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I need some ideas for a stealth cabinet

H

h^2 O

Haven't really gone into the grow forums in quite some time, wondering what to do. I do know that I'll be making a trip to Home Depot for some cfl bulbs and one of those things that lets you connect 4 bulbs to one socket. In the past I've used the cfl for veg and a 150hps for flower, but I can't really get a 150hps right now, so it's going to be cfl all the way. I'm wondering what kind of cabinet I can get or make at Home Depot on a tight budget...just need something like 4 feet tall. I'm going to search the forums, if anyone has good links post em here please
 
stihgnobevoli

stihgnobevoli

Active member
Veteran
ngb cab is hardly 4ft tall. if i were handy with tools i would just draw up a cabinet and have them cut the wood for you then assemble it at home. if you really want to buy a cabinet they sell those cabinetmaid cabinets there, i have one but mine is only like 3 and a half feet tall 2 and a half feet wide and like 1 foot deep. that would work for you if you are just going cfl. i have a 70watt in there and had 120watts of hps at one time.
 
GP73LPC

GP73LPC

Strain Collector/Seed Junkie/Landrace Accumulator/
Veteran
check out the link in my sig...

very stealth fishtank cabinet. mine has no mother/veg chamber, but it has an air cleaning chamber... ;)

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WelderDan

WelderDan

Well-known member
Veteran
A prefab cabinet will cost you more than one you build yourself, plus you are limited to whatever size they offer.

Plywood runs anywhere from $15 & up per 4'x8' sheet depending on grade & thickness
Drywall is about $6.00 per 4'x8' sheet

2x3x8' are about $2 and 2x4x8' are about $2.50-$6.00 each, depending on grade

If it was me (and I am considering building a cab since my grow space is now my girlfriends office), I would build one out of 2x3 or 2x4's and drywall. It's the cheapest route, and you have control over the size.

Now if you want it to have more than one chamber, or multiple tiers, you may need some plywood for the floor, but it's still going to be cheaper than a prefab job.

It depends on your handyman skills and if you have the proper tools of course. But then again, I have all the tools and skills, so while it's no biggie to me, it might be more than you want to deal with.
 
GP73LPC

GP73LPC

Strain Collector/Seed Junkie/Landrace Accumulator/
Veteran
stihgnobevoli said:
nice cab, what are the dimensions?
Click to expand...

it's an old mills pride cabinet, c- something or other (wardrobe cabinet) with the top 2 feet chopped off.

outside dimensions 4' x 4' x 1.5'

grow chamber 3' x 4' x 16"
exhaust box chamber 1' x 3' x 16"
 
stihgnobevoli

stihgnobevoli

Active member
Veteran
don't you think drywall is gonna be a little heavy for a cab? what if you wanna move it? aren't you worried about it molding from the humidity?

i have drawn plans for a cabinet, its going to be a tool less design that you can assemble and disassemble without tools. just some plywood pieces and fasteners which i still haven't figured out what would work best. after the box is set up i will have mounting holes for hanging lights and ballast and all that, what im after is something i can take apart in minutes should it come down to it and stick in a closet or basement somewhere.

i actually think i remember someone building something like that.

wow where do you live also? plywood is expensive as hell i think it was like 1/3 of that price for the cheapest. i think i picked 5/8" for my walls and it was like $12-13 a sheet, the 1/4" stuff was the $6-7 range at lowes.
 
WelderDan

WelderDan

Well-known member
Veteran
stihgnobevoli said:
don't you think drywall is gonna be a little heavy for a cab? what if you wanna move it? aren't you worried about it molding from the humidity?

i have drawn plans for a cabinet, its going to be a tool less design that you can assemble and disassemble without tools. just some plywood pieces and fasteners which i still haven't figured out what would work best. after the box is set up i will have mounting holes for hanging lights and ballast and all that, what im after is something i can take apart in minutes should it come down to it and stick in a closet or basement somewhere.

i actually think i remember someone building something like that.

wow where do you live also? plywood is expensive as hell i think it was like 1/3 of that price for the cheapest. i think i picked 5/8" for my walls and it was like $12-13 a sheet, the 1/4" stuff was the $6-7 range at lowes.
Click to expand...

OSB is about $8 a sheet. Decent 5/8 plywood is around $15, I'm sure you can find lower grade a bit cheaper. I'm using round numbers and mid range quality. You can go as cheap as you dare, I was just tossing numbers on the material I would use.

Why would moisture be an issue with drywall? The whole house is drywall inside. And it's verrrry humid here.

My plan is for a more permanent structure that I can texture and make it look like part of the house. Moving it wasn't part of the plan, but disguising it was. That's just the way I would do it, not the way it has to be done.

But the gist of my post was that building your own cab would be cheaper than prefab and you have control over the size.

Obviously there is more than one way to build a cab, and that includes materials as well as portability.
 
stihgnobevoli

stihgnobevoli

Active member
Veteran
i was concerned about the drywall getting mold cuz i've seen drywall get moldy when excessive moisture builds up in/on it, and it would seem a cabinet made of drywall would be a moist environment. my old house had a fire and it sat with the water from the firehoses for a week and it was very humid in there and black mold grew everywhere and on all the walls at the bottom and top. i was around a grow in a small bedroom once also 6 plants under a 150 in hydro mold grew on the drywall there too. i suppose proper ventilation would prevent that, works in your house. if you don't worry about moving it ever i would build it into the wall, go in like 2-3 feet, 5 feet high and 3-4 feet wide. like planning out one of those under the stairs storage areas or a small room. self contained ventilation, lights, and electricity. oh man im so gonna do that when i get a house. secret door behind a book case, the whole 9.
 
C

COOKIE MONSTER

h^2 O said:
I'm wondering what kind of cabinet I can get or make at Home Depot on a tight budget...just need something like 4 feet tall.
Click to expand...

With your budget I'd be taking my time and sourcing my materials from skips, off-cuts from construction sites and the free adds papers....spend a week foraging and save your money for lights and filters.
 
Stoner4Life

Stoner4Life

Medicinal Advocate
ICMag Donor
Veteran



couldn't get much easier than this, all doors are light & odor proof already, the Vortex fan makes a good hum but so does any spare refrigerator.

27323HPIM1846.JPG



seedlings/clones in the freezer compartment; veg & flowering done below. LST on stretchy strains.......
 
Duplicate

Duplicate

Member
If I were to ever build a cab on a budget again I would be checking craigslist for ikea wardrobes and work from there.
 
stihgnobevoli

stihgnobevoli

Active member
Veteran
is that your fridge? how do you ventilate? do you just use the air from the fridge compressor? does it cool well? i was wondering if someone actually ever made a working fridge into a grow.
 
Stoner4Life

Stoner4Life

Medicinal Advocate
ICMag Donor
Veteran
stihgnobevoli said:
is that your fridge? how do you ventilate? do you just use the air from the fridge compressor? does it cool well? i was wondering if someone actually ever made a working fridge into a grow.
Click to expand...
4" duct as seen in upper left corner runs through the bottom of the freezer floor and picks up the hottest air from the lower chamber via a 6" Vortex and carbon air scrubber.......
 
NOKUY

NOKUY

Active member
Veteran
peep the link to my cab in my sig....

step by step w/ tons of pics and successful grows pictured :wave:
 
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