hoppycalif

I decided I need more support at the bottom of the cabinet:

I need to add the "filler block" between the inner half of the "feet" and the bottom plywood piece, to increase the area carrying the weight of the cabinet and tank. Tomorrow I will cut strips of plywood just wide enough to filll that gap and glue them in.

hoppycalif

The base is done! Now it has "feet" all around the base:


For the sides, I'm using 3/4 oak veneered plywood, with the solid oak edging I made first. The problem was that the oak 1 X 2 is about a 1/16 inch thicker than the oak plywood, so I needed to add a shim to bring the outside surfaces into the same plane. Cutting the shims was a pain, using only a skil saw, but I finally figured out a way to do it - cut into the edge of an oak board leaving a 1/16" thick shim left at one edge, twice as wide as I needed. Then cut the face of the board twice to release the two shims. Worked well, after an hour figuring out how to set it up for straight cuts. Here is one side before gluing it together:


And, glued and clamped:


And, one side ready to sand:


Tomorrow will be time to assemble the sides and back to the base and top!

SKSuser

How's it going?
Sorry, I didn't realize that this was the newest project until I looked at the dates.
Seems like its coming along nicely!

hoppycalif

The body of the cabinet is together now, and only needs a bit more sanding. I used glue blocks along every joint and a couple of dry wall screws at each joint to be sure it could take the handling while finishing it.


The doors will just be plain slabs of oak veneered plywood, so that part will go fast. Now, I really miss my drill press, which would make using hidden, cup hinges a whole lot easier. And, I will need a layer of thin sponge rubber on the top, since the top isn't perfectly flat, in spite of lots of belt sanding.

hoppycalif

The doors are installed now, using surface mounted hidden hinges. Those hinges are great when you don't have the tools to install cup hinges.




Next will be a bit more sanding, installing a shelf or two inside to store fish food, fertilizers, etc. leaving room for the filter and CO2 reactor. Then, I will stain and finish it.

ponyrandy

Coming along nicely! I like the clean lines. Can't wait to see it stained and the tank and that nice hood on top of it.
Brian

BigRed27

Wahooo keep up the good work of making the rest of us (me) look bad with all your handy DIY woodwork.

ereefer

Very nice, a good bookmark reference for stand building indeed!

hoppycalif

The compiments above convinced me not to shortchange myself on electrical hookups. So, today I installed my outlets, flush with the back wall of the cabinet.

I wanted 5 double outlets, all protected by a GFCI, so I needed a 5 slot junction box, but couldn't find one. I had to use a 3 and a 2 slot box. The advantage of mounting the outlets like this is that they don't use us precious room inside the cabinet, and the cabinet needed to be further than that away from the wall anyway, to allow room for some of the plumbing. This is the neatest electrical hookup I have ever had in an aquarium stand. I will use two plug in mechanical timers for the lights and CO2 and the rest will be for whatever I end up needing to power - filter, heater, lights cooling fan, etc.

John N.

WOW! When I think it couldn't get any better, you kick it up a notch with the electrical outlets and wiring. This is a wonderful inspiration, and when I get the space I'll be coming back and using this as a startup for a DIY stand.

-John N.