DYI stand under $100?

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NuttyFish

NuttyFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2006
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Is it possible to build a good looking DYI wood stand for 50g (36"W X 15"D X 20"H) for less than $100? Something similar to the one in the picture? I've been looking for a stand but every stands I saw were either too expensive or ugly. I don't have any tools nor experience with building stuffs. I am thinking about using just old fashion saw and nails. Home depot is just 5 minutes away from me. If I have to use a machine I can just buy it, use it and return it :D .

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thats a bad ass tank and stand.. i wish the inside of my tank looked like that.. but if i was you i would just build one considering u dont need much experience u have mfk!!! and also u can build it how u want it.
 
some 2x4s and plywood and you can make a much nicer looking stand for less than 100 bucks.
I dont have that much in the stand for my 300....It's a 2x4 frame with birch plywood sheeting.
If you have all of the measurments of what you need they can cut it for you in the store, then all you'll need is glue and a drill:)
 
Thats easy :) 100.00 Is actually high LOL I believe i spent 45.00 on the stand i am an hour away from finishing.. For a ninety gallon.. The thing is Time.. You are not really paying for the materials when you buy pre-fab.. You are paying for Labor :) And trust me it's fun and excellent for self esteem when your finished but time is the key word.. How much is your time worth ?

For me this is a simple question to answer.. I love knowing is't going to hold up cause i built it or the fact i jumped into something i had no idea of what would happen or what i was doing and came out golden with a Filter system and return!! And now couple stands :)

But the onloy way to really see what you will spend is to build one :) And that means starting at your local Home Depot or Lowes or whatever it is that is in your town...

Materials are cheap:) Unless you go OAK :( Then you'll spend 1/2 to 3/4 or even full cost of what it woudl take to buy it built for you..

Like Rally said... 2x4's some thin ply wood and some wrap or even already plated board will give you a stand that is just as simple as the one you posted.. That one would be a couple hour project :) Instead of a couple days.. Oh and Tools if you don't have the ones you'll need then your stand will cost twice as much to build as to buy :)

all of this is personal opinion:)

Hope it helped:)
 
youll easly spend less than 100, i figured for the one im going to build its about 20 for the frame and i have some boards that im going to use for the outsides. here are the plans for the stand im making. its for a 75gallon but you could change the size accordingly
 
really depends on how you are going to finish it.

If you are going to stain, you have to use finished plywood, like oak or pine. That stuff is 40$ a sheet.

If you are going to paint of dont care about the finish, normal plywood is fine at about 20$ a sheet.

Framing is cheap to do, its the skin and finish (edging, routering, 3D paneling) that easily gets homemade stands well in the hundreds of dollars. It woulda cost me 300$ or so to skin and finish a 6 foot stand with 3/4" oak.
 
I just use birch plywood. It looks decent and is $26 a sheet:) (for 5/8")
 
thats nice for a 100$. I was quite pleased to get my wood stand and canopy for $85. Lumber around here is pricier i guess, but my opinions are based on Lowes. If I went to a lumber yard, I could prolly find nicer pieces for teh same $ or cheaper.
 
Thanks for the replies guy. I am going to build it when I get my 1 week vacation in christmas. I live in 2nd floor of a "historic" apartment which basically means it's a crappy old place with wooden floor and narrow spiral stairway. They won't even let me paint the wall because it's historic, stupid ugly brick wall! I might have to build it on the street and bring it up to my apartment because my landlord downstair will be on my b*tt with all the noise. The whole thing has to be done in less than one day. Buying the circular saw machine is not even an option for me. I either have to cut it myself with hand saw or let the guy from home depot do it for me. This is going to be fun.
 
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