Tank stand, top not perfectly flat

[jabberwock]

In my opinion it shouldn't matter with that small of a tank. I'd be more worried about the reason there is sag. Kinda sounds like it isn't supported properly in the center. I can't see clearly from the picture, but I'd verify there is a cross support board in the front and the back perpendicular to the grain on the top. If not any force in the center could cause the whole thing to split. Theoretically this cross support will keep the top surface flat as well as hold everything together structurally. It's possible that the board warped, or wasn't large enough to resist the warping of the edge glued surface board. But as long as it is there I wouldn't worry about your size tank.

Thanks for the input. Perhaps sag is the wrong word, the top is rock solid, but slightly wavy? I planed 2 boards and then did the glue up. The glue up was not perfect, and now the top was too wide to fit through my planer, so I sanded the seams to be flush and sanded about a 6" wide trough in the middle of it. Here is a picture before I put the door on it. everything is screwed together except where I glued boards edge to edge to make the top, door and panels.

 

[jabberwock]

Well it has been a few decades since I have been in school...

I visited my old high school about 10 years after I graduated and was saddened to find that they had no shop classes at all anymore. I honestly don't know where I would be today if I did not have access to woodshop that first year. (1985)



You and I are about the same age then. I actually didn't see the original Star Wars till after The Empire Strikes Back had been released.

Funny story with that. My dad said to me one morning that he was going to take me to the movies the following weekend, but wouldn't tell me what it was. Being a typical 4th grader (about 8 or 9) I begged him to take me to see the movie all the kids were talking about at the time which was "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" with Lily Tomlin.

He told me that he wanted me to see what he wanted to take me to, but offered me a choice... If I didn't want to see what he wanted, we could see what I wanted.

So a week of school went by and the night came along... We got in the car and drove to the theater... As we start pulling in I see the big sign with "Star Wars" right at the top.

I IMMEDIATELY told my dad that I wanted to see that!!! He said, "That is what I brought you here for"

Now, any child of the 70's especially the boys know that if you weren't into Star Wars, you were dirt!!! I have been a lifelong fan ever since.

That night, is one of my fondest memories of my dad, who sadly passed away back in 1994. I was just really old enough to really appreciate him at that time (I was 22) and then he was gone...

It has been almost 30 years since he passed and I STILL see him in my dreams. It still hurts.



Sounds like you have a few years on me.

That's a fine story. I am sorry for your loss.

Like you , I have been a Star Wars fan for 40+ years. The younger "fans" I work with are so hilarious. They have no idea what it is like to wait for years for the next movie to come out. They could binge watch all of them back to back. Then they whine because the story does not go the way they think it should...

No offense to any of you young whippper snappers out there. (insert old man emoji here)

 

[jabberwock]

Just did some reinvestigation and my estimate was a little high. Using a four foot level, I see that the back left corner is 1/8th" low, and in the middle of the front is about 1/8th" trough. I might be back to trying a leveling mat and plywood. Here is the reason for all the hubbub. The bottom of this 32 gallon rimmed tank cracked after 10 months, corner to corner and, well that sucked.

 

[Powertool-2010]

Per your last post
Seems like as good of a plan as any. You probably just got unlucky with the last tank. Smaller tanks are usually fine as they don't have quite the weight of the larger tanks.
Having it evenly supported in the 4 corners is the most important. And making sure there isn't anything pressing upwards directly on the bottom glass surface.

 

[Guns286]

Thanks for the input. Perhaps sag is the wrong word, the top is rock solid, but slightly wavy? I planed 2 boards and then did the glue up. The glue up was not perfect, and now the top was too wide to fit through my planer, so I sanded the seams to be flush and sanded about a 6" wide trough in the middle of it. Here is a picture before I put the door on it. everything is screwed together except where I glued boards edge to edge to make the top, door and panels.

You have to go old school. Hand plane. Sagging would require some kind of reinforcement from underneath, but unevenness after glue up mean using some elbow grease and hand planning it flat.

 

[jabberwock]

You have to go old school. Hand plane. Sagging would require some kind of reinforcement from underneath, but unevenness after glue up mean using some elbow grease and hand planning it flat.

Agree, but I am tentative to remove anymore material. I ordered (and recieved) an IM leveling mat. I am going to paint a 3/4" of plywood back, and then stick the leveling mat to it. The tank also has a leveling Mat built in. So mat, board, mat, tank. I appreciate all the thoughts and ideas. Thanks!

 

[jabberwock]

Update - I received an IM APS pedestal. APS Pedestal
It is the perfect solution to my not perfectly flat issue. It has leveling mats on top and bottom. Without giving too much detail let me say that the customer service from Innovative Marine was AMAZING! Prompt, gracious, absolutely perfect!!!

5 stars for Innovative Marine!