hey guys im in the process of building a 5x3x3 enclosure for my columbian and its almost done except for the doors. i bought sheet plexiglass for the doors and im trying to figure out a way to cut it to size. i tried a circular saw which ended up shattering and cracking it and throwing off shards. any suggestions? the way i designed it a track door wouldnt be possible so i was shooting for a side entrance plexiglass door on hinges.
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enclosure doors
- Thread starter gotherps?
- Start date
- Messages
- 372
1-2 weeks is fine. Why were you cutting a hole in the plexiglass? Maybe there's a way around it.
shiftylarry said:1-2 weeks is fine. Why were you cutting a hole in the plexiglass? Maybe there's a way around it.
i don't think he/she was tryin to cut a hole in the plexi glass. because that is possible with a circular hole drill bit. i've done that many times
and cuttin plexi glass with a circular saw would crack and shatter it.
the best way is using a razor as lexi said, i've done that many times before too. but it depends on the thickness of the plexi glass too. the thicker it is, the harder and longer its gonna take.
- Messages
- 127
shiftylarry said:1-2 weeks is fine. Why were you cutting a hole in the plexiglass? Maybe there's a way around it.
It's actually pretty easy . Just score the plexi a few times then just snap it at the score line.
I have been a Glazier ( glass man ) for 25 years now . If you get Lexan next time you can cut it with a skilsaw.
ok thanks for all the suggestions. im just trying to cut a piece in half to fit the doors. i was unable to cut it with a razor blade either so so far ive just ended up wasting a bunch of plexiglass lol. im gonna try the scoring and breaking so hope that works :evil:
- Messages
- 127
Let us know how it works for you. You might want to practice on a scrap piece
haha i guess i didnt score it deep enough and it shattered right through the whole sheet. so i ran out and bought a new sheet and tried the circular saw again very carefully. it cut thro it but nicked the edge a bit but at this point i cant complain lol. now i just have to figure out how to hang the door on lol
- Messages
- 572
Check this out. measure the door size and post its measurements here. I'll tell you how to make a door. I like uploading front doors and they're easy to make. You just need some minis (1/2" x 1") planks. You build a flat box frame, then use a router do buzz out 1/2" from the outsides in the back of the frame. Then adhere (double side utility tape, gorilla glue, liquid nails, etc.) the glass into the space. Now you have a nice wood framed door with glass on the inside. Buy 2 Hinges and some 3/8" screws to sink em on each side of the door and enclosure, then get a butterfly hatch and sink it to the bottom with the 3/8" screws and into the door frame. Now you have a lockable upswing frontloaded door to your cage. Ta-dah! Lemme find my walkthrough and I'll post it. But first give credit Mike (Rehab Ralphy ) for the sizes and the idea. Respect Mike. Respect.
- Messages
- 572
Here it is
Alright guys I will have pictures for you later when the rain stops and I can build another one for you all to see, but until then I figured I would give you a quick one two on how to make a great cage.
Step One - Drive to home depot and buy an 8x4 sheet of 1/2 in MDF (medium density fiberboard). Now you could use any kind of wood you want as long as it's a half an inch thich. MDF is inexpensive and pretty sturdy. I used to make subwoofer car audio boxes with it and you can slam some serious pressure in it. If they don't have full sheets of mdf, they usually will have 4x2 sheets of it. That makes it a little more pricy, but it's not very expensive at all. (And if you're not experienced at cutting wood, it will save your butt big time.)
Step Two - You will need to cut your wood into the following sizes (borrowed sizes from RehabRalphy but cage build will be different).
(2) 4' x 2'
(2) 24" x 18"
(1) 47" x 18"
(2) 3" x 47"
Got that done? Alright onto the next part.
Step Three - MAKE SURE YOU PRE-DRILL ALL OF YOUR HOLES!! I can't stress this enough. If you don't pre-drill your holes, your wood will split and you will be headed back to the hardware store to buy some more wood. Buy 1 1/2 inch wood screws with a flat top. A box is about 5-7 dollars. Put the 4x2 on your saw horses or work bench flat. Put the 24"x18" pieces on TOP of the base you just put down on each end. Make sure that 4x2 is the bottom and that the sides (24"x18") are on top. Clamp them all together. 90degree angle clamps are an absolute must-have. I have 8, but you can never have too many. Pre-drill your holes, and sink those screws. Now you have a I______I shape. Put the top on, clamp it down, pre-drill and sink. Now you have..
________
I_______I
It's a box! Slide the 47"x18" into the back opening. Do not worry about using "too many" screws. Pre-drill holes on the top, on the bottom, and on the sides, but make sure your new screws don't run into the ones holding the sides on. Now you have a 5 sided box. Hot damn you are doing good.
Step Four - Slide in one of your 47"x3" pieces into the front along the bottom, it will form a 3" tall lip. Pre-drill and sink it. Flip the cage over, and add the other one. Now you have a large 47" x 12" rectanglular hole. You are seriously kicking butt now, a true carpenter!
Step Five - I should have told you to do this before but I forgot and I'm sure another trip to home depot won't kill you. You need a 10 foot long .5" (that's HALF AN INCH) x 1" (ONE INCH). These are relatively inexpensive and look like little "2x4"s like your house frame is made of. Also grab some of the Blackout Sun Screen (pick what ever screen you want, for ball pythons I recommend the black out. You won't be able to see very well inside the cage, but it makes the BPs very comfortable since they're nocturnal). You'll need some caulk. There's a million kinds, just get some clear. Now go to the lighting section and buy a single porcelain top-flush mount light fixture. You will recognize them as white, about 10 bucks, they just hold one light bulb. Oh and if you don't have a staple gun, get one and some staples. Next thing you need is two hinges, little hinges are cheap. Go to the screw department and get some 3/8 inch screws. (little ones will hold in the hinges without going through into your cage when you screw em in. Now get a clasp or lock. You'll need the same little screws to mount it. Buy a 7-10ft extension cord and an on and off line switch. Extension cord should look like the cords that your appliances use, not one of the big thick ones.
Step Six - Alright cut the .5"x1 into 46 3/4 and 7 3/4. That's a tough cut so if you want, you can ask the home depot people to cut it for you before you leave. Assemble it into a rectangle with the clamps you got earlier. Lay it on your workbench and realize that the 1/2 inch is going to align with your cage, so don't assemble it like a box, but like a thick rectangle. It should fit nicely in the rectangular opening of your cage. Woohoo! Almost done!
Step Seven - DON'T SCREW IN YOUR DOOR YET! Grab your caulk (LOL sorry had to laugh at that for a sec) and squeeze a thick bead on every corner of your cage. Go to bed you're done for the day. Let the caulk dry and the fumes to dissipate.
Step Eight - Good Morning! Grab the door you built and cut some screen and staple it to the door (WARNING, IF YOU DECIDE TO ALTER MY WALKTHROUGH AND USE A GLASS DOOR, YOU MUST CUT AIR VENTS IN THE SIDES OF YOUR CAGE! ANIMALS NEED THAT OXYGEN STUFF TOO!). Door's done. Screw your hinges, line it up, lock your clasp. Cage is done.
Step Nine - Screw the two mounting screws that came with the light fixture to the cage roof. Cut a 1/2" hole right above the fixture, cut the female end off of your extension cord, and strip it back connect the positive to the lead on the fixture, and the negative to the other lead on the fixture. With a knife separate the extension cord's plastic that holds the two shielded wires together. Don't cut the wire just separate about an inch and a half worth of space. Cut a clean cut through the positive side. Your on off line switch will come apart. Put the negative on the side that goes directly through. The positive will have a gap where each end you cut are separated by plastic. Screw the switch together. When the switch is turned on, it bridges the positive to positive, off, it separates them.
Step Ten - FINAL STEP, call wife of girlfriend from kitchen. Tell her to bring beer. Enjoy. You kicked ass today!
Alright guys I will have pictures for you later when the rain stops and I can build another one for you all to see, but until then I figured I would give you a quick one two on how to make a great cage.
Step One - Drive to home depot and buy an 8x4 sheet of 1/2 in MDF (medium density fiberboard). Now you could use any kind of wood you want as long as it's a half an inch thich. MDF is inexpensive and pretty sturdy. I used to make subwoofer car audio boxes with it and you can slam some serious pressure in it. If they don't have full sheets of mdf, they usually will have 4x2 sheets of it. That makes it a little more pricy, but it's not very expensive at all. (And if you're not experienced at cutting wood, it will save your butt big time.)
Step Two - You will need to cut your wood into the following sizes (borrowed sizes from RehabRalphy but cage build will be different).
(2) 4' x 2'
(2) 24" x 18"
(1) 47" x 18"
(2) 3" x 47"
Got that done? Alright onto the next part.
Step Three - MAKE SURE YOU PRE-DRILL ALL OF YOUR HOLES!! I can't stress this enough. If you don't pre-drill your holes, your wood will split and you will be headed back to the hardware store to buy some more wood. Buy 1 1/2 inch wood screws with a flat top. A box is about 5-7 dollars. Put the 4x2 on your saw horses or work bench flat. Put the 24"x18" pieces on TOP of the base you just put down on each end. Make sure that 4x2 is the bottom and that the sides (24"x18") are on top. Clamp them all together. 90degree angle clamps are an absolute must-have. I have 8, but you can never have too many. Pre-drill your holes, and sink those screws. Now you have a I______I shape. Put the top on, clamp it down, pre-drill and sink. Now you have..
________
I_______I
It's a box! Slide the 47"x18" into the back opening. Do not worry about using "too many" screws. Pre-drill holes on the top, on the bottom, and on the sides, but make sure your new screws don't run into the ones holding the sides on. Now you have a 5 sided box. Hot damn you are doing good.
Step Four - Slide in one of your 47"x3" pieces into the front along the bottom, it will form a 3" tall lip. Pre-drill and sink it. Flip the cage over, and add the other one. Now you have a large 47" x 12" rectanglular hole. You are seriously kicking butt now, a true carpenter!
Step Five - I should have told you to do this before but I forgot and I'm sure another trip to home depot won't kill you. You need a 10 foot long .5" (that's HALF AN INCH) x 1" (ONE INCH). These are relatively inexpensive and look like little "2x4"s like your house frame is made of. Also grab some of the Blackout Sun Screen (pick what ever screen you want, for ball pythons I recommend the black out. You won't be able to see very well inside the cage, but it makes the BPs very comfortable since they're nocturnal). You'll need some caulk. There's a million kinds, just get some clear. Now go to the lighting section and buy a single porcelain top-flush mount light fixture. You will recognize them as white, about 10 bucks, they just hold one light bulb. Oh and if you don't have a staple gun, get one and some staples. Next thing you need is two hinges, little hinges are cheap. Go to the screw department and get some 3/8 inch screws. (little ones will hold in the hinges without going through into your cage when you screw em in. Now get a clasp or lock. You'll need the same little screws to mount it. Buy a 7-10ft extension cord and an on and off line switch. Extension cord should look like the cords that your appliances use, not one of the big thick ones.
Step Six - Alright cut the .5"x1 into 46 3/4 and 7 3/4. That's a tough cut so if you want, you can ask the home depot people to cut it for you before you leave. Assemble it into a rectangle with the clamps you got earlier. Lay it on your workbench and realize that the 1/2 inch is going to align with your cage, so don't assemble it like a box, but like a thick rectangle. It should fit nicely in the rectangular opening of your cage. Woohoo! Almost done!
Step Seven - DON'T SCREW IN YOUR DOOR YET! Grab your caulk (LOL sorry had to laugh at that for a sec) and squeeze a thick bead on every corner of your cage. Go to bed you're done for the day. Let the caulk dry and the fumes to dissipate.
Step Eight - Good Morning! Grab the door you built and cut some screen and staple it to the door (WARNING, IF YOU DECIDE TO ALTER MY WALKTHROUGH AND USE A GLASS DOOR, YOU MUST CUT AIR VENTS IN THE SIDES OF YOUR CAGE! ANIMALS NEED THAT OXYGEN STUFF TOO!). Door's done. Screw your hinges, line it up, lock your clasp. Cage is done.
Step Nine - Screw the two mounting screws that came with the light fixture to the cage roof. Cut a 1/2" hole right above the fixture, cut the female end off of your extension cord, and strip it back connect the positive to the lead on the fixture, and the negative to the other lead on the fixture. With a knife separate the extension cord's plastic that holds the two shielded wires together. Don't cut the wire just separate about an inch and a half worth of space. Cut a clean cut through the positive side. Your on off line switch will come apart. Put the negative on the side that goes directly through. The positive will have a gap where each end you cut are separated by plastic. Screw the switch together. When the switch is turned on, it bridges the positive to positive, off, it separates them.
Step Ten - FINAL STEP, call wife of girlfriend from kitchen. Tell her to bring beer. Enjoy. You kicked ass today!
if you cant afford a plastics blade (80 tooth or 60 tooth will work) take the blade of the circular saw and put it on backwards. the inpact of a 32 tooth blade is to severe for the plex. but with the teeth backwards and a little bravery lol. you should get a decent cut. ive cut 1/4" lexan with this method a few times.
good luck
good luck
thanks alot aprilla, i did the door almost like you described. i was pretty suprised that i got the circular saw to cut thro the plexiglass altho i had to be very careful. i also used a drill bit to drill screw holes thro it to attach the plexi to the wood window frame. i will post pics soon, thanks for all the suggestions.
