if I use 2x4 for the rails under the sump.
Now comes the tricky part where I don't know what to do - I have no "legs" to stand the second box/shelf on, and most of the opinion here is that screw joints are not good when dealing with the weights associated with our tanks.
One thought I had is to have the "screw strips" be exterior (kind of an exterior superstructure to the stand), have them touch the floor flush with the legs under the sump and then to screw on cleats that would help support the second box. It still has screws supporting weight, but if I have say a 6" veritcal cleat, then the 2x4 box, all of which are secured to the exterior legs, I am guessing that would be pretty sturdy.
I honestly have been thinking I will have to plan from ground up and where that second tank ends up is where it ends up!
Quick "back of the envelope" figures:
12" clearance under stande for pump (darn the fact that the Reeflo's output faces straight up!).
5.5" (2x6) for rail under 48x18x21 75G sump (I could go with 2x4 @ 3.5" and put in a middle leg, as I don't have to have clearance all the way across the span)
21" for sump tank
6" clearance above tank rim for access to skimmer collection cup (maybe more if possible)
This puts the bottom of any rail system at 43.5" or 41.5" if I use 2x4 for the rails under the sump.
Now comes the tricky part where I don't know what to do - I have no "legs" to stand the second box/shelf on, and most of the opinion here is that screw joints are not good when dealing with the weights associated with our tanks.
One thought I had is to have the "screw strips" be exterior (kind of an exterior superstructure to the stand), have them touch the floor flush with the legs under the sump and then to screw on cleats that would help support the second box. It still has screws supporting weight, but if I have say a 6" veritcal cleat, then the 2x4 box, all of which are secured to the exterior legs, I am guessing that would be pretty sturdy.
Perched Urchin
New member
Sorry - thought you were asking about the planned height of the stand I am asking for help with. If not, sorry to confuse you.
Rhodophyta
New member
"a foot off the floor"
I'm going to estimate around $250-$300 - that includes paint, polyacrylic, brushes, screws, & all the wood. My friend that helped me build mine (okay - he really built it, I just watched in awe) built every piece of trim for it, so I saved quite a bit of money on that.
TheFishMan65
New member
Perched Urchin
New member
Thanks for the reference. As I look at this, there is no support for the end panels of any of the tanks. Is that not a problem?
I had actually seen this when reading through before but thought only supporting the front and back might be an issue.
