Not about fish... About furniture. Should I chop/burn it or use as a tank stand.

[juniperlea]

Would you use this as an aquarium stand? This is not my piece, but is very similar (mine is much, much more elegant and in excellent condition!!!)

My mother passed away about 4 years ago and I inherited her (probably mahogany) 4 post bed frame, mattress, box spring, sofa, chairs, pearl (real) necklaces, end tables, Christian Dior CUSTOM mink coat, Royal Doulton china, Royal Crown Derby, Royal Grafton, very expensive wool blankets ..... the list goes on. Oh yeah, exclusive wool blankets. I'm a girl (old), who lives with aquariums and a 19 year old cat, in an apartment of about 700 sq feet...... HELP me!

No one, but no one wants this stuff. Before you say anything, do NOT ask yourself, "why doesn't she 'just'?..... I hate that word, 'just', possibly more than any other word in the English language. I have used it and will use it again. However, there is something wrong with the use of the word 'just'. Someone out there will know the difference between doing just and being just!!!

Today, someone looked at my mother's dressing table and knew I was desperate for space and told me they could 'just' take it off my hands and paint and shabby-chiqueeee-it. Despite the fact that my mother and I did not always get along, I'd sooner carry that dressing table, with the very heavy three way mirror on my back, three miles to the landfill, than let it 'just' be chiqueeeee…....'d.

So, my William Lawrence, Nottingham vintage dressing table will eventually become an aquarium stand. 3 way mirror at the back....... oh the possibilities!

Re the Royal Doulton.... I'm thinking about putting out the word..... sell tickets to clay pigeon/royal doulton china contest thing. I'd sooner let the china serve a purpose than to 'just' pitch in the garbage or 'just' wwwwww...........

Thank you everyone, for 'just' letting me vent. The ADFs refuse to listen. What jerks!

ps. I sold the mahogany bed frame for $30 and supplicated myself to the buyer as they loaded it up on their pick up truck..... Am so humiliated. I should have burned it. Now, I have to pay someone to haul away the mattress and box spring. Help!!! LOL!





The end.

 

[AquaBaby]

Wow that's a really cool and beautiful piece. Not every fish is upscale enough to have a stand like that. I've heard having a really elaborate stand makes the occupants really snooty though.

I have no idea how much weight that'd hold. Since the legs aren't straight and directly below the corners, my guess would be less weight than one with "direct support" legs. Also, if it's older and made with real, solid wood it should hold more weight than the modern "wood." Take a good look at all the leg joints, etc. Look for cracks and rust. I'd also put like a thin rubber mat under it, or the like, to keep drips off the wood. I bought a piece like this for my 35 gallon (that will sit on a piece of wood furniture) at home depot: (ignore the mess lol work in progress)

It's thin enough I could just cut it with a sturdy pair of scissors.

If everything looks good on the furniture, I'd guess it could hold at least a 10 gallon, if it'd sit fully on it. You might could research some kind of a weight limit; I'm sure it wouldn't be exact, but should give you a ball park figure (that I'd definitely stay UNDER since it would just be an estimate).

 

[juniperlea]

Thanks AquaBaby! I love your reference to the fish becoming 'snooty'. Dressing table is in perfect, condition, probably mahogany, little or no scratches and probably built in the early 1960s. However, I am worried about putting a 20 gallon (standard) on it, with the 3 way mirror, because there really isn't any center support.... or is there? It's 'dove tailed'. No nails or screws involved. I'm considering taking my 20 gallon (no fish) and setting it on the dressing table, just to observe what might or might not happen! It's that or the county landfill! I heart fish!

 

[AquaBaby]

So, I did a little searching. For modern pieces, it looks like a lot of them say the limit's about 250 lbs (some as low as 145 lbs though). This, I'm sure, is optimal positioning of the weight. For a tank, meaning the tank sits directly on top of each and every leg and the weight in the tank is very evenly distributed.

I'm guessing the tank won't do this, because who'd be that lucky?! So, the integrity and thickness of the top itself will definitely come into play.

But, keep in mind that the whole top is supported by the leg joints.... you might post a pic of the joints for some of the woodworkers or diy peeps to weigh in. Depending on how many dovetails are in the leg joints I'd think would impact the weight it can support.

The stand I'm working on, it's quite a bit wider than my tank, so I'm adding supports directly below the edge of the tank and supports all the way to the floor.

Also I came across this:
"Is there a simple convention about how much weight a piece of furniture can support?

No.

Almost any wood-based material couldsupport that much weight easily, but everything depends on the structural design of the piece. Ideally there should be vertical pieces almost directly under the sides of the tank, carrying the load all the way down to the floor; you don't want a 4-foot tank in the middle of a table whose legs are 7' apart unless the tabletop itself is very strong, i.e. thick solid wood with a supporting skirt; not particleboard. Also, the corner joints on cheap casework like that shelving unit are quite weak, so it's only the back panel that keeps the whole think from parallelogramming to one side or the other and bucking under heavy loads. As mentioned above, if the back panel isn't very securely fastened then the whole structure is suspect." from this site:

I guess if you needed, you could remove the mirror to have more weight for the tank (yes, be sure to calculate tank AND mirror weight if you leave the mirror).

 

[juniperlea]

This is so confusing to me. The mirrors weigh more than the table. I can lift the table. But, the mirrors.... not so much. I'm almost a 61 year old woman with a bmI of 22. Do you think I can put three 5 gallon tanks on that piece of furniture? ps.... I won't sue you if you say yes!

 

[AquaBaby]

max h may be able to weigh in on this. I've read some of his threads and he seems knowledgeable on this sort of thing. coralbandit might have great advice, too.

For me, without seeing it in person, I don't trust my limited knowledge enough!!!

 

[juniperlea]

I'm sorry folks! This has really been about me, because my 'inheritance' is killing me! Anyway, I weigh 126#. The dressing table can (I've experimented!!!) support 126#. I can visualize three 5 gallon tanks.... on the top, minus the mirrors (landfill). And then, I took it a step further.... omg, I can put my 20 gallon standard on the floor, directly underneath the dressing table. Is this hobby about fish or aquariums?

 

[AquaBaby]

I don't remember where I read this, or how accurate it is at that, so I am reluctant to post this ... please don't anyone quote this without research!!!

I read that a rough estimate of a set up is 12 lbs / gal. (Of course that is dependent on what's in the tank!) So, 3 x 5 gal tanks would roughly be 180 lbs.

So, you set up the dressing table in an area that isn't likely to get bumped (I figure it will shake pretty easily), that might work.

Again..... even if you wouldn't sue me (Lol) I'd get more opinions!!!

 

[juniperlea]

The dressing table belonged to my mother and she cared more for Christian Dior than her children. My brother has the scars. This dressing table can support 20g, at least. She's gone, but she's still cursing me with the responsibility of her 'fine' things. I really need to take it out back and shoot it.

 

[AquaBaby]

I am sorry your mom placed a higher value on her material things rather than her kids. BUT, now you have the opportunity to turn something that had painful memories attached to it into something beautiful that you can enjoy!

 

[nobettasinbowls]

I wouldn't want to put anything more than one 5 or 10 gallon on it, as I would be super paranoid about the weight making the furniture collapse one day. If you can find some sort of carpenter who can give you a professional evaluation maybe, that is the way I would go.

I'm sure it technically could support a larger aquarium, but how long until it breaks down the structural support of your table is the question. I'm also very paranoid about it though.

I don't feel like laying on top of it to see if it can hold you is the best way, as your weight was probably more evenly distributed and it was a short term test.

Just wanted to say, if you have no interest in the fur coat, this is a great place to donate it too! Take Back the Fur - Wildlife Rescue League
They give the fur BACK to animals who are orphaned or could use it. There are several other organizations as well that will accept donated fur items, some who give them to animals, other to poor people in very cold countries.

Also wanted to say that I'm sorry that your mother did not treat you and your brother well. That must have been hard growing up and even as an adult to constantly feel like she cared more about her possessions than her children.

 

[BettaDollar]

Would you use this as an aquarium stand? This is not my piece, but is very similar (mine is much, much more elegant and in excellent condition!!!)

My mother passed away about 4 years ago and I inherited her (probably mahogany) 4 post bed frame, mattress, box spring, sofa, chairs, pearl (real) necklaces, end tables, Christian Dior CUSTOM mink coat, Royal Doulton china, Royal Crown Derby, Royal Grafton, very expensive wool blankets ..... the list goes on. Oh yeah, exclusive wool blankets. I'm a girl (old), who lives with aquariums and a 19 year old cat, in an apartment of about 700 sq feet...... HELP me!

No one, but no one wants this stuff. Before you say anything, do NOT ask yourself, "why doesn't she 'just'?..... I hate that word, 'just', possibly more than any other word in the English language. I have used it and will use it again. However, there is something wrong with the use of the word 'just'. Someone out there will know the difference between doing just and being just!!!

Today, someone looked at my mother's dressing table and knew I was desperate for space and told me they could 'just' take it off my hands and paint and shabby-chiqueeee-it. Despite the fact that my mother and I did not always get along, I'd sooner carry that dressing table, with the very heavy three way mirror on my back, three miles to the landfill, than let it 'just' be chiqueeeee…....'d.

So, my William Lawrence, Nottingham vintage dressing table will eventually become an aquarium stand. 3 way mirror at the back....... oh the possibilities!

Re the Royal Doulton.... I'm thinking about putting out the word..... sell tickets to clay pigeon/royal doulton china contest thing. I'd sooner let the china serve a purpose than to 'just' pitch in the garbage or 'just' wwwwww...........

Thank you everyone, for 'just' letting me vent. The ADFs refuse to listen. What jerks!

ps. I sold the mahogany bed frame for $30 and supplicated myself to the buyer as they loaded it up on their pick up truck..... Am so humiliated. I should have burned it. Now, I have to pay someone to haul away the mattress and box spring. Help!!! LOL!
The end.

IMO - it would be a sacrilege to re-purpose it. It's GORGEOUS!
You seem like a determined person and I can appreciate that, and I agree with nearly everything you've said except making it an aquarium stand.
My wife has always loved fine furniture but thru the years I've watched almost everything warp or bow in spite of being very well made.
She never listens when I tell her everything needs to sit level, don't overload with weight or place pieces in bright sunlight.
Your piece is an heirloom and if you don't have a relative or close friend that would appreciate it then I'd consider donating it to a church? Woman's shelter? or any non-profit that otherwise wouldn't have such a beautiful piece. It could be a tax write off too...
I've inherited things I couldn't keep and always regretted parting with them.
I feel for you. Tough choice.

 

[juniperlea]

I've decided to throw the dressing table and its mirrors away. What a terrible shame, The town I now live in has a population of 500 (plus 1,000 college students, but they don't count, yet). However, I know that when I take the table to the dump, someone will scurry out and take it as soon as I drive away. I refuse to let anyone profit from my (& my brothers') physical and emotional abuse. It's going to be taken out back and put out of our misery, prior to being deposited in the county dump! Dressing tables.... pointless pieces of furniture. Thank you FL.

 

[nobettasinbowls]

I've decided to throw the dressing table and its mirrors away. What a terrible shame, The town I now live in has a population of 500 (plus 1,000 college students, but they don't count, yet). However, I know that when I take the table to the dump, someone will scurry out and take it as soon as I drive away. I refuse to let anyone profit from my (& my brothers') physical and emotional abuse. It's going to be taken out back and put out of our misery, prior to being deposited in the county dump! Dressing tables.... pointless pieces of furniture. Thank you FL.

You could post it for free on craiglist or free cycle. I'm sure there is someone out there who would love that but can't afford to buy it. Saves you from having to bring it to the dump as they would pick it up and haul it away for you, and no one profits off it. Instead, you do a good deed by helping someone else out.

 

[juniperlea]

I thought about craigslist and researched it locally. I could sell it for about $25, maybe.....but, I don't want my phone # to be advertised. What a pain. It's going to be 'taken out back' and shot.... if only I could sell tickets for that.... I'd make more $ from that than craigslist!!! Then again, I might get arrested for possession of a firearm. Farewell to my William Lawrence of Nottingham dressing table! I'll post pics when I destroy it. Thank you so much for responding! heart.