building enclosures

Derrick · 02-13-04, 06:11 PM

well all my snakes are comming due for thier permanant adult enclosures so I've been doing alot of thinking. I want to go with plywood or hardwood and I've been thinking about how to finish the insides.

I was thinking about buying sheets of thin plastic or the stuff they use for counter tops(can you get this in sheets minus the wood?). I figured i could attach it with silicon to the inside of the enclosure. Any thoughts on how it would work out in the long term? I'll probably try one any way but would apreciate any thought tip or suggestion.

thx
Derrick

mykee · 02-13-04, 06:36 PM

You want to attach plastic to the sides of the plywood? You just described melamine!

beth wallbank · 02-13-04, 06:42 PM

You have just described Arborite it sounds like, and yes, Revy, Homedepot, or any of the larger hardware stores sell it by the sheet. Usually available in the same sizes as plywood or melemine. It can be glued easily to most woods, and I would suggest you caulk the edges to stop water seepage. When cutting the arborite though, use a melemine blade or score it with a really sharp edge or it breaks easily or splinters.

Derrick · 02-13-04, 08:00 PM

thx beth I couldnt think of the name of it no I wont look like a ****** trying to explain it to them. My intention was to seal it at the edges. Your comments also gave me another idea. not sure how it would work out but I could laminate the arborite on to the plywood before I cut it up. Not sure how the melamine blade will handle the plywood though.

mykee its like melamine but better. Its more durable, the over all cage will be lighter, I can get it in all sort of cool patterns. The laminite on melamine is not mush better than contact paper.

Jeff_Favelle · 02-13-04, 08:20 PM

I'd just paint it. Sand it super smoooooth and paint it with food-grade acrylic. Less work and it'll be bullet-proof. I'm a firm believer of not MAKING work for myself when I don't have to. Building cages is fun and all but.........

beth wallbank · 02-13-04, 09:05 PM

lol Jeff.......I have learned to love to cut many corners too. As for cutting the plywood and arborite together, you can get a melemine blade. Its specially designed for cutting melemine and arborites without wrecking it.

guapote's gape · 02-13-04, 09:26 PM

I've built many very large aquarium over the years, (present largest tank is 700 gallons 8'x4'x3'), out of plywood. I a firm believer of some of the new 2 part epoxy's as a permanent finish. Once cured these products dependant on ther composition can be a hard shel similar to acrylic or somewhat elastic with some give to it to prevent seals from giving as the tanks swell and bow with water pressure.
Once cage is constructed and ready for paint first coat is applied using a brush for cutting in then a solvent stable roller for the walls etc.. usually I put 3-4 coats per tank but remember my coal is a giant aqaurium containing water. I plan to use this same stuff for the snake cages I'm building this spring.
The current epoxy product I'm using is called 'inner seal'. is is a food grade low VOC product that has te agricultural seal fr North America. Any further questions about this product feel free to drop me a line or PM.
Guapote

Derrick · 02-13-04, 10:18 PM

ya Jeff I was thinking about painting it but this idea came out of the blue while I was driving around at work. I will probably end up painting it as aborite isnt really suitable to apply to plywood as plywood expand quite a bit less than the aborite. As far as the amount of work goes I only have 5 enclosures to build, I don't by my snakes by the dozen...yet

.

I'm definatly going with a 2 part epoxy. I do have a couple of questions Guapote. Who manufactures "inner seal"? Wheres the best place to get it? What do you do for prep work? (ya said PM but I'm sure some others would apreciate the info as well)

thx Derrick

Jeff_Favelle · 02-14-04, 05:03 AM

I have some 2-part epoxy. Got it from a connection with the Vancouver Aquarium, heh heh. The list price for it is $110US per gallon! And you need TWO gallons, because you need "part A" and "part B" (the catalyst).

Crazy. I only use it in extreme circumstancs, and just stick to my food grade stuff ($24/gallon) for most everything else.

Jeff Hathaway · 02-14-04, 09:44 AM

I have used System 3 two part epoxy for years for waterfall/ pond construction with great results. Yes, it is pricey. I think I pay about $500 for a 6 gallon kit, but that goes a LONG way! You should be able to get it from boat building suppliers. Impregnating a layer of fibreglass cloth between the first and second coats creates tremendous strength if you need it.

Jeff's right though, it is a bit of overkill for the inside of a normal snake cage.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

Derrick · 02-14-04, 10:17 AM

Yes it may be overkill but I really dont have a ton of cages to build and would rather over do it than redo it.

Jeff H. by impregnating a layer of fibreglass could I go with even lighter plywood? What thickness would you recommend for 4-6x2x2 enclosures.

mykee · 02-14-04, 12:05 PM

Quote:

"Would rather overdo it than redo it."

Words to live by.

Jeff Hathaway · 02-15-04, 10:02 PM

No, I wouldn't count on the single layer of fibreglass cloth (I use 7 oz.) for much strength in the structural sense. It creates a stronger layer of epoxy that won't crack as easily if your cage flexes, the wood swells, etc.

Working with the epoxy and fibreglass takes some practice. You probably would want to try something smaller or less important to get a feel for it. Perhaps a small waterfall to go in a cage?

Jeff Hathaway

Derrick · 02-15-04, 10:50 PM

hehe yes a waterfall would be less important but more of a pain in the ***. I have done some boat repair with fiberglass...about 10 years ago and its holding

crazyboy · 02-16-04, 03:55 PM

does anyone know if you can use the two part epoxy made for coating garge floors.