Christoff
New Member
Hello everyone, just thought I'd share my experiences building a tank stand adding some comments on where I went wrong along the way! Hopefully someone will find it useful.
I used 44mm x 44mm PSE as a frame skeleton and 12mm MDF for covering. I primed with two coats of Wickes MDF primer and used PVA glue to seal ends of MDF. Then used oil based eggshell for finish, sanding between each coat. This takes a long while!
First stage was to make the frame.
I screwed and glued the wood at each joint. Top tip is to make sure that you cut accurately and to precise lenghts. A few mm out at this stage and the stand won't be square (making the MDF difficult to fit) or (worse) level. I also learnt that you shouldn't use a jigsaw to cut timber! Almost impossible to get the cut square, use a mitre saw or get a timber yard to get all your pieces cut to length. The joints look like this:
Another must do I found was to pre drill the screw holes, even when using wood screws that say it's not necessary. You get a much better hold and it stops the wood and mdf from splitting.
I then cut out the base MDF leaving space for the uprights. This is it slotted into the frame:
The side pieces of MDF were cut 12mm longer so that they overlapped with the back panel so that you couldn't see the butt joint from the side.
I also added an extra couple of batons to the left side for a shelf. I'm keeping the right free for an external filter. I've got a router and so rounded over the front of the shelf.
This is the stand as it is now with side, back, base and shelf all painted and screwed and glued in.
I've just now got to add the top of the unit which is 18mm MDF primed and painted with routed roundover edges and also to make and fit the doors.
Will post updates as and when I add bits. Just need to get a tank now...
I used 44mm x 44mm PSE as a frame skeleton and 12mm MDF for covering. I primed with two coats of Wickes MDF primer and used PVA glue to seal ends of MDF. Then used oil based eggshell for finish, sanding between each coat. This takes a long while!
First stage was to make the frame.
I screwed and glued the wood at each joint. Top tip is to make sure that you cut accurately and to precise lenghts. A few mm out at this stage and the stand won't be square (making the MDF difficult to fit) or (worse) level. I also learnt that you shouldn't use a jigsaw to cut timber! Almost impossible to get the cut square, use a mitre saw or get a timber yard to get all your pieces cut to length. The joints look like this:
Another must do I found was to pre drill the screw holes, even when using wood screws that say it's not necessary. You get a much better hold and it stops the wood and mdf from splitting.
I then cut out the base MDF leaving space for the uprights. This is it slotted into the frame:
The side pieces of MDF were cut 12mm longer so that they overlapped with the back panel so that you couldn't see the butt joint from the side.
I also added an extra couple of batons to the left side for a shelf. I'm keeping the right free for an external filter. I've got a router and so rounded over the front of the shelf.
This is the stand as it is now with side, back, base and shelf all painted and screwed and glued in.
I've just now got to add the top of the unit which is 18mm MDF primed and painted with routed roundover edges and also to make and fit the doors.
Will post updates as and when I add bits. Just need to get a tank now...
