Plastic BP Cage

My daughter picked up her first snake last year at a show, a pastel BP. It is getting close to needing a larger enclosure, and I had promised her I would build one when the need arose.

I prefer PVCX for my caging, and have gone to this material for all of my display caging. This one is 1/2" thick heat folded PVC in white.
It is more cost effective to make two cages from a single sheet, so we ended up with an extra cage. I believe we will end up donating it to our herp society for their annual auction.

We began by routing all of the machining on the table, including the door opening;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...z/DSC00428.jpg

The cage folded up, before door install;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...z/DSC00432.jpg

Both cages with doors installed. All I need to do is clean them up and mount the light and RHP in hers. I have a Ranco t-stat on order for temperature control;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...z/DSC00438.jpg

I'd love to see more people working with this material. It is very easy and a lot of fun.

Thanks for looking.

about time larry!! when can i order some?

Nice,:bow:

That looks very professional and clean looking.


dr del

Hey Lucas! It was good to see you guys at the meeting.

I have been dragging my feet on this for awhile, she is exited about getting it set up.

Thanks Dr Del.

Those are great looking cages. IMO, plastic caging is the best type of caging for snakes.

larry,

when are you going to make me a stack??

Lucas, our plan is to build templates for cages like Matt's for my BP's and his terrestrials. Once those templates are done it would be very easy to do some for you. I need to finish up a lot of my own projects too, so this probably won't happen until well after Daytona.

Are you still working on that polycarbonate cage idea? Those are probably some of the nicest cages I have seen.

Thanks Whooh.

PVC sheet is easier to work with than wood in my opinion. It can be cut and screwed together with basic tools to make a simple box cage with sliding doors. I really think the cost is in line with wood once you figure in the price to seal and finish the wood.

If only I could find some around here at a decent price. :P

Larry,

no i really haven't been able to find the right materials i need. i have some ideas that might make it work but i just don't know how its going to look. for these, id rather not sacrifice looks just to have a cage.

Absolutely great looking cages. I don't want to be a party pooper but please refrain from discussing making cages for other people in these forums to avoid running afoul of the TOS concerning advertising. You can do that in PM's. Thanks for understanding. Really nice cages and I think that you are on to something there.

Thanks Dale, and no offense taken.

Lucas and I are friends and have built a couple of other caging projects together. I probably should have put this in the DIY forum also.

Larry Stroud?

Hi Lucas, I agree, the looks are important if you are going to go with higher end materials like that. Keep me posted.

Juddb, yes that is me.

Hey Larry!! :) I didn't get a chance to :welcome: you. When is the annual auction? Great looking cages.

I do not see any screw holes in the bottom picture, how did you bond it together?

Very nice looking

larry made me the same style cage only in a 24" cube....there are no screws holding the cage together. only screws to hold the door on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LarryS

PVC sheet is easier to work with than wood in my opinion. It can be cut and screwed together with basic tools to make a simple box cage with sliding doors. I really think the cost is in line with wood once you figure in the price to seal and finish the wood.

---

Could you explain this in more detail? Im about to build a few more melamine racks, and if this is a feasible alternative I wouldn't mind trying. However, I have my doubts it is an easy alternative, but I really know nothing about using pvc/pvcx at all. What special tools are needed, where do you buy the pvc, etc etc. A play by play how to would be awesome.

pvc can be cut just like wood. a plywood blade will work great. it is lighter than melamine and will last longer in high humidity conditions. you can get it from you local plastic dealer. just search for an acrylic supplier and they maybe able to get it. just use it the same what (for a rack) that you would the melamine.

Sorry I haven’t been replying to the questions.

I will be happy to help anyone in any way with the use of this material. Lucas is right on about the tool use. Most wood tools are fine with the pvc. I use only carbide tipped blades and cutters.

If it is going to be an exposed edge, I use a router to make the cut, but a saw blade is just fine if you are careful. I am anal about looks, everything has to be “pretty”.

The construction method I use does not require screws. The case is heat folded and the side panels are set into grooves. All joints have PVC cement applied to both sides after assembly.

My reason for posting these projects is to see more people using the plastic in the DIY segment of the hobby. It is a fantastic material to work with, easy to clean, safe and I think it looks good. It seems that people are very intimidated by this stuff, when in reality, if you consider that wood needs to be sealed/painted in some way, the plastic is much easier.

Larry Stroud
lstroud (at ) corntagious.net

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LarryS

It seems that people are very intimidated by this stuff, when in reality, if you consider that wood needs to be sealed/painted in some way, the plastic is much easier.

---

I don't know about everyone else, but my only reason for NOT using plastic sheeting is lack of an affordable way to get it. When I was looking into it last year the only place semi-local that I could find it at was 3 hours away and I would have to buy 10 sheets to get it at $100/sheet.

Ouch, yeah that is a problem. We see it here locally in the $80+ per sheet range depending on color. I drive two hours to Orlando to save about ten to fifteen dollars per sheet.

It would be nice if the big box lumber stores carried it at a decent price.