My 40 Breeder Custom Stand Build

[calcnerd]

It's just a 2x4 box skinned in Oak ply. Nothing fancy.

Yes, I built the doors & drawers as well. They're oak play with some real oak trim around them. They look a lot nicer than I thought they would.

Thanks for the compliments!

 

[DaveB]

Nice job!

Not to take away from the other quality parts, but what impresses me most is your staining skill. I've seen many a quality build end up looking a bit cheap/amateurish when using darker stains because it is so hard to distribute properly and smoothly without caking up anywhere or streaking, which is so easy to see with dark stain. (Perhaps this is easier to see on cherry compared to oak, as well... I am only a novice with wood.)

What thickness was the oak ply?

And where did you get those AMAZING handles?

 

[Michiba54]

Wow, that is beautiful!

40B is a nice size tank, what are you gonna put in it? and did you make the doors/drawers from or are they pre-mades?

 

[SYCichlid]

Wow! You did a great job on that build. Why the turtle knobs?

 

[calcnerd]

Nice job!

Not to take away from the other quality parts, but what impresses me most is your staining skill. I've seen many a quality build end up looking a bit cheap/amateurish when using darker stains because it is so hard to distribute properly and smoothly without caking up anywhere or streaking, which is so easy to see with dark stain. (Perhaps this is easier to see on cherry compared to oak, as well... I am only a novice with wood.)

What thickness was the oak ply?

And where did you get those AMAZING handles?

Thanks DaveB. Darker staining is definitely more difficult but if you take your time it's no big deal. I had a few spots where it did cake up (like on the bottom of certain areas where it rolls down to) but I hit those areas with some steel wool to clean them up before the poly.

The ply I used to skin the box with is 3/4 inch. The doors are 1/4 inch ply with real oak trim.

The handles came from two different places. The fish were from:

http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=18775 (Right)
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=18776 (Left)

The turtles from here:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...fBL5qKywXAiOjMBg&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

Wow, that is beautiful!

40B is a nice size tank, what are you gonna put in it? and did you make the doors/drawers from or are they pre-mades?

Thanks Michiba54. I made the doors & drawers as well. It's the new home for my red ear slider.

Wow! You did a great job on that build. Why the turtle knobs?

Thanks! My turtle is going in there until he outgrows it & then I'll stack it with some fish

 

[goestonemoa]

those handles are the sweetest touch to an already increadible job

 

[Michiba54]

Cool, turtles are fun.

I got a 40b for my turtle too, gonna stay empty for awhile though.... Built a stand for his current tank then bought a bigger tank a week later

 

[gtxbetta]

nice bro

 

[DaveB]

Thanks!

Did you use a brush or a cloth?

Did you choose 3/4 because 1/2 is too flimsy to do the job right, or just because it's never bad to go overboard?

I ask because on larger stands there'd be quite a price difference. But I wouldn't want to grab 1/2 only to find out it warps or looks awful.

Thanks DaveB. Darker staining is definitely more difficult but if you take your time it's no big deal. I had a few spots where it did cake up (like on the bottom of certain areas where it rolls down to) but I hit those areas with some steel wool to clean them up before the poly.

The ply I used to skin the box with is 3/4 inch. The doors are 1/4 inch ply with real oak trim.

The handles came from two different places. The fish were from:

http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=18775 (Right)
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=18776 (Left)

The turtles from here:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...fBL5qKywXAiOjMBg&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p



Thanks Michiba54. I made the doors & drawers as well. It's the new home for my red ear slider.



Thanks! My turtle is going in there until he outgrows it & then I'll stack it with some fish

 

[calcnerd]

Thanks!

Did you use a brush or a cloth?

Did you choose 3/4 because 1/2 is too flimsy to do the job right, or just because it's never bad to go overboard?

I ask because on larger stands there'd be quite a price difference. But I wouldn't want to grab 1/2 only to find out it warps or looks awful.

I used a cloth to stain. It's takes longer, but eliminates any possibility of tiny bubbles.

I went with 3/4 because I usually overbuild everything, but also didn't want the chance of warping.