DIY Dosing tube holder

[sleepydoc]

So I wanted a holder to hold dosing tubes. I found the Bubble Magus holder that looked perfect for $15, but it wouldn't fit on the edge of my (rimmed) 40 breeder. Vertex makes a magnetic holder, but I was too cheap to pay $30 for a piece of plexiglass with some screws and magnets, so like any good reefer, I made my own.

Materials:
1 piece of scrap ¼" acrylic
4 #10 nylon screws
2 ¼" nylon screws

Cost: $3 for the screws. (The acrylic I had lying around). Below is a drawing of the plans. I put screw holes in both the front and back walls to give flexibility in where I could place the screws to secure it:
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder_zps6xf6lues.png

[sleepydoc]

First I cut the sides, front & top pieces to size, leaving them extra wide. Then I cut the narrow pieces that separate the tube channels. I left them long to trim later on. (The spacer pieces I actually ended up making from 2 pieces of 3/16" acrylic laminated together so the channels would be a bit thicker than ¼" - that's why they have the lip at the top.)


http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/IMG_0999_zpszwxtst5t.jpg

[sleepydoc]

Next I cut some ⅜" strips of plywood to keep the pieces spaced properly and then glued the 1" front piece on top of them.

http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/IMG_1002_zpst588daab.jpg

[sleepydoc]

Then I took the entire front assembly (the front piece with the spacer strips) and trimmed it to width, getting rid of the extra.

http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/IMG_1003_zpsegvczynx.jpg

[sleepydoc]

Before the final assembly, I drilled and tapped holes in the middle of each channel, and drilled and tapped holes in the front and back walls. Then I glued the front assembly to the front wall, and glued the front & back walls to the top.
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/IMG_1004_zpslkjntwdp.jpg

[mcgyvr]

Isn't acrylic fun...
I literally use every piece of scrap I have..
Wife even got an acrylic drawer divider for her spoons/spatulas,etc..

[sleepydoc]

Yeah - something about stuff that turns out crystal clear!
Just realized I forgot to add a pic of the final product. I might need to trim the screws a bit. Probably something I'll get to in about 12-18 mos:rollface:
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q660/p-testerman/Dosing%20Tube%20Holder/IMG_1009_zpsjjjmbxfd.jpg

[merfish101]

Nicely done.