A little help..Custom Enclosure time!

So, I've never built ANYTHING in my life!! :P so forgive me for asking so many questions! The thing is I just don't know what to ask, you know? :rolleyes: I don't even really know if I'm on the right track.


I have a new baby boa girl, and am hoping to start building her forever home as soon as I get back from college for spring break!

We are also very close to buying a brazilian rainbow boa, and we already have a ball python..


So I have a plan to build an 8x2x2 enclosure and another 8x2x2 enclosure stacked on top that is divided(into two 4x2x2 enclosures).. I want to have them stacked, but separate so they can be removed or reorganized later.. Ok this is hard without a picture, I did a quick little sketch in paint showing my idea

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...g?t=1296421788

I included the little 'legs' because I wanted to use heat tape on the bottom to give belly heat! I'm currently learning how to wire and set up flexwatt right now!

The circles with the lines through them are vents, i would make sure to cut the wood to fit the size vent, and make sure that they are not able to be pushed out!

One of my friends on another forum made a cage like this and was not able to provide a good heat gradient with just flexwatt, so I made room for putting a light/ceramic heat emitter to provide the extra heat if needed


I have NO idea how to build the doors..I've been told drop down doors are the easiest to make, and I like the idea of building them! If anyone has some 'building snake enclosure doors for dummies" advice, I'd love to hear it.. :D


As far as sealing...Drylok? Anyone use that? I haven't gone to the store yet, but can it come in different colors/can it be mixed to different colors and work?


:rolleye2: I don't really have any clue where to start, and I'm going crazy trying to figure it out myself, so before I start cutting and painting I figured I'd ask the people here!!

I can't figure out how to edit my post! :oops:

From people with experience building....Is a drop down door easier, or would you suggest I try to build a sliding door? Sorry to post again!

If you can afford it aluminum sliding track can be bought at your local glass shop it can be kinda pricey sometimes but they can cut the glass and install the track on it to fit yur opening the all you have to do is screw I. The track to your enclosure it looks very professional. Tell them you are making a display case type of set up and they should be able to give you a quote based on your opening size. Hope this helps good luck!

How expensive are we talking? :P


Thanks! I really do like the look of the sliding doors, but they looked like they would be hard to install!

Is there a way to lock sliding doors or are they pretty much designed in a way that a snake isn't going to push herself out of it?

You can buy a display case lock for like 5 bucks at lowes

Drop downs are easy sliding needs a fair bit of care to get the alignment perfect and the enclosure must be flat and stay flat or sliders will not be removable or worse bind and not open or close. With your experience I'd say drop down for sure! There are a number of lock systems the easiest are cheap cam locks like these drop down,

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...419,41455&ap=2

sliding door lock,
http://www.technologylk.com/crl-chro...htm?src=nextag

Alex

I think the main thing I might have trouble with is figuring out how to frame the wood around the glass in the drop down door? Do i just..set the glass in from one side and glue it in somehow? That is the area that baffles me! I don't want it to fall out or anything! :O

Thanks for the links on those locks!! :) You guys are a great help!

If you put glass in just build a frame. Don't glue it cause if it breaks the whole enclosure is garbage.

If you have a router, but the frame together with pocket screws then run a 1/4" groove around the inside of the frame with a rabbit bit.

If you dont have a router use 3/4" stock for the frame. Set the table saw blade to 1/2 the height of the stock apx 3/8". Then set you fence on 3/8" . Run your frame stock flat then on the edge to create a rabbit. after you run each piece miter the edges and put it together with bisquits or pocket screws.

If you build the box itself then take the measurements a lot of glass companies will cut the glass and give you the slider part all in one. Then you fit it in the box....after that you put your frame around it.

I might also add that whatever you are putting the heat tape on make sure it can be removed just in case something goes bad you can get to it.

I am assuming that you have limited woodworking skills and or tools? Is that correct? Following with that I am guessing that routering out the frame isn't likely. If this isn't accurate just ignore this routering is neater do it that way.

You can use a split system, If you use plate glass that is 1/4 inch thick and you figure the frame should be 1/2 to 3/4 thick or so you could use lets say a cut out 1/2 plywood door with the hole for glass then cut 1/4 spacers to go partially around the door but not as wide as the frame, then a second piece of ply the same size as as the first and basically build a sandwich. Plywood top side a 1/4 spacer frame with the glass window (if you do this leave a small gap around the glass 1/16 or so wood will alter shape more than glass so you have a bit of space for this) and then a back piece and you can then screw then together (if you glue it and the glass breaks you have a big job ahead of you.) If you get the lumber yard to cut the sheets for you all you need is a screwdriver and maybe a drill.

Alex

One of my friends at home also made the point that I need another 'leg' in the middle of both the enclosures, to prevent it from sagging!


That's a good point about the heat tape, I didn't think about that. Should I attach it to a second piece of wood that is loosely attached to the rest of the enclosure that could be pulled off quickly?

I think when I get back home(away at college right now) I will go to our Lowes/Home Depot and see what the options are locally, and if there are any places where I can get something made to fit easier! Cause that would be pretty nice, lol! :P


About sealing it... anyone have any favorites? Are there any sealants that come in colors/are clear so I could choose the color of the enclosure, or am I pretty much limited to what's already out there?

I have always liked colors in plastic its is an oil polyurethane and needs to cure very very well before use but it is durable and tough and not fully emersion proof but quite good (I used to build custom Kayaks and the cheaper ones were painted with it.) The cure time depends on temperature and air flow lots of air lots of heat and it cures faster it should not smell painty when fully cured at this point it is plastic urethane.