The Mighty Odin's indoor oasis-The Build

Odin's Gma

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6x6 with 3 separate sections and climates, incorporating his current enclosure which is 4x2 and 12" high. Rough sketch:001.JPG

Overall: U-shaped with the larger wing being a 6'x3'x18" high completely enclosed greenhouse not including the greenhouse portion. The greenhouse will add another 3 feet in height above the base.
Inside the greenhouse a 4ft fluorescent hanging light fixture with grow bulbs, substrate @ 6 inches deep (mix of organic soil, peat moss and coco coir) and fully planted.

First things first. Assembling and checking out the greenhouse:002.JPG 003.JPG 004.JPG

With me for scale. :p006.JPG
Give me an inflatable mattress and a 6 pack of beer and I can camp out in this baby!
 

Oxalis

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I love it! I can't wait to see more! Tonight is our biggest fund-raiser for my nonprofit local history group so it will be an exhausting day for my fiancée and I. It will be nice to see a lovely tortoise house on the way when we get home. :)
 

Odin's Gma

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Well, the boy still isn't home from work, and my cleaning and furniture moving in the room the enclosure is going to reside is done, so......021.JPG



But don't worry! I've got supervision.

020.JPG

And I don't know why the date on my camera is wrong, i'm going to have to try and fix that while I take a break.
 

Odin's Gma

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Base framing for both new boxes done. Large box 71"x36" (to match the greenhouse dimensions) and small box 24"x36", both made with 2"x3" pine. The two boxes will not be permanently joined, nor will the third (his current enclosure) for ease of eventual relocation if necessary.025.JPG


My problem now is that I don't think I can move that giant (8'x4') piece of nearly 3/4" thick plywood out of the garage by myself in order to start cutting the base pieces.:(
 

Odin's Gma

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Well, I had to wait for the muscle to drag that board out, but now I have helpers! Odin's Dad and Mom (my son and his girlfriend) are here so we are moving again! The nearly 3/4" plywood base is screwed and liquid nailed to the frame and it feels as sturdy as the concrete floor it is resting on.

We also have a different cat supervising (judging) our progress.
027.JPG 028.JPG

But he looks good doing it!031.JPG
 

Odin's Gma

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We had to call it quits on account of darkness and lack of food, but we have a decent start. Still have SO much left to do, but at least we have a start!

The sides are 16" high and roughly 1/4" thick plywood and will be framed with 2x3" s both for stability and for attaching the greenhouse.034.JPG 035.JPG

Also, another trip to Lowes. (have you ever had a project that didn't require multiple trips? I have not)
We will need longer chains for the 4' light fixture that will hang inside the green house and larger S hooks to attach the chains to the top frame of the greenhouse . The current chains only hang down @ 10", which I think will be too close to the plastic cover. I want it to hang @ 16 inches down, closer to the area where the A frame portion ends.
 
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Oxalis

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Wow, hardcore! Way to go so far; it's looking good! :)

I have Steve' lamps on a chain that hangs from the ceiling. In the cooler months of the year, we move the lamp down a link or so if needed so he can stay warmer. In the warmer months, we'll move it back up for him. It's been working quite well! (The wood in the photo is just one of the fan blades.) I know the cords hanging down in the middle of the room look kind of tacky, but we couldn't think of any other solutions for them.

lamps.jpg
 

Odin's Gma

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Taking a few minutes to brag about the fact that I just used my new reciprocating saw! Never used one before and I must say that it is WICKED fun!

Before:001.JPG


After:003.JPG

YAY me!

The box has 2x3 framing on the top and as uprights on the corners where the boxes don't butt up against each other. Still need a piece across the top left in the above photo, which I am going to go out and cut now. The top piece is to hold a cap board where we will hide the ends of the liner underneath.002.JPG
 

Odin's Gma

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Greenhouse box nearly done, just need to cut out the doorway, then we are on to Drylok-ing them and then lining and then capping the tops and then.... Oh yeah, nowhere near done....:(
But it's something, right?

*so tired*259.JPG 260.JPG
 

Oxalis

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Awww, you're doing so much for such an adorable little baby! <3 I love it!

Odin just gets cuter every day! :)
 

Odin's Gma

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Awww, you're doing so much for such an adorable little baby!
Every time I think about how much work there is to yet to do I get so overwhelmed and think that we bit off WAY more than we can chew, but we are plugging along and I know it will all be worth it.
Tonight after work I am hoping to get the interiors of both new boxes Dryloked and then in another day or two get everything caulked and sealed so hopefully this weekend we can get the greenhouse attached and the boxes filled with soil. Then it is on to planting and monitoring temps and humidity so we can get to tweaking.
The addition of his current enclosure and the modifications to it will have to wait until the new wings are complete.

My conservative estimate is that he will be in the new digs full time by early October. That seems both too soon and way too far off. :(
 

Odin's Gma

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Change of plans, no enclosure fun tonight. I will be working a 14 hour day, minimum, and my son is putting in OT also. :(
 

Odin's Gma

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Well, the 14 hour shift was followed by two 12 hour shifts and today is at nearly 13 hours and counting. My sons work week has been nearly as bad.
Tomorrow I am going to shoot for a short day if all goes well at the conclusion of our exit meeting later, if not, I guess I will try and cram as much into the weekend as humanly possible. :(

So disappointing.
 

Oxalis

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Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. Good thing Odin will be living a long, healthy life with you guys, so he's most likely quite patient! ;) More hugs!
 
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