Removable Stand Panels?

[klasiksb]

I want to build a stand, frame it with 2x4's and then skin it with 1/2" ply. I want the ply to be removable, what's the best way to do that?

[Pbrown3701]

attach a wood "frame to the back of the ply that pressure fits into the opening in the stand.

For example: you have 4 rectangles in the stand (between the legs, top and bottom). Make a rectangular frame out of 1x2 (or the like) that fits the rectangles in teh stand exactly. Then, attache this frame to the back of the ply in the appropriate place so that when inserted to the stand, the ply lines up correctly to cover the stand.

Just what I would do. I'm sure there are many other ways.

[timrandlerv10]

magnets.

[nanoDude]

When I built a tall stand for my 10 gallon I made the front panel removable rather than hinged. I built it just like normal but didn't glue it on. I placed a magnetic cabinet door catch at each corner to hold it on and it worked great.

[bolis06]

I'm sure everyone has a method of doing things differently and this is just my suggestion. You could use panel z clips just do a net search and you see what I mean.

[Bishop]

magnets.

[AZDesertRat]

I skinned a friends 300 gallon system which had a powder coated steel frame. I had him weld L brackets in the corners and when I laid out the skin I drilled and installed carriage bolts under the trim at those locations which were then held from inside with wing nuts once installed. Worked out real slick and all the bolt heads are covered by edge moulding or wooden trim covering the plastic tank trim.

[hyperfocal]

You're sure you want to skin it with 1/2" plywood? That's more like "armor" than "skin" :-)

[audioaddiction]

i'm also in the midst of building my own stand for my 90 gallon. i also plan on having the sides removable to slide the sump in. there's going to be 18.5 inches of headroom which will allow most smaller glass tanks to slide right in. i plan to cover with half-inch oak ply. to attach the side panels. i was thinking of using 1x1 inch wood peices to permenently attach to the side panels, and to allow to be unscrewed from the 2x4 tank stand frame. magnets would work but which method would you guys use to place the magnets? i do not have but basic tools and also most inexpensive magnets would not hold the sides on as well (not that they're going anywhere). something similar to below which i made, but more holding it in the correct place, and less screws as few are needed.

[NeveSSL]

Velcro sounds like it may work...

If nothing else, the dual lock stuff is AMAZINGLY strong. I'm not sure if that spelling is completely correct, but it is used a lot by guitarists to secure pedals to pedal boards, and thus I know about it.

audioaddiction: Would you mind to share your plans for your 90? You are doing exactly what I had hoped to do! At least one removable end to slide a sump in and no center brace on the front.

Thanks!

Brandon

[ccorpse27]

You can use the same type of fasteners they use on speaker grills too. The push in type.

[klasiksb]

Originally posted by hyperfocal
You're sure you want to skin it with 1/2" plywood? That's more like "armor" than "skin" :-)

Probably not, I need to look around to see what's cheap and looks good.

Thanks for all the ideas!

[GOLDMAROON]

I would use a friction catch kiinda like these


http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...ardwareBG.html

THese are at lowes there about 3/4 of the way down the page. The type I prefer is actually a ball bearing friction cath thats adjustable, last time i foudn them they were at ace hardware.

[audioaddiction]

ok i'll post what's going on in my head at the moment. hopefully when this is all over i can make a thread about how i did it? or maybe i should just start one now? what do you guys think?

so far i've completed the 2x4 basic structure of the stand. i don't have an updated picture of it yet. i did change one thing from the picture i showed: i did indeed add a center 2x4 brace in the front. it may be strong enough without it, and it would be cool to open completely up without it, but i added it just because i can't calculate for sure.

what i'm working on now:



i first thought i was going to cover the front and sides with 3/4" plywood (oak, birch, or something cheaper). i wanted this in the front for strength mostly. then i thought the thickness was a little much, strengthwise (note: the sides arent going to help much because of their ability to be unattached, but the front definitely will help 2x4 stands with their weakness - wracking). now i figure 1/4" would be fine, 1/2" would be strong. but there are more things to consider then strength. how are you going to setup the doors on your stand? i do not want to attach thin doors to a thin front, or even thicker doors to a thin front. i want a solid, rigid, heavy feeling front and doors. so 1/4" is out for sure. 1/2" would do, 3/4" would be great but if you don't fancy up the edges of some 3/4" doors to look like new home kitchen cabinet doors, they're probably going to look too beefy. so i'm still deciding between 1/2" and 3/4", might even do a 3/4" front with 1/2" doors.

55, 75, 90 gallon people listen up: 1/2" if your covering the entire front of your stand with one piece (picture above) you're going to need larger than 4'x4'. this is what i was thinking of getting but there's an issue. the tank is actually 48.5" wide, and with the wood to cover the entire front, and the edges of the sides, you're looking at around a 50" wide front. with that in mind, i'm going to buy a 4'x8'

the prices are pretty much the same at lowes and home depot, but each has a different selection. our home depot didn't have sheets of oak or birch smaller than 3/4" 4'x8'. i did find some ply there today (yesterday, saturday) that is $30 per 4'x8' and is mostly very light. it has some large wavy grain patterns. this stuff looks good and is, i think, half the price of what an oak 4'x8' is. also i have figured that 2 sheets of whatever 4'x8' will give me enough to cover the front, sides, and build a large hood (even if i go 1 foot tall for future halides), and you'll still have about a half sheet left over. it'd cost $60 for wood.

4 hinges are around $20 dollars total depending on what you get. i'm still deciding between euro-style inset hinges, but i'll need to buy a bit for $10 to make them fit. there are some nice looking hinges if i decide not to do this. we'll see.

what's going on in my head, what i'm working on next:

today at home depot i found a perfect fitting, simple looking, industrial metal surge protector today for $25. i didn't like the selection of them at lowes at all. this one is 13.5" wide which will give it .5" clearance to fit on the side wall of the inside of the stand perfectly! the spacing of the plugs is sideways and spaced well which is vital for attaching those bulky analog light-timers (i think i'll have 2 of those timers used for powerheads, and that digital timer, made by coralife i beleive, for the light cycle) also probably an American DJ PC-4 power center to turn on/off pumps and things when needed. it would plug into the surge protector along with all the timers.

for my sump i'm thinking about getting a 29 gallon, and getting glass cut (i hear lowes and home depot do it well, cheaply) for the dividers, and cutting egg crate lighting material to use for different purposes in the sump (as mark levenson "melev" showed us)

my digital camera is broken so i'm going to borrow someone's to take pics, tomorrow i hope. below are some pics from days ago, the base of the stand is NOT completed.





pics taken of the base NOT completed. i would not load a tank on this stand



the wood is yellow from the water-sealent

so everyone give me some feedback! questions, comments, dislikes, criticism, all welcome. and again, should i start my own thread now while building or post one afterwards on how i did it?

[woodymac64]

Removable wainscot panels...

I built 3"x1" borders around the upper and lower parts of my stand frame. I then square routed the inside of the borders to accommodate the thickness of the wainscot:

- inside bottom of the top border - 3/8" height
- inside top of the bottom border - 1/4" height

I cut the wainscot lengths so that I can slide them into the top border, press them against the frame, then slide them into the bottom border (so that both borders hide the ends of the wainscot). Then I can slide the seated panels inside the borders. The edges of the wainscot have grooves and peaks that allow them to interlock with each other. To make it look nice, I have an angle at one end of my tank frame and a door routed to fit the wainscot thickness at the other end.

I'll have to read up on how to attach a picture to a post, it may make what I've done a little easier to understand...

Take Care,
Tom

[tekknoschtev]

For what its worth, I just got through mounting the magnets to the panel on the front of my puffer's stand. I picked up 4 of the magnets used to keep kitchen cabinets closed. Just mount the magnets and mark where the plates should go on the door, screw/glue it in and viola. They hold much better than I inidially had anticipated.

[MayoBoy]

I was going to use magnets but ended up making the panels a little bit oversized and just keeping them in place with a friction fit. A block plane and a couple of hours until everything fit perfectly. Then I took just a hair more off to compensate for the finish on all the faces.

It works best if you have a rabbet around the perimter to hold the panel flush.

[NeveSSL]

Originally posted by audioaddiction
ok i'll post what's going on in my head at the moment. hopefully when this is all over i can make a thread about how i did it? or maybe i should just start one now? what do you guys think?

...

Definitely start a new one... you have quite a bit of info and I'd love to follow along as I'll be starting mine soon.

Brandon

[conefree]

Please start another thread detailing your build. I myself am looking for ideas just like this. Thanks, audioaddiction.