DIY stand question

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Hello,

I have done woodworking before and know the basics, over the last weeks I have built a stand to hold 2 10 gallons and just this week a 40 gallon

They are nothing inpressive just 2x4 frame.

I'm planing a stand for my 75Gallon and using these as practice. the 10 gallon stand let me know i needed a miter saw for accurate cuts !!

I have that now and use that in building the 40gallon stand.

the thing is the tank is now sitting on the stand and dispite my best effort of picking straight wood and using an angle iron and checking with my 4 foot levels edge I have a very small gap along the front of the tank.

the corners are touching but no the hole under side.

with the tank on there you can tell the wood has a curve to it. I mean its maybe 1-32 of an inch but you can see light through it

Is a planer what I'm looking for to correct this?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_256321-353-1560-01_4294857487_4294937087?productId=1072881&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_Joiners%2Band%2BPlaners_4294857487_4294937087_?storeNumber=2466$selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean@2586f7ef,%20com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean@1a9af7ef,%20com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean@772bf7ef,%20com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean@271677ee,%20com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean@2c1af7ee]$cm_cr=Power%20Tools-_-Web%20Activity-_-Power%20Tools%20Area1%205.1.10%20Activity-_-SC_Power%20Tools_Area1-_-20628_5$errorURL=UserAccountView

in school we had one that was on the floor and made it quick and easy to do this but they are to expensive lol

thanks in advance. I don't want my tank to crack from no support lol

 

[neilanh]

I'm no woodworker, so I can't answer how to fix that. But, what I did was used a 3/4" sheet of plywood for the top of the stand. It's an option.

 

[BigJim]

If you can, flip the wood so that the bottom of the "U" of the bow is touching the rest of the stand and the ends are away from the stand. Clamp the wood and fasten it with screws or the fasteners of your choice. The bow will be held straight by the fasteners.

 

[redswi]

The planer you are looking at will do the job, but unless your a tool nut, or plan on doing alot of diy projects, I wouldn't spend the money just for this job. I would take the part to a local cabinet shop and ask them to square it up on the joiner, it takes like two minutes and a minimal charge, if any,(make freinds).


The other option as bigJim sugested will also work, Just like building a deck or frameing a floor you want to build with the crown of the wood up. reality is the weight of the tank will level everything off

 

[jsoong]

Ideally you want to dress the wood with the planer BEFORE assembly. You want the wood to rest a bit after any cutting & planing so any stress is released to minimize any wood movement down the road.

That said, 1/32" isn't that much. You can take that off with a hand plane (much cheaper than a power planer, but a good one will still cost you over a couple hundred, and needs skill to use well) or just a power sander. Alternatively, you can put a piece of rigid foam on the stand. The weight of the tank will crush the foam so it will conform exactly to any unevenness of the stand. (Or you can use plywood as other had suggested.) That should take care of minor uneveness (like that 1/32" ... but I wouldn't do that for much more than 1/8'.)

 

[taylorodw]

One way to combat this is to put bracing underneath.

So you have the 2x4 frame, put plywood on top and then screw it down around a perimeter.

Then, cut 2x4 to brace the frame depth-wise. So, 4in shorter than the depth of the frame. Then use a mallet and knock them into the frame, against the plywood. Screw the new supports into the frame, and they will prevent sagging.

Sorry if this wasn't clear.