Revised stand core Idea.

[Drakon]

:deadhorse:

Originally I was trying to work out a side door stand but after some though I put together this alternative. Does the attached stand core look to be safe? It would be 3/4 birch plywood screwed and glued with an affixed plywood top. This is for a dual 75 gallon system. I'm fairly confident this should work but I may be over looking something. the side pieces are 3/4 over but the load, I believe should be moved to them with how I've done this.


The real stand attached is a 70/90 gallon stand sold for these tanks for comparison.

Thanks again all

 

[M_Jaco]

Just on an initial inspection without really giving it too much thought I think it will fail with the front open. Because there is no material on the front, the sides are "braced" only in the back... that provides a 24" unbraced length for the sides to buckle. I would have at LEAST 6" of good material on the front face, to act as a brace for the front of the sides.

I would also personally beef up the corner joints with a 2x2 or larger. And at that point, you might as well just be using the wood in the corners to take the vertical load rather than relying on plywood.

I have a few other gripes about a design like this, but for the sake of not ranting I'll leave them out


My point is, it would be much easier and safer to just use a 2x4 frame and skin it with ply IMO

 

[cjm5283]

I agree that I would use 2x2 or 2x4 in the corners to eliminated the plywood sides from buckling. As for the front face I believe you will be fine with the 3 sides.