DIY PVC Growlight Stand

DIY PVC Growlight Stand<~~~Click the link

Great link camprn. I came across this one the other day and sent it my hubby. Guess what he's building me for my seedlings!

The 2nd link didn't show for me BUT the first one was kewl!

Deborah....PVC is like tinker-toys for grown ups (does anyone actually remember tinker toys?)

Lavender Debs wrote:PVC is like tinker-toys for grown ups (does anyone actually remember tinker toys?)

Couldn't agree more! Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys were mainstays in my childhood. Those, and the New Coke, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Bird vs Magic, Joe Montana, and parachute pants.

I totally remember tinker toys and they still sell them but I think they are plastic now. This is brilliant idea for seedling lighting. Someone in the comments mentioned warm and cool lights being the best for seedlings. Im a computer guy and know nothing of lighting. Can anyone expand on what the guy said? Im planning to build this stand and pick up the light fixture this weekend and I need to get the lights too.

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Couldn't agree more! Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys were mainstays in my childhood. Those, and the New Coke, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Bird vs Magic, Joe Montana, and parachute pants.

Oh boy! You just made me feel old! I remember all those things too.

May have to take a field trip to Home Depot with the kiddos to price these project.

His price may be pretty close....because of the fixture and bulb. I would just take his word on it. If I didn't already have my monstrosity, I would be popping two of these this weekend.

It's amazing what you can find if you google "sqaure foot garden trellis" or "square foot garden hoop house" or "square foot garden [whatever]". Then, click on the images tab and just browse through the pictures. No need to read useless articles covering things you already know. All you are doing is peeking in on some serious ingenuity. Clicking of videos can really chew up some boredome time if you want, too.

Most of the people I find at Wal-Mart aren't smart enough to put dirt in a box, but some of these people on youtube and in the images pages are super geniuses......it gives me hope after walking through Wally World...lol.

I used your idea of googling square foot garden hoop house and found an article about a PVC hoop house that costs about $50 to make...heres the link...I figure it goes along with the thread of making pvc (insert stuff here)
$50 PVC HOOP HOUSE

Hey you can put your light stand in here

Thanks for the link! I like the adjustability of it! I went ultra low cost with mine. Similar set up, but used 1/2" electrical conduit PVC (cheaper than water PVC pipe) and used 90 degree connectors for "feet" rather than end caps. I also opted for the cheapest 4ft T12 two bulb lamp which happened to have the chain attachment at the ends of the lamp, so rather than use the 4ft crossbar to support the weight, I use the two vertical bars. So I adjust the height by moving the chain up the vertical bars using holes drilled every inch or so.

1 x 10ft 1/2" electrical conduit PVC: $0.99; cut to 1 x 50" piece, 2 x 21" pieces, 4 x 3.5" pieces
6 x 90 degree 1/2" schedule 40 PVC elbows: $1.20 ($0.20 ea)
2 x 1/2" schedule 40 T connectors: $0.54 ($0.27 ea)
1 x 3000K warm T12 bulb: $3.25
1 x 6500K cool T12 bulb: $3.25
1 x 4ft T12 fixture: $9.99

Total: ~$20

The new Tinker Toys are not very nice. Anybody remember Mechano Sets?

Gwynn

I don't remember Mechano, but I had and Erecter Set - the metal straps with all the holes drilled in them and all the nuts and bolts to put them together into any shape and size. (I also had Lincoln Logs and original Hot Wheels). Anyone remember brunette Barbie - and before she was bendable?

Goosegirl wrote:Anyone remember brunette Barbie - and before she was bendable?

I do. I had one! It looked like it was from the 40's or 50's. Long gone.

@Vinny: I would love to see a photo of your setup!

Now I know I am old! I had one of the first barbies lol...I was born in 1959!

I still have some of my first lincoln logs lol...and I continue to add to my collection because the grandkids love grandma's TOTES full of lincoln logs. They build whole cities with them!

Lavender Debs wrote:The 2nd link didn't show for me BUT the first one was kewl!

Deborah....PVC is like tinker-toys for grown ups (does anyone actually remember tinker toys?)

I couldn't agree more. That's some fun stuff to play around with.

My friend down the street made a very similar light stand last year (I think he even has the same diamond plate lamp) and uses it all of the time. Apparently it really helps the seedlings grow fast! I think I'll do one next year too.

Megan wrote:@Vinny: I would love to see a photo of your setup!

Sorry for the poor image quality. I think my iPhone may have some lint on the lens.

Wow, very nice!

Very nice! Much prettier than the hot mess I made, but then, I like
free..

I made mine out of scrap 2x3's and 2x4 I had leftover in my shop:



Next year, I think I'm going to buy one of these though, I've seen them in the hardare stores that are 48" wide:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_327517-986-9044_4294932521__?productId=3175533&Ntt=plastic+shelves&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Garage_4294932521__s%3FNs%3Dp_product_price|0%26Ntt%3Dplastic%2Bshelves

I figure I can hang a light under the top shelf for a tray and hang another under that shelf when I need to. I'm already running out of room on my tiny seed table!

My isn't pvc but it is recycled...well the cabinet was..lights from Menards. The middle shelf is smaller for germinating. The lower lights work like a heat matt...worked great again this year!

That is great! I can't tell, are those open shelves? I might try to find some shelves at a garage sale or something this spring!

Yup it was a set of unfinished wood shelves bought at a department store we had painted but were not using at the time. Hubby just adjusted them to allow for the smaller shelf and added and set the extra one in the back to use if I need to reconfigure. The top and bottom shelves are set for my houseplants and I just move everything around when I have seedlings on them. When the seedlings get bigger they go on a bakers rack in front of a south facing picture window and my house plants go back to their home spot.
The shelves are easy to adjust with predrilled holes. The set up has been fun to have. I have grown lettuce all winter last year. Just never got around to it this winter. With the price of lettuce now I better start some more! Teeny tiny head was $2.59 at Hy-Vee this week!

I keep my violet (first one that I ever kept alive) on the top shelf year round. An aloe vera, rosemary, ivy, and odds and ends in it in the winter.


It took him, at most, an hour to have it up and ready for me!

I do use stuff for lifts as you see! rofl...I like having the shelves further apart for taller plants sometimes.

The lights are on a surge protector which is on a timer. Lights on at 6am and off at 7:30 pm.

He added a 24inch two bulb shop light


Behind the light he put a section of flashing for reflection

I WANT ONE!!!

FarmerValerie wrote: I WANT ONE!!!

+1