Tabletop Greenhouse

Begin this project by cutting the wooden components that will form the bottom box of the tabletop greenhouse to their specified lengths. Measure and mark lumber to the dimensions below. Mount the US500 Wood Cutting Wheel accessory onto your Dremel Ultra-Saw™ tool. Clamp the lumber and cut along your marks. Bottom Box Components Bottom Box Base: 24" x 48" X 1/2" Plywood Plank Bottom Box Sides: (2) 1" x 4" x 48" Cedar Planks Bottom Box Ends: (2) 1" x 4" x 19.5" Cedar Planks.

Assemble the bottom box of the greenhouse using the wood cut in Step 1. Note that throughout this project we often glued and pre-drilled holes in our tabletop greenhouse components to make securing them with screws easier. Mount the 150 Drill Bit accessory in your Dremel 3000 rotary tool. Set the tool speed to 10 and drill two aligned points on each end of the 1" x 4" x 48" side planks. Using a drill, screw 1 1/2" screws through each of these holes and into the edges of the 1" x 4" x 19.5" end planks to create the frame for the bottom box. Rest the 24" x 48" X 1/2" base on-top of the frame and adhere wood glue. Allow time for the glue to dry. Drill several holes along the edge of the base into the frame using the 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory at speed 10. Secure these components together by drilling 1 1/2" screws through the holes that were just created. The bottom box is now complete.

Cut lumber to the dimensions listed below to create the wooden components of the lid. Measure and mark the wood then cut along your marks using your Ultra-Saw™ tool and US500 wheel. Lid Wooden Components (2) 1" x 2" x 48" Cedar Planks (Lid Base Sides) (3) 1" x 2" x 18.5" Cedar Planks (Lid Base Center & Ends) (6) 1" x 2" x 15" Cedar Planks (Lid Gable Braces) (2) 1" x 1" x 22.5" Cedar Planks (Lid Upper Support).

Start assembling and securing the wooden components of the lid base as cut and identified in Step 3. Layout the side, center, and end planks as pictured. Affix them together by placing wood glue on their contacting surfaces. Allow time for the glue to dry. Clamp each connecting point and pre-drill points that will connect the long side pieces with the shorter center and end pieces using your 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory at speed 10. Using a drill and 2 1/2" screws, secure the sides to the center and end planks to form the lid base.

Create three gable braces for the lid using the six 1" x 2" x 15" cedar planks cut in Step 3. With your planks clamped, mark and cut 45 degree angles on each end of the planks (non-parallel) with your Ultra-Saw and US500 wheel. Pair the planks into three groups of two and glue their angled ends together to form ^ shaped gable braces. Allow time for the glue to dry. Using the 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory at speed 10, drill a hole in the middle of their connection area. Then, secure the paired planks together by drilling a 1 1/2" screw through the created hole. Repeat for all three pairs.

Glue the ends of the three gable braces created in Step 5 to the ends and center of the lid base assembled in Step 4. Allow time for the glue to dry. Use your 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory to pre-drill holes from underneath the lid base into the three gable braces, staggering the drilled holes to avoid contact with existing screws holding the lid base together. Drill 1 1/2" screws through these holes to secure the gable braces to the lid base. Once the gable braces are secured to the lid base, join their peaks with the 1" x 1" x 22.5" cedar planks cut in Step 3 to form the upper support of the lid. Use wood glue to affix the planks to the braces. Allow time for the glue to dry. Then, pre-drill holes through the outer braces and into the upper support planks using the 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory at speed 10. Hammer a nail through the pre-drilled hole to secure them together. Note that you will not be able to nail the planks to the center gable brace, but strong wood glue shot.

Cut and affix transparent acrylic panels to each angled side of the lid. Measure and mark two sheets of acrylic to 15" x 48". Clamp the sheets and cut along the marks using your Ultra-Saw tool and US500 wheel. Rest the panels along the angled sides of the lid and clamp them to the outer braces. Pre-drill through the acrylic and into all three braces with your 3000 rotary tool and 150 accessory at speed 4. Secure the panels to the gable braces with a screwdriver and #6 pan head screws. Tip: Work slowly when drilling into acrylic panels as they tend to crack easily. To reduce the risk of this occurring we decided to use a screwdriver rather than a drill to secure them to the gable braces.

Measure the dimensions of the lid ends and mark them onto transparent acrylic sheets. Clamp the sheets and cut along the marks using your Ultra-Saw tool and US500 wheel. Pre-drill through the acrylic and into the end braces with the 3000 rotary tool and 150 bit at speed 4. Secure the panels to the braces with a screwdriver and #6 pan head screws.

Measure and mark a 48" section of aluminum angle that will become the metal trim for the top of the tabletop greenhouse. Mount the US510 Metal Cutting Wheel accessory onto your Ultra-Saw. Clamp the aluminum and cut along your mark. Measure and mark five points along each side of the aluminum angle where screws will be placed to secure it to the wooden upper support planks and three gable braces. Measure and mark these same ten points along the upper support and gable braces. With the aluminum angle still clamped, set the speed of the 3000 rotary tool to 6 and drill through the marked points. Next, set the tool speed to 10 and drill through the marked points in the upper support and gable braces. Rest the aluminum angle on-top of the upper support and gable braces aligning the drilled holes. Secure the aluminum angle with a screwdriver and #6 pan head screws.

Screw three hinges onto one side of the tabletop greenhouse, connecting the bottom box completed in Step 2 to the lid completed in Step 9. We used a drill and #6 pan head screws, placing our hinges near the two ends and center of the side. Optional: Add latches and a chain to your tabletop greenhouse to add additional control and security when opening and closing the lid. We decided to add both of these items to our piece. Our chain was 26" long and connected the front interior wall of the bottom box frame to the center gable brace so that the lid could rest in suspended position for convenient addition and removal of plants. Our latches were placed at each end of the front of the greenhouse where the bottom box meets the lid.