How To Build Your Own Modular, Indoor Cannabis Grow Space

-OR-

SIMPAC It Up SIMPAC It In,
Let Me Begin

A Thread

I've had a "blueprint" for something in my head for a couple of months now, and today I finally had a few free hours to finally sink my teeth into it. I've done a rough assembly on the first of 20 of these, and I'll be damned if it didn't work out exactly as I'd envisioned.

And with that little humble-brag out of the way, let's show you how I got here

@SIMPAC_CA (Sealed Independent Module for Propagation And Cultivation) started as a shipping container-based modular garden system that would act as the workhorse of a HC licenced micro to be operated by myself and my ex-business partner, "Organic Bob."

Bob just wanted to grow and, in addition to learning the craft from a true master, I was to handle pretty much everything else.

But last July, things changed. My marriage came to an end and, as he kind of came with the marriage to begin with, so did my partnership with Bob.

I'd been veering away from shipping containers for a while at that point (7'8" for the width just started to seem at least a few feet shy of ideal) and somewhere around June I had drawn up plans for a new system. Still modular, but able to be custom designed to any size

At this point, with no experienced grower at my side the chances of me finding the capital to build it are slim to none. That said, nothing would fulfill me more than to see it tweaked by folks smarter than I, licenced, and put to use by a small cultivator.

These boxes are fast and easy to assemble and I'd estimate that if you had an appropriate space and 2 strong, handy people to help you it wouldn't take longer than a month to build and complete the required modifications. Hit me up if you'd like to hear more.

Now, back to this:

Until December, aside from a failed attempt at #4plants last summer I'd been unable to grow my own cannabis for quite some time however with the end to my marriage and moving into new accommodations, that moratorium was lifted.

Ideally, I'd have had a much larger space to deal with and I could have built a 25 or 50 plant ACMPR version of SIMPAC using the very same insulated panels I'd use for the micro-size version, but that would require 8' of clearance. I do not have 8' of clearance. (I'm 6'1)

Not only that, unless I wanted to complicate things the duct work meant I had to make a choice between 5' wide and 6' tall or 6' wide and 5' tall. I opted for the clearance.

For a # of reasons, I tried to stay as true to my original concept as possible: a sealed, stand-alone room engineered for optimal environmental control and risk mitigation. Keeping it panel based also allows me 2 do most of the assembly upstairs, and my head relatively wound-free

So over the course of the next few weeks, I'll add to this thread & show you how I build it. Many will find it comically over-engineered (yes that's a 9000btu split ac/heat-pump to be used for a 5' x 10½' x 6' grow space) but I'm trying to stay as true to SIMPAC as possible.

I'll be costing everything as I go as well, and here's the first $$$ amount: the materials for each of these panels, roughly 2' wide by 6' tall, cost about $15. I'll need about 20.

I'd argue that my system will be well worth the extra $100 or so + labour when compared to a tent

Gotta put the workshop away for the weekend but I finished off the warm-up panel with some good ol' panda film and tuck tape. Not quite a factory-made cam-lock assembly sandwich panel, but not a bad low-tech substitute if I do say so myself!

The house is finally sorted, seedlings are growing, time is of the essence - I need a proper grow space STAT. I've been able to get pretty much everything I need either prior to or despite C19, and that continued today.

One of the principle ideas behind @SIMPAC_CA, which for now will live in prototype form as my personal ACMPR grow-space, is ease of function. I'll be installing an irrigation system from Lee Valley fed an RO system and this puppy'll let me operate it all from my couch.

About twice the price of a decent traditional hose timer, but stairs.

Setting up the factory for a hard day's work. The drill press was a Canadian Tire "70% off!!!" $140, and considering the precision and volume of drilling required for any decent qty. of panels, almost a requirement.

Also a requirement when dealing with screwing close to the edge of flimsy strapping material like 1x3 is a quality counter-sink bit. The sides and of the panels need to be flush, and if you dont counter-sink first you'll blow out the side of your stud when you drive your screw.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got an appointment with some lumber and chop-saw in the basement for the next hour or so.

Allllllrighty then. I've taken my 8ft piece of 1x3, trimmed about ½" off one end, and cut 67" lengths, about 5" shy of my height limit, accounting for the roof panels. With the scrap piece, I've cut 25½" pieces for the tops and bottoms and drilled some of the pilot holes.

Next are the 67" upright pieces. There'll be a 24" piece of 2x4 placed at the top, centre and bottom of each panel acting both as strengthening cross-members and seats for the foam board.

Bonus Feature: look how cool a pink chalk marker looks under a flash!

The holes don't have to be exact...just accurate enough that I get enough purchase on the 2x4 cross pieces and stop myself from splitting the 1x3. I've set my fence to drill holes ¾" (½ of the actual 1½" thickness of a 2x4) from the edge of the 1x3.

And the wall uprights are drilled. I've got enough for the 10 wall panels I'll need for this temporary room already to go and the lengths for the ceiling panels measured and ready to cut. I've also got to jury-rig some extra-wide panels to maximize the avaliable width of the room

It's amusing to me that as time goes by the house that I rented out of necessity and desperation has slowly become the one i was destined to live in.

When you remember your fancy new drill press has a built-in work light *after* drilling dozens of holes...about 90% of the day's total:

RIP, #BrianDennehy. I wish I could pay my respects with a better gif, but you were not an overly meme-ed individual.

So I end the day ready to assemble 11 of the 13 panels I'll need. Fuck I hate chop-saws.

Looks like at least a couple of you were following along today. Thanks for that...kind of keeps me motivated. It's been a while since I've embarked on a project this size and it's taking some time to re-learn ADHD coping strategies. Fuck I'm beat. Time for some wings and a doob

Charging all the necessary batteries for the big follow-up to what was a fairly productive Day 1. All the wood, save for the 2 extra-wide panels I'll need, is cut. I've got about 60 more pilot holes to drill and then it's off to assembly.

Special shout-out to P.L. Robertson. Good for you for not selling out to Henry Ford. We all know what the superior socket-style screw head is.

Another tool that allows me to use flimsier, much lighter-weight material is this 90° vise clamp. I got mine from Lee Valley but Home Depot sells a cheaper, less versatile model for about $12.

I can see no reason to be able to do this in the foreseeable future, however if I have to....

Fuck that store is going to bankrupt me.

And just like that: it's 9:45 and I've got ½ of the frame assembly complete. All that's left is to make 2 become one and I'll have the frames for the 3 ceiling panels as well as all but 2 of the wall panels ready for reinforcement.

I'd better have a mid-morning safety meeting with myself, go over the COVID protocols and make sure the team and I are adhering to social distancing best practices -
#Caturday

Alright...super productive morning so far, so I'd better do something to slow things down or the boss'll expect the same thing every day. Some GSC should help with that.

GSC be damned I pushed through and got to cross the first item off of my list: outer frames.

The 90° vise made it easy to get these 9 panels put together with relatively clean edges. Now on to the 2x4 cross-members

Fuck it. I'm crossing it off.

I'll have to wait on my RONA order to be ready to complete the last ceiling panel. 17 screws short.

The wall panels have 3 x 24"pieces of 2x4 screwed in. They turn a flimsy AF 1x3 frame into a sturdy (enough) insulated wall panel.

The ceiling panels, while about 12" shorter than the walls, have 4 pieces scabbed in. Probably overkill, but it gives me all the hanging capacity I might need.

Phew. I'm frickin' beat Just going to have to call tomorrow "Day 2" as well. Cruisin' to the finish line.

And now if you'll excuse me:

Late start to the day. Woke at 7. Coffee. Bong tips. Back to the Future trilogy under blankets with the . Will they ever produce the final four parts of the Hitchhiker's trilogy? Didn't panic, more coffee and bong, sufficed for the the meantime with part 1. More bong hits.

3 easy tasks. Perfect Sunday work. Still waiting on my RONA order so I'll still be 1 ceiling panel short for now.

And just like that:

I'm packing it in for the day. Quickly tho:

Some ⅛" weather stripping will help to keep things sealed. You can find it pretty cheap if you dig thru amazon long enough. I've only put it in the top and on one length to economize at least a bit. The room will rest on a thicker foam padding.

And goes the . 2 down, 11 to go.

4 more panels completed this AM. Now out of tuck tape and *still* waiting on my RONA order. 2 days and counting for about a dozen very common items, all supposedly in stock. Not complaining, mind you...just a statement of fact.

Yaaaaaaaas!

8 wall panels, 3 ceiling: ready for assembly. 2 is coming for 3 nights of just her and I hanging out starting tomorrow so I'll have to make quick work of it in the morning though her bedtime is 7, so I'll be able to some night-shifts in to build a door and panel w/ pass-throughs

That only took 4 days longer than I anticipated.

I goofed and didn't tweet to this thread as my day progressed. Can't be bothered to add links to them all, so bearing in mind there's quite a bit more work to go, here's the day's end result: https://twitter.com/OBCDamian/status/1252763785322024962?s=19

Honestly: *do not* follow my lead on this build. Just buy a tent. Or some actual panels if u have the clearance & $$. I like to build stuff, so this is fun for me. Plus I'm isolating, so I've got a few spare moments here and there. And the end result is weed, so there's that