ok...it seems pretty easy but i dont have all those tools...lol...i have a circular saw a hammer and nails some glue...lol...And good old elbow grease and a drill...lol...its a great look stand..did you usethe inside measurements to match the tank or the frame measurement
DIY Canopy
- Thread starter dhemp34
- Start date
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The tools you have are more then sufficient. I built the top frame 1st (1 x 4's) which is the outer outer dimensions of the top frame of the tank, then I cut my 1 by's, rounded the edges of the 1 by's with a sander then used a 2 x 3 as a spacer because I didn't want the 1 by's even with the top (I wanted to create a skirt so to speak), I did the same with the bottom because i wanted the skirt to completely cover the tanks frame. Keep in mind I left the back open for equipment and the top as well to let allow the heat to escape from the lighting. BTW, i bought a nail gun for the finished nails because I really stink at driving them in with a hammer, LOL.
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
This is from the 1st post I made on my 125 build thread. If there's a will, there's a way.
Shouldn't be more than $5, get yourself a nail punch. It will let you hit the nail just a little bit past the outside surface of the wood.
Mix together the sawdust from cutting the wood with a bit of wood glue to cover the nails. It's a cheap and effective way to hide the nail heads without wasting money on wood putty.
My only suggestion is to get a cheap drill (either at a yard sale or store), say $20 or so. Get a real thin bit for it and drill a pilot hole for the nails. The problem you get with fastening thin boards is that they split real easy.
thincat
Aquarium Advice Addict
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- Nov 7, 2008
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Okay, now that we've seen the pictures will the real cabinet makers please show yourself. Just kidding...Nice job explaining how it was done Capt.,Keith,sjoon. and everyone else. This is a very good thread...
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When I built my canopy I had a couple of concerns. The canopy is for a 75 gallon. One I wanted it to be light since often it would just be me removing it and at times I would have my wife helping. My biggest pet peeve is light spill, so I avoided doors and went with a hinged top that overlaps. I made an internal frame from 1x2's and glued and braid nailed them together. I left the back open for air flow and then skimmed with 1/4 inch cherry ply. I then added cherry trim work to finish it out. I sprayed multiple coats of white spray paint in the interior and then just coated the outside with polyurethane. I used T5HO but for MH I would have just added horizontal braces to hang the lights from. It has been going strong for two years with no signs of wear.
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