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Fabricating steel stand - which steel do I buy?
Ok, so steel is definitely not my forte. I used to be a carpenter by trade, now I'm a true reef junkie. :lol: Anyway, it suddenly dawned on me that hubby has a welder and knows how to weld. :redface: I'm pretty sure 1" square steel tube is plenty for my 36" long 69-gallon tank, but before I go buy the wrong thing, is there a wall thickness or a gauge or a particular name-type I'm looking for? Or is it just a standard thing?
I sent Grizz a PM yesterday. He hasn't replied yet, and I'd like to go get this stuff today. |
I used inch and a half with a 3/16th wall thickness on my 65. Overkill to be sure. The thing could hold a tank. My stand however, does not have a centre brace on the front, so I wanted to be sure. Check my build for pics if you're interested. Too bad the Grizz hasn't chimed in. I would recommend no thinner than 3/16.
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IMO 1.25" x .100 or .125 wall is ideal, no big ugly radius on the corners yet strong enough to hold up a car
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stand
1-1.5" square tube with at least two braces width-wise at the back for support. an open front should be fine. I took a piece of flat bare as well and drilled a hole in the centre of a piece. then welded a Nut on the one side so a bolt could be put through the other repeated for all the legs on the bottoms as a self levelling idea....
A quick emery cloth rubdown and a primer/blackcoat finish did the trick. A rust sealant primer is better.... my two cents... |
I have a 120 sitting on 1.5x1.5x .125w its a very simple design, basically two 4x2 frames one under the tank and one as a base on the floor with the obvious four legs one in each corner. No cross braces or other reinforcement. No deflection that I can see.
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to bad you're not in bc, i have a stand for that size tank sitting in my garage
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My 6' tank is built on 1" square tubing with a centre brace and 2 diagonal cross braces at each end. This tank has been my project tank for a few years. I'd take a pic but it has been stuffed in the corner and now has so much clutter around it it will take a month to pull out.
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Thanks for all the input guys! I'll see what I can find...steel store was closed today anyway. *sigh*
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Mines 36x18 but I could extend it pretty easily
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yes steel shops don't typically work weekends :wink: 1-1/2" x 1/8" wall is just the minimum I'd go - just looks nice IMO anything less is like using a 2x2 piece of wood - sure it will hold.... but doesn't look like it would :wink: |
Sorry Mindy I hadn't replied yet, I am on my first holiday in 9 yrs in South Africa for 14 days.
You can get away with 1" tube with a minimum of a 1/8" wall thickness. If you are putting any kind of covering on the stand it will help to support it from any movement. If you are concerned about it 1 1/2" x .100 wall tube is the best choice, keeps the stand light but still has more then enough support. |
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The covering will be attached with magnets, so it will provide no support. I guess I should have mentioned that. :redface: From everyone's input, I think I'll go with the 1" and get one size up from the 1/8" thickness (whatever that is). Maybe I will put some 45 degree braces in most of the corners too just for poops and giggles. Now I just need to rent a steel chop saw (whatever that's called). |
If you have a mitre saw just get a 10" cut off blade.
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Not sure but I suspect it would be the same as cutting wood. Could always use a c clamp on the fence.
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Ha!
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Of course it turns out "the next size up" isn't a common size. So I'm going with 1" with 1.125 thickness. I'll use some bracing. Hopefully it will be ok.
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1/8th thickness will be fine. Just tell your hubby not to weld the corners as hot. He'll know what that means.
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