If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Every stand I have with the exception of my first tank stand, are all built at the house
What fish do Jesper have 180 WC T. Moorii Chilambo +1 Petro trewavasae.
110 Cyps, WC Xeno Spilopterus Kipili WC/F1/F2 T. sp red Kiku
58 S. Decorus "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." -Margaret Thatcher
Many of us have built our own. Not many are willing to take the time to do a good job for someone else. And fewer still are willing to pay the price for a good job.
If you do a web search you can find quite a few how-to pages
'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'
I have built several. With every stand you build you leard something you would like to do dif on the next one. By far the hardest one i built was a stand and canopy for a 30 gal hex. Spend some time and look at the features of other stands that you like and dont like. Draw several drafts out with mesurements. And always Mesure twice cut once!
People who stand for nothing will fall for everything.
30 cube ( Hi tech planted)(for sale) 29 bio cube (reef) 20 cube (kids tank)
Usually. I have a few angle iron commercial stands , but those that I am using all have some welded modifications - like taller or stronger.
My favorite sign in a lumber yard : "Friends don't let friends use particle (or OSB) board". And any commercial wood stand I have looked at is particle board.
Particleboard and MDF hhave there place, but not near water both of these swell and come apart when they get wet. Example MDF is the best material to make speaker enclosures. The high uniform density produces the best sound. 2X4's are not the best thing to use either, though I am guilty of using them. The fast drying cycle that is use to kiln dry them makes them more brittle and weaker than wood. But many stands are made from them and lasted for years.
What kind of finish do you use? I have found that a good oil base polyurathane like Minwax works best for me. I have tried brush on lacquer but it did not hold up well, look sharpe when new. But the water resitance was poor. The research I have done on Marine varnish leads me to believe that they are meant for out of doors. They have UV protection added and make a softer film that allows more wood movement. A good polyurathane has more than enough water protection if you clean up any water that might spilt.
I build Steel stands and skin them with hardwood panels. I made my 120 setup using African Mahogany and Im working on our new 90 gallon setup which will be made using American Ash.
In my case, there simply was not a stand / canopy on the commercial market that met my (high) standards with respect to the "furniture" that I want living with me in my home. Picky? Perhaps (or OCD... not sure which )
Comment