I am looking at making my own glovebox for sowing and replating. I've searched the web but I haven't really found any basic plans for a box. Does anyone have any ideas for a basic glovebox?
Thanks

Do you really need plans ? You will find all the necessary data in, for instance, Lance A. Birk's books The Paphiopedilum Grower's Manual, 1st or 2nd edition, and in The Orchid Digest, vol. 32, 1968, number 7, p. 204.

Bob -

I'm in a similar situation, as I need to make a new glovebox as well. I intend to try several different things, in order to etermine what works best. I have no intention of building a huge or expensive device until I have a permanent place to keep it set up. When that happens I intend to build a laminar flow cabinet.

Until then, a glove box will do.

There are several important aspects to gloveboxes, as far as I can tell.

First, the ease of access and working comfort. If you don't like working in it, yuo won't work in it. Make the holes as far apart or close together as you feel comfortable working. I think that wider holes than your arms are important, an possibly padding the edges would work very well. I would make the holes lower on the wall than higher, as we tend to rest our forearms on the edges and work with our hands higher than our elbows.

Second, adequate space within the glove box is absolutely essential. If you want to work with large numbers of flasks or large flasks, then space inside the box becomes an obvious issue.

Third, visibility is essential. One must be able to see what they are doing inside the box. Clarity of the lid and sides should be considered, as should the likelihood of condensation. Translucent containers would work well after some practice, but a clear view of your working space seems absolutely essential.

I have seen aquariums, Rubbermaid boxes, and homemade contraptions all used effectively. Good luck and report back on your attempts.

hi there,
I am from Germany, and so I only can help you with this link:

http://www.forum.orchideen-forum.de/showthread.php?t=22881 :woohoo:

if interrested to know more about it, pls drop me a PM.


good luck.
Dieter

First, the ease of access and working comfort. If you don't like working in it, yuo won't work in it.

Second, adequate space within the glove box is absolutely essential. If you want to work with large numbers of flasks or large flasks, then space inside the box becomes an obvious issue.

Third, visibility is essential. One must be able to see what they are doing inside the box. Clarity of the lid and sides should be considered, as should the likelihood of condensation.

:iagree: Condensation and visibility was definitely an issue for me. I had enough space inside for what I was doing at the time - learning. As for comfort, well let's face it, you're working with very tiny things being put in small containers - you're going to be hunched over to some extent which for long periods of time is not comfortable.

This is by no means "plans" but maybe some ideas to get you going. I got a rubbermaid storage container and cut holes in the side for gloves and then a 1/4 inch acrylic plastic sheet for the lid.

http://www.imaginingdesign.com/images/orchid/box_outside.jpg

I had trouble finding affordable long gloves. I wound up with just below elbow length gloves and so I had to make four holes, instead of two, so I could reach everywhere in the box. I would really recommend longer gloves. I knew there would be tension and pressure where the gloves attach to the box so I took the lid to a spool of CDs and cut 1/4 inch strips to make a ring. This ring then was fixed to the inside of the glove with epoxy and positioned against the hole cut in the box to basically sandwich the glove in place. This strengthened the attachment of glove to box. And silicon was used to seal the outside of the glove both inside and outside the box.

For the lid I put plastic wrap around the lip of the box and then generously put silicon on the lip. Then I laid the acrylic lid on the box and allowed it to set. Then I pulled up the plastic wrap and, voila, it left a nice molded silicon gasket, if you will. When I would use the box I would put a layer of plastic around the lip just to make the seal "cling".

http://www.imaginingdesign.com/images/orchid/box_inside.jpg

In the end I think the whole thing cost $50-60. Which was perfect since I just wanted to try out sowing orchids. After using it a few times my procedure was honed. But there were a few issues:

-Visibility due to condensation
-Cumbersome and awkward due to the short gloves
-The gloves were cleaning or work gloves with no dexterity (hence the rubber glove on the second glove from the left in the inside picture, I had to cut off the index and thumb of that glove)
-Too much bleach. Bleach is used to "sterilize" the inside of the box once everything was inside.

Because of these issues and because I am hooked on sowing I have decided to make a laminar flow workstation. The HEPA filter should arrive in a few weeks :hyper:

I hope this helps, good luck and have fun
Matt

hi there,
here is an interresting website
with informations on how to contruct a laminar work bench (in english)

http://www.orchideenvermehrung.at/english/index.htm

maybe this helps. :cool:

best
Dieter