Mounting board

[Nick C]

Ladies and Gents! I need some opinions.

I bought an Apex for black friday, and i love it. But i do need to do some work.

Originally i had two power bars under my stand and i was able to get rid of most of it.

See below pictures.

So my issue is the mess of cables that are now out of the tank, I know it's a mess so I don't need to be told that I was tired and couldn't be bothered to take care of it at Wednesday night and didn't know what i really wanted to do with it.

I have decided I would like to use some kind of mounting board, that i can mount the Gyre controller, ATO, and Apex too. while everything else is zip tied together and hidden behind the board. But i don't know what to use.

THATS WHERE YOU COME IN!! What do you guys use? Bonus points if you have pictures

 

[Crabs McJones]

I picked up an inexpensive cabinet from target and turned it into a mounting board

Picked up a piece of cabinet board from menards along with desk grommets

 

[Nick C]

I picked up an inexpensive cabinet from target and turned it into a mounting board

Picked up a piece of cabinet board from menards along with desk grommets

Oh i like this a lot. then my wife could paint it and do all her wife stuff to it. Do you have the cabinet mounted to the wall? Also, is the back kind of hallow? I'm wondering where your excess slack in the cables is at.

Edit: Just kidding i missed where you said you picked up some cabinet board.. What is Menards? Kind of like homedepot?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Oh i like this a lot. then my wife could paint it and do all her wife stuff to it. Do you have the cabinet mounted to the wall? Also, is the back kind of hallow? I'm wondering where your excess slack in the cables is at.

Edit: Just kidding i missed where you said you picked up some cabinet board.. What is Menards? Kind of like homedepot?

Yup, menards, home depot, lowes. All similar. The cabinet is about 16 inches wide, the cabinet board sits about 6 inches in, and the wires and power bricks are all tucked behind it

 

[Nick C]

Yup, menards, home depot, lowes. All similar. The cabinet is about 16 inches wide, the cabinet board sits about 6 inches in, and the wires and power bricks are all tucked behind it

this is a really good idea. i kind of like being able to see the controllers, but i'm sure the ability to close it off would be nice.

What does it look like where the equipment cables are running into the cabinet? You just have like 8 cables all running through a hole zip tied together?

 

[Crabs McJones]

this is a really good idea. i kind of like being able to see the controllers, but i'm sure the ability to close it off would be nice.

What does it look like where the equipment cables are running into the cabinet? You just have like 8 cables all running through a hole zip tied together?

And the cabinet just sits on the floor, so if I need to i can simply slide it out to get at the cords should i need to add or remove something
And yes, the cables all run through the hole and are zip tied together on the other side where you cannot see them.

 

[Nick C]

And the cabinet just sits on the floor, so if I need to i can simply slide it out to get at the cords should i need to add or remove something
And yes, the cables all run through the hole and are zip tied together on the other side where you cannot see them.

Ah. My wife would probably want me to hang it, which is fine. I think. How hard is it to get the cabinet board out?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ah. My wife would probably want me to hang it, which is fine. I think. How hard is it to get the cabinet board out?

I have mine screwed in with two screws on each side (8 screws total) just remove the screws and the panel can be pushed out.

 

[pelphrey]

I built my cabinet out of 1/2'' plywood and painted it. I wanted to be able to remove the entire front panel and easily get to things. It is a mess inside of my cabinet still, I don't mind. I rarely take the front panel off of it.

**Picture Heavy**

 

[Nick C]

I have mine screwed in with two screws on each side (8 screws total) just remove the screws and the panel can be pushed out.

That's a great idea. I like this. Do you remember about how much the cabinet was? I might want two so I can mount my rodi in it too

 

[Nick C]

I built my cabinet out of 1/2'' plywood and painted it. I wanted to be able to remove the entire front panel and easily get to things. It is a mess inside of my cabinet still, I don't mind. I rarely take the front panel off of it.

**Picture Heavy**

This looks great as long as it's closed haha. I don't want something that low though. I'm 6'3 and my tank stands pretty tall (I can't see yhe top of the canopy) so I'd like something more wall mounted. But it does look great! Very well done

 

[pelphrey]

That's a great idea. I like this. Do you remember about how much the cabinet was? I might want two so I can mount my rodi in it too

We had the paint so that was free, I bought the small KREG jig just to save money. By the time I bought the plywood, kreg jig and the screws needed for the holes drilled I would guess $50-60 plus my time to cut, drill all of the holes (for what I am using it for I did too many!) build and paint.

 

[Crabs McJones]

That's a great idea. I like this. Do you remember about how much the cabinet was? I might want two so I can mount my rodi in it too

35$ at target

 

[Nick C]

35$ at target

That's what I like to hear. This might be exactly what I'm looking for. It would clean it up, I could even paint it to match the stand and canopy. Is there any reason in particular you don't have it mounted on the wall? I just want to make sure there aren't any draw backs.

 

[Crabs McJones]

That's what I like to hear. This might be exactly what I'm looking for. It would clean it up, I could even paint it to match the stand and canopy. Is there any reason in particular you don't have it mounted on the wall? I just want to make sure there aren't any draw backs.

So I can easily slide it out if the way to get at wires to add or remove something

 

[pelphrey]

Sorry in the last post, I thought you asked me how much! I need to read better! Haha

 

[Crabs McJones]

This is along the lines of what I wanted to do with mine, but I stink at diy wood working lol beautiful install!

I built my cabinet out of 1/2'' plywood and painted it. I wanted to be able to remove the entire front panel and easily get to things. It is a mess inside of my cabinet still, I don't mind. I rarely take the front panel off of it.

**Picture Heavy**

 

[Nick C]

This is along the lines of what I wanted to do with mine, but I stink at diy wood working lol beautiful install!

Yes this looks beautiful, and it's well made, just not what i am looking for

 

[Nick C]

So I can easily slide it out if the way to get at wires to add or remove something

Hm.. Do you have to move it too often..?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hm.. Do you have to move it too often..?

Only if I need to add or remove a piece of equipment. Which very rarely happens. I dont anticipate ever having to move the cabinet for any other reason