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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran baldegale's Avatar
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    building own pvc enclosure

    ive been considering getting a PVC enclosure for any of my animals really and was wondering if itd be logical/worth it to build one on my own? itd be a few months from now before i have the money anyways but im just looking into it. itd be pointless to build one for my hoggie considering how small shes gonna be anyways

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran dylan815's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    If you have building experience go for it. I wouldn’t build one for a hoggie though lol. What other animals do you have that could use a pvc cage?


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  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran SDA's Avatar
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    PVC can be expensive. If you have the tools already and access to a cheap glass company that can cut you glass panels or if you can get decent acrylic instead you can do it for a a decent cost but it would require access to adequate materials and tools.
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  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran KevinK's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    SDA said exactly what I was thinking: Better find your source of PVC before starting the project. I work in manufacturing already and could not find ANY company that offers CDPVC (the type that animal plastics uses) for less than $200 for a 1/2" thick 4'x8' sheet (plus freight shipping). I went through this SAME exact thought process before buying my cages though, and I called numerous material providers with no luck. If you can find a company that sells affordable PVC sheets, go for it but after several days of phonecalling numerous material companies with good reputations, I was finding that it is very hard to find and it's expensive when you do. I ended up buying Animal plastics cages.

    Good luck.

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  6. #5
    BPnet Veteran baldegale's Avatar
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    building own pvc enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by dylan815 View Post
    If you have building experience go for it. I wouldn’t build one for a hoggie though lol. What other animals do you have that could use a pvc cage?


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    i know, itd be pointless for a hoggie. i still might build her a 20 long replica out of wood cause i like the looks better.. i have a bearded dragon and a redfoot tortoise! itd probably be for my bearded dragon as my redfoot is going outside full time this summer. this is my current beardie tank: id use the same design but smaller if i built one for my hoggie.
    Last edited by baldegale; 01-12-2018 at 02:45 AM.

  7. #6
    BPnet Veteran baldegale's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by KevinK View Post
    SDA said exactly what I was thinking: Better find your source of PVC before starting the project. I work in manufacturing already and could not find ANY company that offers CDPVC (the type that animal plastics uses) for less than $200 for a 1/2" thick 4'x8' sheet (plus freight shipping). I went through this SAME exact thought process before buying my cages though, and I called numerous material providers with no luck. If you can find a company that sells affordable PVC sheets, go for it but after several days of phonecalling numerous material companies with good reputations, I was finding that it is very hard to find and it's expensive when you do. I ended up buying Animal plastics cages.

    Good luck.
    yeah i was coming to realize the shipping is what kills ya! i do have all the tools though as ive built tanks out of wood before. just wish i had a router.. makes everything look 10x nicer. just going through Animal plastics and reptile basics kinda sucks though due to how long the wait times are.


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  8. #7
    BPnet Veteran KevinK's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    To put it in perspective, I have free access to $120,000 modern Haas cnc mills and a $10,000 seat of Mastercam programming software and I couldn't find any reason to build my own with the costs of pvc I was getting. However, you could use plywood and coat the entire inside of the enclosure in epoxy resin....you would never have water problems if you did it this way.

    With all the construction time, hardware costs and everything else considered though I just found it to be easier to order from AP.
    Last edited by KevinK; 01-12-2018 at 03:23 PM.

  9. #8
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
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    Building vs buying always come down to a few things

    Price building your own being cheaper

    Your skills

    How you value your time


    When I first started I build everything myself those days I realize that the saving is not worth my time and the trouble.
    Deborah Stewart


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  11. #9
    BPnet Veteran Godzilla78's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by KevinK View Post
    To put it in perspective, I have free access to $120,000 modern Haas cnc mills and a $10,000 seat of Mastercam programming software and I couldn't find any reason to build my own with the costs of pvc I was getting. However, you could use plywood and coat the entire inside of the enclosure in epoxy resin....you would never have water problems if you did it this way.

    With all the construction time, hardware costs and everything else considered though I just found it to be easier to order from AP.
    That’s what I did for my rack, only I used ¾” cabinet grade oak plywood and waterproofed it with primer and deck paint. Stronger than pvc, almost as water proof, but very heavy.
    A LOT cheaper, the shipping costs for pvc sheets is crazy, and I refuse to use melamine as it gets ruined eventually with moisture.


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  12. #10
    BPnet Veteran baldegale's Avatar
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    Re: building own pvc enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Godzilla78 View Post
    That’s what I did for my rack, only I used ¾” cabinet grade oak plywood and waterproofed it with primer and deck paint. Stronger than pvc, almost as water proof, but very heavy.
    A LOT cheaper, the shipping costs for pvc sheets is crazy, and I refuse to use melamine as it gets ruined eventually with moisture.


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    yeah ive built 4 wood enclosures now, theyre just extremely heavy and a giant pain sometimes. waterproofing im not too worried about, i use this stuff called “drylok”


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