Canopy Design Help

LesbianChap

LesbianChap

Don't ask, I'll tell.
Jan 2, 2006
188
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Florida
Looking at the DIY Canopy threads and the DIY Canopy article in the DIY area of here, I've come up with a design combining two popular styles:

canopyvp4.png


The Idea is that if all you want to do is feed the fish or change the water, you can open up A. However, if you need to do full-tank maintenance, add a large decoration or fish, or change the bulbs on the hood, you can rotate B up (along with all of A) as a solid piece.

That's the idea...the problem is how to design the insides, with all the supports, into a structually sound hood...problem is I can't seem to get it right. Anyways, any ideas on how to build this? My biggest problem isn't Part A...I can get that and I'm happy with the design if that's my only consideration. I can't figure out how to get the rest of the stand to support Part B without an excessive amount of support.

My Hood will need to be about 50"x19" in the end (the rim of the tank I'm designing)...give or take a few inches here or there.
 
A piano hinge?

One at the back of "B" so it and a can be lifted.

One where "A" meets "B" so "A" can be lifted.

It seems you will need some type of hood prop, like on a car hood to hold "A" and "B" up together; tha support would attach at the front part of "B"...?
 
rbishop said:
A piano hinge?

One at the back of "B" so it and a can be lifted.

One where "A" meets "B" so "A" can be lifted.

It seems you will need some type of hood prop, like on a car hood to hold "A" and "B" up together; tha support would attach at the front part of "B"...?
Click to expand...

Either a Piano or a set of regular butt hinges should be find between A and B...I'm thinking Gravity on A will hold it to B as a solid piece as long as I don't excede a 90* on B.

A piano hinge would probably work well on B...and the prop thing was perplexing me as well...I've seen that look like slides or two longer pieces of metal (kinda like an old-school protractor) which work, though I don't know how much weight they're designed to hold as I can't figure out the name/find them anywhere...just remember seeing them. That'd solve my problem just as well as a "prop" to hold it up, the problem is figuring out what they are.
 
Try a woodworking site, one that sells supplies for cabinets and hardware. I'll try to locate one.
 
rbishop said:
http://www.cabinetmart.com/cat-hardware.html
Click to expand...
:22_yikes:
OMG that's what I was looking for! Search around everywhere and find nothing, and there you go and find it in less then 5 minutes...I feel so...well they don't have a blushing smilie so this will hafta do: :duh:

Oh, and in case that link stops working, I'm looking/was thinking of a "Lip Stay". Awesome RB, just awesome. Now to figure out how to support it so it doesn't sag and all.
 
On the under side of the top part of "B", where it meets "A", I think you will want to run a piece of 1 x 2, with it acting like a beam or joist to support the length of "B".

Much like they strengthen the front edge of a book shelf.
 
Think a 1x2 will be enough? And are you picturing it so the 2" side lies flat against the top of the canopy, or the 1" side is?

Oh, and the items I'm planning on placing under the hood (that the roof of the hood will need to support): 2 Ballasts and 4 bulbs (ODNO Florescent lighting). 2 "Cold Cathode" moonlights. 2 PC Fans. 2 - 12v power supplies for the Moonlights/PC Fans. 3 Switches for seperately controlling 3 sets of lights (in case I decide to do a Night/Dawn/Day/Dusk setup).

The Ballasts, power supplies, switches and fans I'm planning on placing near the back of the hood. The bulbs will be evenly spread across the surface (one will be on the inside top of A).

Hope it saves my edit this time.
 
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the 1" side would be against the top.....if necessary, you may need another part way back
 
If you run the unlabeled part as the main structure then the 1 x 2 would be enough. Get a little extra 1 x 2 and place a piece in the 2 back corners and at the front edge of the sides. The bottom of the 1 x 2 pieces would sit on top of your tank rim and control how much of the top got covered and how much exposed. It would also reinforce the corners making them stronger. The 1 x 2 running flat with the top would give a place to mount the reflector and lighting and would be a place to hold up the 2 pieces of the removable hinged parts. If part A and B each were attached only to each other, part A would work nicely with a piano hinge while part B could be lifted off with A when there is major work to do inside. While placing the 1 x 2 down the back corners, you could also run one down each corner of part A to help keep it aligned properly when the whole thing was sitting on the tank. This could be a very nice looking custom hood.
 
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