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DIY help!

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:05 pm
by Scott
What materials would I need to build a stand, canopy and cabinent for a 60 gallon cube tank?

Mainly I need to know:
-what to build the frame out of
-what to skin it with
-what kind of fasteners
-plans or designs
-any other things that I am forgetting

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:31 am
by Fishfood
Beer and some power tools. .. haha. oh, wait. guess you shouldn't asnwer these things after a night of drinking.

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:13 pm
by Scott
I,ve already got a case, no worries about that :D .

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:28 pm
by Redfish
OK, Here goes my opinion:

Use 1x6 select pine boards to create your frame. These boards are available at Lowes and Home Depot. You are going to create four frames. The back frame is open. The front frame is also open, to be closed by a single door. The two side panels will be closed by grooving the inside edges of the frame pieces and insetting 1/4" birch, pine or whiteboard plywood. Joint the pieces with pocket screws.

It will look like a piece of furniture when you finish. You can finish it any way you want. The door is made the same way as the sides, excpet with 1x3 boards.

The floor is 1/2 ply on 1x2 stringers on the inside of the stand bottom. The decorative top edging is a 1x3.

canopy is simply 1x6 or 1x8 with decorative edging. Or, if you want to get fancy you could make it the same as the bottom with narrower boards.

See my thread on my 225. You do not need to many tools to make this work. If you had all the materials, I could do the carpentry in just a few hours.

Phil

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:34 pm
by Redfish
Oops, just saw the other thread. That will take abit longer, but the principles are still the same.

Phil

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:11 pm
by Scott
So will I need a router to make the grooves? Any tips on the construction process or any other tips? Should the stringers and frame be glued and screwed? I am about as far away from a carpenter and you can get, so dumb it down as much as possible :wink:

All I have a table saw, jig saw, drills, tape measures, torpedo levels, squares and some clamps.

Thanks,
Scott

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 9:21 am
by Redfish
I don't use lue with the pocket screw type joint. No need.

I would say that you need a router and a miter saw. The table saw is a good miter saw alternative but not near as convenient. You need to make a trip over here and see some examples. It is very simple construction that can look fantastic.

See my PM.

Phil

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:42 pm
by Scott
Is this the tool that you have to make the pocket screws?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kreg-Rocket-Jig-Poc ... dZViewItem

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:46 pm
by Redfish
Thats the expensive system. I just buy the single guide and use my own clamps. I will try to find a link.

Phil

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:48 pm
by Redfish

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:19 pm
by Scott
Looks good. I have a few more questions for anyone who knows about tools. I need a router and a miter saw and I am on a pretty tight budget.

1. What features are important for a router, like plunge style or not, variable speed or single speed, what size collet, anything else that you think is important?

2. What brands are better?

3. What other tools would I need?

4. What router bits do I need?

Thanks,
Scott

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 9:14 pm
by Scott
Hey Phil,
Do you think you could give me some step by step instructions? You may need to dumb it down a little too :D .

One of the things I don't understand is the four frames? Is this for the stand? I would think that you would need two frames, one that would sit on the floor and another that the tank would sit on.

Thanks,
Scott

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:31 am
by Redfish
No problem.

The four frames I refer to are the front, two sides and the back. The tank actually bears down through these frames which are simple fastened together. A lot of people actually start on the line of thinking you are pursueing above. You do not want to build a top and bottom platform and find a way to connect and then skin them.

Give me the width of your tank including plastic trim and we will start.

Are you going to go with the simple tank on stand or the harder unit you posted a picture of?

Phil

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:47 pm
by Scott
The width of the tank is 24.5 inches. I really want to build a stand that could hold a 120 then build the canopy and closet area as one piece that could be removed separate from the stand. That way when I get to upgrade I already have a stand.

So you make one frame that sits on the floor, one that the tank sits on and then two that are vertical and the vertical ones are the supports?

The vertical ones have to be routed in areas so that the wood that you use to fill in the stand just sits in the grooves?

Thanks,
Scott

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 12:57 pm
by Scott
Besides the boards what materials do I need (screws,etc)