T-Slot Brace Question

[ShanePike]

For my new build, I think I'm going to build a t-slot aluminum stand with black anodized 3030 and skin it with wood. I did a quick mock-up in Autodesk:

And here's a shot that shows the individual frame pieces better:

The frame has a 36" x 24" footprint and is 35.25" tall. I'm planning on attaching the wood front and sides with magnets. The wood top (and probably the back) will be screwed on. The aquarium going on it is the 57g Fiji Cube shallow with an internal overflow.

100% of the structural load will be borne by the aluminum frame — the wood is only cosmetic — so I want to be sure I brace it well enough. I know the 3030 is more than capable of bearing the weight; I'm just concerned about lateral movement, twisting, and shifting.

Specifically, I'm wondering how to connect the main vertical and horizontal supports at each corner.

This is what I think I would like to go with:

The one on the left is from ZYLtech (where I'll be getting the 3030). The one on the right is from TNUTZ, and it seems like it would be sturdier. I'm thinking I would go with that one.

Is that enough, though? I know there are beefier options, but those options are also more obtrusive. Can I get by with these at each connection point, or should I really go with gussets at each corner like one of these?

 

[ryanjohn1]

Manufacturer should have load capacity rating.

 

[Naekuh]

since most of the weight will be on the outter rim, and the center is more for stability.. i think you can get by with this on the underside.

Make sure you get the proper 20 series tho... that one is the 2020.


EDIT... i see you meant the legs.. your going to need good 90's with heavy load bearings.
I think as long as your front and back squares are secure, the middle horizontal bar is mainly for stability, so the stand doesn't rip sideways so to speak.
The front and back square legs will be sitting on the horizontal bar.

I would probably also add another mid brace for the front and rear square, and if you need to slide a sump, you do it sideways and not from the front.

You could add another horizontal bar midway on the side for more rigidy.

 

[mousehunter]

Load carrying is probably not an issue. Stability and deflection are probably bigger considerations. Have you run a deflection calculator on the 36" span? I am playing around with a tank of almost identical dimensions - mine is a 24" cube. I am considering centering it on a 38" cube table (so I can easily get a 36" sump under it). That is a 36" stand, plus feet, plus top (and honestly I will probably put molding on edge of the top, so the top will be closer to 40"x40". It started as an inexpensive plan, but I keep re-engineering it for more stability and less deflection - and it has grown a bit out of control.

Are you looking at 3030 metric or imperial? Using a ton of assumptions and guesses, I was looking at about .04" of deflection on the 36" span.

 

[ShanePike]

Yeah, stability and deflection were my only concerns. I decided to go with the gussets (the ones at the bottom right in the original post) on every corner. The peace of mind was worth way more than the aesthetics.

I read and read and read for days and decided that 3030 (metric) was more than strong enough to support the load. This is one of the most helpful things I found:

What Aluminum T-Slot Bar Should I Use? - Motion Ai Industrial Framing Division

This document covers a simple method to decide what size and shape of 80/20 t-slot bar is required for a particular project – based on the weight the structure must support. There are infinite ways of engineering a t-slot aluminum structure, but the method outlined below is simple and...

fandl8020.com

Still, when my frame gets here Tuesday and I get it put together, I'm going to do a lot of testing with it to make myself feel confident that it's more than enough. We'll see.