Growing Mushrooms!

Step 3 Plexi-Boxing

To make a nifty plexiglass box for your mushrooms to grow in, you'll need:

• - 1/8 inch thick plexiglass cut into six pieces in order make a box which will fit around your growing media (I was able to get some cut for me at the hardware store - the pieces used here are: 2@12"x10", 2@10"x19", and 2@12"x19").
• - 2 hinges (the ones I used are 2"x1 3/16" solid brass butt hinges and have 3 holes in each)
• - 26 small screws (round head, slotted #10-24 x 3/8" used here)
• - 26 nuts or nut caps (#10-24 nut caps used here)
• -10 L-brackets (1" are used here - 2 on either side of the back piece, 1 on each of the others, and one on each side of the left and right ends)
• - Some epoxy or other adhesive (I used marine adhesive) - I also used a neat little corner edging tool, but you don't really need it
• - A dremel or drill

Once you've got all that on hand, you'll just need to:

1. Lay out your pieces and decide which will be the front and which will be the top
2. Mark and drill holes for the hinges on both the front and the top. Making a hinged portion will allow for easier access to water the mushrooms, while still keeping them enclosed to prevent moisture loss.
3. Mark and drill holes for the L-brackets.
4. Assemble the box by affixing the pieces to one another with the L-brackets.
5. Apply the glue/epoxy to the inside of the seams of the box and smooth it down.
6. Screw the hinges onto the top and front pieces to affix the front of your fully formed box
7. Find a dark and cool (dim and cool also works, but try not to have it too cold) area to house the box and get to growing your mushrooms!

Comments

[ronmaggi]

3m 5200 is neither glue or epoxy, it is an adhesive sealant. It really is not meant to be globed on like bathroom caulk as UV kills it.

[shesparticular]

It's what I had on hand, it worked rather well (despite being "globbed on"), and it has held up also. Considering the box needs to be put in a darkish area for the mushrooms to grow, I'm not sure that the UV rating is a huge concern. Thanks for the comment!