DYI Stand Builders

[scapegoat]

Originally Posted by HD Blazingwolf

my 75 gallon stand DIY currently being built is 6 2x4's its very simple and absolutely overbuilt. 4 2x4's could easily support more weight

straight is not an issue if its being covered. we hand selected the wood, and immediately drilled, cut, screwed and covered. 6 days later its still straight and level and I AM NOT a woodworker

that's the trick with dimensional lumber, you use it right away. if you let it sit around for weeks/months it's going to warp. get that sucker stuck in the position you want it in while its moisture content is still high.

[nvladik]

Originally Posted by GraphicGr8s

nvladik are you using PT or spruce?

My judgement was simple, what's the most expensive, should be the best. LOL.

I didn't build my current stand, it was build for me and I don't like the quality. Not the best staining, plywood ends shipped and were sanded down, etc.

[In.a.Box]

Don't buy if you ain't going to use it right away.
I have 6 2by3 sitting outside for month. Out of 6 only 2 was good.
I use 2by3 on my 40B anything bigger I go with 2by4.
Using plywood is best but the cost is close to just buying a new already made stand.

[lochaber]

Usually in both Home Depot and Lowes they carry a stack of 'premium' 2x4 and 2x3 that are supposed to be kiln dried. I've had good luck using these so far, and they aren't much more then the green 2x4. They are sometimes damp, but not quite the sopping wet that the rest of the lumber typically is.

I sort through the pile and try to find fairly straight pieces with decent grain - look at the end of the piece, if the grain is C shaped, there is a good chance the piece will cup as it dries.

Looking at the pics and reading the blurb in the initial link, it looks like the guy is using 2x4s built out of plywood (also mentions engineered lumber). sounds way too expensive...

Here's a pic of a 40B stand I've recently completed (I still need to finish sealing it), built almost entirely of 2x4 and 2x3 lumber

[GraphicGr8s]

Originally Posted by nvladik

My judgement was simple, what's the most expensive, should be the best. LOL.

I didn't build my current stand, it was build for me and I don't like the quality. Not the best staining, plywood ends shipped and were sanded down, etc.

I'd never, ever use PT for a stand. In fact I can't think of many places inside I would use PT. Actually I can't think of any place really.

If I'm going to build a stand out of plywood you won't see the plywood ends. If you do it's not built right.

Inabox, even bigger than a 40B you don't need 2x4. You might use it for the legs but horizontal members are just fine with 2x3. If I were to build an open style higher end stand I would probably use 1 x 4 for everything. And it would hold the weight. It's all a matter of the joinery you use.

[Sluggo]

Have you guys ever looked at what they sell for commercial tank stands? Never seen a single piece of 2" material in any of them. My LFS had a 180-gal display tank made completely out of 1" stock. It's not brute force that holds the tank up, it's all in how you distribute the weight and transfer it to the floor. If you are going to have legs, you need a different design than if you are going to build a cabinet that contacts the floor around the entire perimeter. The other key is to triangulate enough with your fasteners, etc. to keep the thing from racking.

[GraphicGr8s]

Originally Posted by Sluggo

Have you guys ever looked at what they sell for commercial tank stands? Never seen a single piece of 2" material in any of them. My LFS had a 180-gal display tank made completely out of 1" stock. It's not brute force that holds the tank up, it's all in how you distribute the weight and transfer it to the floor. If you are going to have legs, you need a different design than if you are going to build a cabinet that contacts the floor around the entire perimeter. The other key is to triangulate enough with your fasteners, etc. to keep the thing from racking.

That's not true in many cases. As soon as you put shims to level the stand it bears only on those points.

[Sluggo]

Originally Posted by GraphicGr8s

That's not true in many cases. As soon as you put shims to level the stand it bears only on those points.

.........which is why you shim as much of the perimeter as possible. I would never shim it at only one or two points, I would try to shim any part of the stand that does not contact the floor. My floors are level, and I have w/w carpet and pads, so low spots and such have never been an issue for me. Where possible, I believe it is preferable to shim the tank rather than the entire stand.

My point is, if you are going to have four legs that are the only transfer points to the floor, then you probably need bigger stock than if you are skirting the whole perimeter of the tank. I've looked at a lot of cabinet-style commercial stands for 75g, 90g, 125g, 180g tanks, and have never seen them use any 2" lumber.

[fplata]

That cheap building grade white or yellow pine will twist when it's not fully cured. That being said there are methods to building cabinets that will keep them from warping in any way. You do not need to frame out the stand with 2x4s you only need to use them for vertical and some horizontal support. See the stands I build on my signature none of them where framed out and they are fully squared.


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[GraphicGr8s]

Originally Posted by Sluggo

.........which is why you shim as much of the perimeter as possible. I would never shim it at only one or two points, I would try to shim any part of the stand that does not contact the floor. My floors are level, and I have w/w carpet and pads, so low spots and such have never been an issue for me. Where possible, I believe it is preferable to shim the tank rather than the entire stand.

My point is, if you are going to have four legs that are the only transfer points to the floor, then you probably need bigger stock than if you are skirting the whole perimeter of the tank. I've looked at a lot of cabinet-style commercial stands for 75g, 90g, 125g, 180g tanks, and have never seen them use any 2" lumber.

If the top of the stand is flat I don't want to put shims there. I prefer to shim the cabinet. All I am saying is you don't have to shim the entire perimeter of the stand. You get the corners and at least one point in the middle your silver. Two points in between the corners and your gold.

That cheap building grade white or yellow pine will twist when it's not fully cured. That being said there are methods to building cabinets that will keep them from warping in any way. You do not need to frame out the stand with 2x4s you only need to use them for vertical and some horizontal support. See the stands I build on my signature none of them where framed out and they are fully squared.

Done right you never need 2x material in a stand.