Half way to my next tank

[Lady Hobbs]

Now to paint the stand. It's for the 75 gallon that I've been trying to get for 4 months.

Made all of 2x4 with legs being 4x4.

I may put a bottom in it and have my son make some doors to hide the canister.

[gm72]

Looks good, Lady. Nice work. I made a stand for a 55 and used wood paneling on the sides. You could also use wainscoting and stain it a nice color.

Now I just need to finish the doors!

[Lady Hobbs]

Yes, I need to lay a sheet of plywood down for the floor and need to do something about hiding the filter. Not sure what I'm doing yet. Just getting this much was a feat in itself.

[Drumachine09]

I also might be getting a 75 too!

A friend of mine that works at a pet shop told me about this guy who is selling his 75 with 91 lbs of live rock, filters, lights, tank, and stand for $400. Now i just need to scrounge together some cash to see if i can afford it.


BTW, the stand looks nice hobbs!

[Rue]

Congrats on getting the stand! Is that the one your ex made? You're one step closer to getting it all together! Woohoo!

[Lady Hobbs]

After I figure out how to finish it and put some doors on.

[tropfish]

nice hobbs :thumb: :thumb:

[crackatinny]

Cool, the foundations are layed, now the big build,:19:

[modster]

nice stand:19: what did you use to cut the wood?

[Lady Hobbs]

Nothing. I will get oil based paint on it.

[RobbieG]

I'm also halfway to my next tank - I got my wifes permission. that may be more like 90%

That's a nice stand - I have a couple of the "oak" stands that come with the tanks and I cross my fingers when I fill them up. That thing looks like it could hold twice the weight of the tank!

[Lady Hobbs]

Actually, I checked in the DIY for building a stand and the instructions were to use 4x4's. I felt that a bit of overkill and didn't want it so heavy I couldn't move the thing. This is all made of 2x4's, with the legs doubled and also both ends. The top doesn't need closing on glass tanks but does on acrylic.

I wonder if Home Depot has unfinished doors? I had a friend make this much of the stand but need to put some sides and a front on it.

It takes two to carry it so is plenty heavy and solid.

[Greg Menke]

Looks plenty robust. If you find it at all wobbly side-to-side or front-to-back, a couple lengths of 1x2 placed diagonally across the back and sides will firm it right up. You might consider doing that anyhow to ensure the base stays rigid once its settled under the tank.

It amazing how much strength and rigidity that small cross-section of wood provides when applied this way. I made a table for a couple hundred pounds of lathe tooling and used some remainder quarter-round molding for the diagonal bracing- just those little sticks removed all the wobble.

I made doors using sheets of IIRC 3/16" plywood. I painted them, added hinges, magnetic door holders and handles, added 1x2 bracing on the backside to keep them flat & rigid. Was pretty cheap- but you'll need a table or circular saw, though maybe you can have the panels cut to size at the store.

Regards,

Greg

[Lady Hobbs]

This thing doesn't move. The top has cross braces and there will have to be another in the front for the doors. It's a pain not having any tools. I have to have everything cut at the store but it's worth the extra it cost and they always do it right.

You sound pretty handy. I think you should come over here and finish it up for me. :)

[Rue]

We have hand tools...but you never get things right with them...so I have stuff cut for me at the store too...

That way I save myself the aggrevation of motivating hubby to help me to...:hmm3grin2orange:

The DIY boys on another forum have repeatedly warned against the use of 4X4s...they use 2X4s doubled up instead...less chance of warping.

Your stand is quite low to the ground, so I don't think you would've had the same problems as a larger stand would have...but still...it does make sense...

[Lady Hobbs]

I had it made to the same height as my 55 gallon......23 inches from the floor. I thought it would look weird sitting side by side and one was 6 inches higher and sure it would have.

Just spent $82 at the darned store on my free stand! Paint, brushes, wood filler, plywood for the bottom, top and sides and I'm going to try to make doors. This should be interesting. Of course I forgot the hinges.

[Rue]

That's the problem with DIY...it costs too much!

A couple of years ago I thought I'd make 2 'cheap' moveable stands for my parrots...

...so I bought 2 cheap 'end tables' of unfinished pine and put them together...$20 each...

...then bought the paint and stain supplies...$75

...and then added the 2 't-bars' for the birds to perch on from the bird store...another $80...

For $175 I could've bought 2 nicer stands...:laugh1blue: