i ain't no carpenter, need advice on a frame

[mekannic]

i am trying to hang a very small lightweight grow light over a single plant that will be in a bucket directly on the floor. an elderly lady will be tending to it and everything will need to be as light and minimal as possible. she is confined to a wheelchair and it will need to be as freestanding as possible with no cross member support on the bottom (if this is at all possible). i have a real cheap, cheezy, idea but i ain't no carpenter and don't know if it will work at all.

i was thinking the approximate footprint would be around 2' deep by 3 to 4' wide and maybe 6' tall to give enough headroom for a tomato plant to get decently tall. may have to trim or train it back, but i don't want it to be excessively high. i don't really want it to be 6' but it will actually be a tomato plant and taking into account the bucket etc, you get my drift.

does anyone have an idea or pics of something they have had success with that they can share with me?

i have done a forum search and google search and don't know how to word it. all i keep coming up with is picture frames and houses and barns.

i ain't no carpenter damnit, but i certainly never claimed to be very damn smart either.

any advice anyone?
jh

 

[PButter]

How about you draw an idea out on a piece of paper and take a photo of it.

 

[seaslug]

Do you need to preserve the condition of the room's ceiling?

 

[boo]

6' ain't alot of headroom...I use 10' for what I am currently growing...

 

[thunderfudge]

I know pvc works and you can buy it in precut lengths at depot or lowe's

 

[mekannic]

never thought about pvc. that might be a good idea. and thanks pbutter for the drawing. that is kinda sorta what i had in mind and if you think it'll hold, that's good enough for me for now.

yes the ceiling has to be left unmolested. if i could do it in the garage that would be different but she can't access the garage. it has steps durnit.

i am hoping to get away with six or seven at most because the ceiling heighth is only 8' high anyway and i am concerned about it getting too high and top heavy and her bumping it the wrong way with her chair.

i get some money i am definitely gonna have to buy a load of pvc and a ton of fittings and start experimenting.

thanks guys, i really appreciate it.
jh

 

[mekannic]

something kinda similar to this was what i was picturing. with the feet not on rollers and only one cross member at the top, none in the middle. maybe some cross braces like in the one pictured in the hand drawing.

thanks everybody.
jh

 

[caregiverken]

Is she just going to veg this plant?
what about flowering it?

 

[motz]

never thought about pvc. that might be a good idea. and thanks pbutter for the drawing. that is kinda sorta what i had in mind and if you think it'll hold, that's good enough for me for now.

yes the ceiling has to be left unmolested. if i could do it in the garage that would be different but she can't access the garage. it has steps durnit.

i am hoping to get away with six or seven at most because the ceiling heighth is only 8' high anyway and i am concerned about it getting too high and top heavy and her bumping it the wrong way with her chair.

i get some money i am definitely gonna have to buy a load of pvc and a ton of fittings and start experimenting.

thanks guys, i really appreciate it.
jh

put a couple hooks in the ceiling with a couple small with pulleys on it.run the light up and down on a cotton/nylon rope. The holes from the hooks can be easily repaired with sheetrock mud or spackle or even colgate toothpaste. 2-small holes isn't that big a deal?

 

[budm]

put a couple hooks in the ceiling with a couple small with pulleys on it.run the light up and down on a cotton/nylon rope. The holes from the hooks can be easily repaired with sheetrock mud or spackle or even colgate toothpaste. 2-small holes isn't that big a deal?

Unless he can't find the stud or securely mount those 2 hooks. I'd hate to hear down the road that a little old lady was hurt when a grow light landed on her head! Otherwise, I agree with your idea.

 

[rick ratlin]

Here's an old shot of one of my first rooms. I wish I had more detail but thats it. It's 1 inch pvc on the base. The "bridge" is made of 3/4" pvc. I modeled it after a suspension bridge. It will hold at least 50 lbs. It weighs about 35 lbs total. By using 3/4" pvc on the top, it allows the bridge to be raised or lowered. It will cost about $50 if you don't have pvc glue or a pvc pipe cutters.

Get creative! Or just put 2 small hooks in the ceiling and use pulley cords like motz said.

 

[PButter]

I would vote for the two hooks in the ceiling routine. Easier, less crap to fail and it totally out of the way for the lady.

 

[kolah]

I would vote for the two hooks in the ceiling routine. Easier, less crap to fail and it totally out of the way for the lady.

as stated above...just make sure the hooks catch the wood ceiling rafters and not just the drywall. Some folks nail or screw a 2x4 onto 2 adjacent rafters and use that 2x4 as their attachment hanger. (screw the hooks/pulley into that 2x4)

google "hanging grow lights in ceiling" for a ton of suggestions.

 

[PButter]

Ha! In the title he says 'not a carpenter' and I go and say hooks in ceiling with no explanation- thanks for the catch kolah.

 

[motz]

Unless he can't find the stud or securely mount those 2 hooks. I'd hate to hear down the road that a little old lady was hurt when a grow light landed on her head! Otherwise, I agree with your idea.

Sorry forgot about the, not being a carpentar part. Always go into a rafter with the hook. If safety is a concern use a 1/4: x 3" eye lag bolt. Use a closable link up to the eyebolt for the pullys to attach to and walla. Be sides going to the hardware store this whole process will take you about 30 minutes to set up. It will take a helluva lot longer to put a frame inside. motz

 

[mekannic]

wow. mucho replies since i been around last.

one bad thing, the ceiling is absolutely off limits. i also want to be able to move the whole rig anywhere because of her condition and the situation here (there are some very active packrat/hoarders involved as well). if things were different, that would be the best solution, i agree. however.......

now that pvc rig is really starting to appeal to me, especially after seeing the pic. i really like pvc projects. just built a long bow, a tater cannon, and a chicken feeder. i have some scraps, glue, cutters etc.

i am not real abstract or creative but i can start to see the pvc thing because of the concrete, finite set of fittings and angles available. that is an awesome setup in pvc. thanks for the pic double R. would you happen to have any more showing the frame? i am intrigued.

CGKen, this is literally going to be for a tomato plant. i am not speaking figuratively here. it is my "dry" run for what comes next as well, but this is for tomatoes.

thanks for all the help, advice, and info guys. nothing goes unconsidered. i can find the studs, even tho i am not a carpenter, just sitting here i can see the grid pattern in the ceiling from them. the ceiling is darker where the studs aren't. that would be a good option if...........
jh

 

[mekannic]

Here's an old shot of one of my first rooms. I wish I had more detail but thats it. It's 1 inch pvc on the base. The "bridge" is made of 3/4" pvc. I modeled it after a suspension bridge. It will hold at least 50 lbs. It weighs about 35 lbs total. By using 3/4" pvc on the top, it allows the bridge to be raised or lowered. It will cost about $50 if you don't have pvc glue or a pvc pipe cutters.

Get creative! Or just put 2 small hooks in the ceiling and use pulley cords like motz said.

View attachment 369699

i just read that again and noticed where you said the top could be raised or lowered because of the use of 3/4 pvc. i am not seeing this, could you please elaborate?

to be honest, i can't tell the difference in sizes of the pvc used from the pic, but i am having trouble figuring out how to make it able to raise and lower like you say.

i guess it doesn't really matter for my purposes, a permanent heighth structure would do for me. but it would be neat.

 

[rick ratlin]

If you look to the left side of the pic just under the light's ducting you can see the two tees are larger than the legs that are going into the tees. I'll get back to ya, that piece is in an attic out of town, but I'll figure out the sizes and take another pic. Thats the best pic I have of the bridge.

 

[mekannic]

i see it now thanks. don't go through all that extra trouble. i was looking above the light exclusively, at the bridge part itself.

that is a cool structure. cool design. i think i get started on it today.

 

[Woj]

make sure that its off the wall so she can get around the plant 360 degrees. You can brace up higher & use 4x4's to have a barrier free bottom as well if you like. =Similiar to the pvc setup up there.