180 Steel Stand Photos

Zephrant · 05/02/2002, 06:04 PM

Well I can't afford the tank yet, but my brother-in-law had this week off, so we build the stand for it yesterday. I used 1"x2"x1/8" steel tubing for it, and it is 72L x 24W x 30H. That is the exact size of the AGA tank (not the frame). I'll be sheathing it with plywood, which will add the extra 1/4" all around that is needed to support the outside edge of the frame.

I'll be adding a sheet of 3/4" plywood on top, with 1/2" ply on the base, and inside for a floor.

Next step is to get it sand blasted, then paint it. I'm planning on checking a car paint shop for a two-part white paint and primer.

Zep

NanoReefer53 · 05/02/2002, 07:52 PM

looks great so far. and i luv the welding mask !

DavidO · 05/02/2002, 07:59 PM

Looks good, My son and I just built one for the acyrlic 180 I'm going to make myself very soon! Mine is going to be 72'' x 24'' x 24''. Sounds like your's is going to be about 224 gallons.
Good luck.

Cheapreef · 05/03/2002, 02:49 AM

You might want to look into getting it powder coated. Makes a way nicer job, about 10x stronger and doesn't have to cure like paint does. Just my $.02. Oh and it looks just about the same as mine just twice as big. (mines for a 75)

Clinton

CoralZim · 05/03/2002, 05:04 AM

I have a 1/8" to 1/4" of steel thickness with a very nice design but I havn't my tank yet coz. I'm worried about its durability... I have 90g 48"L 18" W 24"H... how would I test the durability of my stand??? could it carry that much weight?

another thing...
is 1/4" thick of glass enough for the base and the walls for 24" deep tanks?

05/03/2002, 08:19 AM

Ij just had one made, 24x24x96 x 2x2 this wall aluminum... I was supposed to pick it up today, but the guy needed another week. Ill post pics when it gets here!!!

Zephrant · 05/03/2002, 11:40 AM

Cheapreef- Thanks for the reminder, I had thought about getting a quote for powder coating, but had forgotten about it. I'll check that out.

CoralZim- 1/4" glass is NOT strong enough for a 24" deep tank. My 120 gal tank is 1/2" (24" deep). As for testing your stand, short of piling a bunch of weight on it, I don't know. I tried to over-engineer mine enough that I feel safe putting 3000 pounds on it.

ssgibbons- Aluminum would have been great, but I did not even price it out. Was too afraid of the cost, and don't have a tig welder either.

More details: I used about 60 feet of the 1x2x1/8" tube, but had to buy 80 feet since it comes in 20' lengths, and wanted to have some extra. Total cost was about $118, with about $90 of the metal used in the stand. It took about 6 hours to build, but 5.5 hours of that was in measuring and re-measuring. It is flat to within 1/32". I was pretty paranoid about getting it flat, so was ultra careful. The 3/4" ply on the top and bottom will help balance out the remaining 1/32".

Zeph

Zephrant · 05/03/2002, 12:27 PM

Great idea on the powder coat- I called a local shop and they want $52.50 to sand blast and powder coat that stand. They will use a black powder that they accidentally spilled some white in to. If I wanted an all white job, it would be $70. Since it will be all covered, the black should be fine.

I'll take it down on Monday, then post some more pictures!

Zeph

Cheapreef · 05/03/2002, 03:24 PM

Good deal, $52 that's a somok'in price.

Clinton

Zephrant · 05/08/2002, 03:16 PM

When I dropped it off, I asked how they calculated the price. She looked it up, and couldn't tell how she came up with the $52. By calculating the surface area, it should have been higher. When I started to offer to pay whatever the real price would be, she said "No, you just got a good deal today!"

So, don't expect that price again I suppose.

Zeph

BntBrl · 03/06/2003, 11:58 PM

By the looks of that stand it should support a midsize car easily. The weight it supported straight up and down. The welds would have to be pretty bad for it not to support a hefty weight.

I do collision repair and I hate wearing gloves when I mig weld... I always get something running into the glove. By the time you get the glove off its already cooled down and done its damage. Today I welded a bolt onto something and I stupidly put the nut on it and my finger tip found the bolt end through tthe nut I screwed onto it. I did not wait for it to cool down at all... I have a charred circle on my finger tip lol...

marm64 · 03/07/2003, 09:34 PM

Great job on the stand. The only thing I would be woried about is how level your floor is. The main reason that most stands only have four legs is so you do not have to have as smooth and level of a surface to put it on.

slipknottin · 03/08/2003, 12:28 AM

What kind of welder are you using?

Cheapreef · 03/08/2003, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by slipknottin
What kind of welder are you using?

Looks to be a mig to me.

Clinton

slipknottin · 03/08/2003, 11:39 AM

how could you tell? I cant read the writing on the side of it.

Looks like TIG to me.

Zephrant · 03/08/2003, 02:23 PM

I'm not much of a welder expert. It's my brother-in-law's wire-feed welder (Argon gas). It is capable of running aluminum wire, but he needs an new head that has the aluminum spool in the handle. I guess you can't push aluminum wire though the hose like you can steel.

I was a little skimpy on photos it looks like, here are a few more.

Zeph

Cheapreef · 03/08/2003, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zephrant
It is capable of running aluminum wire, but he needs an new head that has the aluminum spool in the handle. I guess you can't push aluminum wire though the hose like you can steel.

You can also run a teflon liner in it, works as good as a mig gets for aluminium.

Clinton

horn1004 · 05/26/2003, 12:00 AM

Zephrant,

I want your stand!!! I'm going to be purchasing a 180 soon and did a search to find this thread again. If you happen to have the dimensions and lengths of the steel, could you possibly post them? Also, have you done anything else with the stand? If so, could you post some pics. Lastly, I'm not a welder so I would have to get this done somewhere. Do you have a rough estimate on what a stand like this would cost to be welded?

Thanks,

Matt

Zephrant · 05/27/2003, 12:52 AM

Wow, blast from the past...

I'm embarrassed to say that I've not done anything with the stand yet. I flipped it upside down, and it's a bench in the shop at the moment.

I have not build the tank for the top yet- Too busy making other items, and just about to start building a CNC router too.

In the mean time, my sump and frag tank are getting full of frags!

The steel tube is 1"x2". So the long top pieces are 72", the cross pieces are (24-2) or 22". The vertical pieces depend on how high you want the tank. If you want it 24" high, make them 20" long.

If you take a sketch to a welder, they will know how to size each piece. Just give them the final outside dimensions, and the number of cross pieces (to support an acrylic tank, glass tanks don't need so many).

Hope that helps- Ask away if I missed anything.

Zeph

horn1004 · 05/28/2003, 10:01 PM

Zephrant,

How about you just pack that stand up and ship it over here to me?!?! Seriously, I went to a local welder today with a pic of your stand and the dimensions. He told me it would be $400-600 in labor and about $200 in material. Needless to say I don't think I'm going back to him. I'm going to check around more, but is that a realistic price?

Cheapreef · 05/28/2003, 11:02 PM

Material cost looks about right, labour looks about 2X what you should pay.

Clinton

Zephrant · 05/28/2003, 11:47 PM

Horn- The $200 in materials sounds reasonable. I paid one-hundred-something for the steel, plus the power-coating. It took my brother-in-law and I an afternoon is all, and most of that was in head-scratching time. A good welder should be able to throw it together in less than 2 hours MAX.

Zeph

Fliger · 05/29/2003, 12:24 AM

Zephrant - AWESOME JOB. That's a DEAL for the powder coat. Mine is double that for a smaller stand.

Horn, $600-$800, that's a lot. Inter-American made mine for $150. It's smaller - its a 44L x 28D (28H). I don't know how thick the tubular steel is but I'm sure it will hold my tank. It also has glass all around the bottom to hold a few dozen gallons of water in case of a spill. For $150. Actually, my tank AND my stand was only $750 - and the tank is pretty awesome, if I say so myself.

Starphire, lots of holes & lots of bulkheads, mirror back, overflow, etc ........

David

horn1004 · 05/29/2003, 01:41 AM

Fliger,

How much was the shipping on your tank and stand? I just checked out Inter-American's website and their prices seem very cheap. I know the reef ready versions will be more, but I priced an AGA 180RR at $760 here at a LFS. That sure would be alot cheaper.

Fliger · 05/29/2003, 02:05 AM

It'll cost you at LEAST $200. Depends on size & if you get a stand. Best thing is to find some locals & see if someone will split shipping with you. That's what I did. But a custom 180G RR for $760 isn't a bad price.

05/03/2002, 05:04 AM	#5
CoralZim Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Philippines Posts: 2	I also have an steel stand I have a 1/8" to 1/4" of steel thickness with a very nice design but I havn't my tank yet coz. I'm worried about its durability... I have 90g 48"L 18" W 24"H... how would I test the durability of my stand??? could it carry that much weight? another thing... is 1/4" thick of glass enough for the base and the walls for 24" deep tanks? __________________ rifferrizzz Current Tank Info: 90g

05/02/2002, 07:52 PM	#2
NanoReefer53 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Milpitas, CA Posts: 638	looks great so far. and i luv the welding mask !

05/02/2002, 07:59 PM	#3
DavidO Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Katy, Tx Posts: 42	Looks good, My son and I just built one for the acyrlic 180 I'm going to make myself very soon! Mine is going to be 72'' x 24'' x 24''. Sounds like your's is going to be about 224 gallons. Good luck.

05/03/2002, 02:49 AM	#4
Cheapreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 507	You might want to look into getting it powder coated. Makes a way nicer job, about 10x stronger and doesn't have to cure like paint does. Just my $.02. Oh and it looks just about the same as mine just twice as big. (mines for a 75) Clinton

05/03/2002, 08:19 AM	#6
ssgibbons Unregistered Posts: n/a	Ij just had one made, 24x24x96 x 2x2 this wall aluminum... I was supposed to pick it up today, but the guy needed another week. Ill post pics when it gets here!!!

05/03/2002, 11:40 AM	#7
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	Cheapreef- Thanks for the reminder, I had thought about getting a quote for powder coating, but had forgotten about it. I'll check that out. CoralZim- 1/4" glass is NOT strong enough for a 24" deep tank. My 120 gal tank is 1/2" (24" deep). As for testing your stand, short of piling a bunch of weight on it, I don't know. I tried to over-engineer mine enough that I feel safe putting 3000 pounds on it. ssgibbons- Aluminum would have been great, but I did not even price it out. Was too afraid of the cost, and don't have a tig welder either. More details: I used about 60 feet of the 1x2x1/8" tube, but had to buy 80 feet since it comes in 20' lengths, and wanted to have some extra. Total cost was about $118, with about $90 of the metal used in the stand. It took about 6 hours to build, but 5.5 hours of that was in measuring and re-measuring. It is flat to within 1/32". I was pretty paranoid about getting it flat, so was ultra careful. The 3/4" ply on the top and bottom will help balance out the remaining 1/32". Zeph

05/03/2002, 12:27 PM	#8
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	Great idea on the powder coat- I called a local shop and they want $52.50 to sand blast and powder coat that stand. They will use a black powder that they accidentally spilled some white in to. If I wanted an all white job, it would be $70. Since it will be all covered, the black should be fine. I'll take it down on Monday, then post some more pictures! Zeph

05/03/2002, 03:24 PM	#9
Cheapreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 507	Good deal, $52 that's a somok'in price. Clinton

05/08/2002, 03:16 PM	#10
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	When I dropped it off, I asked how they calculated the price. She looked it up, and couldn't tell how she came up with the $52. By calculating the surface area, it should have been higher. When I started to offer to pay whatever the real price would be, she said "No, you just got a good deal today!" So, don't expect that price again I suppose. Zeph

03/06/2003, 11:58 PM	#11
BntBrl Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 17	By the looks of that stand it should support a midsize car easily. The weight it supported straight up and down. The welds would have to be pretty bad for it not to support a hefty weight. I do collision repair and I hate wearing gloves when I mig weld... I always get something running into the glove. By the time you get the glove off its already cooled down and done its damage. Today I welded a bolt onto something and I stupidly put the nut on it and my finger tip found the bolt end through tthe nut I screwed onto it. I did not wait for it to cool down at all... I have a charred circle on my finger tip lol...

03/07/2003, 09:34 PM	#12
marm64 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Saginaw, MN Posts: 1,043	Great job on the stand. The only thing I would be woried about is how level your floor is. The main reason that most stands only have four legs is so you do not have to have as smooth and level of a surface to put it on.

03/08/2003, 12:28 AM	#13
slipknottin Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New Britain, CT, USA Posts: 2,273	What kind of welder are you using?

03/08/2003, 11:39 AM	#15
slipknottin Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New Britain, CT, USA Posts: 2,273	how could you tell? I cant read the writing on the side of it. Looks like TIG to me.

03/08/2003, 02:23 PM	#16
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	I'm not much of a welder expert. It's my brother-in-law's wire-feed welder (Argon gas). It is capable of running aluminum wire, but he needs an new head that has the aluminum spool in the handle. I guess you can't push aluminum wire though the hose like you can steel. I was a little skimpy on photos it looks like, here are a few more. Zeph

05/26/2003, 12:00 AM	#18
horn1004 Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 344	Zephrant, I want your stand!!! I'm going to be purchasing a 180 soon and did a search to find this thread again. If you happen to have the dimensions and lengths of the steel, could you possibly post them? Also, have you done anything else with the stand? If so, could you post some pics. Lastly, I'm not a welder so I would have to get this done somewhere. Do you have a rough estimate on what a stand like this would cost to be welded? Thanks, Matt

05/27/2003, 12:52 AM	#19
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	Wow, blast from the past... I'm embarrassed to say that I've not done anything with the stand yet. I flipped it upside down, and it's a bench in the shop at the moment. I have not build the tank for the top yet- Too busy making other items, and just about to start building a CNC router too. In the mean time, my sump and frag tank are getting full of frags! The steel tube is 1"x2". So the long top pieces are 72", the cross pieces are (24-2) or 22". The vertical pieces depend on how high you want the tank. If you want it 24" high, make them 20" long. If you take a sketch to a welder, they will know how to size each piece. Just give them the final outside dimensions, and the number of cross pieces (to support an acrylic tank, glass tanks don't need so many). Hope that helps- Ask away if I missed anything. Zeph

05/28/2003, 10:01 PM	#20
horn1004 Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 344	Zephrant, How about you just pack that stand up and ship it over here to me?!?! Seriously, I went to a local welder today with a pic of your stand and the dimensions. He told me it would be $400-600 in labor and about $200 in material. Needless to say I don't think I'm going back to him. I'm going to check around more, but is that a realistic price?

05/28/2003, 11:02 PM	#21
Cheapreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 507	Material cost looks about right, labour looks about 2X what you should pay. Clinton

05/28/2003, 11:47 PM	#22
Zephrant Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,149	Horn- The $200 in materials sounds reasonable. I paid one-hundred-something for the steel, plus the power-coating. It took my brother-in-law and I an afternoon is all, and most of that was in head-scratching time. A good welder should be able to throw it together in less than 2 hours MAX. Zeph

05/29/2003, 12:24 AM	#23
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 9,504	Zephrant - AWESOME JOB. That's a DEAL for the powder coat. Mine is double that for a smaller stand. Horn, $600-$800, that's a lot. Inter-American made mine for $150. It's smaller - its a 44L x 28D (28H). I don't know how thick the tubular steel is but I'm sure it will hold my tank. It also has glass all around the bottom to hold a few dozen gallons of water in case of a spill. For $150. Actually, my tank AND my stand was only $750 - and the tank is pretty awesome, if I say so myself. Starphire, lots of holes & lots of bulkheads, mirror back, overflow, etc ........ David

05/29/2003, 01:41 AM	#24
horn1004 Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 344	Fliger, How much was the shipping on your tank and stand? I just checked out Inter-American's website and their prices seem very cheap. I know the reef ready versions will be more, but I priced an AGA 180RR at $760 here at a LFS. That sure would be alot cheaper.

05/29/2003, 02:05 AM	#25
Fliger Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 9,504	It'll cost you at LEAST $200. Depends on size & if you get a stand. Best thing is to find some locals & see if someone will split shipping with you. That's what I did. But a custom 180G RR for $760 isn't a bad price.