# Strong Lid Supports for wooden canopy??



## lucky777*** (Dec 5, 2005)

Have a new 150 gallon that I bought with stand and canopy. Canopy is 74"L x 24"w. The manufacturer said the weight is about 35-45 lbs. It simply has piano style hinges on rear and in order to leave it open it clams open against the wall and just leans there. I really need some good friction safety lid supports. I can buy spring loaded and cheap brass friction ones at big box stores locally but they aren't rated for that kind of weight.

Has anyone came across any strong supports that could handle that wait. Because of length I plan on using one on left and right. Center is not an option.

Thank you


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Take a look around at woodworking supply houses - Rockler, Woodcraft, Lee Valley etc.

Here is one that looks interesting at Lee Valley http://www.leevalley.com/US/Hardware/pa ... 43742&ap=1

Please report back on what you find and end up using, as myself and others would be interested in the answers.

Thanks

nodima


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## jas1313 (Dec 3, 2012)

+1 on above, woodworking. I work in woodshop and we did a stand/lid for someone. We did a hydraulic support. Like u see on back hatch on a car or expensive toolbox. Worked awesome. Still need a hinge though but that would require a very simple (piano hinge)


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

or go to your local auto store and have them find you hydraulic hood/hatch supports.


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## lucky777*** (Dec 5, 2005)

nodima said:


> Take a look around at woodworking supply houses - Rockler, Woodcraft, Lee Valley etc.
> 
> Here is one that looks interesting at Lee Valley http://www.leevalley.com/US/Hardware/pa ... 43742&ap=1
> 
> ...


Thanks for responding. I did look at those and they support massive amounts of weight; however the problem was the position of the plates for screwing it in. I would've had to modify the brackets to turn the opposite direction and didn't want to mess with it right now.

I decided to step on the scale holding the lid and measure the difference between just myself and myself and the lid. Was roughly about 34 pounds. If I subtracted a rough guess of a few pounds for the lower portion of the lid and assumed the majority was the lid itself I was then able to use some friction supports I found in the kitchen section of home depot. They aren't cheap like the brass ones and I'm not stuck with only one position like the spring loaded toy box lids supports. They were about $20 each in Canada probably half the price in the states.

I'll post pics when I get home tonight so you can see what hey look like,


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

lucky777*** said:


> nodima said:
> 
> 
> > Take a look around at woodworking supply houses - Rockler, Woodcraft, Lee Valley etc.
> ...


Thanks - the bold above is what I was afraid of, and why it is often easier and cheaper to rebuild something completely than try to retrofit a solution. Your solution sounds interesting, and physics would tell you that some of the weight would be borne by the hinge end of things. Looking forward to pics.


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## lucky777*** (Dec 5, 2005)

Here is the friction support brackets I ended up with. They are used for kitchen cabinetry and support about 16 pounds each side. With the 5 piano hinges in back and the way the weight is distributed they seem to work well.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

very nice - does that angle give you enough space to work on the tank?


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## lucky777*** (Dec 5, 2005)

nodima said:


> very nice - does that angle give you enough space to work on the tank?


For daily stuff it does give me enough room but if I was moving rocks or stuff like that it wouldn't be easy to move around simply because the tank is 28" plus 10' for the canopy height. Can't reach bottom, not because of the amount it opens. Regular cleaning and feeding is no issue.


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