filling gaps between tank and DIY stand

[beaniebeagle]

I just got done putting another stand together with 2x4's and 2x6's.

And of course the width of the lumber is never exactly the same or perfectly straight.

The top piece of 3/4" plywood that sits on top for the tank to rest on has a millimeter or two gap along the long portion of the tank between the plywood and the underlying 2x6's. So it still bows slightly down when you push down on the middle. In other words, there will be more weight on the ends of tank when I fill it

I am looking for a good solid filler to keep the support even. Any suggestions? Construction adhesive? a thick layer of glue?

I know others have had to deal with this, the wood from HD or Lowes is never perfect

 

[gaberosenfield]

When I posted about this same issue on RC, most people told me to rebuild the stand and be more careful next time. Since I had spent months building it on the weekends and had already gone over budget, I opted to put JB wood weld epoxy in the low areas.

I outlined the tank on the stand, sanded the paint on the stand under the rim of the tank, mixd and laid down the epoxy, covered the epoxy with saran wrap, and put the tank back on top of it. I laid myself on top of the tank to help push down the epoxy to the right height. The next day, I removed the tank, chipped away the epoxy that was sticking out beyond the edge of the tank's rim, and repainted the top of the stand.

Even after all of that, there is still a tiny gap visible when the lights are on the tank. It's much smaller than before, but I'm not sure how much difference my efforts made. The tank has now been up and running for 3 months or so, and no problems have developed yet. I can only hope they won't appear in the future.

Good luck!

 

[zachts]

If it's only one or two millimeters gap don't sweat it. Most of the mas produced tanks aren't even that level. Glass can bend quite a bit. It will only become an issue if the gap is more than one or two millimeters at any point.

Did you put a reliable level or straight edge on your tank trim to see if the tank itself is not the issue?

 

[jonwright]

Exactly why I use plywood construction. Much easier to get straight line with clamp straightedge and saw.

Nonetheless no more than that I'd be fine with it.

And I wouldn't rebuild it.

But you next stand. Really look at ply.

 

[Flippers4pups]

If it's only one or two millimeters gap don't sweat it. Most of the mas produced tanks aren't even that level. Glass can bend quite a bit. It will only become an issue if the gap is more than one or two millimeters at any point.

Did you put a reliable level or straight edge on your tank trim to see if the tank itself is not the issue?

I've seen this as well over the years with mass produced tanks. The tank trim they put on isn't always perfectly square. A millimeter or two is nothing.

 

[SGT_York]

Within tolerances,

When you build your stand you need to look at the grain of the wood when you decide which way to place it. All wood will warp the grain will tell you which way it will go. For the two long pieces you do not want the board to be U shaped (they are all slightly U) you want an upside down U. The board will sag and flex just a bit and give you a much better build.

But it's within tolerances for sure.

 

[jonwright]

Within tolerances,

When you build your stand you need to look at the grain of the wood when you decide which way to place it. All wood will warp the grain will tell you which way it will go. For the two long pieces you do not want the board to be U shaped (they are all slightly U) you want an upside down U. The board will sag and flex just a bit and give you a much better build.

But it's within tolerances for sure.

.....OR....

Just do one cut that square and straight with plywood and don't make it complicated....

But that's just me.

 

[SGT_York]

Oh the things I could do if I had a nice tablesaw!

 

[Fredfish]

Oh the things I could do if I had a nice tablesaw!

And straight eyes.

 

[1234]

That's what dense foam is for

 

[salty joe]

Oh the things I could do if I had a nice tablesaw!

http://www.amazon.com/E-Emerson-Too...id=1421866543&sr=8-1&keywords=saw+guide+clamp

Sure a table saw is nice, but with a saw guide you can make dead on straight accurate cuts. I actually prefer my saw guide over my table saw for long cuts.

 

[stephenhall1987]

+1 for the dense foam. I've done it before. Just put a layer of foam between the tank and the stand, and the foam will squish and level out the tank.

Or
Get a hand planer and a straight edge and level out the stand. But like SGT_York said, normal lumber is going to warp over time. Especially with all of that weight on it. Plywood is "stronger" because it is layered with wood grain going in multiple directions.