Custom 120 Cabinet & Canopy

>>>> Click here for the photo album of the project, step-by-step <<<<

I recently completed a custom cabinet and canopy for a 120 gallon aquarium.  The project represents several firsts for me, and is also the best aquarium cabinet I've made, with dozens of unique features for major load-bearing applications.  Apart from the design, the fit and finish on this cabinet are among my best work.  The doors, for example,

Building a 120 gallon aquarium cabinet and canopy step by step: a photo album

For my most recent custom aquarium cabinet commission, I decided to take pictures throughout the design and building process.  The resulting photo album isn't just a great way to keep my clients apprised of their project's progress.  It's also a treasure trove of teaching moments for anybody interested in building their own large aquarium cabinet. 

If you ever wanted to see how something like this is made, take a peek at this Picasa Photo Album - "120 Mafia" (so named because the aquarium will house African cichlids...a "Mafia Tank").  Many of the pics include captions explaining the picture and what's being shown. 

This particular build includes some innovations you won't see in many other cabinets, and information to help you incorporate these innovations into your own designs.  I also address some of the common challenges in designing and building cabinets for large aquariums.

My first hexagonal aquarium cabinet & canopy

I was recently commissioned to build a cabinet and canopy for a 45 gallon hexagonal aquarium.  It was my first hexagonal cabinet, and it presented the unique challenges associated with 45 degree (rather than 90 degree) corners.  In order to play-up the hexagonal shape of the cabinet, I made special tapered panels for the front doors.  These panels, trapezoidal in shape, helped to give this burly cabinet a little height and lift.  Of course, it also gets lift from being 36" from the floor to the bottom of the tank, which is my standard practice with aquarium cabinets (for some reason I never see anything else over 34", more commonly 30").

The cases for the cabinet and canopy are 100% solid cherry, except for the lid on the canopy, which is of cherry veneered plywood with a cherry hardwood edge. 

Apart from the 45 degree corners, this was also my first time putting a hardwood edge on plywood using a miter lock bit to cut a glue-joint.  The doors are my first non-symmetrical panels.  This also represents my second attempt at making solid-wood raised panels.