Re: SpARF - The modular strip fixture
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 3:41 am
**Update #2**
Election Day in Canada so I didn’t get too far with the SpARF tonight. I was thinking of options for hanging the SpARF that is simple and not obstructive to moving ribs into location.
First thought was to use eye-bolts with a large washer and nut. Since my spine channel is upside down, without the washer the nut was challenging to get to once it was recessed between the sides of the channel. The use of a large washer helped with that issue, but it left dealing with the nut which *could* require tools it tightened.
Here’s some pics of using the eye-bolt option. I drilled holes in the spine at 1/3 of the length from the ends.
You can see in the above pics that I’ve clustered some ribs overtop of the youngest plants. The theory is that I would have those ribs be fitted with the 5000K strips to help veg growth.
Below is a pic with the ribs spread evenly across the 44” spine.
My theory of mounting bolts where I did was to prevent the spine from bending. As it turns out, the weight of the ribs isn’t enough weight to worry about it. BUT...what I learned from this test was two things:
1) dealing with the nut was a pain (specially when dropped into the shadows of the garden)
2) rearranging rib locations was impeded by the bolts
I figured that I could deal with #2 by simply planning ahead and know which ribs are towards the open end, and which ribs will be between the two bolts (making them restricted). Problem solved.
To deal with the nut issue was as easy as changing to a wing-nut.
I rehung SpARF and was pleased with the ease of using the wing-nuts. But once again, dropping a nut *snicker* again *teeheehee* is a forever issue. And even with the wing-nuts, the bolts just seemed like they threw-off placement of ribs. FAIL!
To be continued....(cuz this post is already too long)
Election Day in Canada so I didn’t get too far with the SpARF tonight. I was thinking of options for hanging the SpARF that is simple and not obstructive to moving ribs into location.
First thought was to use eye-bolts with a large washer and nut. Since my spine channel is upside down, without the washer the nut was challenging to get to once it was recessed between the sides of the channel. The use of a large washer helped with that issue, but it left dealing with the nut which *could* require tools it tightened.
Here’s some pics of using the eye-bolt option. I drilled holes in the spine at 1/3 of the length from the ends.
You can see in the above pics that I’ve clustered some ribs overtop of the youngest plants. The theory is that I would have those ribs be fitted with the 5000K strips to help veg growth.
Below is a pic with the ribs spread evenly across the 44” spine.
My theory of mounting bolts where I did was to prevent the spine from bending. As it turns out, the weight of the ribs isn’t enough weight to worry about it. BUT...what I learned from this test was two things:
1) dealing with the nut was a pain (specially when dropped into the shadows of the garden)
2) rearranging rib locations was impeded by the bolts
I figured that I could deal with #2 by simply planning ahead and know which ribs are towards the open end, and which ribs will be between the two bolts (making them restricted). Problem solved.
To deal with the nut issue was as easy as changing to a wing-nut.
I rehung SpARF and was pleased with the ease of using the wing-nuts. But once again, dropping a nut *snicker* again *teeheehee* is a forever issue. And even with the wing-nuts, the bolts just seemed like they threw-off placement of ribs. FAIL!
To be continued....(cuz this post is already too long)