Built a custom 125 stand
- Thread starter thegrog
- Start date
photo guy
New Member
That stand is SWEEEET!
I've bought a 220 gal that I'll be picking up next month. It has a not so good looking stand with it. I've been trying to decide if I want to make a stand myself or have one made (don't have a huge amount of time). The cabinet maker I spoke with quoted about $700 for a 42" high by 6' stand. Do you mind telling us how much money you have in your stand? Then do you mind telling us how much TIME you have in it.
Thanks,
Keith
I've bought a 220 gal that I'll be picking up next month. It has a not so good looking stand with it. I've been trying to decide if I want to make a stand myself or have one made (don't have a huge amount of time). The cabinet maker I spoke with quoted about $700 for a 42" high by 6' stand. Do you mind telling us how much money you have in your stand? Then do you mind telling us how much TIME you have in it.
Thanks,
Keith
thegrog
Active Member
Thanks for the complements.
OK, easy questions first. The doors are hinged. Unfortunately, the frame posts don't line up with the door edges quite right (an oops on my part) so the hinges are slightly visible instead of totally hidden. I just used small, brass hinges.
Money, all in all I spent about $250 for everything (wood, hardware, etc)...not to mention about a thousand dollars in gas going back and forth for that one little peice I always seemed to forget....not to mention returning the things I thought I would need but didn't.
Time:
The frame I built in one evening and then I waterproofed it (about an hour then letting it sit for a day).
A day for fitting, cutting and attaching the oak paneling and making the doors.
An evening attaching the oak trimwork.
One day staining everything (2 coats, 6 hours apart....only took about an hour for a single coat)
And finally about 2 hours attaching the doors.
It will probably take me about 3 hours to make the hood and then the appropriate staining time.
Overall, I started building it on a Friday afternoon, and it was in my living room by the following Wed night. I did this all while moving and unpacking from my apartment to our house (a rather hectic time to do this project....but necessary)
Not sure what you are asking about the top of the stand, the tank sits on the frame that you see in the first pic, I have oak crown moulding that covers the plastic tank frame (the frame is slightly oversized just for that).
As for a simple square stand (not the shape I did....that was a engineering nightmare), I could probably build one in just under a week. $700 sounds a little high, but with him you probably won't find any little imperfections that you can with mine (hard to see but I know they are there). I will probably take some pics of them and post for future stand makers to learn from.
OK, easy questions first. The doors are hinged. Unfortunately, the frame posts don't line up with the door edges quite right (an oops on my part) so the hinges are slightly visible instead of totally hidden. I just used small, brass hinges.
Money, all in all I spent about $250 for everything (wood, hardware, etc)...not to mention about a thousand dollars in gas going back and forth for that one little peice I always seemed to forget....not to mention returning the things I thought I would need but didn't.
Time:
The frame I built in one evening and then I waterproofed it (about an hour then letting it sit for a day).
A day for fitting, cutting and attaching the oak paneling and making the doors.
An evening attaching the oak trimwork.
One day staining everything (2 coats, 6 hours apart....only took about an hour for a single coat)
And finally about 2 hours attaching the doors.
It will probably take me about 3 hours to make the hood and then the appropriate staining time.
Overall, I started building it on a Friday afternoon, and it was in my living room by the following Wed night. I did this all while moving and unpacking from my apartment to our house (a rather hectic time to do this project....but necessary)
Not sure what you are asking about the top of the stand, the tank sits on the frame that you see in the first pic, I have oak crown moulding that covers the plastic tank frame (the frame is slightly oversized just for that).
As for a simple square stand (not the shape I did....that was a engineering nightmare), I could probably build one in just under a week. $700 sounds a little high, but with him you probably won't find any little imperfections that you can with mine (hard to see but I know they are there). I will probably take some pics of them and post for future stand makers to learn from.
bchdfldian
Member
*sniff sniff*
it's beautiful.
i'm jealous.
I sure hope girlfriend has nice things to say now
it's beautiful.
i'm jealous.
I sure hope girlfriend has nice things to say now
thegrog
Active Member
OK, finally got around to building the canopy. The final coat of stain is drying as we speak.
Here are some pics.
First is the finished and unstained canopy on the tank (so you get an idea of the end product)
Next is the mitered lower edge of the main board. Looks better than a square edge and I didn't have to attach any trim work and worry about seams, nails, ect.
Third is all the top trimwork glued to the frame as well as the support blocks attached.
More to come!
Here are some pics.
First is the finished and unstained canopy on the tank (so you get an idea of the end product)
Next is the mitered lower edge of the main board. Looks better than a square edge and I didn't have to attach any trim work and worry about seams, nails, ect.
Third is all the top trimwork glued to the frame as well as the support blocks attached.
More to come!
thegrog
Active Member
As you can see, it is more of a light barrier than a true hood or canopy. I have MH pendants (you can see that) and wanted an open top for good air circulation to keep things cool. By doing this, the room looks like it has a tanning bed in it due to the light scatter from the pendants. By building the canopy like this, it keeps the light in the tank and off the dining room table!! It also helps direct the air from the fan I have in the right cabinate across the entire water surface, keeping the tank cooler (poor mans chiller).
The canopy also covers the tanks plastic trim. Even though it matches the staining, it is used and a little beat up so I wanted to cover it (just like I did with the base). The main board is a 3/4"x8" piece of solid oak. I used a 2x4 and three small 2x2's that I mitered to fit over the tank edge to keep it all in place.
First pic is of the mitered edge of the support boards.
Second pic is one of my big goofs. I didn't have enough trim for the left side of the canopy. I had to use three pieces of scrap. Oops. Did this rather than having to go out (yet again) and buy another peice of trim.
Third pic is the corner. Rather proud of this one. Took some tricky cutting with the cutoff saw to get the beveled edges. Looks great stained though!
Stained pics and final setup pics will probably be up by tomorrow!!
The canopy also covers the tanks plastic trim. Even though it matches the staining, it is used and a little beat up so I wanted to cover it (just like I did with the base). The main board is a 3/4"x8" piece of solid oak. I used a 2x4 and three small 2x2's that I mitered to fit over the tank edge to keep it all in place.
First pic is of the mitered edge of the support boards.
Second pic is one of my big goofs. I didn't have enough trim for the left side of the canopy. I had to use three pieces of scrap. Oops. Did this rather than having to go out (yet again) and buy another peice of trim.
Third pic is the corner. Rather proud of this one. Took some tricky cutting with the cutoff saw to get the beveled edges. Looks great stained though!
Stained pics and final setup pics will probably be up by tomorrow!!
thegrog
Active Member
Originally Posted by TAZ_12777
That is a really nice setup. Have you thought about doing custom work for others. Again that is sweeeeeet.
Thanks for the comment.
Thought about it, could only do it a few times per year due to time constraints. Simple stands (3 sides....not with the tall cabinate I have) would be far easier to do. Time is money though.......and I don't have a lot of either. I would consider offers though. :thinking:
That is a really nice setup. Have you thought about doing custom work for others. Again that is sweeeeeet.
Thanks for the comment.
Thought about it, could only do it a few times per year due to time constraints. Simple stands (3 sides....not with the tall cabinate I have) would be far easier to do. Time is money though.......and I don't have a lot of either. I would consider offers though. :thinking: