Freckled Monitor Enclosure (1900 by 900 by 700)

[Snakeluvver2]

This is my latest D.I.Y project.

I'll purchaseing some new monitors soon, so I decided to make them something special.
It's a 1900mm H by 900mm W by 700mm D ply enclosure.
I'm using Wattyl Sola-guard (thanks Farma)
and flood lights for heating.
Next year when the hatchlings are bigger I will install a rock background, because I am dividing the enclosure into two seperate ones untill all three are bigger.

Painting it tonight, another coat tomorrow night, then screwing in the lights and getting some glass next week.

So far this has cost me $40.
I found all the wood
The screw cost $2
The Paint $30
and the lights $8

Glass should be cheap as well if I can source it well.

Being me, I didn't see if I could fit it through the door, but it should be right might have to move a few things though haha.

Also considering putting castor wheels on the bottom.

 

[rockstar_jones]

Looking good mate. Not sure what kind of glass layout you're going for, but single glass sliding doors will be a no good cause the weight from glass that tool wont slide on a conventional plastic track. Suggest putting in a strong cross member across the front and having 2 sliding doors bottom 2 up the top. Either that or getting glass frames made up on roller tracks (expensive) or swinging glass doors (expensive, but more engineering required for the ply box to support these, also front heavy at that height etc)

Would add something to bring the front lip up a bit too to keep your substrate and animals in etc when opening, and maybe one up the top to support the top panel as it looks as its starting to bow in that image (could hinder the opening of glass etc)

Would cut ya vents out before painting aswell from experience.

Looking good so far mate

Michael

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Yep yep on all those things
I plan to have a a thick strong wooden cross beam so I can have two glass sliding doors.
I will really need two doors because I'm dividing the enclosure into two for about a year till the Monitors get to size.

I've planned a 70mm lip down bottom to put in yet, just waiting on a new blade from my jig saw.

I'll put in the top beam too! I didn't even notice that.
Thanks heaps!

 

[rockstar_jones]

No worries, I Use the 19mmx45mm pine in lengths for my cross members for tall enclosures. I use this with 20mm aluminium C channel over one side to make it really rigid and firm. Pretty much cut the timber length to size, then measure and take 5 mm and cut the channel and then bash the crap out of it with a hammer until its jammed over the wood.

Just a tip incase you find it still not strong enough with just timber.

Michael

 

[Snakeluvver2]

Finally finished after a few months of procrastination, acted as a good storage unit too.
This will be the home of a breeding trio of Tristis.

 

[JordanG]

very nice

 

[Snakeluvver2]