Converting 5 x 2 x 2 on cupboard into a vertical encl

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Just after some thoughts on this, as I'm not really a handyman (well, woman).

I have a 5 x 2 x 2 enclosure that sits on a matching cupboard, and seeing as my MD likes to climb, I was wondering if I could convert the whole lot into a taller enclosure by using the cupboard space as well?

The cupboard has 3 normal doors, inside each door is a shelf and a vertical divider.
I think it's melamine covered with wood grain ?

Anyway, is it possible/worth it to try and do this?

How would I go about it? I'm thinking cut a rectangle through the floor of the enclosure and in through the cupboard roof, remove the shelf...and then I'm stuck as to what to do with the doors, do I leave them as is and just add a lock (sliding bolt)?

Feel free to throw any ideas around

Pic to come, just uploading

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Anyone?

 

[Darwin]

What you could do is make a hole in the bottom of the enclosure around 90mm or so and turn a the bottom into a build in hide or something. you are only limited to your imagination. you could put sliding glass doors on and make it a massive enclosure. I like having a spot to store things under my enclosure so maybe keep one door as a cupboard and go to town on the rest.

 

[Snapped]

I was thinking of making it just the 2 cupboards as well, I guess I'd need a jigsaw or something to cut a hole in the bottom...I have no idea how I'd turn the remaining two cupboard doors into glass sliding doors though, maybe it would be easier if I could put glass panels into the existing doors? Or perspex? And then put bolt locks on each...hmmm, lots to think about.

 

[bigjoediver]

To cut a hole through the floor of your enclosure drill a small diameter 2 or 3 mm hole straight down whilst they are together, this will ensure the hole will line up. Go to your local hardware store and get a 90 mm hole saw, tape over where the cut will be to minimize chipping of the melamine and drill the enclosure and cupboard separately. As for the doors unless you own a router it's a bit hard to install glass neatly as you need to cut your openings then make a rebate with a router. Your best bet would be to go to a local small kitchen factory and ask them to do it for you and then just get glass cut to size and silicon it into place. Don't forget to seal any exposed MDF with a smear of silicon. Hope this helped.

 

[Snapped]

Thats great, thanks for your help.

I don't have a router, so for now, I'm going to leave the cupboard doors as is, but might organise the glass later on if I can source a local place to cut the doors and get the glass.

With the hole saw, can you get them larger? I want to be able to put a branch from the bottom to the top.

 

[bigjoediver]

Biggest is about 120mm but you can get adjustable ones that go to 150mm by memory but as they go into a power drill the big ones are a bit of a handful. What you can do is do 2x 90mm or 3x90mm in a row or triangle and "join" them using a jigsaw for a bigger hole.

 

[Snapped]

Okay, that sounds feasible, so cutting out a rectangle hole with a jigsaw would be hard? Or if I wanted to open up half the floor of the enclosure?

 

[bigjoediver]

It can be challenging to cut a straight line with a jig saw, it all depends on how skilled and or confident you are with its use. You need to drill a hole in each corner of your rectangle and cut an a straight line between each. It helps if you have a straight edge to guide the base plate along. The holes only need to be a little larger than the width of the blade.

 

[Snapped]

Ah, righto then, I've never used one, so I would have no idea how to use it. The hole saw idea is looking to be more suited.