Help With Hood Please

[theboywiggans]

Anybody got any ideas what the best wood is to use to build a hood? Also what paint/varnish/stain is safe to use to seal inside the hood?

I'm modding my plastic and miss shaped self contained lighting rig so the wood will be fairly close to the waters surface and in a non vented kinda way.

Any ideas will be a help.
Cheers

[chimmike]

if you're using halides, you don't want them close to the surface, making for a taller hood.

I just used regular plywood..............and kilz is what I used to prime/paint it, with of course a couple coats of paint on the outside.

[theboywiggans]

Oo yeah shoulda mentioned their T5's.

You'll have to explain to me what kilz is? Can't say i've ever heard of it or is it an American term?

I'll paint the outside black to match the plastic it's replacing.

Plywood makes sense, cheap and available in different thicknesses. Did you use marine grade, exterior or just plain?

[kevin95695]

Kilz is a brand name for a primer paint that does a pretty good job of sealing the wood. Beyond blemishes like knots, I wouldn't be too concerned with the grade, as long as your hood is ventilated and/or you don't have microbubble issues.

[chimmike]

ahh, my mistake, didn't notice you're overseas. If you don't have kilz over there in hardware stores, any sort of water sealant paint should work, typically they're oil based. A good hardware store should be able to tell you what to get for good waterproofing.

[swearint]

I built my hood using poplar since it is relatively inexpensive here in the US. However, I will not use it again in the future as it splits very easily. To paint it, I used enamel spray paint intended for household appliances. It gives a good finish and holds up well. I would definitely recommend venting the hood if using halides, they get very hot.

Todd

[jmccomb420]

Used pine for mine, no problems. Made sure to prime and paint well to avoid warping or splitting. Make sure to allow lots of cure time to prevent peeling.