Building on a budget (part one)

[Linds]

This is for yankeefoxtrot, and anyone else that was interested in building on an ultimate budget :)

This is my first -real- building project (I don't count my rodent rack because anytime I ask my dad for help he does a takeover :rolleyes: ). I am having to upgrade caging for quite a few of my kids, and am on the ultimate budget! So far this is what I have...

I have 6 cages (four 4x2x1, one 4x2x18", and one 3x2x1), all will be used for housing snakes, with the exeption of the largest one which will be used for my redfoot tortie.

4 sheets of OSB @ $9/ea. ($36)
Pine 3"x1" and 2"x1"........($60)
Drywall screws 1 1/4" and 1 5/8".... ($3)
Carpenters Glue......($8)
Twelve 5" plastic vents @ $1.99/ea...($27)

Total to date: $134

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/226cages.jpg">[

[Tim_Cranwill]

Looks like a great project. Kepp us updated with lots of pics! :D

[Grant vg]

Good job linds! im amazed at how many cages you could built with that little of money! :D

[Invictus]

Isn't the OSB a little rough for the snakes? Not to mention, it's far from being waterproof. What would you seal / coat it with?

[Linds]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Invictus,
The OSB I have isn't at all rough. No wood is water-resistant/proof either, as mentioned in the heading and throughout the post, this is only part one of the process, and what I have done so far ;) I wanted to use plastic but I don't have the necessary equipment or knowledge to work with it. They are going to be painted and epoxied (urethanes won't seal it enough for me, I need it to be able to hold water pretty much).

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

linds build me some, i like them and the price looks great too.

u planning on coating them or painted?

glass or plexi after?

keep me posted

cya

[Invictus]

Sounds good, Linds. Be sure to keep us posted with the progress! I was thinking of using OSB myself, because it is so amazingly cheap.

[pandorasBox]

can you explain the process of having an enclosure painted and epoxied so it could almost contain water. i no it really wont be holding water and i know how to paint, but i am doing alot of research on the best way to finish an enclosure and if you can put a finish that can hypotheticly hold water that sounds like a damn good way to finish off

[Edwin]

pandorasBox, one way to make wood 100% waterproof and actually hold water is to use fiberglass, but it is a very messy, arduous process.

[Invictus]

Countertop laminate is an expensive (but potentially VERY attractive!) alternative to fiberglass. Shower enclosure can also be used, and that's definitely 100% waterproof, assuming you use aquarium silicone in all of the joints.

[pandorasBox]

i went to home depot to take a look at that shower stuff and you can only buy it in huge amounts i think it was 8' or more and it was fairly expensive as well is there somewhere else to get it. thanks

[Invictus]

Home Depot is way more expensive than Rona. I'd suggest there if you have any in your area. Yes, it's only available in 4' x 8' sheets though. I'm also looking into laminate flooring, which I've been told is even cheaper yet. I'll get back to ya on that. :)

[Linds]

Really my enclosures only need to be sealed with epoxy resin, the paint is purely for asthetic reasons (the stamps and increment markers on the OSB just doesn't do it for me :p). I am using an oil-based housepaint for this purpose. Apologies I cannot go into detail about how to apply the epoxy resin, as Edwin mentioned it is a very messy, difficult job requiring level of skill. I have no experience working with it, so I am getting someone else to do that part for me ;)

[Auddi01]

are you talking about epoxy paint?

[damzookeeper]

wow, linds, they are looking great!! Can't wait to see the next set of pics. :)

[Linds]

Updated pic...

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/22paintedcages1.jpg">


damzookeeper,
Thanks! :)

Austin,
I've never heard of epoxy paint? The stuff my enclosures will be sealed in is the same stuff boats are made out of... I'm not too informed on the application or its makeup, but I know it is either 2 or 3 parts that have to be combined and applied and takes a few weeks to fully cure afterwards. Once cured it is completely waterproof and hard as a rock :)

[Matt_K]

they're looking great Linds!! Cant wait to see the finished product!! :)

[damzookeeper]

looks like you've been working real hard. I hope those snakes appriciate all the hard work you put in for them. :) I'm sure they will. They are looking great! Can't wait to see the final pics.

[Auddi01]

thx, what is the stuff you seal it with?

[Linds]

Thanks for the kind words! :)

Austin,
Not exactly sure what you are asking? I already stated everything I know about the stuff my enclosures will be sealed in. Are you asking what people usually use to seal that is in the form of a paint? If thats it, often people seal their wood with many coats of a waterbased polyurethane finish. You can also use melamine paints etc, but oil-based sealants stink (they continue to offgas for years Ive heard), and take a while to cure as well, so recoating takes a while. Some people use a combination of both, putting the waterbased sealant overtop, but I have also heard that it isn't totally effective of covering up the smell. All of these only make wood moisture-resistant, not waterproof.

[alex_33]

Very Nice! One question: how are you putting the glass/plexiglass in?

[Linds]

Thanks! I will be attaching the plexi to the front with hinges and securing them with drop down bolts, similar to the doors on the boaphile cages. I figured this would be a lot neater and leave me with much more space to work in than if I were to build doors with frames :)

[Auddi01]

thanks

[lakeridgekennel]

how are you going to heat that. with tape or lamp or what I am uilding something like that and I cant find out how to heat the think

[lakeridgekennel]

how long do you have to let it sit

[Bryce Masuk]

linds
epoxy paint is a 2 part paint like the glue its 100% waterproof its used for wooden fish tanks quite often. it leaches no chemicals ever.... people raise discus and coral in wooden tanks and have no problems its thick and wont come off unless scratched off and its hardwork but's fairly expensive about $100 a gallon if I rember right
your cages look good I need to build a bunch for my existing animals so I can get everything organized for the future animals....

edited to add

It also drys quickly but its just like regular paint other then its needs to be mixed
Another alternitive is polyurathane based truckbed liner like ryno liner its non toxic durable and only about 50 bucks a gallon It might be too rough for snakes though but people use it in wood fish tanks