karpomatic Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 The original post is from 6/29/21 on another site. I'm reposting is as I cannot link to another site. This is my DIY in photos of the aluminum stand that was built by my built by my Dad, elder brother, and me for my Marineland 220 Xhigh aquarium. Part 1 - It's made of 2" square aluminum that it cost about $250. The dimensions are 72.5" x 24" x 24". I drew up the plans with my father's assistance. I did all the prep work. My brother did all the welding. I then ground down all the welds. Then prepared the frame for paint with 0000 steel wool and acetone. I then applied 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of semi-gloss black. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpomatic Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 I used some pine boards my dad had left over from when his house was built for the doors. However, I needed to get the polyurethane off. So I burned and sanded the boards and accidently used the Shou Sugi Ban method. I had no idea it existed until I started burning the wood with a blow torch. My dad then assembled the doors. My father then drilled and tapped all the holes for the 6 piano hinges and the door magnets. We attached the doors and coated them in Tung Oil inside and out. We plan on making a canopy in the same method once I'm done refurbishing the aquarium. 8/30/21 - Yesterday was the big day. Started at 550am and got done around 430pm. swapped out my 125 for a 220 on my DIY aluminum stand. It's the next day and I'm still exhausted. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 massive overkill, i like it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpomatic Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 10:26 AM, lefty o said: massive overkill, i like it. Not really. The aluminum afforded the strength I needed at roughly half the weight as steel and no need to be as bulky and reinforced as a wooden stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 9:36 AM, karpomatic said: Not really. The aluminum afforded the strength I needed at roughly half the weight as steel and no need to be as bulky and reinforced as a wooden stand. i get the aluminum, but most folks would have mig welded that thing up in a hurry vs TIG. its nicely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpomatic Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 10:42 AM, lefty o said: i get the aluminum, but most folks would have mig welded that thing up in a hurry vs TIG. its nicely done. Oh, that's my dad and brother, I had no say in it. My dad is a perfectionist and my brother just got his welding certifications for his work last year. You can't even tell he capped those corners. I did all the grunt work of prepping, polishing, painting, & staining. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi_Aquatics Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 That stand looks beautiful! I love the wood finish! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Nice looking set up! How do you level it? I didn’t see any leveling feet in the build pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpomatic Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 1:10 PM, Patrick_G said: Nice looking set up! How do you level it? I didn’t see any leveling feet in the build pics. Shims under the stand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 @karpomaticThat looks fantastic! Really like the finish on the wood! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy's Fish Den Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 Nice looking stand! Welding is a skill that I wish I was much better at, especially welding aluminum, I've only ever done steel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now