Working with acrylic: help me not die please?

[CamStLouis]

Hey folks,

Curious for your input regarding acrylic as a material. I've got a notion to make a 3' x 1.5' x 1.2' enclosure for my Cal King, and I have a line on a great supplier in town that will even cut the panels to size. The aesthetic I'm going for is as minimalist and invisible as possible. Question is, how should the bottom and walls be secured to one another? Does acrylic cement hold strongly enough that I'd be able to pick up the cage easily to clean it? Is there some kind of bracket system that people used successfully? If so, it'd be cool to be able to separate the panels for individual cleaning. Finally, are there any important safety considerations with regard to solvents/cleaners on acrylic?

Thanks very much! In return for the help I intend post plans and photos of the construction process if anyone wants to replicate the design.

[Klinger]

I'm no expert by any means, but good acrylic cement will definitely hold together. My LFS has two 900gal tanks made from it, and they are solid. The downside to acrylic is that it does scratch very easily, and you have to buff the scratches out, which can be a pain. Since you are not holding water in the tank, you could bolt the corners together(depending on the thickness of acrylic) or use aluminum angles to hold it together, but that will not help with your minimalist look. Best of luck to you!!!

[Jim Smith]

One thing that you want to be careful of is that acrylic scratches if you're not careful with how you clean it. Also, having all clear walls can make some snakes feel less secure than if they have solid colored walls. Just a thought...