Best portable/rolling table design?

[true grit]

Hey farmers, so this week I need to build some raised tables to get my plants a bit better airflow and some maneuverability. Currently all plants are in 5g and 6g buckets on the floor (concrete)... I am finding that the lowers don't get quite enough airflow, so after heavy thinning, raising a few with cinder blocks and picking up some telescoping fans- I think it will come together with some nice raised "beds" per say.

I will not be making Dusty/Soma style beds, I will be using 4-5 7gallon Roots Pots (smart pots) per 4x4 and 1kw. I would like to make a stand that could consist of whatever materials (probably 2x4 framing and ply), will sit on casters, will be covered in panda film and will support 4-5 big ass pots of soil.

Key numbers to remember:

Bucket/pot height: 12-15"
Average plant height: 36-48" (with pot/planter)
Ceilings: 96"/8ft
Preferred light distance from plants: 18-24"

That means plant height of platform should be around 10-14" maybe? I will need to raise my lights up a bit.

Obviously the simple answer would be simple 2x4 box on bottom and top with mini-studs for height and casters on the bottom. From experience, that will be bulky, heavy, etc.

I know there are some thinkers on here- wanted to toss it out there and see if anyone has anything similar or killer ideas! Thanks guys!!

-gritty.

 

[CAPO]

I really like my boy GrowMaster's method...real cool stuff.
Check it.....

I think Dusty does similar beds, but uses landscape fabric to line his.

:icon_spin:

 

[CAPO]

Maybe I'm not grasping the concept.....what's the difference of having them in individual pots as opposed to beds?

 

[true grit]

Beds will require much more soil and complete replacement each grow...where as I can get hella yield outta smart pots with much less soil.....just basically eases the end process and simplifies watering.

Guess the concept is to have a the flower closer to a good working height, higher for better/more controllable airflow to the lower canopy, and to be able to slide a 4x4 tray outta the way to get to inside plants or just rotate on the casters 90 degrees and so on when watering....

 

[CAPO]

I get it....sounds like fun. Still check out bigpapas thread above...those deck braces work wonders and he likes water heater pans like you.lol
I could see you doing something similar and still do the individual pots. My guess is that you wanna have some vertizontal hoods to compliment your vert lighting, I think your on to something for sure. I imagine it to be a conglomeration of TK's methods with 1k vertizontals above with 4's or 6's as side lights...only "beds" or "trays" of pots instead of buckets on the floor. Are you gonna be stuck on the supersoil? I can't blame you for that as I know it cuts down the maintenance hrs. so you can do other things instead and gives notable yields. I can only hope that maybe you'll consider a top feed with one of your trays, being you will have a nice lil elevation you didn't have before.

I really like your grows already.....and you are definitely a leader in production methods for us guys who don't or can't go with MPB style.

 

[true grit]

Thanks bro, that means a lot man, I'm always cranking the old brain and killin plants to get better. I cull many more than I show pics of, but that leads to better pics! ha. And yeah most def checked out gm's thread when i was looking at raised beds like Dusty's...I most def like gm's better than soma's.

So I actually ditched the vert lights for horizontal 1k's in magnum XXXL's. For mother searches the vert lighting just wasn't efficient enough. Too many unknown phenos that screwed up over all yield, that and lots of space taken up. In soil, its a lot of great meds when you find the right plants, IMO exactly as with MPB's. Gotta find the right plant. I do think 2lb's is capable organic soil, vert, dialed and with the right strain. Now running overhead lighting and working my LST, the 2lb a light goal seems feasible if not surpassable once dialed and again with the right strains. Another thought I have tossed around is 1k over head with t-5's hung vert with a blue spectrum. Gotta get a few strains picked and dialed first though....

As for soil, nah bro ditched the super soil a round ago and started feeding Roots Organic line...didn't like it completely and am now on a Age Old regimen with Gen Organics CalMag and Bio Root. REALLY loving this combo and will be sticking with Age Old line.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

They have rollers that snap up into pvc pipe. You could frame a lightwieght easy to clean stand with 1.5" pvc. JK

 

[true grit]

See thats why I put it out there! Thanks JK, now on to logistics...how much weight do you think a PVC frame can hold? That would be extremely easy to make, uber light, way less chance of retaining any water/mold, and I'm sure I could screw in the 1/2 ply top. Think a plain square of 1.5" will be plenty? Or should I do mid brace....

The next best idea I had was to just use 2x6 for each side, screw 2x4 flat to the bottom of those and mount the casters there. Then put a ply top. That would make overall height about 10".....

 

[true grit]

Decided to keep it simple stupid (KISS) and here is the final product, a few tweaks will come over the weeks I'm sure, but so far so good.

Final measurements came out to 45"x45"x9.5" or so....Might add another 2x4 for more height but will see what the canopy looks like after stretch.... covered the top with Panda film.

The sides are 2x6 with small 1 5/8" casters, though these are ample, I will be moving up to 2" after this run as it is a bit tough for full mobility. The top is some 5mm new compressed wood from Home Depot. It is very strong, is water resistant/durable, and comes in precut 4x4'...basically precut underlayment.

I was short on budget this week, so wood will have to cut it for the first round. I think ultimately welded steel carts with adjustable legs will be the goal! hehehe....wheres a welder?!?

 

[sky high]

Thinking about "town"...I had a thought.

On da west side I've seen MANY abandoned greenhouses/nurseries. Some of em are really bad/in disrepair. Most GH's have massive grow tables that get the plants off the ground/floor...often made of metal mesh or a plastic mesh of some sort. Most of 'em adjust/are just what yer lookin for, IMO.

And what about pallets of some sort? A good base to start with, at least?

Either way....lookin forward to the show/what you come up with....

s h