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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I hope side panels look better after putting on the polyurethane. They are ugly as sin with just the stain on them.
Heavy duty tank cabinet build.
- Thread starter zparticle
- Start date
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barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
All it's gonna do is make it shine and give it a wet look what is the color again and type of plywood?
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I can't remember and I'm at work so I can't look but you can see the panels stained and unstained in the photos.
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am a sanding FOOL 
I finally gave up hand sanding this thing and went and bought a B&D finish sander (1/4 sheet). It was only $25, thank goodness I did, I would have been sanding the rest of my life.
Taking a break and then putting on the final coat for the top. I hope.
I finally gave up hand sanding this thing and went and bought a B&D finish sander (1/4 sheet). It was only $25, thank goodness I did, I would have been sanding the rest of my life.
Taking a break and then putting on the final coat for the top. I hope.
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
Okay after sanding down the top and reapplying the poly it think it is going to be beautiful. I used a wider brush this time to get it covered faster. I also just put the first coat of poly on one of the side panels. I think they are going to look okay. They won't be as nice as the birch for the top but oh well, they will do.
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
Couple of new pics are up.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looking good live and learn lol
fouldsy
Aquarium Advice Activist
I am a sanding FOOL
I finally gave up hand sanding this thing and went and bought a B&D finish sander (1/4 sheet). It was only $25, thank goodness I did, I would have been sanding the rest of my life.
Smart idea - I spent forever on the first major piece of furniture I made trying to sand by hand as I really wanted a nice finish, and I ended up purchasing a little Black & Decker sander too (and have since added a belt sander to my workshop) as it makes life so much easier
Looking good now!
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
The 11/32 side ply that I bought is called Arauco Ply. I read a little about on the net and apparently most pros don't consider it good enough for furniture, partly because it is rough and tends to warp. My sheets seem to be doing well but you never know. The roughness isn't an issue for me as I'm not expecting perfection and I'm sanding and using poly.
Well if it warps badly or something it will be fairly easy to replace with something better. It has huge growth rings, must grow like crazy. I'm thinking I may need to apply poly to both sides now though to keep the water out.
I've also decided to (and have) stained the inside sides just to make the cabinet look a bit better when opened.
It is made of Radiata Pine, apparently.
Well if it warps badly or something it will be fairly easy to replace with something better. It has huge growth rings, must grow like crazy. I'm thinking I may need to apply poly to both sides now though to keep the water out.
I've also decided to (and have) stained the inside sides just to make the cabinet look a bit better when opened.
It is made of Radiata Pine, apparently.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes you are right but I find it a great quality plywood I have built cabinets with it before painted not stained but it never warped on me I used them in kitchens before and will again in the future but all plywood will warp if left in a full sheet but if it is applied to a cabinet it will not warp
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
That is good to hear. 
Do you think I should put poly on the inside as well as the outside? A little more protection from the inevitable water spill.
Do you think I should put poly on the inside as well as the outside? A little more protection from the inevitable water spill.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
Totally up to you if your that messy with the water it will end up inside the stand lol just one coat would be fine
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I see how it's going to be.
Here is the current plan for the access doors on the top of the cabinet. Any suggestion or concerns about this? Tips on cutting out the doors?
View attachment 42003
Here is the current plan for the access doors on the top of the cabinet. Any suggestion or concerns about this? Tips on cutting out the doors?
View attachment 42003
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I guess I'm going to need to polish the top with some car polish I can still see brush strokes in it when I get the angle of the light just right.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looks good to me just remember the thinner you go the more likely to warp but it looks like a great plan
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well the top is made of 3/4" birch plywood so I don't think the doors will have much chance of warping. Right now I'm just trying to figure out what the best method is going to be to cut them out. I want to use my jig saw but I'm not sure how to start the cut. I don't know if I have a drill bit small enough to start a hole for the jig saw blade without leaving little "dents" in the edges of the doors.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
Are the doors going to be inset or sitting on the top?
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zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
I had hoped to make them sit flush with the top. It occurred to me that I'm going to have a fairly big chunk of the birch left over when I cut it length wise to get the top piece so I guess I can just cut the little top doors from the left over piece but the grain won't match. Therefore I can just drill a hole anywhere and not worry about it.
I also realized earlier that I stupidly miscalculated on the trim that is going around the edges of the top. The top is 8' long and I bought 8' long pieces of tirm. That means they aren't long enough to do the 45 degree angle cuts to join them at the corners. Have to figure something out there.
I also realized earlier that I stupidly miscalculated on the trim that is going around the edges of the top. The top is 8' long and I bought 8' long pieces of tirm.
That means they aren't long enough to do the 45 degree angle cuts to join them at the corners. Have to figure something out there.
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can get 12' lengths around here ask at your building supply store it might be in the warehouse if not put a 45 degree cut in the middle and join two pieces
barterking85
Aquarium Advice Addict
As for the top you might need something on the inside to stop the doors from dropping inside even with hinges it will sag in a little bit but I wouldn't worry about the grain matching too much it will be behind the tank anyways from what I understand from your blueprints
