Interested in DIY Night (or day)???

[twinreef]

can i join in.

 

[jhale]

sure, we're still figuring out where and when the first meet's going to be.
anyone in BK have a place to meet in with a shop?

 

[jay212]

i'm in just let me know when and where
Jay

 

[vad]

its very interesting.
please sign me in too

 

[ctxmonitor]

this is getting quite big.. Who will have a workshop, garage that could fit that many people??...

Ok, count me in too..

I really need to improve my skimmer, or at least get it working right..

[ April 12, 2005, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: ctxmonitor ]

 

[joseney21]

if someone volunteers a "workspace" and the number of people that can attend is limited it would only be right to go down the list from the start and allow those who posted interest first to attend.jmo, but that's a little premature. we still don't know where.

 

[Reef Guy]

Great idea... But where and when?

 

[jhale]

this is the list so far, in order from the original thread.
I'll keep adding people as they sign up. we need to start organizing this now, who wants to do it? anybody?
where are we going to meet? remember not everyone is going to be building, so you don't have to worry about ten guys using your table saw or whatever tool.

1. wedfr
2. aaron
3. spykes
4. samksy
5. jackson6745
6. Deanos
7. jay212
8. ctxmonitor
9. jhale
10. nanoreefer22
11. joseney21
12. solbby
13. alrha
14 .bad coffee
15. twinreef
16. vad
17. Reef Guy

 

[aaron]

I have a backyard, but no nice power tools, only hand tools and only one set. I'm also for building a skimmer.
Just a question: why is everyone favouring a Euro and not a beckett? seems like only last year that everyone was telling me that unless I had a beckett skimmer my tank was worthless. Not that i particularly want to make a beckett, i just think skimmer fashion is interesting.

 

[spykes]

beckket requires alot of GPH to power, like around 1500 at 22PSI, which isnt very efficent. Water movement isnt your friend in a skimmer. the less water movement within the tube, the more protein is aucally skimmed out. Beckket will creat turbulance in the tube therefor alot of protein comes in some skims out at a quicker rate, but alot goes back out. i dont have any great power tools, just a milter saw table saw and a router.... its enought to make decent stuff, also clamps

 

[joseney21]

I also have a router and dremel....aaron if you host i'm sure we could come up with the tools, i'll pick up spykes and his tools

...please please say yes please ,lol.

 

[joseney21]

i'm with you on the notion about skimmer fads aaron. all skimmers are good to a degree, although some are definitely better.in the most part you just have to go with whats best for you i.e. how much room do you have in your sump, do you even want it to be in sump, how much $$ you want to shell out, how much power consumption you want to have etc...

 

[spykes]

hehhe my equipment isnt brand name stuff tho, so yeah =-D aaron mind hosting the events?

 

[Mantis806]

how about a DIY night where we learn how to safely wire all the kinds of lighting from an expert, or at least someone who really knows what they're doing? ranging from MH to NO lighting. i don't think it's too hard, and it could be a fun little project to get this thing rolling. and it probably woudn't require too much materials. i'm only asking b/c i'm skeptical of my own skills of wiring even my NO lights (as simple as it is). one major question i have is, how do i ground the ballast to a 3 prong power cord if the ballast has only 2 power wires (black and white).

 

[wedfr]

Mantis, Take the green ground wire from teh cord and attach it somehow to the casing of the ballast. The ballast has mounting holes slots to be screwed down to a piece of wood put the wire between the screw and the ballast when it gets bolted down

 

[aaron]

I'm up for hosting it, i'm just concerned that space is going to be an issue, specificlly bench/work space. I have about 6' of bench space in the basement and another 3-4' in the backyard.
I kind of feel that in order for this to workout and for everyone to really get something out of this we need to have some space to work cleanly and methodicly. I think anyone who has done DIY knows that projects quickly end up taking up a lot of space and i feel in order for everyone to come away from this with a useful skimmer or whatever you cant have people sitting in the dirt trying to glue bits of acrylic together.
So I guess what I'm saying is i could really only accomodate about 5 builders, and as many watchers as want to come.
But If there's some other, larger space it is probably better to do it there.
Who is going to come and do the instructing? I havent a clue what i am doing, all my skimmers have been failures.

 

[jhale]

aaron: I think the idea was to have one project that everyone could watch and learn from. there's no way everyone could make a skimmer, unless we had a huge shop with multiple tools.
I'm hoping wedfr would be coming to show us how it's done. he started the whole idea

having guys sitting on the ground making protien skimmers, that's funny, I could just see bits of grass and dirt sticking to the seams

[ April 13, 2005, 10:15 AM: Message edited by: jhale ]

 

[wedfr]

id be happy to come by, just let me know wher eand when and if im available ill be there

 

[spykes]

Cool aaron, yeah i dont think there will be alot of builders at least not in 1 back yard. I think doing one of two projects would be alot =D

 

[wedfr]

just to give my opinion here, i think having one piece built and have everyoen watch is going to be not so helpful for a few reasons.

First if you dont do things yourself you never remember or feel comforatble doing them again a couple of days later.

Second, it would only help the guys who have tools at home which doesnt seem like all that many.

If you guys want to build a skimmer i suggest staying far away from the becketts, they are the most intricate and complicated to build. I think a Euroreef would be easiest and could be done with the least amount of tools especially if it doesnt need to look pretty