To build or buy?

I have decided to start growing again, but can't decide on if I should buy one of the many grow cabinets ($1500-$4500) or try and build one. I own my on place and am not worried about any of the issues that may come from noisy people. I am a little worried about hooking the electrical up if I build myself. So, when I leave I'm not thinking about my place burning down. The last time I grew it was soil about 7/8 years ago, but I think I want to try my hand at a hydo system. More of the reason I'm leaning towards buying something...to take out the guess work. Any input would be appreciated.

You could easily build a tent or cab to fit your needs. Not to mention it will come out exponentially cheaper that way.
It just takes a little know how, and some research. Not to mention you can build it the way you want it and to your exact specs.

Just my .02

Cheers

Thanks, are there any good threads here with pointers or a site you may suggest to help? Those ones I've seen online...good ones are like 3k. Can't really afford all that.

I'd just start reading in the threads man.

I could start to point, but I don't know which direction you're trying to go. Though I will direct you to the search bar at the top right hand corner of the page. Just about all your questions can be answered there, though it may take some digging to find what you're looking for.

a good cheap room can be built out of 2x2 lumber. maybe sheet the insides with 1/4 ply wood. paint flat white, cut your ports out for exhaust, intake, ducts for lights etc. would be a lot of fun also. as far as electrical that all depends on how much wattage u want to run.

Thanks again, I have a little knowledge with that kind of stuff. I just will have to look into the electrical a lil more..

siegalsmoker said:

I have decided to start growing again, but can't decide on if I should buy one of the many grow cabinets ($1500-$4500) or try and build one. I own my on place and am not worried about any of the issues that may come from noisy people. I am a little worried about hooking the electrical up if I build myself. So, when I leave I'm not thinking about my place burning down. The last time I grew it was soil about 7/8 years ago, but I think I want to try my hand at a hydo system. More of the reason I'm leaning towards buying something...to take out the guess work. Any input would be appreciated.

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IMO, Those grow cabinets are for beginners with a whole lotta money that wanna try growing weed for fun. Building your walls can be completely built with just some 1X2's and panda film, and that will only cost you $25 in supplies and a couple hours of your time. Also hydro gardens IMO suck. There's so much involved and just the tiniest mistake and you could fuck up everything. Soil can be so forgiving.

I would suggest to definately build, you can build a 4x4 cab for around $125 (use OSB plywood because of humidity and 2x2s for the frame)
The only downside to building is the 3 hours or so worth of work needed to construct it (I don't consider it boring, its actually fun)

Just please dont get high and use power tools, its a bitch to get bone fragments out of the saw motor

sdf said:

I would suggest to definately build, you can build a 4x4 cab for around $125 (use OSB plywood because of humidity and 2x2s for the frame)
The only downside to building is the 3 hours or so worth of work needed to construct it (I don't consider it boring, its actually fun)

Just please dont get high and use power tools, its a bitch to get bone fragments out of the saw motor

Click to expand...

I am power tool impaired...lol. Most anything I build comes out looking like that funky art from BeetleJuice

I always build my grow areas; and I always love how functional and personalized they are. I think you should look to YouTube for a better visual understanding but perhaps read some RIU posts for the logistics. GL man!

I used 2X3s from Lowes $1.50 each and panda plastic. Stainless hooks, galvanized wire and zinc chain from Walmart for hanging stuff. Heavy duty timer from Aquarium shop $9. 600W HPS w digital ballast $200 HTGsupply. You can build your own carbon filter/ventilation system with loose coconut carbon from eBay. I used a 6" Max Fan and a rubbermaid tote. Tons of black duct tape Scotch brand at Lowes. Total grow system for $500 should yield at least 300 grams every cycle. Cycles come a lot faster if you build a separate vegging section. 20 watts of diy LED is enough to clone and veg for a 600 HPS grow. Build a second flowering section and you can do a flip flop, get a cycle every month.

A single digital ballast 600 HPS is fine on a standard 120V circuit and a heavy duty 120V timer, so no fancy wiring required. If you are using extension cords just make sure they are heavy duty gauge (14 at the very least) and check them for warm spots.

Personally I would skip the hydro and go soil, granular fertilizer is practically free compared to buying the bottled nutes. Recycle your soil save even more. Good luck!

Go for it, DIY is so much better, less money, more customized to your needs, much more rewarding when it's completed. Don't worry about the electrical, google works wonders, I was skeptical about my abilities and a total nube with electrical, built one cabinet last year to get going, now I'm building out a 4x10x7' room, including a bunch of electrical (I hate extension chords and cheap timers!), it's easy once you get your hands on it, be careful obviously but everything you need to know is out there, just have to spend the time to gather it... I've spent less than $1,000 in materials on my 4x10x7' room build, could have done it for less but I wanted it pimped

SS,
Awhile back I bought an old mobile home set up on private property. I took the rear master bedroom and split it in half. Added a door, lightproofed, added some temporary wiring and ventilation and oila...grow room.

I've never used a grow cab but they seem claustrophobic to me. I had room for a lightmover, several e$F trays, a nice veg and clone area and even a workbench. And all the mess was in one room. Used it for several years till I moved. I just used really cheap 1/8" paneling. Lots of duct tape. lol Let me know what space you want to use and I'll come up with a few ideas...
JD

Yeah, go for it and don't be intimidated by the build. And remember, if you can't figure out the electrical, any related questions are answered here- by an experienced electrician:

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/181708-experienced-electrician-here-answer-any.html

Thanks a lot. I've found a bunch of good ideas online, and when I come up with something I'll post a pic and specs to get more input. Thanks everyone!!

Depends on what your gaol is and what your trying to do....A grow tent is cheap, easy to construct, easy to tear down, easy to move......Did I mention it is easy. They are not expensive have all the reflective mylar, port and exhaust holes, etc. I mean if your handy with tools and like doing the work like that then by all means its a fun project. But if your time is worth more than $100 per hour than just go buy a tent and be done but your time towards the growing!

If you have the time then build something. If you have the money then buy something so your time can be spent taking care of the plants not changing your setup to help the plants. If you aren't 100% sure about electrical don't touch it at all. I know how to do electrical and I could do it better than most online tutorials with proper connections only made in proper closed grounded boxes but I still do not wire my own lights. I only buy components that are UL listed/approved then use them properly. This gives me the piece of mind that as you said, nothing will burn down if you are away. Open air electrical connections make me shiver yet alot of people think its ok to have wires with marettes on them hanging around.

8 2x4's and 4 sheets of plywood will build you a 4ft x 4ft x 8ft tall box for around $100. Depending on your skill level, then the skys the limit. I'm going with that box and im pretty sure i can get a functioning room going for another $500-$700. dont do anything your not comfortable with,get a friend to help if you can..and you can trust them. Ive seen whole rooms wired through extension cords and power strips, simple plug and play, just need to watch your loads. Its not the cleanest setup, but its fairly foolproof, if you can plug in a lamp you should be able to figure out how to run cords. You need to decide whats more valuable to you time or money, and what level of attention are you willing to put in.

If you live in America, go to lowes or home depot (or other big hardware store) and buy it and you get a certain amount of free cuts and then after that you pay like 25cents per cut, that way all you have to do is sketch it up in paint or something and give the cutter the dimensions. I could sketch it up for you but only if you do a journal on here so I can see it.

And if you don't live in America, move to America and proceed to do the aforementioned.

So this is a rough sketch of what I'm going for. I have a 2-2 1/2' W x 2' D x 6' H space to work with. I would like to combine all three phases in one. I will have dedicated electrical in the closet, so no cords hanging outside room. I really wanted to give LED's a try, but the price point is crazy! I do have a 600W HPS w/ lumatek ballast from my previous grow. If I go with the HPS then I have to work on cooling it. That would change the sketch some. Also, have a 2' lip behind grow space where I can have my pumps and everything placed. All input would be appreciated! Thanks!!!