DIY stand question - DIY Aquarium Projects

kwc1974 · 06-02-2006, 10:36 AM

I just got a ADA 60-p tank form ADG

and I am intending on building a stand similar to the one ADA sells.
ADG has it in limited quantities but the price, ouch.
What material is best for this? I was looking into using MDF but I am a little unsure about its strength and durablility.

any thoughts?

dennis · 06-02-2006, 11:24 AM

I built an ADA style stand for my 50. Sidesm top and bottom are 1" Ultralight MDF, back is 1/2" MDF and doors are 3/4" MDF. The cabinet is double biscuited together adn glued with yellow glue. The back is a very tight fit and is screwed in. As long as you make the verticle parts support the weight you will be fine. What I mean by that is, the top sits on the sides and the sides sit on the bottom. None of the weight of the tank is on the joinery. Actually in my case, the bottom is between the sides; however, I have a 1" toe set back 3/8" from the sides so the sides actually sit on that.

For a 60cm (24") tank you will be fine. You would probably not even need a center divider, especially if you biscuited and glued a ~3" head piece along the front to the bottom of the top.

If you need any other help, feel free to ask me (or MatPat who is also a furniture maker).

kwc1974 · 06-02-2006, 11:45 AM

Dennis,
This is what I had in mind
All 3/4" MDF, all support will be bearing on the two sides and back panels. A full sheet will be on the top to help distribute the load (attached with clips), and a shelf at the bottom. all panels will be glued & screwed. I do not have access to a biscuit tool...maybe I should get one.

Here is a Drawing

Thanks for the info and the help

dennis · 06-02-2006, 11:54 AM

That looks pretty good to me. You should really use soem structural joinery beside screws. What tools do you have access to?

kwc1974 · 06-02-2006, 11:57 AM

I was thinking of using metal angle clips for the structural joinery. I know it is a little overkill, but its cheap and will help me hold the right angles.

dennis · 06-02-2006, 12:02 PM

If that is what you have then it will be fine. They will ad lots of durability. If you have access to a tablesaw (I am assuming you do since you somehow need to cut the part accuratly) I would consider running a tounge on the sides of the back and a groove in the sides to accept it. THis would add a TON of glue surface and strength. If you could dado, or biscuit, the bottom into the sides and back it would be even better. Another option is to glue 1"x1" strips of wood into all the corners once the case is assembled.

kwc1974 · 06-02-2006, 12:10 PM

thanks for the pointers Dennis I do have a table saw and will add the tounge and groove to the back and side panels..very good point. I also like the 1x1 strips in the corners for reinforecment. If I can get ahold of a biscuit cutter, I will use it.

Thanks for all your help

I will take pics of the assembly and final product and post them.

hoppycalif · 06-02-2006, 03:18 PM

Tongue and groove joints aren't recommended for MDF. Much of that materials strength is in the surface, which is the most dense part of it. If you put a continuous groove across the material you have weakened it quite a bit. The strongest way to use it is to have the top sit on the sides, with glue and screws being an adequate way to hold them together. The best screws have a large pitch, not a fine pitch. The back sheet of MDF is primarily for racking resistance, so doesn't have to be 3/4 inch thick. And, the narrow strip across the front, under the top should be adequate to keep the top flat. I have made a lot of cabinets with this material, using both biscuit joints and screw together joints and brad nailer joints. All any of those do is hold the parts until the glue cures. I gave up any form of grooves in using the material because it did noticably weaken the structure of it.

Ajax · 06-05-2006, 09:42 AM

As a matter of fact I just built an ADA-ish stand for my 60cm tank. Here is a link to the thread: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...ank-stand.html If you like it I can send you the print on the way I built it. I did make it from 3/4" MDF as well.

Edit: Make sure when you use MDF that you pre-drill ALL of your holes or the wood will split. I learned this the hard way when I built a speaker bo years ago.

dennis · 06-05-2006, 11:22 AM

In my experience, a well glued (ie Gorilla glue) tongue and groove joint is way stronger than just butt glueing the edge to the face. That actually is useless for glue strength and you are really just relying on the screws in the end. Ideally, the sides would continue past the back an additional 1/2 inch which adds a lot of strength to the weakest part, the small piece left on the back of the sides .

The best screws are ones made specially for MDF and you need a special drill bit for these. Check with Rockler or WoodCraft. The next best solution and one that is perfectly adequate is to use coarse thread #8 drywall screws, again predrilling but you do not need a special bit. I believe a #8 is best predrilled with a 9/64 but I could be wrong. Use a bit bigger than seems appropriate and do a test peice to be sure.

The back actually can support a lot of the weight, especially with an ADA style tank that does not have the plastic frame. Sure, 3/4" is overkill but I find it easier, and cheaper, to buy one sheet of 3/4" versus a sheet of 3/4" and 1/2 or 1 sheet of 1/2". Using 3/4" also gives a lot more glue surface/joinery strength, especially when considering that he is not using buscuits and may even be using screws.

I have to say though that I would rabit in the back and glue it in when I was done. I was not sure if you have the equipment for that task.