Need basic carpentry help for building my own stand

[TaylorPilot]

Here, I just took these. I have shaker style doors I made to go with it, but didn't paint them yet. I will make the canopy this week and more doors. Then I'll paint them. I have been putting it off because I am also making new cabinet doors for the kitchen, and I'm not allowed to do aquarium cabinetry without doing stuff all the kitchen stuff first. One thing I haven't done yet that I would recommend, is to squeeze some caulk in the holes to seal off the screw heads.

These first 3 are the front right corner of the tank.

This is the bottom left of the stand.

This is inside the stand looking at the same corner of the tank in the first 3 photos.

This is the inside front bottom right corner of the stand.

 

[TaylorPilot]

It does make sense. My wood is cut 1 1/2" larger than the rim, so the frame would be 3/4" wider than the black trim. I think that's too much. I'm going to trim it. It's 37 3/4" now. I think I'll cut it down to 37", leaving 3/8" on each side for just a little overlap.

Yea, you could probably still make it to size using 2X4s as long as you don't use the green vertical pieces. The whole point of those is to give you something to screw the pink boards to. With a kreg jig, you can screw them directly to the orange, blue, yellow and red boards. i would also screw the pink boards to each other. That gives it even more strength.

 

[glb]

Yea, you could probably still make it to size using 2X4s as long as you don't use the green vertical pieces. The whole point of those is to give you something to screw the pink boards to. With a kreg jig, you can screw them directly to the orange, blue, yellow and red boards. i would also screw the pink boards to each other. That gives it even more strength.

But if I don't get the Kreg thing I'll need the green ones, right? I don't want to spend any more right now.

 

[TaylorPilot]

Yes, you will need them if you don't have the jig.

 

[glb]

Yes, you will need them if you don't have the jig.

Ok. I already have the green ones cut so I'll just do it that way.

 

[glb]

Part of the reason I made the length longer was to make room for the sump. I have to have the length at 37" for the sump to fit through the front opening. If it's 3/4" bigger , that will be 3/8" bigger than the frame. That'll work.

 

[TaylorPilot]

Can you fit it through the front door frame? That is always the hardest part!

 

[glb]

Can you fit it through the front door frame? That is always the hardest part!

Tell me about it. If I make it 37" long, that will leave a 30" opening, which is the length of the sump. Once it's inside there's room.

 

[TaylorPilot]

Tell me about it. If I make it 37" long, that will leave a 30" opening, which is the length of the sump. Once it's inside there's room.

Just account for the trim, and you should be good!

 

[glb]

Just account for the trim, and you should be good!

Thanks for all your help!

 

[glb]

I started putting the stand together today and so far so good. The corners are squared and it's level. My floor, however is not. Once it's complete I'll put the tank on it and see where I need to adjust. One of the boards developed a split even though I drove pilot holes. I used wood glue and clamped it hard to repair it so I think it will be fine. Any thoughts about this?
Here's the top of the stand, glued and screwed together. I'm going to let it dry overnight and work more tomorrow.

 

[glb]

Ok I have a question. I'm putting up the support beams that the side beams will be attached to. I've been putting all of the screws on the outside. Can I put any screws on the inside of the stand or is that a bad idea. I have stainless steel deck screws and I'm sealing the inside of the stand with marine enamel. The reason I ask is that a screw from the inside would help straighten one of the beams by pulling the bottom of it in. Does that make sense?

 

[glb]

Here's another question. Can I put a plywood bottom on the stand that would be on the floor, e.g. the stand would sit on top of it. I don't want to give up any height inside the stand by putting the floor any higher, but I'm wondering if the stand would be less stable. This would also allow me to easily waterproof the inside. Is this doable?

 

[tdjma]

Ok I have a question. I'm putting up the support beams that the side beams will be attached to. I've been putting all of the screws on the outside. Can I put any screws on the inside of the stand or is that a bad idea. I have stainless steel deck screws and I'm sealing the inside of the stand with marine enamel. The reason I ask is that a screw from the inside would help straighten one of the beams by pulling the bottom of it in. Does that make sense?

It's fine to screw on inside you won't have issues.

 

[glb]

It's fine to screw on inside you won't have issues.

The only problem with that is I'd need a jigsaw to cut around the support beams. I'm talking about a single rectangle the exact size of the stand that I attach to the bottom, just like you'd cover the top of the stand. That would be a lot easier but I don't know if it's a good idea

 

[kschweer]

I don't see any problems with a plywood bottom.

 

[kschweer]

If you're referring to screwing the "green" beams from the inside, you can do that. I did on my stand.

 

[glb]

If you're referring to screwing the "green" beams from the inside, you can do that. I did on my stand.

I was actually thinking of screwing it to the brown and blue beams. The green ones are sitting on the floor so I'd have to cut around them to get a base I can seal. I guess I could also cut a rectangle to fit between the green and brown beams and then add small pieces to seal off between the green pieces along the blue sides. I'm going to seal with marine enamel and then silicone caulk everything inside to make it truly waterproof.

 

[tdjma]

The only problem with that is I'd need a jigsaw to cut around the support beams. I'm talking about a single rectangle the exact size of the stand that I attach to the bottom, just like you'd cover the top of the stand. That would be a lot easier but I don't know if it's a good idea

I did that out of 3/4" plywood and caulked it in

 

[kschweer]

Ok I have a question. I'm putting up the support beams that the side beams will be attached to. I've been putting all of the screws on the outside. Can I put any screws on the inside of the stand or is that a bad idea. I have stainless steel deck screws and I'm sealing the inside of the stand with marine enamel. The reason I ask is that a screw from the inside would help straighten one of the beams by pulling the bottom of it in. Does that make sense?

I was referring to this question in the last post. As far as the ply wood you can cut a rectangle the size of the bottom frame and sit the stand on that if you want. Would make sealing a bit easier.