Medusa's new lair

[melluvssnakes]

I put the shelf in before I put in the archways. I really wish I hadn't done that. It's making things really difficult now while I'm trying to cement the archways.

 

[J-A-X]

I did think of that when I saw the shelf, but it was too late for you to change it. It's a good learning curve though, next time you will look at the empty box and mentally do each step, and work through these sort of problems in your head. That's what I do now. Doing anything for the first time is trial and error and when you do your 100th one you'll make less mistakes, you'll never master this sort of thing if each 'setting' is different, cos they all present a different challenge, and that's where the fun is for me ( maybe I'm just nuts ) I love the whole problem solving challenge of it. I refuse to believe "it can't be done"

 

[melluvssnakes]

Nah Jax I'm pretty sure you're nuts if you attempt to do this kind of thing. But I've got the boyfriend helping me do the cementing now, so hopefully it'll go a little faster and we can put up some photos tomorrow

 

[Snakeluvver2]

I refuse to believe "it can't be done"

I like this!
Can't wait to see some photos

 

[melluvssnakes]

Yeh it should be good. Can't wait to get it out of the shed so that we've got some room to start building our new enclosures

 

[Tassie97]

Photos photos photos !!!

 

[J-A-X]

Yeh it should be good. Can't wait to get it out of the shed so that we've got some room to start building our new enclosures

LOL, spoken like a true herp addict, and it's not the first time I've been called 'nuts'. I'm going to attempt to get back int the shed this week. I'm totally free of the walking stick now, so I'll try some rehab of my own

 

[Tassie97]

yay
pics pics pics pics pics pics

 

[melluvssnakes]

I am so sick of this freaking project. It's taken me ages to get the cementing right, a can of expandafoam literally exploded inside the tank today, and I just realised that there is a one inch gap between the top of the background and the lid of the tank. Never using piano hinges again cause they make the lid sit up at the back.
Who's freaking idea was this again? Jax I'm partially blaming you for being so helpful and informative. Bad Jax!

 

[J-A-X]

I am so sick of this freaking project. It's taken me ages to get the cementing right, a can of expandafoam literally exploded inside the tank today, and I just realised that there is a one inch gap between the top of the background and the lid of the tank. Never using piano hinges again cause they make the lid sit up at the back.
Who's freaking idea was this again? Jax I'm partially blaming you for being so helpful and informative. Bad Jax!

I did say the first one is trial and error,
you can have all the theory in the world but until you get in and try it you only have a bucket load of theory (hence my signature ), it sounds like you have learnt heaps from doing this one, so the next one should be easy peasy *evil laugh*

Hints for future projects:
work out where vents, hinges, light cages etc are going before you start, and mask these areas off,
when doing these backgrounds, work from the 'back and come forward' - i dont mean literally, its a bit like painting - you start with the furthest thing from your eye, like hills, horizons etc and then slowly add detail closer to you (like shelves in this case )
Stick a picture of what you are trying to achieve close by, even if its just a rough pencil sketch, otherwise you get into the ''I will just add a little bit extra "

Most importantly, dont get bogged down in the finer details when you start it. If you worry about the fiddly detailed stuff in the beginning you are destined for disaster, and get frustrated with it. The finer detail is done in the final coat of paint/render that you do. No one is going to be examining it with a magnifying glass, all you are doing is creating an illusion of something.

Put your logical brain into gear, and your creative ones will follow.

You've come this far, dont stop now.

 

[melluvssnakes]

Oh no, I'm not giving up. I started this thing and I'm damn well going to fix it. It's just taken a lot more tears, temper tantrums and a wasted 5 kg bag of cement then I thought it would

 

[J-A-X]

Good for you ! ( you're not an Aries by any chances are you? You sound stubborn enough to be!)
How did you manage to waste 5 kg of cement?

 

[melluvssnakes]

Nope, pisces. The bag of cement was left next to the shed door, which wasn't shut properly. In case some of you haven't heard, Central Queensland has had a RIDICULOUS amount of rain, and my home town is about 30% underwater. Water plus cement mix equals one really pissed off snake owner...

 

[Pythons Rule]

LMAO funny...sorry but it is.

 

[J-A-X]

I suddenly have mental pics of cement boots PMSL. And I bet your birthday is in march! I'm a Pisces/Aries cusp, and you sound equally as stubborn as me !

I hope the rain backs off for ALL Q'landers shortly, although we should be seeing the water head to SA in the next month or two - we need it.
Stay safe Mel. Take a few deep breaths and keep going with the enclosure when you can or remember to take a snorkel into the shed with you

 

[melluvssnakes]

Yeh my birthday is the 20th of march. Right on the verge lol. Had a nice sunny day today, so I've gotten the last of the cementing done (yay) now just got to paint it and slop on some pondtite

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

I did think of that when I saw the shelf, but it was too late for you to change it. It's a good learning curve though, next time you will look at the empty box and mentally do each step, and work through these sort of problems in your head. That's what I do now. Doing anything for the first time is trial and error and when you do your 100th one you'll make less mistakes, you'll never master this sort of thing if each 'setting' is different, cos they all present a different challenge, and that's where the fun is for me ( maybe I'm just nuts ) I love the whole problem solving challenge of it. I refuse to believe "it can't be done"

I like your motto

---------- Post added 08-Jan-11 at 10:12 PM ----------

where's the pics??? And people wonder why we charge what we do for enclosures and backgrounds. The Aztec ones are killers.

 

[melluvssnakes]

I completely sympathise with you JPN

---------- Post added 09-Jan-11 at 08:33 PM ----------

Had to do a few touch ups with the cement tonight, but slapped some paint on and it's starting to look pretty good. Anyone know where I can get really cheap fake leaves and vines from to decorate the colums?

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

make sure you get good quality ones as they look much better. There are a few really good places here but its a bit far for you. If you get stuck we can send you some...

 

[J-A-X]

Try every shop you pass by, I found the ivy for my big enclosure (pics in my album) in our local $2 shop it was $12 and is 2 metres long and silk. Large craft/ homemaker shops like "spotlight" usually have a reasonable selection.
I do agree with JPN, there are some rubbish ones out there, but if you keep your eyes peeled you can find good ones at reasonable prices, I grab them when I see them cos they disappear quickly, and now have a nice little collection ready for future enclosures.