Re: DIY Aquarium Stand

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

Steven Pituch showed pics for a nice DIY stand:

>
http://users.ev1.net/~spituch/Steve's%20Page/Aquarium/hardware/Stand/stand1.
> html
> . . . The good thing is that it will look as good as my
> Oceanic stand and cost me only $50.


Nice stand, Steven.  
Frame construction is easily the cheapest way to to go if
you want a stand that doesn't mind getting wet.

Spacing the studs can be tricky on stands for very large
aquaria -- a 150 gal tank totals out to about a ton of
weight, all things considered -- especially if you want to
fit a sump under the stand.   When I designed the frame for
my large tank, I planned on a canister filter and when I
switched to sump (this weekend), it required re-engineering
and redesign of the stand with the tank in place (ugh :-| 
). 

Raised panels are great for doors.  If you use plywood
panels for the sides and maybe parts of the back (fastening
all the panel edges), you can lend a tremendous amount of
rigidity to a frame, even if the panels are thin.  If you
use solid woold to do this, you eventually will get cracks
in the panels due to the expansion and shrinking of the
panels with seasonal changes in humidity -- that's the
reason solid wood raised panels "float" loose in their
frame.  But the cracking won't show up in just months and
often not even within a few years -- and so-called
softwoods are less likely to crack if the stress can be
borne at the joints (e.g., tearing at the screws).

But a good frame can hold its own all on its own without
the help of sturctural panels.

Another advantage of frame cosntruction is that you can
build a fully functional stand for about $50 or less and
then cover it with a dressier hardwood (solid or hardwood
veneered plywood) later.  So you get up and running right
away and bear the higher cost of more expensive furninture
later, after you've paid off the aquarium equipment ;-) .

While I personally prefer cherry wood, for it's fine grain
and wonderful coloring as it ages, Steven has chosen a
"softwood" that looks good a covering *and* works for the
structural elements -- Economy and good looks.

The chief advantage of carcass construction, where you use
no frame and the body panels provide all (or most) of the
support is low cost.  Particle board can be used for the
strucutal and panel pieces (at the same time).  You can
cover this type of stand with a dressy hardwood later if
you want, too, but weight might be a consideration. 
Particle board is very heavy compared to solid wood.

Most commercial stands (and kitchen cabinets) are the
carcass type, with maybe a little frame support thrown in
to support the corner joints.  

Steven, I can't get the pdf address to work -- maybe it's
my ad-blockers.

Thanks for sharing this,
Scott H.

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