Idaho-Tank build... Starting over

love your workmanship. ok now it time to make me one! ill be down to pick it up frmo montana in a few weeks ;-)

 

Thanks! No problem just bring a large supply of fish & inverts with you.;D

Question for everyone... can anyone recommend a good and fairly complete test kit for me? The ones I have are several years old and I think I want to start with a newer kit... I am partially color blind and have to ask my wife to look at the colors and charts - I assume there are no other ways for these kits to work? Anyway - please recommend a good kit. Was just going to get a Red Sea or the Seachem kit.. one of these: Saltwater Multi-Test Kits - D&T Aquarium Supplies-Aquarium Supplies For Saltwater And Freshwater Aquariums, And Ponds

Thanks

 

I use API

 

im color blind as well, but i can use seachem pretty well

 

Very nice build. That sump/fuge is top notch!

Oh, and by the way, I had a jacked '95 Wrangler Sarah edition when I was in high school/college.

 

Friday afternoon I started the Hood portion of the project - I finished it yesterday afternoon. I had the specs on the lights I ordered and from that was able to build the hood around it. Fortunately the light fixture is low profile and the hood didn't need to be really tall - I am trying to keep the weight down so its easier to take off and on.

To start I just ripped down some 2x4 to make 2x2 (1.5x1.5). The last hood I made I primarily just used 1x with no frame... over time it moved slightly which I didn't like... I think a frame will help it keep its shape and integrity better.

The bottom of the frame - basically follows the shape of he tank. Screwed and glued each corner.



Added corners and the top part of the frame.




Added some intermediate members.



Then I started to focus on the finish material... I am still waiting on my shipment of wire brushed fir to arrive so I decided to do it myself for the hood... Bought some CVG Fir (stuff is pricy!) and started cutting. Last time when I built my stand I basically just attached the finish material right to the stand piece by piece - over time the boards separated slightly.. The stuff I am using now has a lower moisture content than that material did and I am also glueing and putting biscuits in. This will help keep everything tight - also gives me a reason to use the biscuit jointer.




I then put the individual panels together and clamped everything up and let sit for the night.



Next day I pulled off all the clamps and had some nice panels to work with. They were all intentionally longer so I could cut perfect on the table saw.



Now I began to attach the panels to the frame. Glue and finish nail.

 

I added a door to the top of the hood so I would have some access without taking the hood off.




I had a nice oil rubbed bronze door pull that I never used - thought this might be a nice concealed handle for the hood door. I used a router to cut the recesses required for the handle.




I added a piece of trip so the shape was not so boxy. I mitered the corners.




Then I got to work with the wire brush... Ugh - what a pain that was. Takes a lot of time even with power tools. But the finish looks really good and after I oil this it will look great. Here is the corner after brushing the wood.




Here is that handle and how it will look. I will screw it in after I oil and put poly on everything. You can also see the texture of the wood in these photos.




A profile photo taken from the back. I have about a 1 1/8" lip that will overhang the edge of the tank to conceal the water line.



I hated to do it, but had to cut some vent holes into the side where the fans will keep the lights cool.



And it is all done and ready for oil.. I hope to get back to working on the stand tomorrow afternoon.

 

The other fir I was waiting for finally showed up... It was wire brushed but the texture is not heavy enough so I will have to wire brush it some more.

I put the 2x6 top pieces together with 5 biscuits between each, glued and clamped it for 24 hours. I have to texture it and shape the edges still.


Then I cut and put the end panels together glued, biscuited and clamped... I will still need to cut to fit.



Next I was anxious to start on the doors.. I also wanted to have the doors built before starting the front panels on each side of the doors. I have never built any type of cabinet door before but wanted to copy the doors on our entertainment center so I figured I would give it a try. I don't have a shaper or any tools beyond a table saw, chop saw etc... so....

First I cut out the door frame.. then cut a notch or dado into one side of each of the four pieces. Then I put together the panels that will go into the frame. Here are all the pieces.



Here is the notch into the frame.



Then I took the panels and cut a tongue into the edges.



Here is the door put together prior to any shaping. If you look close you can see small holes at the bottom of the door where the sides meet the bottom... I ran that dado all the way though and decided to put a spline into that space when I glue it all together.


Then using a belt sander I shaped the edges.


Finished door prior to glueing


Thats it for now... more of a wood working project than anything at the moment... I think I will be adding water next week though!

 

Great work. Nice canopy. What size lumber did you use for the frame? Looks like 2x2's?

BTW, I used to use Red Sea test kits a while back..I forget what it was I didn't like about them.. I'll have to take it out & use it in my next WC to see..