 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | | Online Users: 146 | | 83 members and 63 guests | | $N@K3$, ad, azza74, becca, beeman, bella07, bfg23, boconnor, Br3ndo, bump73, Bung-Eye, caustichumor, chappo, Cheyne_Jones, CHONDROS, Chrisreptile, Colletts, Danny.Boy, darkangel, Dave94, Didgeman, Dodie, dogger_009, dragon lady, Drazzy, emily84, falconboy, Forensick, gillsy, GreatSage, hodges, imported_Varanus, insectovor, itbites, jasontini, jessb, Jonno from ERD, lukeb210, Maestro, MAIA77, mckellar007, mick19, Minka, Mooseman, moreliainsanity, MrBredli, mthomas11, mysnakesau, No-two, norris, owcurat, Pking, pomzx, q2cdis, redcentrerodents, richardsc, rockdragon, Sdaji, sharyn, shnakey, slivers, snake101, snakeman112, snapon, solar 17, spud1, swampie, sydneytradingco, tempest, tenille89, thechong, Timmo, Veredus, vinspa, VixenBabe, vs380kw, wack_zach, wokka, wood_nymph | |  | 
29-Mar-08, 05:54 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Sth Brisbane Gender:  | | | Fibreglass hide/rocks made. Advice needed! Pics incl.
Hi, Ive finished making some modelled fibreglass rock/hide prototypes, and hoping someone can help. These are only smallish (300mm x 300mm) pieces, and I eventually want to cut and join a couple for a hide, and then make a couple of rocks etc. Im building my first enclosure in prep for my first python.
- Anyone here had experience with new f/glass? Is there a certain time needed to let most of the styrenes 'burn off'?
- Does the f/glass give off odours offensive/dangerous to a python, especially with 30deg+ temps?
- Any other suggestions and advice welcomed!
Here's a few pics of the rough product. They havent been trimmed of excess etc, and still need final painting for a realistic finish (and the photographer is pretty rough too...  )   
cheers, Toon |
29-Mar-08, 05:55 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Sydney Age/Gender: 14 | | | | wow there nice rocks
they would be great as hides
well done |
29-Mar-08, 05:59 PM
|  | Invert nut Subscriber | Join Date: Oct-05 Location: QLD Gender: | | | | wow they look great, any chance you could give us a step by step on how you did it?
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29-Mar-08, 06:17 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Apr-07 Location: 3rd rock from the sun Gender: | | | well done they look awesome.Look forward to seeing your 1st python and setup |
29-Mar-08, 07:57 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Sth Brisbane Gender: | | | Cheers for the replies. Hornet, I'm happy to try and do a step-by-step. I'll try to get something up tomorrow afternoon. You'll need a bit of gear tho'. I see you are in Qld? The first link is this; http://www.aafibreglass.com/retail.html
They are based in Brisbane and are great people to deal with. Cool with selling small amounts of product to hackers like me, as they are to major companies. Ive made the moulds for these rocks so I guess I have a head start. Im happy to help out with the moulds for people in Brisbane (ie I'll help with moulds/glassing etc in return for me picking your brain regarding pythons/enclosures )
If anyone outside of SE Qld is interested I can put up a guide to building this stuff here. I still need advice regarding fibreglass/styrene dangers toward herps (if any).
cheers, toon |
29-Mar-08, 08:14 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Jul-07 Location: Eastern subs Melbourne Gender: | | | | I might be wrong on this and I am interested to see what people think but I suspect people can only guess about any adverse effects of these compounds on reptiles. I mean, how many studies of the effects of styrenes on snakes have been done? I have been using pond paint to seal enclosure furniture as I figure if it is safe for fish and turtles etc it is probably non toxic for snakes. I know enclosures are heated and I would be a little bit anxious about putting some plastics right under a heat light for example. But one would expect if you let the furniture "cure", particularly if you seal it with a water based paint, and if a similar material is believed safe for fish, it should be OK.
Interested though, as I like fibreglass and have been thinking of building some stuff like that for my snakes too.
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God shmod, I want my monkey boy! |
29-Mar-08, 08:17 PM
|  | Llama Juice On Toast Subscriber | Join Date: Mar-08 Location: Adelaide Gender:  | | | oooh i like it make me one
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29-Mar-08, 08:20 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Oct-07 Location: Eastern seaboard Age/Gender: 35 | | | | Hi yes Resin does let off odours as it is a petrochemical.It needs to be baked for a while.What i did,if you have access to a spray booth(for cars)they will bake the cars well above 60 deg's.I put each item in a plastic bag so it wouldnt get overspray on them and left them in there for a week or so.Otherwise just leave it outside in the weather for a couple of weeks.
Cheers MatE |
29-Mar-08, 08:57 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Sth Brisbane Gender: | | | | Thanks MatE, Ive got access to a drying room that runs at 70deg. I'll do that and cure them plus open air for a bit.
I'll do a step-by-step tomorrow on making them for those that are interested anyway.
Thanks to all that replied
Toon | |
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