Another Furniture Conversion

[fourexes]

This is my first bit of reptile related furniture conversion. Found something I liked at a local Salvos, I'm a sucker for curved glass... It was made In 1955 On the downside if I ever break that glass I'll never replace it

Started out looking something like this:


Started out by panelling the basic insides. I thought this to be the cheapest easiest most attractive and easily cleanable solution I could come up with...

Then on with the feature wall..


To come out something like this...


Will be utilising a ceramic heater inside the cage with thermostat & thermometers panel mounted in the top fascia where the draw used to be. Obviously sliding glass doors in the front. The panels in the side I will cut access holes in but chose to keep as it will help retain heat in the main compartment with all that glass.

Open to any comments or suggestions!

 

[dedseayak]

Just a quick thing, If by chance you do break the glass, there is a company in Sydney that specializes in curved glass. (bentglass.com) I have had small dealings with them myself. There is hope if things go downhill and do get broken!

Otherwise, looks like a great cabinet and shall definitely be a one-off piece. Sounds like you pretty much have all bases covered!

 

[Nick-G]

Nice looking conversion! Where did you get your light cage?! pretty happy with my recent project used to be a tv cabinet but chopped the tv but off

 

[Twitch_80]

That curved glass is great.

 

[fourexes]

Thanks everyone.

The light cage was from a retail pet store and I still have trouble admitting to myself how much I paid for it :? But the bright side is (mind the pun) that being a metal fabricator I'll only need to buy the one! Now it's off to go buy a roll of mesh and some thin sheet....

That should prove pretty well insulated Nick!

I found out how hard it is to actually buy tracks for frameless glass doors today. Looks like I will be going with self made nylon sliders and glass sheet. Will post pictures when it comes together. In the meantime anyone got any good ideas for slider tracks?

 

[fourexes]

A few more updated pics: View attachment 257186
View attachment 257187Somebody, or something rather seems to like it so far....
View attachment 257188
I was a little worried about a 50watt ceramic bulb (CHE) being too small since I'm new to this but wanted to be on the safe side in case something went wrong with the ebay thermostat... One thing I've now learned is it takes a good few days for everything to regulate. Also next time, less glass. It just looses too much heat. This has turned out an awesome display cabinet but the next few will be alot more simple I think. Although I was impressed with how cheap the glass was.

Back to the point of CHE's...I decided that the 50watt is borderline and will do for now. If it gets much colder I might get a 60 or 75 and keep the 50 for summer. I have the heat pad from the click clack there once I finally convert him over.

Fear my sketchy woodwork: Decided to rethink my plans on the tile stand and will now do something in foam and render, now I know how easy and lightweight it is.

I used marine carpet in the outside compartments, still thinking of lining the middle with it but the kritters krumble will make a mess of it, and I do like the look of the krumble..... ahh.... decisions decisions....

It definitely needs some greenery to. I'm planning on having a 'feature' plant in the left hand side compartment. I have to do some reading as theres a few mixed opinions on live flora in the snake enclosures.

I was also leaning away from lighting due to power costs and ease of bulb changing etc but now I guess they wouldn't hurt to be there not turned on :lol: There are some pretty cool slimline flouros, led's & etc about these days.

 

[fourexes]

Progress



Almost finished, just have to get the floor temp up. I'm also going to get a second set of front glass doors cut so I can tint them with maximum heat rejection/good visibility film. Getting down to 16-15degrees ambient the last few days. The lowest I've measured in there at any point is 16degrees, considering he is only 5 months old I'm not quite happy with the temps and I blame it on the glass. He has a hide and basking spot at constant 32 with the 300x300tile under the heat emitter. The problem seems to be that the top half of the enclosure is at an awesome gradient of 25-32 in the middle section, 25 in the right hand side and ambient in the left, the bottom half however only seems to float a few degrees above ambient up to about 20 degrees at best.

The small fish tank I cut down and placed in the right hand side I plan on running when I set up a 'sump' type filter tank with heater above the enclosure, fed by powerhead from the bottom, gravity fed by overflow back down, sounds more elaborate than it will be 8)

Considering a heat mat or cord arrangement in the bottom of the midsection with thermostat set to 25degrees.

Thoughts?

 

[April451]

That's looking awesome!

 

[oOLaurenOo]

I like I like. Its looking fantastic!! No idea what your talking about with the tank...? lol. But Its really coming together. I see your issue with heating.... Big enclosure.. This is probably completely wrong but I'll just throw it out there anyway. My guestimation is either some kind of heat cord/mat on the floor OR some kind of fan or something (like a small computer fan, to circulate the air might work.... But I would go with heat cord. Only you will probably need another Thermostat to keep it at a slightly cooler temp then your basking area. Look forward to hearing how you sort it out!

 

[mudgudgeon]

I run a sump type filter for my EWDs, my sump is below the enclosure, I have a canister type filter that is being used as the pump, the problem I have is priming the pump, once water level in the sump drops below the level of the pump in my canister filter, the pump loses prime and won't suck water up to keep pumping. I will be changing to a pond pump mounted in the bottom of my sump.
Having your sump above your tank will present the same problem, most aquarium or pond pumps use an impellor (flat blades) to push water, they are ok at pushing water up to a higher level, but are no good at sucking water up from a low level. The pump needs to be at the bottom of the system.
Another thing to be wary of with the sump ay the top, if the pump stops, you need an air break in the line (hose must have an open end above water level, ie not continuous into the bottom of the sump) so that water doesn't drain back down to your tank and create a siphon, if you end up with a siphon, the sump could all drain down to the tank and flood your enclosure.
With my setup, the sump has enough spare capacity to hold any water that drains back once the pump is stopped.

My sump filter works brilliantly, but takes a bit if planning to get it working smoothly.

Do some experimenting outside to be sure it all works before you put it inside.

 

[Jande]

That looks great. The curved glass is definitely something different. And the whole cabinet has so much character. I'm definitely going to have to broaden my thinking box for old furniture from now on. Also, you've just given me a few ideas for those wooden table legs from Bunnings (I assume that's what the legs are under the tile?). Also, are the decorative handles the originals?

 

[fourexes]

I hadn't thought about the pump back feeding when stopped thanks mudgudgeon, easy fixed though as you say, just have the pump oulet into the top tank higher than the overflow. Might even think about using an airstone lift to eliminate the powerhead. Or I might just get a heated canister filter.

The fan was another idea thanks Lauren but I will probably just set up a heat mat running at 25degrees covering the entire bottom. I just have to work out the best way to do that with wood :?

And Jande the wooden legs were bannisters for staircase handrails. Unfortunately someone may have already changed the handles over as the thread in the back of one is bound up and they aren't solid brass still they look good.

Thanks for the appreciation & help people