Last year my wife wanted a grow light to start her seedlings. Ideally it would be adjustable to keep the light close to the seedlings as they grow. This prevents the plants from getting “leggy” she said. 

I first bought the lights so I could design the stands around them. They happen to be GE 22 inch under cabinet fluorescent lights from the local big box store. The bulbs that came with them were 15 watts I think, but you could switch those out for special gardening bulbs if you wish.

I used small pieces of mahogany and redwood for the stands, which are both relatively water-friendly woods. The vertical pieces have three square mortises in each to allow for different heights of the horizontal pieces that hold the lights. The horizontal pieces have through tenons on each end and a square peg holds them in place. A single dovetail at the bottom of the vertical piece locks into the base.

Each year, my wife expands the garden and I’ve been adding more light stands. It turns out they stack rather nicely, all in a single box up in the attic, until the following spring.

More Projects by John Tetreault • Free Plan: Build a Rustic Chicken Coop • The 3-Hour Cabinet • Bending Dovetails • Make Your Own Leather Chisel Roll • Video: Build a Hybrid Roubo Workbench   • Tech Cabinet: Part I • Tech Cabinet: Part II • Tech Cabinet: Part III

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