Dryfit pics of my new enclosures

[Them and Us]

i didn't feel like waiting to finish them to show what i have. here are some pics of my enclosures that i threw together after i brought the melamine home. the guy cut the top and bottems about 1/8 inch too long but o biggie. he did the cuts for free so who am I to complain. I'm going to be making two plexiglass doors that fold out on hinges as I don't own a router to use glass tracks.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/532enclosure30002.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/532enclosure30003.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/532enclosure30001.jpg

[Grant vg]

U dont need to router to put tracks on, i would advise you to make a litter dam out of 3/4" melamine about 2 inches tall, then silicone the tracks onto there, thats if you are gonna go the sliding glass way. and you can do the same for the top, just put a 2" strip along the inside of the top and put the top track on there.
If you were to router the tracks into the melamine, (kinda like what i did with my first melamine enclosures) any feces and urine will seep into and under the tracks drip down to other enclosures and swell the edges of the wood. My enclosures are like 8 months old and look like crap!
I just built 7 new ones, by using the the litter dams on both top and bottom, siliconed the tracks (which is Sturdy as he!!) as well as siliconed the edge where the dam meets the bottom of the enclosure, so no water can seep through and damage the wood.
Plus using the dams minimizes amount of glass u need, which saves on cash!
and gives them better security cause its not all glass and open to the light.

If you are going to go with drop down hinged doors, How are you gonna protect feces and urine from seeping out once its released?
u cant eactly silicone the door, cause it wont open...lol
Either way you go, i definately reccomend a litter dam.

Good luck!

[Them and Us]

yes sir i was planning on putting a litter dam on the bottem of the left over melamine after the cuts. its 3/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inch high. the glass was going to swing out from the enclosure. i already have 100 % silicone to seal everything . thanks for the glass track idea. i think i get it. I'll have to read that over a few times. thanks grant.

[Quakezombie]

. i think i get it. I'll have to read that over a few times.


*Holds up hand* :D

I just went through the glass size problem in reverse (too short).
Second hand cage (idiot builder).

So i added a piece of trim across the top to which i attached the top "plastic track".

Check your local hardware/hobbiest store for it.

Also.. If a cage has the glass in it via using a router on top and bottom.Then wouldnt the glass have to go in at the same time the top (or bottom) was attached ?

As i was able to set the glass in the bottom track and slide the top in all epoxied up,viola finnito.
:)

Edit: Just saw this too
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8075

[krrc]

how stong is this melamine stuff and in what size sheets do they sell it in? will it hold a burm? (I need to make a new cage and I dont know what to make it out of)

[jason h]

they sell 4x8 ft sheets and yes i have burms and retics in melimine enclosures and a little hint the 3/4 is cheaper than the 5/8.LOL

[krrc]

ahhhh. :D

[Them and Us]

yes the 3/4 inch is cheaper than the 5/8 and if your real nice or catch them when they are bored at home depot they will make the cuts for free as the guy did for me.