fat_ed
Member
Just finished building and installing my first DIY hood w/ 250 W MH/PC retro kit from CSL. I had to basically buy everything from scratch, including tools, paint, etc., so the total cost ran me a little over $500 (all wood and most tools were bought in Manhattan), including the retro kit. Here are ten lessons that I learned:
1) Klenk's 2 part epoxy paint (used to stain the inside of the hood) is just a horrible product. It takes an hour and a half to settle after you mix it. It smells like poison (they recommend you remove your contact lenses when using it). It doesn't go on smoothly, and it destroys all paint brushes it contacts. There's gotta be a better way.
2) McKloskey's marine spar varnish, on the other hand, was a joy to use. Went on easily, cleaned up easily, and looks fantastic.
3) If you have the hardware/lumber store cut the wood for you, measure all cuts before you leave the store. I asked my store to make a separate rip cut for a front panel door, and the guy neglected to do so. I didn't notice at the time, and wound up making the rip cut myself with a handheld miter saw. Ouch.
4) Don't neglect to install a wire clamp to hold the various light and fan wires. Looks good, and does its job well.
5) Gorilla Brand waterproof carpenter's glue -- another good thing. You can use less screws if use this stuff.
6) Wait until the varnish is 100% dry before allowing it to rest against newspaper, etc. This was the worst mistake I made -- and I paid for it dearly, spending over an hour scraping flecks of newspaper out of the finish.
7) When painting, staining etc., work w/ latex gloves on. The gloves were the best spent $1 in a long time.
8) If having problems making flush joints, screw in all screws in the piece as far as possible (don't kill yourself) then remove one at a time and redrill each hole with a guide bit -- take care not to drill through the outside surface. You'll be amazed at the difference. Countertapping the pilot holes also helps.
9) I used poplar wood and was very happy with it. Much easier to work with than plywood.
10) In all, with a little patience, this proved to be a relatively easy and rewarding job. I have little to no carpentry experience, but I was able to build a hood that looks quite professional and has all the features that I desired. I grabbed a handful of DIY plans off the net, and incorporated what seemed like the best ideas of each. Good luck to those of you that attempt this project.
Next up, a DIY calcium reactor, as Fat Ed tries his hand at plumbing.
1) Klenk's 2 part epoxy paint (used to stain the inside of the hood) is just a horrible product. It takes an hour and a half to settle after you mix it. It smells like poison (they recommend you remove your contact lenses when using it). It doesn't go on smoothly, and it destroys all paint brushes it contacts. There's gotta be a better way.
2) McKloskey's marine spar varnish, on the other hand, was a joy to use. Went on easily, cleaned up easily, and looks fantastic.
3) If you have the hardware/lumber store cut the wood for you, measure all cuts before you leave the store. I asked my store to make a separate rip cut for a front panel door, and the guy neglected to do so. I didn't notice at the time, and wound up making the rip cut myself with a handheld miter saw. Ouch.
4) Don't neglect to install a wire clamp to hold the various light and fan wires. Looks good, and does its job well.
5) Gorilla Brand waterproof carpenter's glue -- another good thing. You can use less screws if use this stuff.
6) Wait until the varnish is 100% dry before allowing it to rest against newspaper, etc. This was the worst mistake I made -- and I paid for it dearly, spending over an hour scraping flecks of newspaper out of the finish.
7) When painting, staining etc., work w/ latex gloves on. The gloves were the best spent $1 in a long time.
8) If having problems making flush joints, screw in all screws in the piece as far as possible (don't kill yourself) then remove one at a time and redrill each hole with a guide bit -- take care not to drill through the outside surface. You'll be amazed at the difference. Countertapping the pilot holes also helps.
9) I used poplar wood and was very happy with it. Much easier to work with than plywood.
10) In all, with a little patience, this proved to be a relatively easy and rewarding job. I have little to no carpentry experience, but I was able to build a hood that looks quite professional and has all the features that I desired. I grabbed a handful of DIY plans off the net, and incorporated what seemed like the best ideas of each. Good luck to those of you that attempt this project.
Next up, a DIY calcium reactor, as Fat Ed tries his hand at plumbing.
