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Building a stand... Without power tools?

4K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  the_deeb 
#1 ·
I love all these DIY stands, but is it possible to do without any power sanders, saws, etc?


- Mumford
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
If you get a good quality hand saw and learn proper technique you can make good cuts and build a quality project. The hardest thing to cut with a handsaw though is plywood.
 
#11 ·
In addition to the glue you can peg the joint. M&T joints take practice though to get a good slip fit. But all you need is a hand saw and a sharp chisel.

You could also drill your holes with a bit and brace. Screw them together with it also.
 
#14 ·
I just built a stand using only a drill. I had home depot cut everything to length and then used wood screws to screw everything together. All I used as a drill was one of those handheld drills that you usually use for screws. I hand-sanded everything and hand-sawed every piece that needed to have the length adjusted. It took a really long time, but I enjoy the smell of the wood.
 
#16 ·
I work at homedepot.. cuts are not always free.. depends on store policy, how good a mood the cutter is and if it requires lots of cuts of different sizes..

But it always is good to ask..

Ps.. u can also rent the power tools from hd.. 4 hr or 24 hr.. 4hr fee us pretty cheap compared to buying
 
#18 ·
I work at homedepot.. cuts are not always free.. depends on store policy, how good a mood the cutter is and if it requires lots of cuts of different sizes..

But it always is good to ask..

Ps.. u can also rent the power tools from hd.. 4 hr or 24 hr.. 4hr fee us pretty cheap compared to buying
Down here the first 2 are free. Then it's $0.25 per cut thereafter. And no precision cuts. Only time I ever really had them cut wood for me was when I got lazy and didn't feel like lugging a full sheet of 3/4 around and breaking it down. And one time I had them cut a bunch of 16 footers down to 14.
Why don't they sell 14' lumber anymore? Heck I looked at Lowes 14' and they were more than the 16s.
 
#19 ·
Back when I was in college, I built a couple stands with just hand tools. got some 2x4's from the local lumber yard, walked them back to my dorm, cut them with a cheap miter like Kado posted (except lower quality), and screwed them together using a leatherman (that was the worst part).

If you build the stand properly, the screws shouldn't really be structural- they mostly just keep things aligned, and clamp it together while the glue sets.

Most of your big-box stores will cut wood, some have a certain cuts/piece limitation, others charge a certain amount per cut, it really varies. I don't think I've ever gotten a really accurate cut, I usually just get bigger pieces chopped down so they are easier to carry.

I think doing without a drill might be the hardest part, but that's still doable. And drills are fairly common, so maybe you can see about borrowing one from a friend or something. It might also be worth checking out some flea markets and such, sometimes you can find some old beatup hand tools pretty cheap, and a hand drill would be a major help.
 
#20 ·
When power is not the answer, go Amish. It is plenty strong to use a peg joint, as a barn holds a fair bit of weight. With modern wood glues and a properly chosen peg joint, you will not have any failure issues to speak of.

You can find these dirt cheap as flea markets too. Most people don't even know what they are.

 
#21 ·
I use my Bit and Brace as a screwdriver when the battery needs charging. Swiped mine from my grandfather years ago.

You really need one of these though: ( I love mine)
 

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#24 ·
If you get the corded HF stuff it actually does last a while. I still have my 4.5" angle grinder from over 6 years ago, and I seriously abuse the snot out of it. I have yet to change the brushes (and you always get a spare set) probably due to losing them.

The battery powered stuff is where it gets hit and miss. Chargers fail often, and battery packs tend to lose capacity even when properly maintained in accordance with known practices (NiCd, Li-ion respectively).
 
#25 · (Edited)
I love all these DIY stands, but is it possible to do without any power sanders, saws, etc?....
It seems not many here were poor students in the 70's :hihi:

From my youth "hippie stand" ~ A standard concrete block is 16x8x8. Stacked 4 high your at 32" which is ave. stand height. HomeDepot sells Plywood in a 'Hobby Pannel size 2'x4' and 1/2 sheets of Plywood that are 4'x4' Home depot does 1 or 2 cuts free. Cut the plywood so you have a base & top. Set the base on the floor, stack your blocks add your top.....Done! No tools, power or hand needed.

Options - You can use additional plywood as shelves by laying them between the blocks. You can use a yoga mat as a gasket between the blocks. You can seal the plywood with, "Howard's Feed-n-Wax" from HomeDepot. I use it to refinish my gun stocks & grips. It's just Bee's was & Orange oil. You simple rub it on the wood with a rag. Again, NO tools needed.

Google image search "concrete block shelf" for further ideas.
 
#27 ·
I've always lived in relatively small apartments and haven't had room for power tools and I've built 3 or 4 stands with just hand tools (with the exception of an electric drill). It takes patience and a little more effort and time but it's certainly possible to get nice results.

When I'm planning out the stand design I just try to account for the limitations of of my tools and resources and get HD/Lowes to make long cuts on plywood panels that I wouldn't be able to do myself. I use a lot of 1X4s and 1X3s in my construction because their a little easier to manage and cut by hand.

This stand was for a custom 90g wide and I built it primarily out of pine 1X4s. I made all the cuts myself with a cheap tenon saw and finished with a sanding block.



This one was for a 65g. I had Home Depot cut the birch plywood panels and cut and assembled the 1X4 supports myself:





This one was for my 300g paludarium and was built in a similar way






I'll be posting a build journal soon for my current ongoing project which is a disassembleable stand for my new 150g riparium, also built entirely with hand tools.
 
#28 ·
Your fit and finish is very good considering your limitations the_deeb. Although you are only using smaller dimensional lumber it is easy to create thicker supports using sandwiched construction techniques.

I also give you some credit for keeping the grain situated. That alone makes it look more professional overall.
 
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