Is your canopy too hard to open by hand?

[cosmith71]

Automatic canopy opener. Completely unnecessary, but totally awesome. Used a linear actuator, 12V power supply, and a switch.

http://youtu.be/u7JY4qNRAuk

--Colin

[rimai]

Nice!!
Connect to RA and use one of those speech recognition module from John!!!
Open Sesame

[cosmith71]

Yes! That would be awesome!

[lnevo]

I just need a canopy that hinges and opens like that. My current one only has a lid on the top so it essentially just makes it more difficult to do any work inside the tank.

[cosmith71]

Yep, it's a nice setup for a deep tank. Lid-on-the top just makes it harder to reach the bottom.

--Colin

[Sacohen]

Like you said. Very cool, conpletly unnecessary

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[lnevo]

I want the woodworking plans

[jsclownfish]

love it!

[cosmith71]

I want the woodworking plans

Based on this.

--Colin

[jsclownfish]

Where is the actuator? Can you post a link to the one you are using? Fun but totally unnecessary is a major reason I enjoy this platform.

[cosmith71]

Where is the actuator? Can you post a link to the one you are using? Fun but totally unnecessary is a major reason I enjoy this platform.

Here's the actuator. I plan on adding some trim to the top to conceal it better.



I can't find the exact auction, but it's a 10" stroke 12V, 200 lb linear actuator. If you do a search you'll find several. You'll also need a set of brackets.

--Colin

[lnevo]

Dude this is yours? I really want the woodworking plans and what you used for the hinge...i NEED to build this style canopy...

[cosmith71]

Dude this is yours? I really want the woodworking plans and what you used for the hinge...i NEED to build this style canopy...

http://www.reefaquarium.com/2013/buildi ... ium-canopy

It's a piano hinge from Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1 ... /202034038

[lnevo]

So looks like example 2 is the closest, but you also have part of the sides on the lid...anything special for that?

[cosmith71]

No, that's just some trim attached to the front panel. You could put it there or attach it to the stationary part of the canopy. I think it looks fancier moving as part of the lid.

The lid is about 1/3 of the total top of the canopy. We made everything extra tall (top of the closed canopy is 82" high) so we went with a 1/3 lid because anything more wouldn't open without hitting the ceiling.

Here's the whole thing.

[lnevo]

Thats gorgeous man. Nice work. What size is the tank?

[cosmith71]

Thanks! It's a 120G. 48x24x24.

--Colin

[Sacohen]

So this is what you've been upto Collin.

I was just thinking that you haven't been around much.

Very nice work.

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[cosmith71]

You may not see me, but I'm always around. Kinda like herpes.

--Colin

[Sacohen]

LOL

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[Sacohen]

They just stole your idea on Tanked

They're doing an electronic actuated top one of their tanks.

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[lnevo]

You may not see me, but I'm always around. Kinda like herpes.

--Colin

Not sure I would have used the same analogy... Lol

[cosmith71]

They just stole your idea on Tanked

They're doing an electronic actuated top one of their tanks.

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Well, I appropriated it from someone else.

Now, if they start making herpes jokes, I'm suing!

--Colin

[Sacohen]

No I don't think their going to do that, although it is cable after 10pm.

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[binder]

You may not see me, but I'm always around. Kinda like herpes.

--Colin

really? dude...really??
i thought of a few others but refrained from going there. hahahaha


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[cosmith71]

But seriously, this thing has saved me a huge, um, a moderate? amount of effort. Plus it makes a cool whirry noise while it's working. I should wire a flashing red light to it or something.

--Colin

[lnevo]

And use Jon's audio thingy to play a backup alarm... beep beep beep....