Difficulty of building a stand

[rayn]

Pocket hole screws, wood glue and accurately cut panels.

What size and grade plywood are you using? What tank size limits are there to this if any?

 

[Lord_Spice]

Pocket hole screws, wood glue and accurately cut panels.

This looks like my stand lol but mine is just a skin on a metal stand.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

This particular stand was made with 3/4" Baltic birch. it's very high quality wood but about $100/sheet. this one was 8' long and 24" wide. I'd say there aren't limitations on plywood stands, but at a certain size I do add 2x4 supports in the back. however, I use a planer and jointer as 2xs, 4xs, etc are never square from the store.

What size and grade plywood are you using? What tank size limits are there to this if any?

 

[ndz98]

What are some quality types of plywood you can use for a stand? I assume if the tank foot print is 48 x 18, that's the size your stand needs to be, correct? Roughly how many pieces of plywood do you think I would need to complete the stand? Do I need any other wood besides plywood?

 

[Pola0502ds]

Some of his videos are really painful to watch. use 3/4" plywood only and don't worry about skinning.

My entire stand is made of 3/4 plywood, but it's of good quality, and the 2 sides and back panel are doubled up so it's really 1 1/2" thick. Then at the top I have a 1 1/2" plywood beam running from side to side at the front and back that is connected to the side panels. I notched the side panels and dropped these beams in those notches, they arn't going anywhere and provide a ton of support. I've worked at a cabinet shop for most of my life.

 

[Pola0502ds]

This particular stand was made with 3/4" Baltic birch. it's very high quality wood but about $100/sheet. this one was 8' long and 24" wide. I'd say there aren't limitations on plywood stands, but at a certain size I do add 2x4 supports in the back. however, I use a planer and jointer as 2xs, 4xs, etc are never square from the store.

Baltic birch plywood is by far some of the best plywood you can buy and use. It's furniture grade. Stays super flat all the time and i believe it's 9 ply (9 layers) as well.

 

[Pola0502ds]

What are some quality types of plywood you can use for a stand? I assume if the tank foot print is 48 x 18, that's the size your stand needs to be, correct? Roughly how many pieces of plywood do you think I would need to complete the stand? Do I need any other wood besides plywood?

I would watch some youtube videos..

 

[ndz98]

I would watch some youtube videos..

I've been looking for videos but I just keep finding the ones that are made with 2x4's. I'll keep looking. Do you have any pictures of your stand for reference?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

13!

Baltic birch plywood is by far some of the best plywood you can buy and use. It's furniture grade. Stays super flat all the time and i believe it's 9 ply (9 layers) as well.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Front and back the footprint size of your tank. two end pieces sized accordingly. I make the bottom 1/2" longer and wider, then flush trim with a router. top piece is required for flat bottom tanks, not needed for tanks with plastic trim.

What are some quality types of plywood you can use for a stand? I assume if the tank foot print is 48 x 18, that's the size your stand needs to be, correct? Roughly how many pieces of plywood do you think I would need to complete the stand? Do I need any other wood besides plywood?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

So for a 48 x 18 tank, front and back would be 48 x height, sides would be 16.5 x height, bottom would be 48.5 x 18.5. you could even make the ends 16.75 x height if the tank has trim. this ensures the trim will sit on the back piece.

All cuts need to be precise and square, especially the height. no other wood is required except for the trim. I usually route openings for the front doors and a couple cutouts in the back for plumbing.

 

[rayn]

@cromag08 you're giving up all your secrets!

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

I don't mind helping out. but to be honest, routing and assembly is much more difficult than cutting the panels.

@cromag08 you're giving up all your secrets!

 

[ndz98]

@cromag08 you're giving up all your secrets!

And I am so grateful for them otherwise I would have no idea what I was doing! Haha

 

[ndz98]

So for a 48 x 18 tank, front and back would be 48 x height, sides would be 16.5 x height, bottom would be 48.5 x 18.5. you could even make the ends 16.75 x height if the tank has trim. this ensures the trim will sit on the back piece.

All cuts need to be precise and square, especially the height. no other wood is required except for the trim. I usually route openings for the front doors and a couple cutouts in the back for plumbing.

Okay I'm going to try and figure out how sketchup works later and put together the plans for the stand so I know everything is right before I actually start the job. Also I'll look up some videos for routing.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Let me backtrack just a little. if you're going to add trim around the top of the stand, make the stand slightly longer than the tank. it makes sliding the tank on the stand so much easier. I usually shoot for an extra 1/4" on either end.

 

[Brew12]

Let me backtrack just a little. if you're going to add trim around the top of the stand, make the stand slightly longer than the tank. it makes sliding the tank on the stand so much easier. I usually shoot for an extra 1/4" on either end.

When I build my next tank stand I will put an extra 4"+ on each side to set stuff down on. Just my personal preference.

 

[rayn]

I enjoy the help as well. Other projects around the house have brought in the tools needed for something like this.

I keep thinking of the possibilities now

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Here's one I've been working on. not quite done yet.

 

[Pola0502ds]

13!

Thats right!