Started build on a secondhand 125 gallon freshwater setup

[elchopo]

I see build threads here and but I didnt see a lot about the process of redoing the cabinet work. So I figured I'd try and document as much as I can so others can see what it's like for the worst possible outcome will be lol. I am not a woodworking and I am not a painter. This is my first sump tank as well.

You can see my thread of me getting the tank.

Text in RED are things I believe I did wrong and text in GREEN are how I wish I did it or the alternate way I went. I wanted to keep it as true as I could and give my ups and downs on the project.

So, basically I got a really good deal on the tank and my poor wife will just not say no to me lol. She actually thought it would look good in our kitchen so that's where it's going. However, she only agreed if I would paint it to match the kitchen cabinets. I agreed and started figuring out the best way to do it. I came up with the following plan for getting the cabinet and canopy painted.

1. Use citristrip to take the varnish off the wood.
   • Basically I just went off directions. The first few cabinet doors I did I didnt cover them with plastic wrap. Which was a mistake. I gouged the crap out of the cabinets and it still didn't take off all the varnish but did good enough.
   • What did work well was applying citristrip on the cabinets and then covering them in sarin wrap. This made sure the citristrip did not dry out.
     • However, what I didnt take into account was how messy it made everything. I still am not sure what the best way to handle the goo when scrapping it off.
       • 
2. After that nightmare I think I have a fairly decent base to work with. So I have a multi-tool with a triangle shaped sander and I went at it with 60-grit sandpaper. That helped a lot. However, the curves of the cabinets did not do so well. I even used sandpaper and a sandblock but didn't help much. I am hoping that when I apply mineral spirits it will help clean the rest up.
3. After sanding with 60 grit with the multi-tool I went at it with a 60-grit orbital sander just to really get in the flat parts really well.
4. After that I sanding with 120 grit and finally 220 grit to have a VERY smooth surface.
   
   
5. The above cabinet had a split down almost the entire side so I glued it and stapled down to hopefully get a better bond.
6. ......I AM HERE! My plan is to clean it up with mineral spirits and I am borrowing a family members spray gun to apply a primer. The primer is oil-based and the idea of that is to repel water. I havent decided what the inside will look like but I do have some work to do in their before anyways.

I will keep posting updates on this thread as a journal of the process!

 

[SlugSnorter]

I see build threads here and but I didnt see a lot about the process of redoing the cabinet work. So I figured I'd try and document as much as I can so others can see what it's like for the worst possible outcome will be lol. I am not a woodworking and I am not a painter. This is my first sump tank as well.

You can see my thread of me getting the tank.

Text in RED are things I believe I did wrong and text in GREEN are how I wish I did it or the alternate way I went. I wanted to keep it as true as I could and give my ups and downs on the project.

So, basically I got a really good deal on the tank and my poor wife will just not say no to me lol. She actually thought it would look good in our kitchen so that's where it's going. However, she only agreed if I would paint it to match the kitchen cabinets. I agreed and started figuring out the best way to do it. I came up with the following plan for getting the cabinet and canopy painted.

1. Use citristrip to take the varnish off the wood.
   • Basically I just went off directions. The first few cabinet doors I did I didnt cover them with plastic wrap. Which was a mistake. I gouged the crap out of the cabinets and it still didn't take off all the varnish but did good enough.
   • What did work well was applying citristrip on the cabinets and then covering them in sarin wrap. This made sure the citristrip did not dry out.
     • However, what I didnt take into account was how messy it made everything. I still am not sure what the best way to handle the goo when scrapping it off.
       • 
2. After that nightmare I think I have a fairly decent base to work with. So I have a multi-tool with a triangle shaped sander and I went at it with 60-grit sandpaper. That helped a lot. However, the curves of the cabinets did not do so well. I even used sandpaper and a sandblock but didn't help much. I am hoping that when I apply mineral spirits it will help clean the rest up.
3. After sanding with 60 grit with the multi-tool I went at it with a 60-grit orbital sander just to really get in the flat parts really well.
4. After that I sanding with 120 grit and finally 220 grit to have a VERY smooth surface.
   
   
5. The above cabinet had a split down almost the entire side so I glued it and stapled down to hopefully get a better bond.
6. ......I AM HERE! My plan is to clean it up with mineral spirits and I am borrowing a family members spray gun to apply a primer. The primer is oil-based and the idea of that is to repel water. I havent decided what the inside will look like but I do have some work to do in their before anyways.

I will keep posting updates on this thread as a journal of the process!

beyond the cabinet, make sure to get a good cleaning on all the glass and such.

 

[elchopo]

beyond the cabinet, make sure to get a good cleaning on all the glass and such.

I feel like I will have to make a separate build on that process. Would probably be a comedy trying to figure out how the plumping and sumps and all that work..