Question for Garden Knowm and those who have read his book

I want to build that light fixture he has in his book Buds For Less, however he didn't give specific dimensions of the cuts he used for 3 of his wooden pieces, or what kind of size of the wood pieces themselves. I was going to go to Home Depot and ask for these to be cut but realized that I didn't know exactly what length to have them cut at or what kind of board size (thickness) to use.

Also, at some point I may end up using a total of (6) 125w CFLs for the fixture, do you think the ceramic light sockets I bought to make the fixture with could handle it? I plan on having the 3 sockets on the fixture with a Y splitter and (2) 125 cfls on each socket.

Also, seeing as he has 3 plants done on one fixture and I'm trying my best to get 9 ladies going, 3 fixtures done the way he has it should theoretically be enough...right?

Hey Mr. Barrels...

I don't have the fixture in front of me.. BUT I will look at it in a couple days... and give you the exact info...

maybe even later tonight

fyi-

I was at Ikea yesterday.. and I saw a "cord with socket"... for sale for $3.50.. and open packages for $1.50.. they had thousands of these things...


You could get 20 of them for $30.00 and hang them from a CLOTHING rod.... you could move them around and adjust the height with ease and precision..

I then went to Target and saw 150watt CFLS (42 watt equivalent incandescent) as used in the book... for $7.44.... that is 2 dollars cheaper than the last price I saw at HD... although I have seen them around for $4.74 at certain times of the year..

Anyway, you could get 20 bulbs and 20 sockets for less than 200 bucks... and grow an LB... lol

just an idea..

cheers

Hey. I went and had some red oak planks cut, about an inch or so thick. I had the two longer pieces cut at about a foot long, and the middle cut about 5 inches. I was wondering though, did you use porcelain or plastic outlets for the fixture?

The fixtures in the book are plastic

cheers

Ok.

Side note: tried to unwire one of the wires from the socket while extension cord was still plugged in. Shorted out wiring in room and electrocuted myself. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Anyway....

I was thinking that eventually I wanted to try something. I noticed on your fixtures you have 6 lights, 2 on 3 splitters. Do you think its possible to use a 2 Y splitters on one Y splitter and double total light output by being able to have more wattage and more lights on just the 3 sockets...or would this be an unsafe idea?

Also, would you recommend putting electricians tape over the exposed wiring on the back of the socket before screwing it to the wood? I don't know if this is normal or not but when I did a test run and plugged each of the lights (fixture was plugged in to the wall) I would hear a small popping sound....even though the lights came on and ran good for a few hours before i turned everything off and went to bed.

I don't know, I just want to avoid burning my house down, thats all.

lol srry man but have to rag on u for electricuting yourself...LOL...im sure you learned you lesson. on a side note i laughed for a good bit also blaze a couple

Ok, so what do you think....would I be able to run 12 43w CFLs by putting two "Y" splitters on the "Y" splitter? Basically I'm assuming that because the socket is rated for 600w max, theoretically I should be able to run (4) 43w CFLS off of one light socket using this method

Diagram:
Y = splitter, o = bulb

oooo
Y Y
Y

What do you think? I am basically using the same exact home-made fixture that Garden Knowm used in his book Buds For Less, but with 6 more bulbs to equal a total of 12.

Trying to use this fixture and maybe some kind of other fixture I might make that will stand up on the ground and put directly between the plants, like a wooden tripod with CFLs positioned directly horizontal with refectors so that they shine directly to the sides of the plants.

Any thoughts?