Does anyone know of good plans for building a seed starting bench (with shop lights)? Thanks.

Well this isn't really a plan but we used those grey metal shelves that you get at menards for the shop or garage. They were cheaper than the wood to build them was. The grow lites were attached on chains on the underside of the shelves and i just shorted the chains as the plants grew. They worked really well and since they were in the basement looks didn't matter and they clean up nice. hope this helps.

I have a fairly simple and cheap setup I made of two levels of two shop lights for each level, with adjustable shelves. It has two rectangles of 2x3s, 54 1/2 x 17, with four 48" 2x4s as legs (wide part screwed into the narrow 2x3), screwed to the insides of the rectangles, the second one halfway down. From front to back there are 4 strips of 1x2s, to screw the shop lights into. Every 2 inches on the insides of the 2x4 legs I drilled 1/4" holes, to put some shelf supports into, so they can be moved down, as the plants grow. The shop lights on each level I wired together but separate from the other level, so I could use them separately, with a plug between the two lights on the top, so I could use just one light for just a few plants. Putting the lights side by side is not quite wide enough to place flats sideways, so I often just fill them 3/4 of the way, so I can put 4 on each shelf this way, and get the equivalent of 3 trays, instead of just two end to end.

This is sitting on a low table, so the 48" legs could be made longer, so it would stand higher on it's own.

Dave

I'm not sure where the plans are but in the last 3 years I have seen such plans in Organic Gardening Magazine, Fine Gardening Magazine, Garden Gate Magazine, and even Better Homes and Gardens. Some were made of wood, some plastic, and some metal, but all of them could be adapted to whatever material you are most comfortable working with. A web search for "seed starting bench plans" got a few hits with releavant information, but not real good plans.


Message was edited by: KimmSr

LOL...ever seen one of those tall octaganall frames they grow hydroponic marijuana in?...they are eight sided wood box, about 4 foot tall, with one pane made of glass and hinged for the door. Each of the other 7 sides has a 4 foot flourescent double light with grow lights inserted running veritcal up and down the panel. They are about 2 feet in diameter across. These would probably work well if made to fit your need. Like maybe 3 foot tall and 3 feet diameter. could put a lot of starter trays in one, could even put wire shelves in it to make 2 or 3 layers. I know this cause the city I used to work for, the police dept, would bring confinscated items to our compound, we were housed with fleet maintenance. They would use fleets cutting torch to destroy guns and knives and burn drugs siezed in busts and things, and one day they had one of those. I tried to get it but they would not let me have it.I told them it was to start tomatoes and peppers etc. in but they had to destroy it.