Tv Cabinet conversion.

[marcus0002]

Picking up this TV cabinet on Wednesday for $50

I'm going to make it into a 3 bay enclosure.
The sides for my black and gold jungle and my maccie, and the middle for my coastal. I will use the hole saw to cut a holes between the top and the bottom cupboards and drawers, which will act as hides.
I will hang these ceramic fittings, one in each bay in cages for heating, all hooked up to thermostats.

I will get runners and glass cut by a glazier to fit the middle bay. Latches and locks will be put on everything.

I have a couple of questions.
Do I need to paint it with sealant, or will the existing varnish be safe? I plan on using silicon to fill any gaps.
What do you guys think of my heating setup? These ceramic fitting are $9.20 each and the cages for them are $20 each. I was thinking of using screw in cable tidy plates to secure the cable to the roof and let the fitting hang down. Will this be safe or is there a better way?

Any other ideas are appreciated.

 

[marcus0002]

Shelf has been knocked out, and its been sanded and putty put in the gaps and holes. Will sand that once its dry and add some stain.

 

[ThatGuy]

Your jungle seems very happy supervising the construction of its new home

 

[marcus0002]

Your jungle seems very happy supervising the construction of its new home

The two big boys already have a 2m x2mx 0.5m enclosure in the garage. This one is being built to replace these 3.

 

[pinefamily]

In answer to one of your original questions, yes, you will need to seal the cabinet. Either use one of the pond sealers, or a water based stain.

 

[marcus0002]

In answer to one of your original questions, yes, you will need to seal the cabinet. Either use one of the pond sealers, or a water based stain.

Just brush it over the inside surfaces after I've siliconed the gaps?

 

[pinefamily]

Cabots CFP for floors is the product for something like this; a water-based clear coat. It's more expensive than pond sealer, but with the amount of area you have to cover, pond sealer will take forever, given the number of coats you will have to do.
The stain is not necessarily bad for the reptiles I think, but sealing it with one of these products helps protect the cabinet from their "business", or any spills.
Just follow the instructions on the tin.

 

[marcus0002]

Do I need to seal the whole thing or just the internals where the animals will be living?

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[pinefamily]

You only need to seal where there is a chance of "spillage" of any kind . The outside just treat as you would normally.

 

[marcus0002]

You only need to seal where there is a chance of "spillage" of any kind . The outside just treat as you would normally.

So just the floors of the internals and 100mm up the wall should be fine. Does it put out much fumes? Its in the kitchen and i have 4 snake enclosures a couple of meters away. That being said it is well ventilated with screen doors and a fan.

 

[marcus0002]

Would this spray on stuff be ok?

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[pinefamily]

No, it's always safer to use water-based products. The pond sealer is obviously ok, and the cabot's cfp floor is water based.

 

[marcus0002]

No, it's always safer to use water-based products. The pond sealer is obviously ok, and the cabot's cfp floor is water based.

No worries mate I ended up buying the water based cabots stuff.

 

[pinefamily]

Just floow the instructions, and you can't go wrong. I'd probably go a little higher than 100mm; never underestimate a python to make a mess, lol.

 

[marcus0002]

Just looking at now, I'll probably do the whole interior, shouldn't take that long.
Vents are going in and first coat of stain on where the shelf used to be.

 

[marcus0002]

Vents are in

 

[pinefamily]

Looking good mate.

 

[boxhead1990]

Nice Bredli

I usually but the light cages that has a batten holder already in there

Atleast it's solid and can't rock around in there when my niece runs around bumping into things lol

 

[marcus0002]

Had a delay. I ordered the wrong size light cages, 22cm x 16 cm when I should have got 120 x 16.

Edit. Just had an idea. Maybe instead of globes rig up three shelves with heat cord under them?

 

[marcus0002]

Quick update. Litter guards are in, waiting for filler to dry then I will apply stain.