My Diy Stand Project

[Kombat]

I decided to build a stand for my 29 G tank. Here are some pictures of my progress so far. The overall dimensions of the stand are 31 1/4" long, 13 1/2" deep, and 30" tall.

These first 2 pics are of the frame. I used 2x3s.

This is a picture taken after I put the shell on. I used Oak veneered plywood.

And this is after I cut the doors out.

So far, the cost of the project has been:

2x3s = ~ $8.00
4'x8' sheet of Oak plywood = $40.00
2'x4' sheet of plywood for the top = $11.00
Hardwood (oak) Moulding = ~ $34.00

Not counting nails, screws, and glue, cost so far is about $93.00. I still have to buy stain and a final coating for water protection.

I have some of the moulding on but haven't taken a picture yet. I will post more as I progress further.

Karl

 

[Tolak]

Looks good, 2x3's with 6 upright supports is more than strong enough for a 29. One thing I would suggest is leaving an opening in the back, you can run any electrical devices to a powerstrip. This gives you easier access to unplug heaters, filters & such during maintenance. It also gives you a route for lines to a canister filter if you decide to use one.

Keep us updated, I love building stuff!

 

[Kombat]

Thanks for the tip. I have a hole saw so that will be perfect for putting a hole or two in the back.

TIP: When I was assembling the legs to the top and bottom frame I was using 3 1/2" wood screws. Even with very large pilot holes I could not get the screws through the length of the 2x3 plus the leg. About 3/4's of the way the screw would stop and I would end up stripping the screw head and have to cut it off with a hack saw. I had that happen 3 times. My dad gave me a suggestion that he learned from his grandfather who was a master carpenter: Ivory soap. He said roll the screw over a wet bar of Ivory soap. And it worked. The screws starting zipping in like it was nothing.

Karl

 

[Kombat]

Here are a couple of more pics. I have the moulding all on, and everything is sanded and ready for stain. The other picture is of one of the doors. I might put some more moulding on the front.

Karl

 

[dylema]

Very neat.

 

[Kombat]

I'm getting there. It had been really hot the last three weeks so I didn;t get much work done on it until this past week.

Here is the stand after staining and the first coat of varnish. I sanded it all again after staining but before putting on the varnish.

I sanded it again and applied a second coat of varnish. Here it is all setup. I still have the doors to do. They are together. They just need to be stained and varnished.

I will post a final picture once the doors are on. Total cost was about $110.

And here is a pic I took of the tank itself so people could see the setup.

Thanks for looking.

Karl