Calling DIY'ers - Maybe you can DIY for me?

[rschroeter]

I live in Plymouth, MA - and I am building a 120rr 4'x2'x2' system. I'd like to comission someone to build me a wooden stand and canopy (and possibly chest).

Is anyone interested in building a stand and canopy for me? I'd pay for all materials and your fee for the project.

If you are interested, please show me a project you've done before (or projects) and send me a PM with a quote - more pictures, or a link to a DIY build thread would be interesting. Preferably someone near Plymouth so that I can stop in and see progress - discuss things without being too remote.


What I'm looking to have built is this:

Stand
- A stand to hold 48" x 24" tank.
- One large front door for full access to gear below
- Bonus points if the stand can have a full front panel removable via magnets (back can have a center brace if needed).
- Extra bonus points if the side(s) can also have a panel removable via magnets
- I can do staining/painting to reduce labor
- Back should have vents
- Platform should be able to allow the plumbing through at the back corners

Canopy
- I like a lower profile, not the very high profile ones
- needs to have a hinge going across the entire length of the tank so that I can open the front quarter to get my fat arm down into the tank to clean/move shi... stuff.
- will need to house two EcoTech Marine Radion units
- hoping to have a pretty sleek design, not complicated, but simple and elegant looking

Based on how that goes, I'm also thinking of a third item, but this isn't required

Chest
- 32"x20" ?guessing here?
- large chest, matching above items, which can house additional equipment (perhaps all electronics and non-moisture type items).
- maybe even a bucket or drawer for cleaning tools and supplements
- would sit right next to tank, but it would disguise as a nice piece of furniture


I was going to try to learn how to do this, and though that would be a lot of fun, I just don't have time for learning how to become a carpenter, nor do I want to spend even more money on the gear to do the work (taking away from spending on reef stuff). I have no idea if this is cost effective or not.

If anyone has a better suggestion for how to get the above (hire a professional carpenter, -or if you know a carpenter? -or if you've accomplished the above some other way - let me know.

 

[jason401]

Here's the low pro hood I built for mine. The very top which the radions sit in is put together like a door. If you were to follow this plan, only advice I would give to change would be to make 1/3 of the top open along with the face. Like a double hinge when you want it.

 

[rschroeter]

That looks great - so the front face alone is a door with a hinge to pull it out? Looks really sleek, and the radions are nicely built in.

 

[jason401]

Thank you, Yeah the front face the the only opening. Its about 6" so I would def think about having a double hinge for access.

As far as the radions fitting in there, those pockets are actually stepped. Depending on how you build it, they can be routed as well. Radions actually have angeled sides and dont necessarily need that step, but I felt much safer that way than having them wedged in.

I might be able to find a google sketchup blue print

 

[rschroeter]

also - the white really looks great

 

[rschroeter]

I might not find anyone here to take this on-which is perfectly cool, I know people have things to do! haha

But let me follow my thread up with these questions.

If you were having someone build one for you custom - what are the things you would ask to have done, that perhaps you didn't do or have done on your own tank?

Here's some of my ideas, and I'm looking for additional feedback.

- What wood is the stand made up of, what wood is the face made up of?
- Include vents in stand as well as in canopy that are not visible, but functional (rear / sides?)
- Use magnetic removable doors instead of hinged doors so that work can be performed inside easier
- Request that the inside be painted with something that will keep it from degrading over time due to exposure to moisture (what should this be?)
- Side panel door which makes the entire cabinet accessible from the side, so that you could slide a 40G breeder into it easily? (not sure if it's difficult to get equip into the stand once it is built). This is assuming the tank needs to have a center brace support.

Thanks again

 

[JTM4UG]

Use oil primer and perma white paint for anything that's going to see a lot of moisture. Perma white is cheap anti mold anti moisture paint.