Need some advice !!!

[gardinator]

haha man thats some bad luck

 

[J-A-X]

No one told me their pee is like superglue when it dries, I could smell it, couldn't see much.... Didn't think to check the track PMSL

That's interesting, how does the top actually hold it? It just doesn't seem like it would work too me. Are you able to remove the glass while the tracks are in position.
Hope you don't take it the wrong way not having a go at you just very curious, it doesn't seem like you would be able to remove the glass.

you're right
Even the shallow track is deep enough to hold the glass and stop it being pushed out. Done properly the only way the glass can come out is if the snake pushes the entire front pane of glass up and out simultaneously even then it's got to lift it about 4mm to clear the track

 

[Monitor Madness]

Here is a link to another track system. If the glass is going to be as big as you say this would be easier to slide.
Virides - Stylish Enclosure Enhancements

 

[Jande]

Well it's glued in there and it's not coming off so too bad lol. The shallow track is about 5mm deep so it really shouldn't matter. The deeper track is about 7mm but harder to measure so overall the difference isn't huge. I can see how I managed to make the mistake to be honest. They looked pretty similar when I put both side by side. And yeah I can remove the glass just fine. I know you're not having a go lol. I'm starting to wonder if I should have taken the glazier's advice now though. But as I said, it's not causing a problem so I'm happy.

 

[thomasssss]

That's interesting, how does the top actually hold it? It just doesn't seem like it would work too me. Are you able to remove the glass while the tracks are in position.
Hope you don't take it the wrong way not having a go at you just very curious, it doesn't seem like you would be able to remove the glass.

your right mate i used to be a glazier and the deeper tracks go at the top and shallower at the bottom if the glass is the right size it will must push up into the top channel and clear the bottom tracks then drop back into place in the bottom tracks its the exact same setup as on a normal house window if the deeper tracks where at the bottom the glass wouldn't want to sit in the tracks

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Jande, you are quite wrong. The DEEPER track goes on top, the shallow one on the bottom, as womafan says. The glass is pushed up into the deeper track and over the bottom (lower) track. When it drops into the lower track, the glass is still held in place at the top because the top track has deeper retainers.

Don't use perspex or any other acrylic sheeting - it is very flexible and can allow escape, it scratches easily even with day-to-day cleaning, it's highly electrostatic so attracts dust as soon as it's cleaned, and it absorbs water - if the humidity varies on either side of the enclosure (inside & out) it can warp because the side which is exposed to the most humidity will bow outwards.

Shop around for glass - it can vary in price by as much as 200% depending on who you see - a smaller glazier is likely to have offcuts and do it cheaper just to get rid of them. Larger companies have a fixed price per sq m, and it's usually way higher than smaller suppliers.

Jamie

 

[browny]

In the attached thread explains where Bunnings stock them. I've bought them from there before. Post #6
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/diy-zone-5392/buy-runners-track-glass-doors-176206/

thank you, thank you, and finally thank you for that I missed that thread finally will be able to find it

 

[Virides]

We have a sliding glass track system which self-closes. Find out here: Virides - Stylish Enclosure Enhancements

Also has a large litter trap area so you don't have to clean out grit everyday, maybe once a year instead.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

If you want unobstructed view in, you can go a full plate front window, fixed and have a door on each side to get access. Glass for sliding panels (without frame) needs to be toughened glass, so you would have to order it exact size and have it delivered (sounds expensive) and the size you are talking would need to be 6mm thick. If you have fixed front glass, you could use laminated about 5mm-6mm which you can get cut for you while you wait at a glass shop. (and cheaper)
All just my opinion

 

[J-A-X]

Laminate is a minimum of 6.38mm thick. I use it on all my 'adult' tanks for any species likely to get over 2 metres long

 

[Skitzmixer]

Womafan I thought so too but the idea is to slot the glass into the deeper tracks then into the top. Apparently it also prevents the glass being pushed out of the bottom tracks by accident because they're deeper. I didn't think this would be an issue myself but I've done it the way they suggested and it worked fine. The top is only as a guide and the bottom are supporting the weight of the glass so I thought it made sense. No problems so far.

haha mine are around the other way :S but it seems to be ok

 

[gardinator]

If you want unobstructed view in, you can go a full plate front window, fixed and have a door on each side to get access. Glass for sliding panels (without frame) needs to be toughened glass, so you would have to order it exact size and have it delivered (sounds expensive) and the size you are talking would need to be 6mm thick. If you have fixed front glass, you could use laminated about 5mm-6mm which you can get cut for you while you wait at a glass shop. (and cheaper)
All just my opinion

ahh ok, i was thinking of putting a small border at the top and bottom anyways just so the glass wont be so massive was thinking about 200mm. thanks for the advice i wouldnt of known that it had to be toughened, how come you cant have laminated on sliding glass ?

 

[J-A-X]

Because laminate is a minimum 6.38mm thick and I haven't seen plastic track that will take anything thicker than 6mm and even that's pretty rare , most bunnings tracks will accept 5mm max

 

[Monitor Madness]

Crap, so you can't use normal glass on sliding doors it has to be toughened or laminated.
I need to get some glass and I was going to use normal glass and that was expensive enough

 

[Goth-Girl]

Hi,
Just had exactly the same problem. Couldn't find any runners in bunnings so ended up going to GlassTech here in Bundy and they fixed it all for me..Thats if you want Glass..Cloe..

 

[J-A-X]

Crap, so you can't use normal glass on sliding doors it has to be toughened or laminated.
I need to get some glass and I was going to use normal glass and that was expensive enough

You can if it's for a small python ( under 1 metre ) but certainly wouldn't recommend it for anything larger and certainly not for the size of glass you're thinking of. As for cost, yes it's a killer. It's always the dearest part of any of my tanks

 

[Virides]

Crap, so you can't use normal glass on sliding doors it has to be toughened or laminated.
I need to get some glass and I was going to use normal glass and that was expensive enough

Normal glass is infact fine to use.

Toughened glass is great for impacts on the face but along the edge is where it is weakest and a sharp enough impact can cause it to shatter (so don't go slamming the panel).

Laminated glass has the potential to delaminate if in contact with water (high humidity also can cause a problem). The edge of the glass would need to be sealed.

 

[tonesanlainie]

If you are worried about the glass/perspex being lifted out of the plastic tracks then there is an easy fix. there are two tracks and I always have put finger slots in glass so I know whick side shuts. Anyhow the top track I screw in by drilling a hole in the glass channel. I use screws and washers to hold it in. I will refer to two galss pieces as being one for the left (run in say the front track) and one for the right (that runs in the back track). Now I put two screws about in the front track above where the left panel would fit, and two screws in the back track above where the right panel would fit. I use the washers so the the screw head is spaced down a little (usually one washer is fine). I then put the right panel into the back track from the left side. Slide it across and so now the screw heads prevent that panel from being lefted by the screws above it in the track. I do the same from the other track. In short to remove the glass you have to fully open a glass panel and it can be lifted upwards so that the bottom can then clear the track. But cannot be lifted high enough when it is closed due to screws. Perspex being so light is the main issue, glass usually has enough weight and is too difficult for an animal to lift a panel out. Cowdroy as part of their instructions (for the plastic tracks) tell you how to measure for your panels. Problems happen though when the opening is not square. Enjoy!

 

[gardinator]

so today i finally had a day off to go to bunnings and get the tracks, i went and had a look and yeh there too small for the thickness of the glass so i googled and found some other places that do these tracks i went to them and the minimum lengths they do are 3.5m and u have to buy both top and bottom separately which are around $60 each. i decided to head back to bunnings and suss out making my own tracks so i did and with great success. So i went and brought 4x 3m lengths of aluminum half tube tracks so its a "u" shape and i cut them down to size and clamped them together and drilled them into my enclosure the open size is 7mm so i will be able to get some nice thick glass to put in there. so much easier to just make it up myself instead of running around for there plastic tracks!

And the 4 pieces of aluminum only cost me $44 !