DIY stand money and time?

[son2fu]

for a 20 gal tank stand, how much time and money would i spend, and what tools do i need? please help

[Woody83]

If you do a search for "DIY Stand" on these forums you'll find some threads with links to good sites that offer plans. Here, found some:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewto...ight=diy+stand

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewto...ight=diy+stand

I started mine a week ago and should be done by the end of the week. I'm only putting in a few hours every other day or so. So you could do it quicker or shorter depending on how much time you have.

As for tools, I've used a circular saw, miter saw, sander, 2x4's, screws, liquid nails glue, power drill/screwdriver and some L brackets.

Probably around $50 for materials. Personally I think I'm over $100 cause of nice finishing wood, stain and trim.

I have minimal wood working skills and it has been a fun thing to do, and it shouldn't look too bad when done.[/url]

[son2fu]

thats a nice stand, what size is that tank?

[JRagg]

I built a dual 10g tank stand (side by side) two weekends ago. It cost me about $27 in supplies and about 3 1/2 hours of labor.

3 hours cutting wood and screwing it together.
1/2 hour painting it.

I probably spent an hour or so drawing it in sketchup to make sure I had thought it out as to how I wanted it made.

You will need something to do (somewhat accurate) cuts with. I borrowed a friend's compound mitre saw. You will also need a good drill to drill pilot holes and put in screws. You can use nails, but IMO screws are better. I used some old paint that had been used in my basement (since I was being cheap) to save money.

[jsoong]

Money - depends on how fancy you want to build it. Structural parts out of 2x4's, screws, glue, etc. would set you back $10-20. How you skin it (ie plywood, solid wood, others), hardware, finish, extras like doors, shelves will drastically change the final price. For my 70 stand, I used solid hardwood with clear finish, and it set me back $200 or so. You can cut the cost significantly using plywood & paint instead.

Time - depends on your wood working experience & tool collection, and how pretty you want to make it. A basic stand can be put together over a weekend, but if you want to do furniture or heirloom grade work, expect to spend a few weeks.

Tools - minimum needed - saw, chisels, hammer/mallet, drill & screw driver, sandpaper, level & square, & tape measure. You can speed things up a lot (and usually get better results) using power tools instead. In that case you would need - table saw (good circular saw may be Ok), Power drill driver, Router, power sander. A planer/jointer & fancier tools will be nice if you plan to do fancy woodwork. Clamps are nice too for holding parts togather while you glue & screw, or you can get a helper.

Finally, you also need a flat & level space to build the stand. IME, trying to build furniture on uneven surfaces leads to uneven or out of level results. For a fish tank, you need the stand to be absolutely level & square .... although it is not as critical for a 20 gal due to lower weight.