Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

DIY Fish room from Start to Present

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • DIY Fish room from Start to Present

    Hi all

    I had asked in another thread some opinions about 4 by 4's that were treated if I could use a foam insert to help level out any possible warping..

    But some people wanted to see the whole thing... and I would like to explain my rationale

    First, This room is built out of salvage, scrap and pieces of left over two by fours that others have thrown away. My stepson who was living with us at the time, built a fish room in our basement of our house. He got bored and disgusted and then I inherited the fish room......

    I have had fish all my life from when I was 7 or 8 (now I am almost 55) and for almost 32 years have had African Cichlids..

    So getting the fishroom for nothing was a bonus....

    I am retired/disabled (no one wants a deaf person around them) and so money is an issue... Thats why I am a scavenger and will not throw things away.

    The other thing is that we downsized our 3 bedroom, two story high, double car garage and basement home to a single level, single garage, two bedroom with no basement duplex... cheaper, easier to heat and maintain.

    But now we have to be extreme effiecient to the maximum possible. We have bunk beds, My wife sleeps on the top and I on the bottom as it gives us more room in the bedroom.. She is not crazy about it... but it works..


    So here we go....

    Understand that the first set of pictures your going to see is wood that came out of a salvaged swing set with fort attached to it... the wood was painted blue and had been up in the yard for over two years.. Sooo this is where the upright posts came from as well as some of the top braces.. Don't laugh... The stepson paid over three hundred dollars for the wood and I was darned if I was going to let it be burned up.

    One of my first purchases was to replace a wall laser unit that gives a good plumb level. Notice the following pictures



    I put the height of the room at 79 inches in order to give me 19 inches clearance on the top for all the totes that will be stored eventually up there.

    Next picture is making marks for the line up of the cutting of the 4 by 4's uprights.



    You will notice that I have a level for the upright portion and then the laser line on where it needs to be cut from the other upright post which was also marked accordingly.

    The next picture shows I pretty much got the cut to the point of where I wanted it.



    The older wall laser I was using was only opened on one side and on the top side. It fell and I could not get it repaired so went out a got a new one for 39 dollars that had the openings on both sides and top side... it also had some other features like being able to pin into the wall. The laser assembly does not need to be straight in itself as it is a auto weighted assembly and will be level in any setting.

    The next two pictures are of notching the 4 by 4's in order to keep the braces level with the posts and also because the wall that this is shown on is the wall to the next door garage and it has no insulation... By having the braces level with the posts.. I am able to insulate with blue foam from top to bottom.



    and the following braces going from one end to the other end and the top brace is completely level.



    Now you see the beginning.... and do understand I had to do all of this myself... No help from anyone else and so had to make do with creativity to be able to make this work. So far it has been a major blessing.

    Bill

  • #2
    Okay, now the next set of pictures.

    This one is crossing the inside wall now... I have leveled with the wall laser and crossing over to the upright post (again from the swingset) and lining up for the cut there.



    If you look very carefully, on the left you will see the doorway frame. I will be moving upward the cut to the top ... but I needed to make the notch for the cross brace.

    The following pictures are the salvaged wood I have.. There is even a old train board that will be used for the top of the structure..







    Again... so far I have spent about 19 dollars for a box of wood screws three inch long.... 39 dollars for a laser level and then the odd dollar for drill bits and #2 phillip bits.

    Bill

    Comment


    • #3
      I am finishing up the outward braces and to the 4 by 4's with the exception of a 2 by 4 on the outside corner and I will explain that later..

      The next pictures are of the notched uprights next to the kitchen door both on the inside and outside..







      The above picture is the finished braces..... You will now notice boards that did not come from the swing set..... One board came from behind Dollar General up the street and the other board in the last picture came from an auction two years ago.. My family thinks I am a nut for being a scavenger... but it works.. What can I say..

      The next two pictures are of brace joists hangers.. I used them to just get me started until I could remove them and then toe joint the screws into the back wood. I could not move the structure to anchor in from behind. This was the best I could do.





      I will explain more of why I am going through this approach where maybe someone else would have done it faster...

      #1, I was limited on space... I needed to make room for the Christmas totes that were coming and you will be able to see in the next series..

      #2 Being of limited room, meant that I had to move things around constantly to be able to make room in order to have room...... Its a big pain in the patooee

      #3 Not having help also dictated as to what I could and could not do. Many times I would have to sit back and think and then think some more. So with that in mind... Its just was not the best thing in the world... but the only thing available to me.

      Bill

      Comment


      • #4
        Again, because of going at this alone, I used clamps to be able to put the cross pieces into the braces... Using clamps allowed me to level, to get the screws started and toe screw into the wood. Without the clamps... I could never have done it..





        In some cases, I had to use a clamp to straighten a twisted two by four and that helped a great deal.. The next picture shows that pipe clamp being used to my advantage for making a cleaner work.



        I almost got killed in trying to lift this 4 by 8 3/4 inch thick particle board. The garage was a mess and just not easy to move around and put into place........ After a bit, I was able to slide it on a board upward.. But now you can see what I was trying to do with the space above..



        This 4 by 8 sheet was left from the previous people of the duplex and the landlord was going to toss it...... I kept it instead.

        Bill

        Comment


        • #5
          The next three pictures show our Christmas Totes going up into the space... In some cases I had only an inch clearance... but I got all some 30 plus boxes up there... with room still left over for some miscellaneous.







          As mentioned earlier... I had to make room my moving things around...and it hindered my abilities to work as if I had all the room in the world.

          This picture shows the wall that had two shelves on it... and I needed to make shelf space in the room...



          Three years ago when Radio Shack downsized and many of their stores went kaput... We had a store that sold these shelving boards like 50 cents per board. I got several and again my wife thought I was nuts...

          These boards are 4 feet long by 14 inches wide and one inch thick... Perfect for what I wanted to accomplish ...

          You can see the boards in this picture and then the next picture shows the shelving... The space for the shelving will be 10 inches but with an inch coming off for the insulation that will be eventually put up.





          If you notice in the middle of the shelving is a upright grey pole? It is a pole that is used in a car for going across the sides to hang clothes. It worked rather well for holding the shelf up while I adjusted and then screwed the screws in. Worked really sweet....

          I will be trying to finish the shelving tomorrow, watch Grand kids and keep the wife sane..

          Thanks for looking... comments are appreciated and welcomed...

          I know this is not the quality that some of you are and would do... but hey,,, I am just trying to have a room in a downsized place that will work for me...

          Bill

          Comment


          • #6
            AWESOME DUDE!!!! cant wait to see whats next
            I make people happy

            Comment


            • #7
              Wow, looking good so far Bill......
              Its awesome that you are re-using leftover wood. I'm sure you saved a ton of money not having to buy so much wood. Keep us updated on the progress. Im anxiously waiting for the tanks to go up and the fishes to go in..........

              Comment


              • #8
                looks like you've got quite a bit down so far. keep it up and keep the pics coming.
                25g - Reef
                3.5g - Surge Tank
                10g - Ichthyophthirius multifilis breeding colony

                Comment


                • #9
                  Bill it looks like you are the master of recycle. I hope one day that you can get rid of the bunkbeds. I turn 55 next month and know what it is like to down size. Keep up the great work and keep us advised. Wish you were closer so we could give you a hand.
                  Richard Douglas

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thank you all...

                    One of the things that we had at the old place was a fire pit.... if the wood was less than 8 inches small... it could be burned..... and I cringed everytime I put one on....

                    In fact, We burned wood for heat last winter.... I would go out and find trees that had been downed for years....... Cherry tree's were my favorite to find... Start the chainsaw up..... cut and split (by hand) and bring home. figured I saved about 1500 bucks last winter..

                    Today is a snow day up here.. so will shovel and get the rest of the shelves up..

                    I wish you folks were closer here too... as it would be fun to go on some of the tours, have like minded folks over, kibitz and enjoy..

                    Richard, the bunk beds were only mythical... Altho my wife sometimes thinks we have over done it.

                    he he he he he..

                    Bill

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Great work Bill!
                      200
                      200
                      200
                      150
                      135
                      75
                      55
                      55

                      Trophs & Petros ONLY

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        you get this thing finished up, bill?
                        25g - Reef
                        3.5g - Surge Tank
                        10g - Ichthyophthirius multifilis breeding colony

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          yeah we need more pics!
                          250gallon-Wild Angels, community

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X