Just Another Stupid Conversion (lots of pics)

[saximus]

This is my first attempt at one of these; all of my other enclosures are made from scratch. It is going to be for my albino Darwin so I wanted something a bit fancier that is all black to contrast with her colours. I cheated with the "paint" and went for pond sealer. It has small particles in it so it gives a really cool rough texture and it's the perfect mixture of gloss and matte for my taste. It also means I don't have to use another sealer afterwards to make it water/poo proof.
So here it is. I hope you guys like it.

Before I started mutilating it:

After a coat of paint and a litter dam:

Added the top basking shelf:

Added the lower basking shelf:

Shower drains make quite nice looking air vents:

A couple of coats of paint for the shelves and the front frame, installed the heat emitter and some glass tracks:

Some LED strip lighting all the way around the inside:

The (almost) finished product:

I just need to bribe a friend who works with glass to make me some doors and it will be done.

Total cost: about $250 including heat emitter and using scrap melamine and dowel I had from old projects.

 

[Dragonwolf]

Hey Saximus, I'm converting almost the exact piece of furniture atm. Mine is the taller version though (2100mm). I'm planning to leave it the woodgrain colour and to divide the lowest section for storage and a hiddy hole for my Bredli. What are you planning to us for heat?

 

[Red_LaCN]

That looks good! I never would have thought of the shower drain lol,it makes sense. I have a friend with a very similar TV cabinet which i want to do up for my own which i plan on getting February next year. The led light strips look great also,i dont know where i have seen them before in an enclosure but i was hunting some up just last week on ebay having a look.
Please post final pics when its all done and decorated inside?

 

[saximus]

@Dragonwolf the heat emitter screwed to the bottom of the top shelf (the thing with the red light) will heat the upper shelf and also provide basking heat for the lower shelf.

@Red_LaCN I don't think I'll be decorating it. I might put some fake vines around the uprights for the shelves but I want the snake to be the main attraction.

 

[Kam333]

This is my first attempt at one of these; all of my other enclosures are made from scratch. It is going to be for my albino Darwin so I wanted something a bit fancier that is all black to contrast with her colours. I cheated with the "paint" and went for pond sealer. It has small particles in it so it gives a really cool rough texture and it's the perfect mixture of gloss and matte for my taste. It also means I don't have to use another sealer afterwards to make it water/poo proof.
So here it is. I hope you guys like it.

Before I started mutilating it:

After a coat of paint and a litter dam:

Added the top basking shelf:

Added the lower basking shelf:

Shower drains make quite nice looking air vents:

A couple of coats of paint for the shelves and the front frame, installed the heat emitter and some glass tracks:

Some LED strip lighting all the way around the inside:

The (almost) finished product:

I just need to bribe a friend who works with glass to make me some doors and it will be done.

Total cost: about $250 including heat emitter and using scrap melamine and dowel I had from old projects.

Is there a dress code for this place?

 

[Dragonwolf]

I was curious about those heat emitters and am considering using one in the cabinet I'm converting. I'm also going to experiment with some halogen spots. For the doors I'm sourcing some 4mm thick perspex so I can have a full door without having to edge it (also I work with children so I don't want glass in case they lob something at it).
Thanks for posting this.... it's given me a bit of a push to get the project moving.

 

[Red-Ink]

Very nice Dan... I'll hit you up for some LED tips when I get off my but and start building my new ones.

 

[damian83]

Is there a dress code for this place?

Scales no footware required,occasional furry corpse

 

[Shotta]

niice enclosure!
Love the paintwork did you have to do anything special to get the texture like that?

 

[jaylikesbeef]

Great pics and ideas mate! Don't quite get the topic of the thread though :lol:

 

[saximus]

niice enclosure!
Love the paintwork did you have to do anything special to get the texture like that?

Thanks
The pond sealer I used actually has small granules of something (I'm assuming sand) so it just dries with that texture. Otherwise I would just mix a handful of sand into whatever paint you're using and you'd get the same effect.

Great pics and ideas mate! Don't quite get the topic of the thread though :lol:

I was just taking the piss out of myself because there are a million threads about people doing conversions like this

 

[Shotta]

Thanks
The pond sealer I used actually has small granules of something (I'm assuming sand) so it just dries with that texture. Otherwise I would just mix a handful of sand into whatever paint you're using and you'd get the same effect.



I was just taking the piss out of myself because there are a million threads about people doing conversions like this

oh cooly cool 8) will remember that
be sure to put some pics of it up when it has its inhabitants

 

[pretzels]

i was going to buy pretty much the same unit for my conversion! i will also be cheating and using the pond sealer paint haha. looks awesome! feel free to come and do mine for me!!!

 

[saximus]

Haha you're a little far away for me to do it for you
Feel free to message me if you want any tips though. First tip is the internal angles are 135° so if you want to make things fit neatly you'll need to get your protractor out

 

[pretzels]

ahhh does that mean i have to use maths!!! maybe ill just leave it up to my brother....heheh. i ended up getting a different unit its a rectangle shape so not as many crap angles! altho i have thought about going back and getting the other unit...i dont want to share with my brother hahahaha.
nsw..your totally just next door!

 

[53ERX]

You are on the other hand, just next door to me
Interested to see it with the albino and the UV (or are they just blue?) LEDs.
Might have to go TV cabinet shopping soon, and snake shopping so I have something to fill it with.

 

[REPTILIAN-KMAN]

SAX looks like the first nite club for REPTLIES !!!

is it BYO or on tap

 

[Virides]

When you get around to getting the glass panels, you will need some fancy finger grips to go with your fancy enclosure - Virides - Stylish Enclosure Enhancements or to take advantage of the LED lighting down the sides, the clear acrylic finger grips will highlight well - Virides - Stylish Enclosure Enhancements. To see an example of this - http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...3823_143337902372519_1009246_1910981707_n.jpg

 

[imported_Varanus]

Nice one, Sax! Like the shelf idea and positioning of the heat pad, well thought out.

 

[Dragonwolf]

The finger grips look good Virides, I don't suppose you do nice hinges too?