Treg92
Active Member
Hey everyone, I am just a newbie, but i decided to build a decent sized tank for jungle who has outgrown his current one, and thaught i would share the progress with you, and ask for any advice you may have or helpful hints.
Anyway, i am an apprentice carpenter so by the time i get home from work it is virtually dark. I started work at about 7ish, and made the basic outside of the enclosure. it is 900mm wide by 1250mm high by 550 deep. i used just some left over particle board to build the top and sides, and a flooring sheet for the bottom (they tend to cope with moisture a lot better than standard particle board). as i said i am using leftover timber, as i am a lowly paid apprentice.
once the basic carcass was built, i but a back on. i actually used Masonite sheeting to keep the weight down, but am interested to see what happens in time to the foam background, as the Masonite has a fair bit of movement in it. one the backing was secured, it was time for the fun stuff to begin.
growing up i was a bit of a nerdy kid and was into that whole warhammer model stuff so i have decided to do a fake background, included in this background is a basking shelf up high. i am running a vertical thermal gradient rather than a horizontal as the cage is tall and narrow, as it has to fit in my room so my mum doesn't freak. anyway after a couple of hours with a hotwire cutter, a knife, a heatgun, expanda foam and three tubes of liquid nails, it was finished (leaving a considerable mess). It is a bit gappy, but a few layers of grout and texture paint hide a multitude of sins (from Experience). i have brought it in overnite and put it near the fire to dry (it is like 5 degrees outside), so hopefully i can start to grout tomorrow nite.
for heating, i have been reading a lot about DIY heat panels and thought that one of them on a thermostat would work well. i am also thinking of glass sliding doors on the front, need to get a price from a glazier tho.
anyway, i thought it was a productive evening
comments and constructive criticism are welcome (remember, this is a first attempt)
cheers
Josh
Anyway, i am an apprentice carpenter so by the time i get home from work it is virtually dark. I started work at about 7ish, and made the basic outside of the enclosure. it is 900mm wide by 1250mm high by 550 deep. i used just some left over particle board to build the top and sides, and a flooring sheet for the bottom (they tend to cope with moisture a lot better than standard particle board). as i said i am using leftover timber, as i am a lowly paid apprentice.
once the basic carcass was built, i but a back on. i actually used Masonite sheeting to keep the weight down, but am interested to see what happens in time to the foam background, as the Masonite has a fair bit of movement in it. one the backing was secured, it was time for the fun stuff to begin.
growing up i was a bit of a nerdy kid and was into that whole warhammer model stuff so i have decided to do a fake background, included in this background is a basking shelf up high. i am running a vertical thermal gradient rather than a horizontal as the cage is tall and narrow, as it has to fit in my room so my mum doesn't freak. anyway after a couple of hours with a hotwire cutter, a knife, a heatgun, expanda foam and three tubes of liquid nails, it was finished (leaving a considerable mess). It is a bit gappy, but a few layers of grout and texture paint hide a multitude of sins (from Experience). i have brought it in overnite and put it near the fire to dry (it is like 5 degrees outside), so hopefully i can start to grout tomorrow nite.
for heating, i have been reading a lot about DIY heat panels and thought that one of them on a thermostat would work well. i am also thinking of glass sliding doors on the front, need to get a price from a glazier tho.
anyway, i thought it was a productive evening
comments and constructive criticism are welcome (remember, this is a first attempt)
cheers
Josh