DIY Stand

[TheEngineer]

Appreciate the thoughts. I do not have a biscuit cutter I also already glued and nailed all but one corner.

I also screwed up and put the wrong side on the inside. I had to take the crossbars off and swap them. It was a pain but quick to fix.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Looking good @TheEngineer , but I'm curious as to how you're putting in the panels. At first I though you cut rabbets, but upon enlarging, I don't see rabbets. Rabbets can be used, but my preferred use of panels is with a groove in the stiles and rails. These can be cut with a table saw or router (with router table).

 

[siggy]

Wow nice work and In record time!

 

[TheEngineer]

Looking good @TheEngineer , but I'm curious as to how you're putting in the panels. At first I though you cut rabbets, but upon enlarging, I don't see rabbets. Rabbets can be used, but my preferred use of panels is with a groove in the stiles and rails. These can be cut with a table saw or router (with router table).

I did not. They are just butted together. The cross supports which go on next pull those glued sections together.

 

[TheEngineer]

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm confused (and that's easy to do), but what are "cross-supports?"

 

[TheEngineer]

I'm confused (and that's easy to do), but what are "cross-supports?"

Ha. You can’t read my mind?!

The bars that the top sits on. Also, there’s a second, inner frame.

 

[TheEngineer]

Bottom ones are in this picture.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Got it! That picture clarifies why I didn't understand what I though were going to be panels. So that frame in the pictures above are "inner" supports for a skin you'll apply to this frame. I'm not sure of your woodworking abilities, but be careful of woods ability to expand and contract. If your "skin" on this frame is real wood, make sure it "floats" or it will not look good after a year or two. If it's a plywood like material, these materials don't do the expansion/contraction thing that much, and can be applied directly.

 

[TheEngineer]

No, the picture is the frame. There’s a “ring” of 1x4 that goes around the inside of this on the top and bottom.

The skin is actually the doors and they are removable.

 

[TheEngineer]

Here's a picture...

 

[TheEngineer]

And here with the cross bars

 

[TheEngineer]

My thinking is that the inner frames tie the outer frames together way stronger than any particular joint. The inner frame is nailed into the outer frame. Then put the crossbars on and there's no way this thing is gonna move. I think...

 

[Mark Derail]

If it's not too late - make some tiny 1/4 (or smaller) holes for clear acrylic rods - then from below shine up RGB leds - similar to xmas kits.
Have the holes perfectly line up with the inner glass from below. If the DT is a full clear ghost bottom, line it up with glass walls.

Even tanks with a plastic trim all around, the "inner" part is clear glass. Shining lights from "below" will shine into the glass, and reflect / bounce throughout the glass DT.

Now you have indirect mood lighting from the DT on the cheap.

Depending on the xmas lights - you could match up holes in the acrylic to the size/shape of the lights, so it can be pushed in snug.

I did something similar with my freshwater tank - a 1/4 hole - with a single white 1watt LED light plugged in from below. My discus hang around that light at nighttime, it's really cool.

TL;DR - Light from below as a mood light - the DT is the "lamp"

 

[TheEngineer]

That's a neat idea

Not my style, but a neat idea nonetheless.

 

[Mark Derail]

Your site is really cool - permanent bookmark - future reading!

That's a neat idea

Not my style, but a neat idea nonetheless.

Thanks. I'm a big fan of Refraction, DIY and KISS. Also of your website - bookmarked on my Chrome toolbar for future reading.

 

[TheEngineer]

Your site is really cool - permanent bookmark - future reading!


Thanks. I'm a big fan of Refraction, DIY and KISS. Also of your website - bookmarked on my Chrome toolbar for future reading.

Thanks

 

[TheEngineer]

Feeling under the weather. Probably won’t make much progress today. I glued up the last corner this morning and checked everything for square. It is! Go me.

Next step is the two inner frames that tie everything together. I dry fit a couple pieces and realized I need to shave 1/8” off all of the pieces. Super tight fit and I don’t want to crack anything.

 

[TheEngineer]

Feeling mostly better but not quite there yet. I was thinking about how I’m going to attach the inner frame to the outer frame.

I think I know what I want to do, but would like some opinions.

Here’s a picture to help. In this corner, the right vertical leg is nailed and glued to the left vertical leg. I am planning to run a second, inner frame around the top and bottom of the outer frame. My idea is to pocket screw the board on the left (two clamps holding the inner and outer boards together) to the outside leg that is held on with glue and nails. That would add another level of connection holding that glued/nailed joint together.

Then the other side would be glued and finish nailed to give a uniform lip, but not for structure.

Thoughts?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Nothing beats glue.....glue it up and shot a couple finishing nails to hold it together while the glue dries.