My tiny, but oh so neat grow box!

[magicflame]

I've grown so weary of the very poor quality of "herbs" to be found around my area that I decided to build a little self-contained grow-cabinet and grow my own.
Being a professional cabinet-maker, I realized that I would never live down a sloppily-built cabinet. My friends would point and ridicule me!
I decided to go for a classic pyramid-shape partly due to the shape of the inside being ideal for focusing the light beams from the HID's directly downward to the plants where it's needed; but mostly because I can, he he. Perhaps some of the "magical power" of the pyramid configuration will have some unexpected and positive outcome!
The pyramid is divided into two separate entities that are easily divided for ease of service to lamps or fans. The lower portion of the hood holds a 250Watt MH and a 250Watt HPS, each with a hole directly above it to ensure a constant convection airflow, which is aided by the suction from the fan above it in a separate section. The inside is covered with ceiling isulation which is very shiny yet somewhat uneven, giving a nicely diffused reflexion. The upper section holds a fan to extract the heat from the lamps. The holes between the two upper sections are offset and painted matt-black to prevent light from spilling out from the fan-hole.
The mitre-cuts on each separate section allows them to fit into each other naturally, without any additional brackets. Black draught-excluding tape is used to prevent light leaks.
The two upper hood sections are divided from the main grow cabinet by a piece of tempered glass. This feels completely cool to the touch underneath and completely eliminates any possibility of plants being burned if they suddenly grow too much, while I am unavailable to tend to them. (I am looking forward to try and see if I can somehow train some plants with the aid of the glass pane, similar to "scrogging)".
The rear of the cabinet features a frosted glass panel with a removable cover to allow some of our lovely South African sun to do it's thing during day-time. (No point in wasting millions of watts of free energy I figured). This window faces a large South-facing window (I'm in the Southern-hemisphere).
On the sides are separate air intakes for cooling the light-hood and for ventilating the plants. The fan that extracts the air from the grow box (where it is relatively cool) exhausts it's air flowing over and around the ballast, igniter and transformer, keeping them cool as an added benefit.
I am currently growing some "Swazi" from seeds (a nearly pure Sativa as far as I can ascertain) I realize it is far from ideal for cabinet-growing, but I am learning to grow and figure that training on a difficult strain, might let me learn that much more.
All comments and suggestions are welcomed please.

 

[Mattplusness]

looks awesome, 1 suggestion though, since you seem to know your way around the tool chest, why not make the shelf adjustable, get some of those shelf... things, that let you adjust height, that way you can get optimal distance. btw, how many CFMs is that fan? and you need a fan inside the box if there isn't one already. plants dont do good with stagnant air

 

[JohnnyDaManiac]

That is an excellent cabinet!
I thought it was an old doll house at first! xD
Glad to see that you transplanted each plant into their own pots!
Looks almost perfect!

 

[pabloesqobar]

Awesome grow cabinet. I'd love to have the space, tools and know-how to build like that. What kind of light cycle are you using? That plant in flowering seems unusually small for how far along the flowering is. My first thought was that you were doing a 12/12 from seed grow. I know nothing about your strain, tho.

 

[cali-high]

I really like the cabinet....i seen picks of the grow in the other thread....


i had an idea for a lifter....ok heres my idea lol....(im a lil high)

OK make the floor liftable where the plants are...and maybe with your skills you could make a life....so it would be like an elevator or one of those old food things in those old 2 story houses....then you could have a spin wheel with a handle and crank the wheel to lower or lift the plants towards the light... it would be awsome and very easy to use and you wouldnt have to worry about stretching....

 

[tahoe58]

really nicely done. A work of art. pleasing to the eye and totally functional in its design and construction.

I did not see any odour control on exhaust? This may not be a priority for you.

Excellent work and thanks for sharing.

 

[magicflame]

looks awesome, 1 suggestion though, since you seem to know your way around the tool chest, why not make the shelf adjustable, get some of those shelf... things, that let you adjust height, that way you can get optimal distance. btw, how many CFMs is that fan? and you need a fan inside the box if there isn't one already. plants dont do good with stagnant air

I hear you and it's very much on the to-do list. I think I will construct a bank of computer fans (have a box full of old ones from broken down power-supplies) and place this bank on the inside and above the door on a swiveling mechanism. This way I can gently stir up those leaves a bit. As for the extractor fan; this is also just an old computer fan. Is this too little? You think I should ad 3 or so more? The shelf I plan to replace with a new one that fits more snugly and is mounted on a mechanism to more easily obtain the ideal height. I am also toying with an idea to make the shelf using a double wafer of clear acrylic or perspex with an array of LED's to enable me to raise some more youngsters in the small space underneath.

 

[magicflame]

That is an excellent cabinet!
I thought it was an old doll house at first! xD
Glad to see that you transplanted each plant into their own pots!
Looks almost perfect!

Thanks for your kind words. Let's hope the little doll's house will contain some nice goodies for daddy soon!

 

[magicflame]

Awesome grow cabinet. I'd love to have the space, tools and know-how to build like that. What kind of light cycle are you using? That plant in flowering seems unusually small for how far along the flowering is. My first thought was that you were doing a 12/12 from seed grow. I know nothing about your strain, tho.

Yes you are quite correct, Some of the older plants have had a harsh life outside on the windowsill while I was constructing the box. They also had a small stint under a 150 watt MH inside a printer box believe it or not. Also consider that we are in the heart of Winter down here. I'm currently baking them under 24/0 MH and sunlight during the daytime that streams in from a window on the back. This is directly in front of a South-facing window that get's good sun nearly 12 hours a day. The window in the grow box is frosted bathroom glass. This diffuses the sun and frustrates nosy-parkers. Hopefully I can persuade those horny little ladies to convert to veg and get some meat on their bones first. "kids today!"

 

[magicflame]

I really like the cabinet....i seen picks of the grow in the other thread....


i had an idea for a lifter....ok heres my idea lol....(im a lil high)

OK make the floor liftable where the plants are...and maybe with your skills you could make a life....so it would be like an elevator or one of those old food things in those old 2 story houses....then you could have a spin wheel with a handle and crank the wheel to lower or lift the plants towards the light... it would be awsome and very easy to use and you wouldnt have to worry about stretching....

Yesssss! I love the idea! Kind of in the theme as well. Perhaps I can kind of make it look very original, maybe a lever on a ratchet-type mechanism. So you pump it like an Egyptian water-lift. What do you think?

 

[magicflame]

really nicely done. A work of art. pleasing to the eye and totally functional in its design and construction.

I did not see any odour control on exhaust? This may not be a priority for you.

Excellent work and thanks for sharing.

No odor control right now. I don't smell anything at all yet, but then they may all be too young. I'm not too concerned with the stealth issue as I am lucky enough to have complete control over who enters my workshop. I run a one-man cabinetmaking business from home and seldom if ever get customers at my shop, as most items are commissioned pieces that get delivered to the client. It is only the missus that occasionally snoops around a bit, so I had to show her my "little girlfriends". I explained that many other married dudes lie in front of the TV all weekend watching sport, hang out in bars or with mates or even other women or whatever. I'm always at home playing with my little plants and taking care of my family. She's cool now! Anyhooo....little off-topic there (very much baked right now). I might ad some form of filter later, but mostly as a construction-challenge than real necessity. Come to think of it, I have a huge extractor fan that removes dust from the wotkshop all day. This may be why I never detect any smell!

 

[tahoe58]

hey there thanks for dropping by the thread. I love the smell of fresh cut wood, or hay or .....yea ...its pretty powerful for me. The soil. I love the smell of soil. probably the main reason why I won't do hydro, at least for now. The smell can get quite powerful, depending on strain and growing conditions .... if I an thinking the same, yea those exhaust beasts for workshops are awesome. I expect your exchanging the air in your shop on a rather short turnaround. Where is the air coming into the shop from ....door sills and the like? Anyhow, excellent work, and always good to have the missus on side .....

No odor control right now. I don't smell anything at all yet, but then they may all be too young. I'm not too concerned with the stealth issue as I am lucky enough to have complete control over who enters my workshop. I run a one-man cabinetmaking business from home and seldom if ever get customers at my shop, as most items are commissioned pieces that get delivered to the client. It is only the missus that occasionally snoops around a bit, so I had to show her my "little girlfriends". I explained that many other married dudes lie in front of the TV all weekend watching sport, hang out in bars or with mates or even other women or whatever. I'm always at home playing with my little plants and taking care of my family. She's cool now! Anyhooo....little off-topic there (very much baked right now). I might ad some form of filter later, but mostly as a construction-challenge than real necessity. Come to think of it, I have a huge extractor fan that removes dust from the wotkshop all day. This may be why I never detect any smell!

 

[cbtwohundread]

a fairy grow house little house on the prarie,lol,,its wonderful wish i had the magical building powers u do lovely

 

[chitownsmoking]

nice lil setup bro

 

[magicflame]

Tahoe,
Yes the air in the workshop itself is very frequently renewed via that huge fan at the back, sucking so much air in from an open roll-up garage door in the front that I can be sucking down a fat spliff with the mother-in-law standing directly in the doorway! Not so much as a raised eyebrow, he he. For the entire day while I was out on site, I left the door slightly ajar with a reciprocating household fan blowing in through the crack at each pass. My plants do seem to have enjoyed that, but I think some heating might be required as we are having an uncharacteristically cold mid-Winter and night time temps may be as low as 60deg. I will leave the door closed for tonight and will hopefully be able to make some adjustments after Monday. I just have revenue-creating project to finish first. Alas something has to pay for the new toys; seeing as I regrettably have no trust fund.

 

[magicflame]

nice lil setup bro

Much obliged mate.

 

[magicflame]

a fairy grow house little house on the prarie,lol,,its wonderful wish i had the magical building powers u do lovely

Thank you and thanks for taking a peek.

 

[magicflame]

Hi all,
Just a little update and some more pics. I have planted the last of the seedlings that I have pots (and room) available for. There are still about 10 viable seedlings in the nursery, but I think they will have to go into the large communal grow box and take their chances in the windowsill. They will be my backups for any who do not make it. The 13 seedlings towards the front of the grow box I suppose truly represents the start of my first grow as the other larger 7 in the back were thus far raised in very adverse conditions, causing two little females to go into flower prematurely (I'm currently trying to revert them to veg, but only one has responded so far although the flowers on the second one has not grown any larger). I have also moved all the plants back down to the floor as they actually seemed happier down there before with the sun blasting in the back window during daytime.
Next week I will have more time available and plan to cover the inside of the grow box and the door with the shiny insulation as well. I also need to waterproof the floor and ad much more ventilation and something to stir the air around. Will look for a mini-oscillating fan in my travels; hopefully small enough to mount above the door on the inside. Otherwise a bank of computer fans will have to do.

 

[JohnnyDaManiac]

Hi all,
Just a little update and some more pics. I have planted the last of the seedlings that I have pots (and room) available for. There are still about 10 viable seedlings in the nursery, but I think they will have to go into the large communal grow box and take their chances in the windowsill. They will be my backups for any who do not make it. The 13 seedlings towards the front of the grow box I suppose truly represents the start of my first grow as the other larger 7 in the back were thus far raised in very adverse conditions, causing two little females to go into flower prematurely (I'm currently trying to revert them to veg, but only one has responded so far although the flowers on the second one has not grown any larger). I have also moved all the plants back down to the floor as they actually seemed happier down there before with the sun blasting in the back window during daytime.
Next week I will have more time available and plan to cover the inside of the grow box and the door with the shiny insulation as well. I also need to waterproof the floor and ad much more ventilation and something to stir the air around. Will look for a mini-oscillating fan in my travels; hopefully small enough to mount above the door on the inside. Otherwise a bank of computer fans will have to do.

Looking great!
I am interested in seeing you out a whole bunch of pc fans in.
I don't know if I missed it but what are you doing with these girls when they get big enough?
Also might want to move this to a grow journal or indoor growing section.

 

[Mattplusness]

I hear you and it's very much on the to-do list. I think I will construct a bank of computer fans (have a box full of old ones from broken down power-supplies) and place this bank on the inside and above the door on a swiveling mechanism. This way I can gently stir up those leaves a bit. As for the extractor fan; this is also just an old computer fan. Is this too little? You think I should ad 3 or so more? The shelf I plan to replace with a new one that fits more snugly and is mounted on a mechanism to more easily obtain the ideal height. I am also toying with an idea to make the shelf using a double wafer of clear acrylic or perspex with an array of LED's to enable me to raise some more youngsters in the small space underneath.

first about the fans, you could either add more, or simply add a higher rated fan. up to you really, i bet you like working on it and such so you will probably go with the cpu fans lol. anyway, about the space underneath, there really doesn't look like enough room for it. why not just set them up on the shelf and raise them up with a platform underneath them so they aren't in shade?

also, why not go all out and buy some mylar for the walls. it would help a bit more, even though i bet those walls are pretty reflective as is