Update 3: Stand
As I wait for the tank to be delivered, I have had the time to do a lot more planning and I kept coming back to one issue; The look of the included I.M. stand is pretty nice, but doesn't allow me to make it match my house aesthetics more closely. I made the mistake (or pro?) of running across some YouTube builds where people used Extruded Aluminum as a tank stand. This is more commonly called "t-Slot" aluminum and the most popular brand is "80/20", which a lot of people also use synonymously. I saw a few hobbyists using the
Framing Tech company in their builds, but I figured it was all the same so I wrote up a generic letter about what I wanted in a stand design and sent it out to about 20 different Extruded Aluminum companies. Out of all the design requests I sent....ONLY two shops replied back to me, one of which was Framing Tech!
I want to give a huge shout out to Anthony over at Framing Tech. He was super helpful and full of suggestions and design information as we evolved the stand throughout the course of a bunch of back and forth emails. My goodness this guy is awesome! He was patient with me as I requested additional modifications to the design and always willing to give me feedback on how the proposed changes might impact other aspects of the frame. We were able to design a super strong frame that will give me the added ability to add cabinet doors and sides which I can make match the house design a lot more closely.
Few specific details of the design worth noting.
a: Frame height is a bit taller than normal stands at 40 Inches Tall. (I wanted the glass to sit up a bit higher than typically seen)
b: Extra corner bracing to help support the twisting/racking due to extra height.
c: Top framework made from the larger size double extrusion in order to again help with the extra height.
d: Vertical bars up the back for Light Mounts. (These are not technically required for the weight rating, but instead can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally to support different lighting options, while also adding a bit more frame strength)
e:
Button Fastners for side panels to allow for easy removal/access.
f:
BLUM blu motion T'Slot Hinges for mounting doors.
Other than these changes, the Framing Tech stand is essentially matching to the I.M. stand in dimensions. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the I.M. stand, but I did decide I would go ahead and replace it due to the extra details I desired. On that note however, I did ask I.M. if I could order the Tank only, and their reply was yes, but with a catch. As It was explained to me, it is possible to order a tank only, but shipping costs are included with their Tank/Stand combos. By the time you pay for the shipping on a Tank Only order, it's essentially the same cost as the combo. With this in mind, I figure my tank cost is the same either way so I'm not too worried about investing in a better Stand, but that's just what I personally decided. If anyone in the area needs an unopened
Stand please let me know!
So about the cost. Extruded Aluminum is not cheap, but this T-Slot stand should last forever. That said, I did all the math and from my estimation, Framing Tech's cost to cut and machine the connection fittings is roughly only about 100$-110$ on top of the raw materials cost. This is a GREAT deal! I used their pricing on the website and compared that to the liner foot of each extrusion being used, then added in all the various hardware. The hardware and fittings add up quickly as there is quite a lot of connection points. Even if I went with generic brand extrusions in standard 48in Lengths from
Amazon, by the time you add up all the individual parts, I could not save more than 140 bucks when compared to the fully ready to build kit from Framing Tech. The Framing Tech frame will use a much better connector (subjectively) than the universal fasteners and if you factor in their included frame design service I think this is a great value. That said, if someone does have a good Miter saw and wanted to invest in a quality blade to cut the Extrusions really well, you could likely build a frame out of this material yourself. (check out granger or other industrial supply stores as they sell the extrusions in super long 12 lengths that help keep costs lower).
Also...for refrence, the only other T-Slot company that responded to my initial email, their frame cost was pretty much the same cost as Framing Tech, but when I asked for some changes to the design they told me that would involve their "custom design team" which had extra costs associated with it......WHAT? I literally just wanted to add in the vertical bars, um....yeah, No thanks, I'll go back to Anthony who is totally helpful and willing to adjust plans without issue. (a snippit of the frame design evolution is provided in the pictures)
Anyways, The Framing Tech stand is ordered! It should show up in a few weeks. I hope to have a local shop PowerCoat is black for me once it arrives before assembling it. Thanks for reading!
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