DIY Canopies for bowfront aquariums?

[HiItsValerie]

Anyone know where I can find a DIY site for making bowfront canopies? Buying one is SOOOOO expensive! :mad:

[afss]

No idea of a site, but you could do one maybe from sheet metal and paint it to a suitable color. I know wood can be bent by making shallow cuts in the back side (the inside of the bend), but i have never tried it. Personally i think i would try to make a square stand and a square hood and have the front lid cut like a template so that when closed it would butt tight to the glass of the bow.

Scott

[Michael_Lambert]

I made a canopy for a friend who had a 55G bow front, made the main part of the canopy with 1/2 inch Plywood then to do the front Bow part i just used some of that thin partical board!

worked very well.. i will try and do up a detailed outline of it for you !

[Mckitrick]

I think you can bend wood by soaking it and then clamping it into the shape you desire. It then dries and keeps it shape but Tooloud's idea soulds better. Just use a piece of thin plywood (which bends easily) and attach it to a frame beneath.

I look forward to seeing your plans, Tooloud..

[VolitanVixen]

we just built a front deck on our house and the stairs go in a curve ... naturally, for the wood to support the weight from the people on the stairs, it had to be thick ... and that's how we did it ... soaked it down, and bent it slowly over a couple of days, let it dry, then put it in place ... it works well, but takes time ... for an aquarium canopy, the front piece would be fine as a thin piece of particle board or plywood (about the thickness of wood paneling) ... no soaking needed, just be sure to nail it in well :D

[Chrismo]

Another way to do it would be to make a frame for the canopy, with the top and bottom pices of the frame cut curved to match your bow... Then use a bunch of small thin verticle pieces of wood to fill in the front pane.

I think I need a diagram, I ddint explan that well... Umm imagine like your teeth, :D each toof is straight (hopefully) but they are arranged on the curve of your gums.

:roflmao:

That way you dont have to bend any wood, but still get the bow effect. The skinnier your wood slats (teeth) the more smooth he curve will look.

In grade 3 we made a wooden jar out of popcycle sticks and some peanut butter lids, in arts and crafts!

[Duce]

Try searching on Reefcentral...quite a few folks there have built bow front canopies.