thatguy

yeah, but it seems odd to build it out of mdf, finish the outside with paint, then go and veneer the inside as well. why not just paint the inside to match the outside?

on the other hand, why use ply veneer to end up finishing it in a solid color and having to smooth and fill the grain? only to leave the inside unpainted (but more than likely sealed)?

it would be most effective and effecient to just use mdf and then finish it with paint in and out.


Edit* forgot to add, the only thing i could think of, is the design of the stand. if you look at the photo, they have no visual front vertical support. it appears to rely on the front face to prevent deflection in the top piece. as thin as that front face is, it can and will flex if made out of mdf. I bent it myself to show Marc that fact when we built the stand.
ply veneer is going to be stronger and resist vertical flexing.
but then again, placing a thicker stronger piece of support behind (and not visible from the front or in that pic) that front face would create more support if you were to just use mdf.
id like to see a real ada stand in person to look at it.

SUBORPHAN

sorry to drag an old thread up but i need some help.

i am planning to build a stand in ADA style for my rimless tank. however i need to know the dimensions of the different panels of wood. if anyone has an ADA stand would it be possible to measure (and post) the different panels of the stand (the side, top and bottom panels, doors etc)? i hope i am not asking too much and would really be grateful it if you could help.

what also surprises me is the fact that you dont see a gap or a line where for example the top panel is screwed on the side ones. how is that possible?

Gomer

What tank stand are you trying to clone?

The reason you don't see a line, is that after the top is glued/screwed down, the seams are puddied, sanded, primered and painted.

ianiwane

yup, we used car bondo.

SUBORPHAN

i am trying to clone the cube garden 90 x 45. the one that has a thin strip in front above the doors.

rbittman

I have the stand for the 90x45x45 tank. What dimensions do you want? cm or inches?

Roxanne

SUBORPHAN

Roxanne thank you so much. in centimeters would be fine please.

dennis

It also helps to use cherry or maple veneer on the edge of the MDF and then fill the veneer and the joint with Bondo. Also, you can buy white cream hardner for the bondo so you don't have the pink color. For these tanks it would not matter but using the white hardner, you can tint with anyline powders to make the Bondo any color you want. Useful for non-painted applications.

Try to limit your Bondo use though, as on flat curfaces, like the middle of a door panel, the bondo can make a shiny spot even with the best finish technique.

SUBORPHAN

i dont know if i am right or wrong but my plan is to spray the outside paint and varnish that are used for cars. that way i will be able to achieve a uniform shiny metallic finish. of course i am going to use the car paint after the gaps and holes in the unit have been filled with bondo, smoothed down and primed.

do you think that would be ok?

niko

Milalic and I made a 2 ft. ADA style stand using MDF and 2x4 pine wood for the center support.

We filled the screw holes and gaps with wood filler. Will that work fine with MDF or we should have used something else?

The stand is not painted yet. Is it ok to paint it with a paint roller? We plan to use primer under the paint.

MDF is pretty heavy. I bet that if someone with experience working with MDF can lift the original ADA stand and tell if it's veneered MDF or not.

Also it seems that what is call "ADA style" stand is not something uncommon and typical for ADA only. On some Japanese sites one can find stands that are very similar to ADA's. But I think that the ADA stand looks best because the height of the top front plate and the lines around the doors are balanced, unlike some of the other Japanese stands.

--Nikolay