Have a great invention to help with gardening? Are you the self-reliant type that prefers Building It Yourself vs. buying it? Share and discuss your ideas and projects with other members.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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As "oc tony" had pointed out, the support for the Aeration Bench in the new design raised some questions. To do a stress test, I decided to "water-board" the design to determine if the support assembly will indeed hold up.
![]() The ultimate weight "challenge" was to fill the Aeration Bench (without holes) with water, trying to collapse the Bench support assembly. As a worst-case test, I did NOT attach the two bolts that secure the upper portion of the Aeration Bench to the outer container. I then applied a maximum dead weight load by filling the Aeration Bench to the brim with water. Fully loaded, it held 21 gallons. This equates to a mass of 175 pounds sitting soley on the bench assembly: ![]() To be expected, the sides of both (unsecured) containers flared out. But now after 10 hours the bench assembly is holding fast. Next, I built a second 'Tainer but this time, securing the two containers with the two upper bolts as per the Guide: ![]() Upon filling with 21 gallons of water, notice there is much less flaring of the sidewalls, as compared with the unbolted set: ![]() I plan to let these two 'Tainers sit as is for the next 7 days to fully evaluate the strength of the bench support assembly with this load. Of course, in real use with Potting Mix loaded, I am calculating a typical load factor of approx. 80 pounds, figuring in the (light) weight of the Bark fines plus Perlite. So, as of tonight I am pleased with the structural rigidity of the EarthTainer III design. Raybo ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 31
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Pretty niffty test. I posed some questions a few days ago on the growing in containers sections but after 80 views, no one has responed. It is the second time I did that which is disappointing.
Based on the results of your tests so far, I am going to go ahead and use the top portion of the container I normally discard as a second (inner wall) - boling it in as you show in your pictures. |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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Saber,
"More thickness is better" Not proper grammar, but you get the point. I am looking forward to measuring Grow Media temps this summer with this new, double-hulled design. Raybo ![]() |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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A week later, and I am happy to report that neither the EarthTainer III with the upper anchor bolts, nor the worst case test unit without the upper anchor bolts failed the 175 pound weight test.
![]() In removing the unbolted Aeration Bench to look for any deformities in the support assembly, it looked as new: ![]() Even examining the bolt holes themselves where stress would have occurred, everything looks fine: ![]() So, my conclusion is that securing the Aeration Bench to the outer container with just the two upper bolts as in the current Guide is more than sufficient. Raybo ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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