How to Make a Compact Home Tanning Canopy

Tanning bed canopies take up a smaller amount of space than traditional tanning beds. The tanning bed canopy is also portable. Tanning bed canopies are also adjustable, allowing you to change the direction and path of UV lighting. You can construct a portable tanning bed canopy at home in an hour.

Things You'll Need

• 1 -- 74 inch by 33 inch piece of sheet metal
• 2 -- 33 inch by 4 inch sheet metal strips
• 2 -- 74 inch by 4 inch sheet metal strips
• 2 -- 2 ft steel pipes 1 inch thick
• 1 -- 3 ft steel pipe 1 inch thick
• 1 -- 4 ft steel pipe 1 inch thick
• 1 -- 3 inch section of steel pipe
• 10 -- 100-watt tanning bulbs
• 2 -- Arm bracket clamps, bolts, and square washers
• 10 -- Lamp holders without starters
• 1 -- 120 volt dedicated circuit
• 1 -- 15 amp circuit breaker
• 1 -- 76 inch by 35 inch tanning bed acrylic lining
• 1 -- 120 volt Nema # 5--15R receptacle
• 1 -- Plug and wire
• 1 -- Tanning bed or lawn chair
• 1 -- Tanning pillow
• 1 -- Welder
• 1 -- Welder face shield
• 1 -- Egg timer
• 1 to 2 -- external cooling fans
• 10 -- 100 watt choke ballast
• 10 -- S12 lamp starter
• Wiring
• 1 -- Universal on/off switch
• 1- Capacitor
• 1 -- Tanning bulb cleaner

Instructions

1. Put on the welder face shield; place the 3-foot steel pipe between the two, 2-foot steel pipes. Weld together to form a u-shape. Position the 4-foot steel pipe perpendicular to the 3-foot pipe; center the 4-foot pipe and weld to the 3-foot pipe to create a metal post. Take up the 3-inch section of steel pipe and position it to the end of the 4-foot pipe so that it is parallel to the floor; weld the piece to the top edge of the 4-foot pipe.

2. Align a 74 inch x 4 inch strip of metal with the side of the 74 inch x 33 inch piece of sheet metal so that it is perpendicular to the large sheet of metal. Weld the two pieces together. In the second 74 inch x 4 in strip, cut a 1 inch hole directly in the middle of the strip. Align the strip with the second long edge of the 74 inch x 33 inch sheet metal and weld the pieces together.

3. Weld the 33 x 4-inch strips to each end of the 74 x 33-inch piece of sheet metal to create an open box construction.

4. Attach 10 lamp holders 3 inches apart to one of the 33 x 4-inch strips. On the parallel 33 x 4 inch strip, attach the 10 S12 lamp starters 3 inches apart. Wire each of the lamp holders to a choke ballast. Wire each of the lamp starters to the capacitor.

5. Wire the electrical wire and plug to the capacitor; attach the universal on/off switch to the capacitor. Insert the 3-inch section of pipe extending from the 4-foot vertical metal post into the hole about 1 inch deep that you made in the long edge of the open box construction; put two arm bracket clamps, bolts, and square washers in place on the interior of the tanning bed canopy construction.

6. Insert the 10 tanning bulbs. Clean the tanning bulbs with tanning bulb cleaner to remove debris. Attach the 76 x 35-inch acrylic lining with screws over the tanning bulbs.

7. Plug in the tanning canopy to a 120-volt dedicated circuit connected to a 15 amp circuit breaker via the 120 volt Nema # 5--15R receptacle. Place a tanning bed or lawn chair underneath the device. Place tanning pillow on chair or tanning bed.

8. Position the tanning canopy as desired by adjusting the arm brackets and bolts on the 3-inch pipe inserted in the tanning canopy. Set up external cooling fans and turn them on when the canopy is in use.

Tips & Warnings

• Test the device for any shorts before using it. Use an egg timer to time 15-minute sessions under the lamp.

• Do not use the tanning canopy more than once a day or longer than the fifteen minute period; doing so can cause you to be overexposed to UV light and to burn.

Resources

• eHow.com™: An article about creating your own home tanning room.