I need a 4x2 How to.

[K1LOS]

Hello everyone. Does anybody have a good guide on how to make a standard 4x2 cage with the litter damn's and sliding glass doors or flip down doors? Any help finding one would be great. Thanks

Geoff

[proud2bcanadian]

Although this has no pictures, it tells you a good method as to how to build it.
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25282&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Here's one with pictures.
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29858

Use 5/8" melamine for what you're building.
1/2" will sag and will crack when you drill it, and 3/4" will be way too heavy.

Use 1.5" Particle Board screws.
They cost a few bucks more than wood screws, but you won't need to drill pilot holes (saves a TON of time).

I would use 1/4" glass (just plate glass, not tempered) because if you go any smaller, it's likely to break, and if you go any bigger it'll be quite heavy.
If you went with plexiglass, it'll sag over time, and expand/contract with the heat.
You can find 1/4" glass track at your local Home Depot for less than $10 for 4'.

Otherwise, for a 4'x2' enclosure, I'd have about 6-8 screws on the back of the cage, and 4-6 on the sides/back. Build the enclosure so that the top panel rests on the back and side panels, and the back and side panels rest on the bottom panel. It'll help distribute the weight of the wood.

If you need any more help, feel free to email me at DavidLiles@rogers.com

HTH,

[redtails]

Good ideas, but I'd go with waterproofed plywood cuz it's stronger IME. Also use liquid nails/caulk around the seams to hold in heat & moisture.

[dannyc]

Here's one I built a couple of years ago. Pretty much like Proud2b said but I used 3/16 acrylic for the front and attached aluminum frame to make it more ridgid. Regular screen door hooks on top and both sides.
I have corns so I used lights at the top for warmth and heat. 1 low wattage for light and 1 high wattage for main heat.

Some species require more humidity so lights might not be the best choice.

http://home.att.net/~dannycarwile/Enclosure2.jpg

[K1LOS]

how do you recommend waterproofing the plywood though?

[dannyc]

It's not plywood it's melamine. It has a coating on it that makes it water resistant. I've had mine over 2 years and no problems.

Some recommend sealing the joints. I didn't do this. I have corns so there is no excessive moisture in the enclosure. I drilled 3-4 rows of 3/16 holes at the top, on the side I was planning on using as the cool side and 2-3 rows on the bottom of the cool side. 1 more row at the top as hot air rises.

This should make an air current moving clockwise drawing air in the bottom right, moving toward the warm side and rising then exiting out the upper right.


Keep the questions coming. I'll be glad to answer what I can. I hope others will contribute to this thread. I find it fun to build my own stuff. It may seem like work at the time but the satisfaction of a finished, diy project, is a great reward.

[K1LOS]

sorry Danny, my last post was directed RedTails. He mentioned sealing plywood instead.

I have worked with melamine before, when making a chameleon cage. I must say it was kind of a pain in the arse. Especially trying to get that damn edging on.

I couldn't agree with you more about building your own cages. So much more satisfying. And typically more functional as well, seeing as you made it to meet your own needs. I have had a hankering to get building for some time now. All my animals are in aquariums at the moment, and it just wastes time and space. Ideally i want to have an assortment of 4x2's and 2x2's (2 per layer) stacked to the ceiling.

1 4x2 for the boa
1 4x2 for the beardies
1 2x2 for the leos
1 2x2 for babies / new arrivals
1 4x2 for some yet to be aquired tortoises...

I can have all that in 1 4x2 footprint as opposed to a room full of aquariums.

Geoff

[dannyc]

What edging? I found it fairly easy to work with but the pre-drilling and counter sinking is time consuming. One of the guys here mentioned a way around it.

I would make them all 4x2 and then have removable deviders for larger animals.

[K1LOS]

The dividers are a good idea. I think i might do that, keeps my options open.

You never tried that edging stuff? It's a sort of tape that you buy, that matches the colour of the melamine that you use to put along the cut edges, so you can't see the exposed wood. I don't have a heatgun though, which is supposed to make teh application easier.

I haven't decided what to build my cages out of yet. Either white melamine (match my chameleon cage, and another white cage i have), black melamine ( i think would look the best ), or 2 good side plywood (i'm guessing cheaper, but i'd have to seal it, probably last longer).

K!LOS

[redtails]

You waterproof it with deck-sealant like thompson's water proofing. It's like $20-40 for a gallon and will work for dozens of cages. It puts a polyurethane coat on it, so it's like plastic wrapping your wood, moisture just beads up and won't sink in. I personally don't like melamine because it's particleboard which cracks and warps easily, but with the plastic coating it comes already waterproof and keeps the heat in pretty well.

[Herp Whisperer]

Good advice here, the only suggestion I would make is lexan instead of glass or plexi. Plexi scratches and fogs easily, and if glass gets broken it's dangerous to your critters (and you, I suppose), plus, lexan is very strong (it is used in aircraft windows and canopies- something I know a bit about) and you can use a thinner piece of lexan than either of the others, saving a great deal of weight without sacrificing strength.

Good luck with the project- be sure to post pics!

JJ

[K1LOS]

can you put that deck-sealant stuff on top of paint? or does it have various colours available?

what type of plywood do you use? 2 good sides? Any idea what a 4x8 of that costs?

JJ: where do you get these sheets of lexan though? What thickness do you recommend?

I think my project is going to be a bit of a ways off yet, for financial reasons. But my boa could use his new cage now. He has pretty much out grown his tank now. Perhaps i'll start with one for him, and then build the rest later when the fund are available.

K!LOS

[dannyc]

Lexan is what they make bullet proof glass out of. I am very familiar with it. Motorcycle windshields are made of it also. I used acrylic for my front. It wont cratch unless you use something really rough on it. 3/16 is a little flexable and that's why I used the aluminum as a frame to make it more rigid.

[redtails]

You can put in over the paint, but make sure it says clear on it cuz mine had stain already in it. On ply, I use 5/8"(16.59) or 3/4"(19.79), or this stuff I saw at HD called Arauro plywood? that's $17.78 for a sheet that's 1/2" but looks really strong. Those quotes were from my looking for materials for an 8'x3' cage housing 100lb snakes so you could go half the thickness on any of those to stay cheap and light.

And how much is lexan? I use acrylic normally and it isn't too expensive and I'm afraid lexan is, but I'm looking to keep some huge rock pythons IN there cages without having 1" plastic or so.

[K1LOS]

what thickness of glass do you use? I see proud2bcanadian uses 1/4", you all agree?
acrylic?
lexan?

How much do you overlap the too panes for the sliding doors? I was thinking about an inch.

I have heard that the glass track is only available in 3/4" and not 5/8", any truth to that? I'm not even sure where i'm gonna find the glass track, HD doesn't carry it out here.

K!LOS

[redtails]

Try a glass specialty store, if they don't have it they know where to get it. 1/4" should be fine for your cage.

[dannyc]

1/4" sounds about right for glass. I use 3/16 acrylic but made a frame of aluminum to make it rigid. 3/16 is pretty flexible and criters may squeeze through if you don't have it pretty tight.

[proud2bcanadian]

I usually overlap by at least one inch. What I do is if I'm making a 4' enclosure, I buy 2' long glass, and then that gives me 5/8" extra on each side thus making the overlap 1.25".

Also, in regards to the edge-banding tape. It isn't as time consuming as one may think. What I do is I apply it with an iron set to the same temperature that you would use for cotton, after applying it, I trim off any excess pieces with a knife.

[K1LOS]

well i think i will forget all about that edge-band stuff this time around. I don't thing it looks that bad with out it anyways.

2' long 1/4" glass sounds good to me. Do you know about the glass track though? I have been told it is only available in 3/4" not in 5/8" ? Other than that, i think the last thing i need to know is where do you buy your vents?

Geoff

[proud2bcanadian]

I buy my vents at Rona. They're usually in the Roofing section.
For the glass track, check with Home Depot to see if they can get it in (if they don't already). It's usually in the Hardware department. It's made by Stanley. Otherwise, go to a local glass shop, and ask them what they have available for their customers.

Otherwise, I would add that edge-banding tape. It costs maybe $3 and it makes it look a heck of a lot better. It's very easy to apply, and it'll also keep most moisture from seeping into the particle board core of the melamine.