Wood edge help

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#41
What would you recommend for wood? I was thinking plywood and wrapping it.
Plywood is perfect. Minimum 1/2" thickness and minimum 5 ply. Do not use other sheet goods like particle board or fiberboard.

So it still requires a center bracing in the front?
Yes. Aquariums are really heavy. Just the water weighs 62.4 lbs per cubic foot, so your awesome looking 24 x 15 x 15 tank is going to have about 200 lbs of water in it. Add the weight of the tank, and you probably will have 250+ lbs - all pressing down equally on every square inch of your stand top.

Now the sides and back of your tank are being supported by the sides and back of the stand. However the tank is also pressing down in the middle of the stand, and the front edge. This is why many stands put a support beam (or more than one depending on the size of the tank) in the middle of of the stand, running beneath the top, to support that weight and keep the middle of the top of the stand from bowing.

When you need to put in a support beam to support the second floor of a house, you have to take into consideration the cross-sectional strength of the beam, the length of the beam, and the end supports of the beam that transfer the load down to your foundation. That is exactly what the front of this stand is - it is an open space being supported by a beam that runs along the front edge of the top. You have a 5" wide piece of laminate particleboard that is perhaps 1/2" thick, and who knows how it is affixed to the sides and the top, because I can guarantee you those joints are not designed to bear the weight of a 250 lb aquarium 24/7. You can imagine that even if it holds at the beginning, with time that trim piece may pull away from either side, or the top, and when it does, your entire aquarium is going to end up on the floor.

Now if you want to keep the clean lines of that stand while improving the structural integrity, you could just build an internal frame within the stand out of 2x4's. You would see it when you open the doors, but otherwise it would be invisible. Rather than screw the frame to the stand walls, use polyurethane adhesive - stronger and waterproof and you don't have to worry about unsightly screw holes.

There are a lot of ways you could add strength to the setup... but all of them are going to require a little space within the stand. So if you specced your sump so that the sump fits every square inch within the stand... you may be in trouble.
 
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#42
I should add... I am saying you need to give up space within the stand because I am assuming you would use wood as your support material. If you know a welder, steel is a much better alternative and would take up much less space.
 
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#43
So wait I'm confused... I just realized we're talking about a 24 x 15 x 15 tank, while the tank in the photo is more like 48 x 24 x 18. Which are we talking about?
 
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#44
Plywood is perfect. Minimum 1/2" thickness and minimum 5 ply. Do not use other sheet goods like particle board or fiberboard.



Yes. Aquariums are really heavy. Just the water weighs 62.4 lbs per cubic foot, so your awesome looking 24 x 15 x 15 tank is going to have about 200 lbs of water in it. Add the weight of the tank, and you probably will have 250+ lbs - all pressing down equally on every square inch of your stand top.

Now the sides and back of your tank are being supported by the sides and back of the stand. However the tank is also pressing down in the middle of the stand, and the front edge. This is why many stands put a support beam (or more than one depending on the size of the tank) in the middle of of the stand, running beneath the top, to support that weight and keep the middle of the top of the stand from bowing.

When you need to put in a support beam to support the second floor of a house, you have to take into consideration the cross-sectional strength of the beam, the length of the beam, and the end supports of the beam that transfer the load down to your foundation. That is exactly what the front of this stand is - it is an open space being supported by a beam that runs along the front edge of the top. You have a 5" wide piece of laminate particleboard that is perhaps 1/2" thick, and who knows how it is affixed to the sides and the top, because I can guarantee you those joints are not designed to bear the weight of a 250 lb aquarium 24/7. You can imagine that even if it holds at the beginning, with time that trim piece may pull away from either side, or the top, and when it does, your entire aquarium is going to end up on the floor.

Now if you want to keep the clean lines of that stand while improving the structural integrity, you could just build an internal frame within the stand out of 2x4's. You would see it when you open the doors, but otherwise it would be invisible. Rather than screw the frame to the stand walls, use polyurethane adhesive - stronger and waterproof and you don't have to worry about unsightly screw holes.

There are a lot of ways you could add strength to the setup... but all of them are going to require a little space within the stand. So if you specced your sump so that the sump fits every square inch within the stand... you may be in trouble.
It is a 24x15x15 tank with a 26x26x 15 sump and the stand I want to build is 36x40x30. With these dimension would you recommend using a 2x4 stand instead? The pictures were just a demonstration on how I wanted to do the tank.


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#45
I should add... I am saying you need to give up space within the stand because I am assuming you would use wood as your support material. If you know a welder, steel is a much better alternative and would take up much less space.
I did calculate the space so I want to build a bigger stand to fit everything inside


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#46
It is a 24x15x15 tank with a 26x26x 15 sump and the stand I want to build is 36x40x30. With these dimension would you recommend using a 2x4 stand instead? The pictures were just a demonstration on how I wanted to do the tank.
There are many good options to get you to where you want to end up. However just don't use the stand in the photo :)

2x4's are going to probably be the cheapest option because let's face it - they're cheap and easy to work with. Just make sure of your joints. One way to strengthen any joint is to use polyurethane construction adhesive in the joint before you use your wood screws.

Stronger materials are going to yield better results in less space - giving you more room in the interior of your stand and potentially better aesthetics. I liked your other post about extruded aluminum. Relatively easy to work as long as you have a chop saw with metal blade, and a little more forgiving in a saltwater environment. Plus I used to work in an aluminum extrusion mill years ago :)

Steel is going to be best, but it has some downsides. Hard to work with unless you are a welder, heavy, and rusts. You really need to work with pros to make the stand, and then other pros to powder coat it (good) or metalize it (best). Don't make the mistake of spending money to make a steel stand and then think you can spraypaint it with Rustoleum and be good to go.

It all depends on what you want to do, how long you want it to last, and what your aesthetic needs are. A frag tank in your garage? I'd go with 2x4's. A tank in a commercial space like a doctor's office - metalized steel all the way.

By the way - for the record - pine and other softwoods are much weaker than hardwoods. If you happen to be sitting on a pile of scrap oak (for example) it has about twice the compression and shear resistance as pine. Something to keep in mind - if you have the wood.
 
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#47
I am going to go with 2x4 and definitely use polyurethane construction adhesive for the joints. What would you recommend for 90 degree clamps? I have the basic 90 degree clamps but the wall are short and it was sort of hard to make a media stand.
I also liked extruded aluminium but I really want to get the satisfaction of making the stand by hand and cutting. I guess with wood I would get satisfaction and sense of achievement.

I am going to keep this tank for as long as it stays holding water. I do want good aesthetic since it will be next to our dinner table and will be what people see when we eat. I am first going to do the base maybe after the holidays when things slow down.

For wrapping what would you recommend? If I go with plywood for wrapping how do I make the corners clean without seeing the layers? I was thinking formica but is there another option?

MY wife want stain wood so what would is better to stain is plywood still good for staining?
 
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#48
Ok so slow down a bit...

To do what you are talking about requires some skills and tools. Not impossible for a first-timer, but you have to know your limitations. Are you mister anal that measures everything to .00001" and cuts super clean lines? Or are you a typical house-owner who thinks 1/4" is "close enough". Because "close enough" is going to give you a piece of shit in your dining room that your loving wife is going to say "I love it" when she's actually thinking "hmmmm....".

What you are talking about is cabinetry - just like what you see in kitchens or bathrooms or really expensive built-in libraries. 99% of the kitchens and bathrooms being constructed in southern Cal today are not 100% hardwood... if they are really nice they are hardwood skinned plywood. Most aren't even that. So yes, it can be done, but it can't be done with anything you can buy at Home Depot... unless you are talking about painted plywood.

I build expensive custom furniture from 100% hardwood. I can help, but first you have to really think about what you want to build, and how much you are willing to pay. If you want to build an awesome cabinetry stand... you have to have a table saw and compound miter saw at the minimum. If you don't have the tools, you might end up spending more on the tools than your stand. Just saying.

Before:
before.jpg


After:
chair1.jpg
 
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#49
Ok so slow down a bit...

To do what you are talking about requires some skills and tools. Not impossible for a first-timer, but you have to know your limitations. Are you mister anal that measures everything to .00001" and cuts super clean lines? Or are you a typical house-owner who thinks 1/4" is "close enough". Because "close enough" is going to give you a piece of shit in your dining room that your loving wife is going to say "I love it" when she's actually thinking "hmmmm....".

What you are talking about is cabinetry - just like what you see in kitchens or bathrooms or really expensive built-in libraries. 99% of the kitchens and bathrooms being constructed in southern Cal today are not 100% hardwood... if they are really nice they are hardwood skinned plywood. Most aren't even that. So yes, it can be done, but it can't be done with anything you can buy at Home Depot... unless you are talking about painted plywood.

I build expensive custom furniture from 100% hardwood. I can help, but first you have to really think about what you want to build, and how much you are willing to pay. If you want to build an awesome cabinetry stand... you have to have a table saw and compound miter saw at the minimum. If you don't have the tools, you might end up spending more on the tools than your stand. Just saying.

Before:
View attachment 62626

After:
View attachment 62627
I want really nice stand that aligned perfect and this can be perfect practice for when I get a house and want to build that perfect upper fixer.

I started looking into compound saw and table saw. Makita LS0815F Slide Compound Miter Saw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KXVBP6O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n9XfCb0DFC7HG

Makita 2705 10-Inch Contractor Table Saw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027FFKWY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F.XfCbY75V1GM

What would you recommend? If the stand takes time to build then I will postpone the tank set up to ensure I can build the best stand to my skill.



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#51
you want a compound miter saw do not get one that is sliding it is more expensive and much more dangerous and not necessary if you have a table saw.

for your table saw you want one with a table not these little portable work saws. in order to do your stand you're going to have to be able to cut panels 4 feet or so long.

check out Craigslist for use contractors saws. don't just search for table saw specifically look for contractors table saws those are the ones that come with the big tables
 
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#52
you want a compound miter saw do not get one that is sliding it is more expensive and much more dangerous and not necessary if you have a table saw.

for your table saw you want one with a table not these little portable work saws. in order to do your stand you're going to have to be able to cut panels 4 feet or so long.

check out Craigslist for use contractors saws. don't just search for table saw specifically look for contractors table saws those are the ones that come with the big tables
Okay how are they dangerous? Okay do you have any you'll recommend? I saw some for sale for only $99 tht were fixed.
I don't think I fit a full size saw will fit in my house. Can I use a saw and guides to cut accurate?


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xraymatt

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#53
Not the best picture, but I added a wood shelf that goes around the tank (peninsula style). I sanded it and used a bunch of coats of polyurethane. Something different that I’ve ever done. 🤙🏻
77022965-1F53-4C0B-96A0-79749EC88BE2.jpeg
 
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#54
Wow just wood color looks amazing. I am learning so much didn't know regular 2x4 would look so nice. Give me perspective on more options on how I can paint or design things.
 

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