skipperawe January 16, 2011 Share January 16, 2011 Hi all, I decided that i need to upgrade my 12G eclipse to a 40 Breeder. It will have a 20L sump and a custom stand. Here is a SketchUp of the draft for the stand. it took me about 2 HOURS to make. I got lumber for the final design, which will have 6 legs. I am still in the throws of using SketchUp to make a model to show you. I have the lumber, the tools, to 40B, and the 20L. only time can stop me now. comment, I'd love to know what you think of the design (imagine it has 6 legs). How long did it take you to design you're stand? Do you recommend a different CAD program? (free) I look forward to seeing your response!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 Update: final CAD w/ SketchUp is DONE! :clap: :clap: :clap: here are some pics comment, I'd love to know what you think of the design. How long did it take you to design you're stand? Do you recommend a different CAD program? (free) I look forward to seeing your response!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k January 17, 2011 Share January 17, 2011 The way that you have it drawn is weak. There's nothing to prevent the stand from collapse if you simply push it forwards or backwards. You've overbuilt the bottom and underbuilt the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 (edited) There's nothing to prevent the stand from collapse if you simply push it forwards or backwards. You've overbuilt the bottom and underbuilt the top. there will be cross bars on the back. There will also be a 1/4" skin on all sides Edited January 17, 2011 by skipperawe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 January 17, 2011 Share January 17, 2011 Hi Glenn, not bad for a youngster! I agree with Rob - not enough lateral support. I think the bottom is fine, but you'll want to have something that keeps the stand itself from shifting from one side to the other. The way you have shown it if you give it any sort of movement in any direction, the legs will all go. The legs themselves will hold the tank up just fine as each 2x4 can hold tons of weight, but there's not much of anything holding that in place. You'll want to have something that keeps the legs from being able to shift in one direction or the other. If you put a piece of wood on 2 of the sides, this will prevent a lot of the shifting. Also, I would build a frame to hold the top together. You could get away with 4 legs instead if you double them up (you probably don't even need to do that, but this will support it overall more than your current design). I would suggest building a box out of 2x4s that is the size of the frame of the tank for the top and bottom. Then run legs up inside of this at each corner. Use 2x4s to fill in in between these on the inside of the box as well as have one the spans across the middle. Then have other legs that run up in between the 2 boxes along the sides of the legs that you have already put in and attach them to the existing legs. You'll still want to enclose at least 2 sides, a front and back, in order to keep it from shifting, but this will make it more solid (I tend to way overbuild). If you want, come by and I'll show you what I mean, I made a basic drawing with Xs and Os but it got messed up when I posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 January 17, 2011 Share January 17, 2011 Just saw your new post. Eliminating the middle legs will allow easier access to the sump, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 (edited) final post before bedtime... this is what the tank will look like w/ a skin and 2 cross bars on the back. Edited January 17, 2011 by skipperawe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 i've decided that my tank has too much compressional strength, but not enough lateral strength. AS such i have decided to scrap the middle joist & 2 legs. I will be using the extra wood for cross beams and 2 extra beams under the sump. New DESIGN: this is V5 for my custom stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad January 17, 2011 Share January 17, 2011 I agree with Rob and Dave Lin about the rigidity. I can help with a stand, but I have a question first, you have a ledge around the outside edge of the tank. Is this something that you want in your stand or just the way it turned out? What is the purpose of the ledge? There are a few ways to do it, for a tank your size, I would probably build out of plywood to conserve the maximum amount of space inside the stand, but 2x4s are cheap and easy to work with if you prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 the ledge is there on purpose, lest ye think that i have not thought this out.. the ply will be screwed to the back in 9 places, this thing won't move... also, that bottom cuff you can see.. that is 2x4s screwed into the legs.. the top cuff, same thing. the top won't move, the bottom won't move, and the middle has a 1cm. ply screwed into it to prevent parrallelagramming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad January 17, 2011 Share January 17, 2011 (edited) No, it appears you have thought it out... but it is a bit too complicated for my taste. What do you intend to use the ledge for (supporting heavy stuff, like your body weight? or light stuff like supplies and just to have a handy ledge? Why have your sump off the floor? Edited January 17, 2011 by Chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 17, 2011 Author Share January 17, 2011 just handy to have a ledge.. Where else would the sump go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad January 18, 2011 Share January 18, 2011 On the floor with a layer of plastic lining the inside of the stand to protect against water. Here are two renderings I threw together to show what I mean. With 2x4s With plywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k January 18, 2011 Share January 18, 2011 If you take Chad's drawing with 2x4's but put the 2x4's inside the frame at the top and bottom, it will make it way stronger. That's how I made mine when I had a 40br. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe January 18, 2011 Author Share January 18, 2011 (edited) Just didn't want it on the floor, that's all... As per zygote2k.. My 2x4 legs are in the bottom, like you suggested, but not the top. (see the first pic. In my last post w/ pics.) Chad.. What CAD program is that? Edited January 18, 2011 by skipperawe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad January 18, 2011 Share January 18, 2011 I use AutoCad for both the 3d models and renderings. I think this is what Rob said. With a skin and ply flooring, this would be solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperawe February 21, 2011 Author Share February 21, 2011 Hi all, I have been relatively inactive over the last few weeks due to well, a lot of things, anyway, I have made the "guts", or structural, part of the stand, i will have to put a decorative ply finish and moulding on it.... I(my dad) have also drilled my 40b in two places, one hole in and one out. I recently bought and carved up some PVC for an overflow that will fit over the out-hole. I plan to paint this PVC black, and I have purchased "Crylon FUSION" (lol... Fusion...) paint. I have also purchased some clear cement-epoxy 100% water proof and fish safe Look to this thread as becoming much more active over the next few days... I will try to post up some pics soon of the stand/drilled tank. It also appears that the stand is extremely overbuilt... Might as well be a stump.. I can sit and pry all I want, I can't find a way to make it budge a MM in any direction... Thanks very much for your prior postings and following of my thread, I hope it starts up again and continues, as the topic certainly will COMMENT :rollface: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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