{"id":12859,"date":"2013-03-13T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2013-03-13T14:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/?p=12859"},"modified":"2014-04-11T20:11:44","modified_gmt":"2014-04-12T02:11:44","slug":"when-you-need-adjustable-greenhouse-lights-for-taller-plants-call-in-your-engineer-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/when-you-need-adjustable-greenhouse-lights-for-taller-plants-call-in-your-engineer-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"When You Need Adjustable Greenhouse Lights for Taller Plants Call In Your Engineer – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

My grow light stands<\/a> <\/span>have worked very well for years<\/strong> to provide light for my seedlings which were destined to grow to their full size in the outdoors. \u00a0But this year, when I decided to try growing tomatoes to harvest in my greenhouse<\/a><\/span>, I knew I would need something different. \u00a0I presented the situation to my engineer, and now I have a hanging grow light system that will accommodate the tomatoes as they grow taller<\/span>, in their larger pots. \u00a0I even helped some with the manufacturing.<\/em> \u00a0This is how it was done:<\/p>\n

He didn’t want as heavy of a pipe<\/strong> as what he had used to make my new laundry room rod. \u00a0Also, the span in the greenhouse is longer. \u00a0He decided to try using PVC pipe that would be supported to stay straight by the addition of metal conduit for a spine. \u00a0<\/em>The metal conduit was only available in 10 foot lengths, so he dented a smaller diameter conduit to form a connector piece for the two wider pieces that would go all the way across. \u00a0The dent kept the little piece from sliding into the larger pieces ineffectively.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a small dent in the connector piece keeps it from slipping out of place<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"how<\/a>
how to lengthen pipes for making hanging rods<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"supporting<\/a>
supporting PVC pipe with metal conduit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now, it was time to cut and bend some more metal! <\/strong> My engineer had some flat steel strips that he had purchased at Pacific Steel & Recycling<\/a><\/span>, left over from another project. A chop saw, something I discovered only a couple of weeks ago that exists and lives in the shop, was used to cut the steel into the desired lengths.<\/p>\n

\"sketch<\/a>
sketch of metal triangle supports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"using<\/a>
using a chop saw to cut steel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"using<\/a>
using his grinder to file off sharp edges from the cut metal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The metal was bent by <\/strong>using thick bolts in a heavy chunk of wood. By placing the metal strip between the two bolts, he would bend it a bit at a time, moving the strip along as needed. \u00a0Within just a few seconds, he had formed smooth curves in the metal piece that would soon be and end support for the greenhouse light rod.<\/p>\n

\"first<\/a>
first step in creating a curve in a strip of metal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"the<\/a>
the weight of the wood chunk is important<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"progress<\/a>
progress in the smooth curve for the hanging rod to sit in<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"bending<\/a>
bending the metal more to form a circle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"almost<\/a>
almost the complete circle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The above bending was for the vertical hanger<\/strong> that would attach to the wood of the greenhouse wall post framing. It would also need some bends in it so that it could be screwed flat to the wall, while still having the circular section facing properly for the rod end to fit in it. This was done by putting it in a vice, holding it with a wrench, and pulling to one side. For something that feels so stiff to the bare hands, it bends amazingly quickly this way.<\/p>\n

\"twisting<\/a>
twisting a section of metal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It would also need a couple of curves so that it fit around variations in the post framing of the window.<\/p>\n

\"form<\/a>
form fitting the vertical metal hanger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is what it looked like when it was done:<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a perfect fit to the window of the greenhouse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The triangular supports that would hold the rod along the middle<\/strong> of the wall were made much the same way. They were a different shape, and they were welded where the end of the metal strip finished the triangular path. Then, everything was painted black with spray paint from Walmart. The Krylon Fusion can said the paint would bond on metal and PVC.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the paint was dry,<\/strong> it was time to mark screw holes and drill the first part of the holes so that the screws would go in more easily. \u00a0 Little details that would never occur to me and that I can’t seem to remember from project to project. \u00a0It probably doesn’t help that I’m terrified of drills.<\/em> \u00a0However, I was not called upon to perform this step, so it was quickly accomplished and the engineer called in the crew to help put the hanging rod in place.<\/p>\n

\"crew<\/a>
crew helps hold up hanging rod for engineer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"the<\/a>
the first couple of screws are drilled in<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"hanging<\/a>
hanging rod inserted into vertical end hanger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"leveling<\/a>
leveling the hanging rod before putting in the other screws<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now it is ready for phase two<\/strong>, which is actually getting the lights to hang from the rod. I was more involved in this part, as will be well documented. If you are wondering how my engineer can get two greenhouse lights to hang in a balanced way from a single round pole, look for part 2 of the story<\/a><\/span> in a couple of days!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My grow light stands have worked very well for years to provide light for my seedlings which were destined to grow to their full size in the outdoors. \u00a0But this year, when I decided to try growing tomatoes to harvest in my greenhouse, I knew I would need something different. \u00a0I presented the situation to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,66,19],"tags":[91,49],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12859"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12859\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}