First grow box, First grow...Please provide feedback

[Sir_Buddington]

So I have recently decided to start growing (6 days ago) and needed a place to grow some good auto plants

Posted Below are pictures of my cabinet.

Things done so far:
1. Cabinet halfway built, The holes in the bottom are for ait intake
The cabinet is a flat white so no need for mylar
2. Stapled the back panel with a stable gun, 3 inches apart from each other...I have also used a super adhesive to make it more air proof
3. Sprayed the inside with a sealer so that the wood doesnt get moldy
4. As shown in the picture below, I also ran some latex caulk on the inside of the cabinet to make it more air proof
5. Lighting bay is done...(all of the bulbs are 23 watts)...

Plans
1. Adding a fan up top for exhaust (still have to cut to hole on the top)
Picture of fan is to come
2. Hood for Lighting bay
3. Chain and hooks for lighting bay
4. Put up power strip inside
5. Carbon filter to minimize smell
6. Weather stripping to stop lighting from going in or out
7. Buy new pots
Bought some and were way too big for the cabinet

Will be adding more pics to come of the process so far, picture of the fan also to come

A lot of my ideas came from Phloater because what he did was definetly amazing and needed to try to mimic it for myself...Thanks

Please provide feedback im here to learn

[Sir_Buddington]

Some pics that I forgot to post...sorry im high lol

[Sir_Buddington]

Just went to home depot and bpugh some more clip on lamps...ordered my seeds today...bought a reflector for the lighting bay...bought some weather stripping....some more bulbs (6500 k) for some flowering time for the 1st week since it auto flowering...2-2 gallon buckets.

Hoping to get some pictures up soon...PRETTY Please leave comments

btw im so high sorry for the mistypo's

[Don Piano]

Nice Macgyvering on the conduit light support. I am going to use that someday (slightly different from your design). Actually looks like my old Co2 manifold that i no longer need.

Careful what you use to seal the box up. Either foodservice grade silicone, or elastomeric acrylic latex caulk is safe (the latter is paintable, unlike standard latex caulk or silicone). Things like gorilla glue, glue screws, and construction adhesive are some things that plants do not like from my experience.

Was gonna ask about light traps on the bottom, but you said autoflower so nevermind.

[Sir_Buddington]

Originally Posted by Don Piano

Careful what you use to seal the box up. Either foodservice grade silicone, or elastomeric acrylic latex caulk is safe (the latter is paintable, unlike standard latex caulk or silicone). Things like gorilla glue, glue screws, and construction adhesive are some things that plants do not like from my experience.

Yea I made sure that for the inside i used elastomeric acrylic latex caulk, I read about it somewhere in GC and made a mental note....Although i did use liquid nails but that is only for where the back panel meets the wood

Originally Posted by Don Piano

Was gonna ask about light traps on the bottom, but you said autoflower so nevermind.

The nice thing is that I am actually putting my cabinet in a closet so and will be putting the auto's on a 20/4 light regime with the 4 being during the night time.

Hopefully will be putting up pictures tonight

Advice needed: I have a fan but it spins way too fast and I think that it will be too much air exhausting, I was wondering if any1 could point me in the right direction as to an exhaust system I can build with a carbon scrubber....any help is appreciated

[Chuck_Darwin]

Are those bulbs 2700K? The look like soft white bulbs. For the veg. period you want to use 7200K and maybe one 5500K. Then for flowering you would want to use 2700K and in your case maybe one 3000K.

[Sir_Buddington]

Originally Posted by Chuck_Darwin

Are those bulbs 2700K?

Yes they're 2700K bulbs but the reason for this is because I am getting some automatic AK47 being sent to me.

I do have 4 daylight bulbs and will be putting 2 daylight bulbs in the grow box during the first 2 weeks

Thanks for the concern and thanks for looking at my grow box.

Pictures will be coming in 1.5 hrs

[Sir_Buddington]

Description of pictures:

Buckets:
-I bought 2-2 gallon buckets from home depot. The reasoning for the small size is because my cabinet does not fit 3 gallons plant pot or 5 gallon bucket.
-I drilled four holes on the bottom of each of the buckets so that the water can drain

Lighting:
-The lighting bay was hung and fits well, it hangs a little croket but it hangs pretty well
-There are some pictures of the bay from the front and from the top
-The clip on lamp is to provide light to the bottom of the plant
-The hood has yet to be put on but there are two pictures, hopefully will be done.

Cabinet:
-Placed weather stripping to minimize the odors that come out of the cabinet and also to stop light from entering or leavin the cabinet
-One picture is the door on the cabinet and there is another off of the cabinet while I was placing the weather stripping on.

As always please provide feedback and let me know what you think

[Green4Green]

sir_buddington, I like your creative set-up. i have been slowly (very little extra money right now) collecting all the supplies I need for my own similar grow cabinet. Luckily I work for a foreclosure clean-out business and have gotten so much great stuff for free it is ridiculous. I would say I am about 80% of the way to finalizing my supply list. It would be great if you kept everyone up to date on your cost for this project so far. As for the strong fan issue, I am pretty sure you can put a regulator or dimmer switch of some sort on it to slow down that strong exhaust fan. I'm not 100% sure about the saftey aspect of doing this so double check my suggestion before you apply it. Also if I am mistaken I'm sure another more knowledgeable member will correct me. Looking forward to more pics and progress sir, carry on...

PEACE!

[Sir_Buddington]

Originally Posted by Green4Green

Luckily I work for a foreclosure clean-out business and have gotten so much great stuff for free it is ridiculous. I would say I am about 80% of the way to finalizing my supply list. It would be great if you kept everyone up to date on your cost for this project so far.

Oh man I wish it was that easy for me to come across supplies for free that would make this project so much cheaper lol...when I get at home, I will start compiling a list of items that I have bought and will provide as much information as I can on prices

Originally Posted by Green4Green

As for the strong fan issue, I am pretty sure you can put a regulator or dimmer switch of some sort on it to slow down that strong exhaust fan. I'm not 100% sure about the saftey aspect of doing this so double check my suggestion before you apply

I actually tried to hook up the fan to a dimmer switch and as soon as i flipped the switch I got a huge spark (and not this kind ) and i think i blew out the dimmer because it just stopped working. I really dont know what to do for a fan that will work but want to have this box prepared before next weekend so i can plant my auto AK 47's

[Green4Green]

YIKES, that sux. Well I'm sure someone in the community knows how to regulate fan speed without it shorting out or sparking, sorry I couldn't help more. I have the same problem with a fan I just pulled out of a small air hockey game from a foreclosure the other day. It basically looks like a bigger computer fan but with a plug which is nice. I plugged it in and the thing is like a freakin mini hurricane! I couldnt believe how much air this think pushed. I have to figure out how to lower its speed too. I will be starting my "Super Frugal" grow cabinet and grow journal once I can dig outta this financial hole. look forward to your cost list...

[Green4Green]

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you about your hood. I kinda had a similar idea for a reflector/hood to save $$$. Is that just a piece of sheet metal that you bent?

[Sir_Buddington]

Originally Posted by Green4Green

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you about your hood. I kinda had a similar idea for a reflector/hood to save $$$. Is that just a piece of sheet metal that you bent?

Yea it is just a piece of metal that I got from home depot...The only concern I have is that it might cause spot burns due to the reflection..I am thinking about lining the inside with mylar but that probably wont happen unless it hurts my soon to be babies

[Green4Green]

I agree completely...let me know if burn spots occur from it. i am probably going to go with a similar reflector/hood unless I happen to find something better for free, HAHAHA

[Sir_Buddington]

Sorry took so long for this update but this weekend was a good party weekend at school and was pretty much from thursday night to sunday morning lol

So below is the price list for the items that I have purchased to make my grow box. I have divided it by where I bought the items from. The grand total is listed below.

The items in red were used to build the lighting bay

Loews
Item..................Price Per item x Quantity = Total
Twin Socket...........................2.66 x 1 = 2.66
Fan Control*.........................12.97 x 1 = 12.97
Jack Chain............................60/ft x 12 = 7.2
26 W daylight cfl...................11.98 x 1 = 11.98
20 W soft white cfls...............11.48 x 1 = 11.48
2 gallon white pail.................. 3.48 x 2 = 6.96
Aluminum Sheet..................23.64 x 1 = 23.64
Peat moss pots.......................4.77 x 1 = 4.77
Clip on lamp..........................9.97 x 2 = 19.94
10" saucer.............................0.98 x 2 = 1.96
Weather Stripping...................3.57 x 1 = 3.57
10 Pack of hose clamps..............7.33 x 1 = 7.33
Tools
Staples for staple gun................2.67 x 1 = 2.67
Metal snipper....................8.96 x 1 = 8.96
Keyhole Saw..........................5.98 x 1 = 5.98
Hammer..........................4.73 x 1 = 4.73
Total............................................. ...........136.80

*=Freakin Fan Control failed on me

Home Depot
Item..................Price Per item x Quantity = Total
23 W 2 Pack Soft white bulb..........................5.97 x 4 = 23.88
Weatherproof sockets..........................3.28 x 4 = 13.12
Double sockets..........................2.48 x 2 = 4.96
Timer ..........................11.97 x 1 = 11.97
Shellac Spray Sealent..........................6.28 x 1 = 6.28
1/2 inch PVC piping..........................1.25 x 1 x 1.25
1/2 inch PVC elbows..........................0.25 x 4 = 1
Misc Wire/feet..........................0.59 x 9 = 5.31
Latex Caulk ..........................3.98 x 1 = 3.98
Seedstart kit..........................2.59 x 1 = 2.59
Total............................................. ...........74.34

Target
Item..................Price Per item x Quantity = Total
White Cabinet..........................49.99 x 1 = 49.99
Power Strip..........................5.98 x 1 = 5.98
Total............................................. ...........55.97

Grand Total thus far........................................267.11

Price List will be updated as more items are bought

Future Purchases include DIY carbon srubber and a fan