Cooler Lid Construction Question

Hello All--

First post- at least under this name and during this grow. I am in the process of building my new DWC cooler rez! I am using 2 inch insulation board for a lid and am having some trouble with what would seem to be a simple problem... I am using 6in net pots and have tried cutting a few different holes and am having some trouble getting a nice snug fit with the net pots.

If anyone has any tips or tricks to getting a nice size and fit for these 6in net pots in 1.5in insulation board I would really appreciate it!!

I am 1-2 days away from my clones being ready and this is one of a very short list to get my tent ready.

Thanks for any help!!!

I just use a hole saw this is why i use 3" pots, a 6" hole saw is really expensive.
My thought would be 1st draw your circle, then cut the top layer off with a knife (if its the reflective kind, not so needed on just the white sheet.) then use a sawz-all blade with your hand and very slowly cut out your circles, its gonna take a bit like this.
Other option, jig saw, but i know not everyone has one laying around, i just like tools.

your having trouble cutting circles in styrofoam?

wayno30 said:

your having trouble cutting circles in styrofoam?

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No trouble with the cutting just trouble cutting to get a nice fit. At first I wasn't thinking and just circled the outside of the net pot. That obviously didn't work and the pot just fell through. I am able to cut a hole that will allow the net pot to fit through and be snug on one side but the other side (where the net pot has sloped inward) is a gap. Are you cooler people just leaving the gap or are you carving the styrofoam at an angle to fit the slope of the net pot? I guess it just looks sloppy

sloppy is no good u gotta get all fourth grade art class on that shit

I cut the holes at an angle, not too much just 10 degrees or so, then i taped the hole damn thing up with white outdoor duct tape. The stuff at home depot.

I trace around the pot lip, then free hand a circle 1/8-3/16" (depending on how wide the lip is, inside that line, cut that. simple....

just paid 35 clams for a 4"hole saw at homedepot, it was worth it.

unohu69 said:

I trace around the pot lip, then free hand a circle 1/8-3/16" (depending on how wide the lip is, inside that line, cut that. simple....

just paid 35 clams for a 4"hole saw at homedepot, it was worth it.

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This!^^^^

If you arent getting a snug fit you can tape around the top of the net cup for a snug tight fit,

unohu69 said:

I trace around the pot lip, then free hand a circle 1/8-3/16" (depending on how wide the lip is, inside that line, cut that. simple..

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BeaverHuntr said:

This!^^^^

If you arent getting a snug fit you can tape around the top of the net cup for a snug tight fit,

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Thanks to both of you for your helpful and straightforward replies. I traced the net pots again and added an interior cut line which provided a much nicer fit. After taping the board it looks and fits just as it should.

Thanks a lot! It is great to be back growing and back on roll it up!

Now only a couple minor tweaks and the continuation of my test runs should provide a nice home for the six new ladies to move into. Hopefully you will be able to check out the lid you helped construct in a grow journal coming soon!

Thanks again everyone

sadielady said:

Now only a couple minor tweaks and the continuation of my test runs should provide a nice home for the six new ladies to move into. Hopefully you will be able to check out the lid you helped construct in a grow journal coming soon!

Thanks again everyone

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Best of luck in your grow(s) Sadie BTW: I too am kind of anal when it comes to stuff like that ... I just want to get a very clean and professional look in my DIY Projects. I think that sometimes we should all take pride in our work

Peace and Love
MaineYankee

This is exactly what I ended up doing but I fucked up twice before I got the fit I wanted. Covering the entire thing in the tin foil tape was super annoying. I actually did two layers of outdoor duct tape for added reinforcement before covering every inch of it in tin foil tape

^^^

Doing the net pot holes with the tin foil tape was most annoying part-12 5in strips

for a 6 inch pot I cut a 5 inch hole.............harbor freight for a set of hole saws up to 5 inches.

sadielady said:

^^^

Doing the net pot holes with the tin foil tape was most annoying part-12 5in strips

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silicone. a little messy but seals it right up