Cali Kid Corals

Got bit by the bug, sort of...

tygunn said:
Haha, if it helps push you back in, the 37g oceanic you so generously gave me could be yours again! :) Nothing wrong with it, but sure would give me a good excuse to get a bigger tank. Hahaha.
Click to expand...

Tempting... Tell you what, if you upgrade and need a good home for it lmk.


Found an old image of the frag tank in its sad state a few years back; was stored in the most remote corner in the basement.

 
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Rainy morning so no work outside... on the bright side, I did some staining; tried a new product and honestly I don't like it a bit. Varathane Stain and Poly in one, water based... Good thing has a "Satisfaction Guaranteed". I did like the Varathane Stain so I stained the doors today, went out to run some errands and doors were dried so clear poly on....
Argggggggh ! I dropped the damn can, somehow it just slipped off my hand; I was able to grab it so not all of the poly was wasted, wondering if I'm getting old... Anyway; one door has a heavy load of poly on so I'll check it tomorrow if the rain stays.
Can't do much about the stand and tank since I have most of the tools at a friend's place; not even a drill to perforate a glass tank to ad a bulkhead.
 

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Seems project will be on hold past the summer, basement work will begin March 21st; seismic retrofitting.
I have to move a ton of stuff out of the way...

Put a second coat of poly on the doors and I'm not happy, might just go black for the entire thing. Good thing is just the doors.
I think if the stand was made out of oak then the dark Kona stain be a perfect match;that's what my two samples of pine and oak tell me.
 
Basement is a dust bowl, can't spray anything so I use a brush, oil based. Somehow I have the idea oil based finishes will protect more the wood from water spills.
I didn't want to "splurge" on buying oak ply so went for the pine since is just a keep-me-busy-clear-minded-little-project.
 
Brushing on oil based polyurethane should yield decent results. The biggest thing to be careful of is just trying to put too much on at a time. Also be aware that there is a shelf life for it. If you buy it from Home Depot they don't always have a lot of turn over of their product and you could end up with an old can. Make sure to mix it really well too. The hardener sinks to the bottom so if you don't mix it well then it could take a super long time for it to dry (if it actually ever does).

You may know all this already but I figured it may help someone else out too.
 
Stained the whole thing today, not the best day to do it due to humidity but has all night to dry before the poly. Gonna stick to the Kona brown, if I change my mind I still have some black Polyshades 2in1; looks like Home Depot is changing vendors or the product is being discontinued.
I sanded the doors with 220G paper and re-applied poly, better now.
Before staining I cut the front of the canopy; maybe tomorrow I'll get the piano hinge; was thinking of a drawer slide bracket, a la kitchen cabinet but stainless steel might be pricey.

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I would really add a few days of dry time before poly.
You are brushing it on, so if stain is not dry it will lift.
And with the humidity right now, oil based will dry REALLY slowly.

Also, pictures make the stain look rather blotchy.
Could be the camera, but if not, I might suggest another coat.
Possibly with some aggressive hand rubbing.

Either way, given all the uncertainty, do an inside bit first.
 
I rubbed the stain well into the grain then I wiped off the excess; still think next (if I do) I won't get pine plywood, maple, oak, birch are just an extra $15 and grain is very nice when stained; pine I'd stick to prime and paint.
So far I "like" this new stain from Rostoleum, Varathane but I like the Minwax a bit more, might be because I'm more familiar with the product..
I would wait in between coats of x product applied but when working outdoors and rain shows, gotta find something entertaining to do; took me more than six months to work again on this stand (I think is going for the year mark since conception).
I cannot find locally hinges that I like so this might mean I have to take a trip to Rockler, where I have found in the past a different variety but all the way there for hinges?
I have to see them and feel them, a web image just won't do.

Found some plexi, 3/8"; plenty for a 50-60G cube I think but that will be another remote future story; I had for a moment the idea of using the frag tank as a sump, just a little pimpin' of it and build a 50G cube-ish display... Feet down on earth...
 
Yeah, pine .... I think it looks ok if stained REALLY dark.
For cheap yet nice panels and doors, consider solid oak 1x2 edges around 1/4 birch ply panels.
The mix of different grains is interesting, and wood is reasonable and easily found at Lows/HD.
And you can do all sorts of fun things with stains.
 
On my bucket list is learn how to make cabinet doors, I missed on a nice set of Freud style/rail? router bits because I had no money at all in my pocket, $5.00 !!
That's all the guy asked for... damn.
I got an OK router fixed and plunge bases, acquired a thickness planer (for a small job) ending not using it. I'm planning on making a work bench in the basement once construction is done, 2x4's pine/redwood so I'll use the planer to have a nice smooth surface. My current work bench is an old, ugly aquarium stand.
 
Hey Rommel !!!
Like wise.
Read somewhere you are getting your hands salty again
I'm not back yet, tempting, sometimes I think am preparing but we'll see...
 
If you have a table saw and dado blades you can make shaker style doors. Or just do a euro style cabinet and do flat panel doors. More of a modern look but would fit the style of your stand.
 
Awful week, battling a cold; both wife an I have it; kids fresh like lettuce!
Taking advantage of feeling lazy and doing nothing to disturb the dust, applied another poly coat to one of the sides after attaching the canopy's front part.
Left to do is the front of the stand and one door for the final poly.
Have not worked on it since construction work finished.

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