Need help with stand plans .

[Woznickiaj]

I realize this is a plywood stand , but im having a hard time replicating and coming up with plans . Are there any woodworkers that are able to chime in ?
Pix in a sec http://www.flickr.com/photos/53538056@N06/7193131376/in/photostream/#

[Woznickiaj]

Flickr isnt working for me !!

[Triggerfish]

its a simple frameless cabinet where the doors are just attached to the sides of the cabinet.

[Photobug]

its a simple frameless cabinet where the doors are just attached to the sides of the cabinet.

Yep and if you don't know what you are doing I would not suggest this stand to build. You would need at least a router edge or router table or table saw with dado blade. Without some knowledge and the ability to cut dados and rabbits you probably not be able to make a stand strong enough out of plywood.

With a skill saw and straight edge and a drill you could make a 2x4 stand with a plywood skin strong enough to support anything you'd want to put on it.

[dan-in-gr]

Hi, I am a woodworker and that stand is supper easy to build, you should see my plywood stand for my 120. It is made from Finland 13 ply cabinet grade ($100 a sheet) 3/4 inch fully doweled, veneered with cherry with cherry solids. You should have a decent table saw and a router is not necessary but a dado blade for table saw may be needed.

[Woznickiaj]

I do have knowledge in woodworking ,although I never built a stand ,I do know how to build this stand using technique such as rabitting and such but I'm having a hard time figuring out how they built it . Im trying to replicate this stand with the flush look exact. I do have a router and table.

[Woznickiaj]

Also,, don't they make some Kind of bit to cut dados for a router?

[Donw]

Also,, don't they make some Kind of bit to cut dados for a router?

No those types of stand are generally particle board or mdf. They can be made from plywood provided you buy good plywood not HD or lowes stuff. Not even cab grade, you need baltic birch or apple. The cheap plywood sides of the stand will be bowed the good stuff might remain flat if your lucky, very lucky. Cheap plywood will also telegraph any imperfections in the core, so light colors look like crap. Doors should always be made from mdf if your going to make a slab door. Doors on aquarium stands are wider and heavier so use a hardwood frame with lighter mdf core with a veneer laid over the frame and mdf. This prevents the door from warping and the weight from ripping the screws out of the mdf. NO they are not just a standard frame less cabinet. They are engineered for the weight. Most are made with KD connectors like all the ikea stuff and will hold well as long as the panels are glued. Smaller shops don't have CNC boring systems so we use pinned floating mortise and tenon. Rabbets and dado do work well but not with the smooth euro lines. With aquarium stands made frame less you need a mechanical fastener along with the glue to secure the back panel to the two sides. This holds true for the front supports. Here is a small frame less stand. It uses 10 floating and pinned mortise and tenons up each back joining edge along with the same type for the front supports. The finish is white conversion varnish.
For the home shop id suggest a dado for the back panel set in 1/2". You will loose some space but its easier. The inside floor would get another dado in each side and the back. The top and floor supports can get pocket screw but double thickness the supports. The biggest problem with this construction is not the strength it the edge banding. When you dado you will have to apply the edge banding after assembly to cover the dados, this is next to impossible to get a nice transition. You can use a veneer under cutter on a trim router like all the reface guys use but it doesnt work will with narrow edge banding. Generally everything would get cut then edge banded prior to assembly. Also you are stuck with iron on edge banding, if you buy it from HD or lowes you will regret it. You can get the thicker banding, iron on from someplace like oakwood veneers but not a bunch better than the cheap stuff. Unglued banding that you apply pva yourself will work best but not after assembly and is much easier to apply with a vac press. I apply it at the same time as the face veneer in the vac press.

The newest way I do this sort of construction is not to use plywood but to use a hardwood and mdf construction. I make a hardwood frame appx 3" wide around a 3/4 mdf panel. This makes all joinery solid hard wood. Then I lay the face and backer veneers over the panels. The veneers are nearly water proof with an acrylic backing. The result is a dead flat warp resistant panels ready to be joined with out the mdf joinery getting wet and falling apart.

This is the only pic Iv got on this pc but you can sort of see the benefit of dead flat panels.

http://www.donwacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/001-Medium.jpg

[Photobug]

Also,, don't they make some Kind of bit to cut dados for a router?

Yes but you need to be specific 3/4 ply is usually 23/32". You are going to want to pull a caliper on the wood to get the right bit. I agree good wood will make it easier, also much more expensive especially if you are learning and make mistakes. I am a woodworker but have limited tools where I live now so made mine with 2x4 and Home Depot ply for the carcass and will use nice ply and hardwood for the front and sides. At 48x36x17 I can afford to loose some space to 2x4s in a smaller case maybe not.

[Donw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds9gepUoGTA

This is how you do a plywood stand with dado's. For euro frame less the face frame is just left off the cabinet. If you use cheap plywood it will warp without the face frame. Your doors wont close or fit properly. The only skill required is to be able to cut and route a straight line along with squeezing a glue bottle. Plywood router bits usually dont fit the plywood properly. Most plywood now days is metric undersized. A dado stack will cut the best dados.

Don

[Woznickiaj]

I understand . I just spoke to a local cabinet maker and we have an appt tomarrow . He told me the cabinet grade birch would be fine, from HD. I came up with a drawing and all the sizes of my individual parts. My intensions were to dado the horizontal where the tank sits on all three sides, The back verticals , and the sump floor. Also how you have a frame underneath the floor board, i will as well , and the same for under the horizontal where the tank sits on. The braces and the whole project will be put to gether with 5/16 wood dowels and titebond III wood glue. Then the tank will be rapped in either a veneer or a laminate, which ever we decide tomarrow . Once rapped i will silicone every crack and crevice where two boards meet . I do not forsee any problems , do you ?

[Donw]

I understand . I just spoke to a local cabinet maker and we have an appt tomarrow . He told me the cabinet grade birch would be fine, from HD. I came up with a drawing and all the sizes of my individual parts. My intensions were to dado the horizontal where the tank sits on all three sides, The back verticals , and the sump floor. Also how you have a frame underneath the floor board, i will as well , and the same for under the horizontal where the tank sits on. The braces and the whole project will be put to gether with 5/16 wood dowels and titebond III wood glue. Then the tank will be rapped in either a veneer or a laminate, which ever we decide tomarrow . Once rapped i will silicone every crack and crevice where two boards meet . I do not forsee any problems , do you ?

It sound confused. First HD does not carry cabinet grade birch plywood. They carry standard utility plywood with a birch veneer face. You cant put dowels in dados and dowels would not not be of benefit for the non dadoed areas. TB3 is overkill TB2 meet all the type 2 water resistance standards needed for an aquarium stand. You cant wrap it after its been build unless you used contact cement and that would be a mistake and nearly impossible. Veneer is applied before assembly and is pressed in in a vacuum press and that cant be done after the build.

The plywood even cabinet grade will warp without face frames. Frameless kitchen cabinets are tied together so warping is not an issue. Your door definitely cant be plywood or it will be warped real quick aquarium stand or not.

Have a sit down with your cabinet maker and show him some photos of what your looking for.

Don