Aquarium Stand completed (mostly)

[Kirk Amidon]

I recently "completed" the first phase of a larger project. The project is a 22 foot set of built ins in the basement This phase included the base cabinets, the corresponding face frames and the aquarium stand.

This is how the aquarium stand looks:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/nodima/BasementBuiltIns/IMG_7435-1.jpg

All the joints in the face frame and doors were M&T done by hand, and the panel raising was done with hand planes. First the panels were marked using a #45, and the sloped edges were done with a combination of planes 5's, 4's, 3's and 78. These were my 3rd through 6th panels done by hand, and the first ones done in oak. Posting here in Neanderthal due to this fact, and also as a thank you to all who have posted how-to's and encouragement to take on these tasks by hand.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/nodima/BasementBuiltIns/IMG_0528.jpg

The finish is very simple - a wiping stain 'Provincial', followed by 3 coats of Minwax Poly diluted 50% with mineral spirits. The test piece is shown above, and was the left of the two stains.

The tank is a Marineland 180 gal, housing Kigoma Frontosa from Lake Tanganyika.

Oh yeah, the next phase includes 14 more doors for the rest of the lower units!:eek: See you sometime next year!

[David Weaver]

Nice job on the doors, they look great. I would've assumed at first glance that they were shaper or router fodder, which says something good about how tidy the work is.

[Andrew Gibson]

Looking great! I love hand raised pannels, you can tell from across the room that there is something different/special about them but most people cant figure out what it is even from 6".

[Phil Thien]

That looks outstanding. I realize it was a ton of work but well worth it.

[Joshua Clark]

Nice job, Kirk! I love the tank.

My first woodworking project was a tank stand for my saltwater reef tank and assorted equipment. I had no woodworking tools at the time except a circular saw. So I went out and bought a Stanley woodworking project book, a belt sander, and a block plane. I couldn't get that block plane working right so I went on the Internet for some advice, discovered rec.woodworking and OldTools, and fell right down the slope. :)

Again, nice job!

Josh

[Rob Young]

Well done!

You need to make the fish a little highboy bubbler. Use it instead of the diver and treasure chest. :D

[Steve Branam]

Awesome job! That structure has to support on the order of 1600 lbs. between water, tank, and gravel.