Fabrication of Fish Tank Platform
ENGR 121
Fish Tank Dimensions
Red dots indicate location
where you need to locate
your wood screws.
Materials
The wooden pieces used to construct your
fish tank are p
pre-cut for yyou. You are not
allowed to use power tools such as the saw
shown here for this project.
Materials: Everything is supplied for you
except:
• tape measure
• pencil or pen
• drill bit for drilling pilot holes for screws
Safety Rules
1.
2
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Do not operate any machine unless authorized to do so by the instructor.
D nott attempt
Do
tt
t tto oil,
il clean,
l
adjust
dj t or repair
i any machine
hi while
hil it is
i in
i operation.
ti
Wear appropriate clothing for the work to be done – loose clothing can be caught
up in rotating equipment, pulling you into the equipment.
Nor “horse play” is allowed in the lab.
To prevent tripping or cutting a foot, keep floor clear of scraps, chips and supplies.
Turn off the equipment you are using before leaving itit.
Safety glasses or a face shield must be worn when using tools or equipment.
Put tools away when not in use.
Do not use rags on rotating work.
Do not attempt to hold work with rags while using any rotating equipment.
Long hair must be tucked under a cap when you are operating rotating equipment.
Report any unsafe working conditions and/or practices to the instructor.
Take all common sense precautions. If you have an accident, report it immediately
to the instructor.
Do not begin to fabricate your platform until you have
carefully read the operating and safety instructions
above and agree to operate the equipment in a
responsible manner
manner.
Additional Guidelines for
Using the Hand Drill
1 A
1.
Apply
l pressure iin a straight
t i ht liline with
ith th
the bit
bit. U
Use enough
h
pressure to keep the drill bit biting, but do not push hard
enough to stall the motor or deflect the bit.
2 H
2.
Hold
ld th
the d
drill
ill fifirmly
l with
ith one h
hand
d on th
the grip
i and
d th
the other
th
hand on the bottom of the battery pack to control its twisting
action.
3 If the drill stalls
3.
stalls, release the trigger immediatel
immediately and
determine the cause of stalling.
4. Keep the motor running when pulling the bit back out of a
drilled hole to prevent jamming
jamming.
5. Be careful not to have hands or other items (such as the
counter top) on the other side of the hole you are drilling.
The drill can “break
break through”
through rapidly and other unexpected
things may happen, such as the drill bit breaking, the person
who is drilling may trip, . . .
Center Marks
Mark the locations of the holes to drill in the top component
component. Draw center
lines to help you locate hole positions. Use your carpenter’s square and
your tape measure to help you lay out the line and hole locations.
Mark center lines as well as
the locations of the holes
where you will position the
screws and
d other
th h
holes.
l
Drill Reservoir Drainage Holes
Drill your reservoir drainage
holes in the top component.
Use a ½ inch spade bit.
Be sure not to apply too much
forward-drilling force both for
safety and to prevent
splintering of the wood as your
bit breaks the back surface.
Also, try to keep the bit as
perpendicular to the board as
p
possible.
DO NOT DRILL INTO WORKPIECE UNLESS IT IS FIRMLY CLAMPED IN YOUR VISE.
Drill Pilot Holes for Screws
Now drill your pilot holes at
each of the marked locations
locations.
Use a #42 bit.
DO NOT DRILL INTO WORKPIECE UNLESS IT IS FIRMLY CLAMPED IN YOUR VISE.
Drill for Countersinking
(repeat for the feet)
To allow the screws to slightly countersink into the surface, use a larger bit (the
N bit will work fine) to make a shallow hole on top of the pilot holes.
countersunk hole
NEVER DRILL INTO A WORKPIECE UNLESS IT IS FIRMLY CLAMPED IN YOUR VISE.
Mark and Drill Holes for the Feet
DO NOT DRILL INTO WORKPIECE UNLESS IT IS FIRMLY CLAMPED IN YOUR VISE.
Connecting the Top
Place the screws carefully, so
that they align with the pilot holes
you drilled earlier
earlier.
You will use your drill to drill the
screws into these holes and
connect the wooden components
together. Put the drill in low range
(speed 1).
Do not drill too quickly, as the
head of the screw can become
deeply embedded in the soft
wood.
d
KEEP YOUR FINGERS (AND ANY BODY ELSE’S FINGERS)
AWAY FROM THE SCREW. THE SCREWDRIVER BIT MAY
SLIP OFF THE SCREW HEAD AND HIT HURT A FINGER.
FINGER
You may find it helpful to use a
vice to stabilize your wooden
components.
Attaching the Feet
Attach the feet by drilling screws through the pilot holes drilled
earlier. Before attaching the second foot, you should stand the
platform up, and clamp the assembly together using the bar clamp.
Making sure the two feet are parallel to one another will keep the
platform from wobbling.
KEEP YOUR FINGERS (AND ANY BODY ELSE’S FINGERS)
AWAY FROM THE SCREW. THE SCREWDRIVER BIT MAY
SLIP OFF THE SCREW HEAD AND HIT HURT A FINGER.
Drill the Platform Center holes
Drill
D
ill th
the center
t h
holes
l ffor your fifish
h ttank
k platform.
l tf
Th
There should
h ld
be two holes on each side for the attachment of screws. Make
sure your platform is level first. Use a #42 bit.
Attach the Platform
Drill
D
ill your screws iinto
t th
the same places
l
you d
drilled
ill d your
center holes. Once again, do not drill too deeply, or you
may crack the wood.
Drill Holes to Attach Conductivity Sensor
Using the hand drill, drill two 5/32 inch holes in the locations shown. These
holes will be used later to attach the conductivity sensor. These holes are 3
inches from the edge and ½ inch and 1 inch from the top of the foot.
a zip tie will secure
th conductivity
the
d ti it
sensor later
Drill Holes to Attach Solenoid Valves
Drill two 5/32 inch holes in the locations shown. These holes
will be used later to attach the solenoid valves as shown.
zip ties will be used to secure
the solenoid valves later
Congratulations! You’re done!
Now that your stand is complete, you are free to
make any cosmetic alterations you want to it.
Make it your own.
Doing a little sanding before applying paint will
help the appearance.