Building a fish bowl pedestal

[NC AL]

I have been inspired by everyone’s awesome planted fish bowls. I have been researching and toying around with the idea of setting one up. I was working on building a nano frag tank set up for my saltwater side and got the itch to try something. So I started building the pedestal for a fish bowl. Now down the rabbit hole, I am bending a piece of trim to wrap my 12” platform.

 

[NC AL]

Well bending the trim was a huge bust. I think I would be fine with a 16” diameter but the 12” was too small. I would need to invest in building a jig to it, and it’s just not worth the money for a one time use.

However my small coral frag grow out tank turned out decent. I made $200 selling coral this weekend so the small investment is justified.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco 12]

I can't wait to see this. I've thought of trying to make a cylindrical pedestal with inner storage for a big no-tech bowl, and this is awesome inspiration!

 

[renesis 125]

Well bending the trim was a huge bust. I think I would be fine with a 16” diameter but the 12” was too small. I would need to invest in building a jig to it, and it’s just not worth the money for a one time use.

Could you maybe run a bunch of shallow cuts on the back of the trim first? Aka kerf bending.

 

[NC AL]

Could you maybe run a bunch of shallow cuts on the back of the trim first? Aka kerf bending.

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I thought about it, but don't think it would work with the size moulding I would be using. I would then need a piece of trim for the trim!

If I want to continue with the round pedestal, I will likely have to buy a solid piece of wood and shape it with a router.

I was hoping to stain the pedestal. Without the trim, the plywood pedestal will have to be painted to cover the edges.

 

[NC AL]

I can't wait to see this. I've thought of trying to make a cylindrical pedestal with inner storage for a big no-tech bowl, and this is awesome inspiration!

My plans are currently stalled. I don't want to invest much into something I might not ever use.

 

[renesis 125]

I thought about it, but don't think it would work with the size moulding I would be using. I would then need a piece of trim for the trim!

If I want to continue with the round pedestal, I will likely have to buy a solid piece of wood and shape it with a router.

I was hoping to stain the pedestal. Without the trim, the plywood pedestal will have to be painted to cover the edges.

Gotcha, maybe could get away with some edgebanding too.

I could definitely cut you a piece out of solid wood on my cnc, but shipping it from here might make it prohibitive.

 

[Koan 37]

My plans are currently stalled

Any reason not to use PVC moulding?

https://www.lowes.com/pl/moulding/window-door-moulding/pvc/3163521573-4294965352

 

[NC AL]

I wanted to stain the pedestal and then finish it with polyuretheane to match my current stands. The pvc is an option if I decide to paint it.

 

[Pepere]

I used to be a wooden boatbuilder. Bending moulding is a tough one given it ps different thickness in profile…

When it came time to bend wood .i placed stock in 4 inch pvc pipes mounted at an angle on the wall filled with water and would let it soak for a day or so.

From there it went into a steam box with a boiler feeding steam into the box. It would come oout of the steam box wiggly as spaghetti. You could pull down to a 6 inch radius, but you had to work fast and use clamps to hold it in place…

For a fish bowl stand I would opt for solid wood. I would laminate up a blank alternating grain growth rings and then cut a circle out of it and then use a router to route a decorative edge…

I would also likely scoop out the top of the round to have the fish bowl nestle into, but, that would be more of a flex to show off than any sort of necessity…

 

[NC AL]

When it came time to bend wood .i placed stock in 4 inch pvc pipes mounted at an angle on the wall filled with water and would let it soak for a day or so.

This is what is did and it definitely made the wood more flexible.

From there it went into a steam box with a boiler feeding steam into the box. It would come oout of the steam box wiggly as spaghetti. You could pull down to a 6 inch radius, but you had to work fast and use clamps to hold it in place…

This I don't have and wouldn't likely use again.

For a fish bowl stand I would opt for solid wood. I would laminate up a blank alternating grain growth rings and then cut a circle out of it and then use a router to route a decorative edge…

I would also likely scoop out the top of the round to have the fish bowl nestle into, but, that would be more of a flex to show off than any sort of necessity…

I was trying this with all scraps I had in my shed. It was last minute project. Next time I would definitely invest in a solid piece of wood. I am currently looking on facebook market place for a either a slab of dry wood or a 12-14" trunk round/slab with live edge.

If I go with the trunk round I plan to cut out a 8-10" inset on the bottom to glue a piece of plywood to keep it from splitting long term. The trick is to find one completely dry without cracks already. I have thought about epoxy resin, but the idea was to keep all of this on the cheaper side to justify even doing it...