Aquarium stand update

I haven't been able to work on this as much as I wanted but it is starting to take shape. 

Kreg Foreman Pocket-Hole Machine (Item# DB210)

This looks like a totally cool pocket hole machine and I would love to get one but I don't know if I would have the room for it or the budget.  Maybe I can afford one when my YouTube channel blows up, lol. 


You can read more about it here: https://www.kregtool.com/store/c26/pocket-hole-machinery/p322/foreman-pocket-hole-machine/

My next project - a stand for a 20 gallon aquarium

My sister is upgrading the tank for her turtles to a 20 gallon and asked me to make a stand for it.  She wants a lip on top so her kids can't easily pull or push it off and she wants it sturdy.

The new tank is going to be 30" long by 12" wide by 12" tall so I am designing it to be 30 1/4" long by 12 1/4" wide so there is a little wiggle room to get the tank in and out.  I am making the basic frame out of 2x4's and then I am going to cover it with 3/4" pine.  The 2x4's are going to go together with half lap joints and the pine will be glued and nailed onto the 2x4 frame.  I believe that I should be able to make it out of 4 - 2x4x8's, 3 - 1x8x6's, 5 - 1x6x5's and half a sheet of 1/2" plywood.

Here is what I came up with in Sketchup.