# Their trash = hubby's treasure



## shea_and_ruby (Jul 6, 2011)

So, since getting our latest baby (18 month old Jungle called Ellie who is simply wonderful) my hubby has been keeping an eye on the 'trash' put out for council pick up. The other day he spotted an older cedar wardrobe about 5 1/2 foot high and 1 1/2 square. so its not massive, but will be a great first project. Since he got it he has sanded it all back, installed shelves, doors and vents. Plan is to have a heat light at the top for basking as well as a downlight off to the other side to get light to the bottom. So here are the pics so far: 



The first is the wardrobe pulled apart, the second is where the first door will be, and the second is fromt he font. Instead of glass he is using a high grade perspect - mainly because we have young kids and secondly it was free. So we will keep posting updates, and as it is our first attempt any suggestions or constructive criticisim is appreciated


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Jul 6, 2011)

oh how i wish i had a handy hubby!!! I have a tv unitperfect for converting but wouldnt know where to start! Can I borrow yours for a weekend? LOL!

It looks great.


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 6, 2011)

For the rock wall, hubby was going to make it out of styrofoam, gap filler, cover it with colour mortar and then pvc it to the back. is that how most people go about making their rockwalls?


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## cadwallader (Jul 6, 2011)

sounds good to me keep us updated exact same style cupboard i have my eye one

just have to watch the weight mortar gets very heavy so when sticking it maybe use something a bit stronger then pva


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## Vixen (Jul 6, 2011)

Just a warning: I used a high quality perspex on a few of my bigger enclosures, and it has significantly clouded over since they were installed about 2 years ago. It is still see through but not very nice looking at all - they are not in any direct sunlight and never been cleaned with anything harsh.

Cool find though!


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## 1woma (Jul 6, 2011)

great find... i agree with vixen though... perspex will age were glass wont. There r some great rockwall threads on here some with step buy step pics, its pretty easy though..... i spent ages looking at pictures that way you get a great idea in your head... it makes it easier to actually make. Its addictive though ... i havent finished my second one and im eyeing off a new cabinet on gumtree already lol... and i have no grown up snakes to put in them yet


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 6, 2011)

Thanks for the perspex tips - apparently its lexon or something, no idea what that is lol. worst case scenario we can just take it out and replace it with glass or new perspex. 

Re the motar - thats what i was thinking as well. will have to see how big it turns out. otherwise nail and pvc it to the back wall i guess. 

hubby is already lining up all the other materials needed so this project will be done by next week i am guessing. my parents have an old chest of drawers they are looking to throw out so i guess that will be the next one for our bredli. i can see how this becomes addictive and i'm not even the one doing it!


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## cadwallader (Jul 6, 2011)

lol yer you cant stop at one and it gets better every time(hopefully anyway)


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## PilbaraPythons (Jul 6, 2011)

Good on your partner for uitilising someone elses junk.
This nay surprise you but a few weeks ago somebody was charged for theft by the police taking stuff that was left out as rubbish for council collection as once it is left out on the road side, it becomes councils property. Crazy situation I know, but this really happened.


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 6, 2011)

actually I have heard of that before now i think of it. it happens here all the time as i always see the same guys going through trash piles with their truck. i guess if any one should get nabbed it should be them!


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## 1woma (Jul 6, 2011)

I heard that too.... our council make you keep it in your yard, they collect it from there. You would think the council would think of it as one less thing to dispose of


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## J-A-X (Jul 6, 2011)

cadwallader said:


> sounds good to me keep us updated exact same style cupboard i have my eye one
> 
> just have to watch the weight mortar gets very heavy so when sticking it maybe use something a bit stronger then pva


 
Liquid nails seems to be the preferred choice it's worked for me so far.


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## Firedrake (Jul 7, 2011)

Na cause if the council picks it up and it's in good nick they can probably sell it but if everyone takes the good stuff they can't make any money off it...just a thought


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 8, 2011)

*vines and another cabinet*

ok, so we now have the foam in and sorted. most of it is on the backwall with a few pieces on the side. he has also put mesh on the side in order for the render to stick.

went to bunnings today and the woman there told us that if we were to use normal cement render then it would take about 3 weeks before we could paint, so we have gone with acrylic render which apparently should be right to paint after a few days.

So tonight is rendering. we are mixing it with a chocolate brown dye and also some pvc, so hopefully should work out, fingers crossed!

The first pic is of it on the side with the back of it looking at us. The second pic is of it looking from the bottom up. There are two vents on the bottom and one up the top which isn't pictured. there are two main shelves. hope that makes sense! 

for some reason there are extra pics posted in here, so here is their story: So hubby rendered last night. we added a chocolate brown to the mix and it has turned out a bit lighter than hoped but once all the detail get added it should be fine. Have to wait until tuesdayish now before detail can be added, so in the meantime i think we are going to give the outside a few coats of varnish. 

The first image is the top section, there is a vent at the top (which will be to open and closed) as well as the fitting for the heat lamp. Second is the middle, not as exciting, and the last is the bottom has another vent and a door to the left, and we will be putting the kritter kribble stuff down the bottom. So still a way to go, but getting there slowly...





ok, so we now have the foam in and sorted. most of it is on the backwall with a few pieces on the side. he has also put mesh on the side in order for the render to stick.

went to bunnings today and the woman there told us that if we were to use normal cement render then it would take about 3 weeks before we could paint, so we have gone with acrylic render which apparently should be right to paint after a few days.

So tonight is rendering. we are mixing it with a chocolate brown dye and also some pvc, so hopefully should work out, fingers crossed!

The first pic is of it on the side with the back of it looking at us. The second pic is of it looking from the bottom up. There are two vents on the bottom and one up the top which isn't pictured. there are two main shelves. hope that makes sense! 

for some reason there are extra pics posted in here, so here is their story: So hubby rendered last night. we added a chocolate brown to the mix and it has turned out a bit lighter than hoped but once all the detail get added it should be fine. Have to wait until tuesdayish now before detail can be added, so in the meantime i think we are going to give the outside a few coats of varnish. 

The first image is the top section, there is a vent at the top (which will be to open and closed) as well as the fitting for the heat lamp. Second is the middle, not as exciting, and the last is the bottom has another vent and a door to the left, and we will be putting the kritter kribble stuff down the bottom. So still a way to go, but getting there slowly...





So after seeing the thread that trench did about making your own vines, hubby decided to give it ago. he got two different types of plastic tubing and wound them around each other, mixed brown oxide with silastic and made some pretty decent looking ones! he made two which are about two meters in length, so will cut to size when its time to put them in. The close up pic kinda looks like a dog turd, but looks great in real life. 

have been checking out ebay for the past few nights and came across a 1200 x1200x 700 pine tv unit, picked it up just then and only paid $20! so that will be our bredli enclosure after we have finished this one for our
jungle.


.


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 12, 2011)

So not too sure what it going on up above with pics and posts, but will try again! So the render came out lighter than we hoped, so hubby mixed in some browm oxide into the pondtite and gave it a good coat. worked out really well. this morning we have been adding little bits of details and now that is dry hubby is now doing another pondtite coat. we bought all the plants yesterday - about $35 worth but they are good quality - so once the pondtite has dried we are going to silastic them in probably tomorrow. Should be done be the end of the week!


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## J-A-X (Jul 12, 2011)

That's looking great !


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 12, 2011)

getting there slowly, will be looking better tomorrow once the plants and perspexs is up


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## Jeannine (Jul 12, 2011)

*oh man

if i promise to cook them good meals, provide them with beer and keep them away from lose women would someone send me their hubby/tools so i can get some DIY done please?

not only do we NOT have the tools but neither hubby nor i am fit enough to do it either :cry:*


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 12, 2011)

my hubby is a tradie, so he loves getting in and doing a job like this!


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Jul 12, 2011)

shea_and_ruby said:


> my hubby is a tradie, so he loves getting in and doing a job like this!


 You are so lucky. Mine cant even change a light bulb...


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## 1woma (Jul 13, 2011)

newtolovingsnake said:


> You are so lucky. Mine cant even change a light bulb...



LMAO- my hubby cant even change a tap washer, i always joke that iu'll make someone a good husband oneday


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

how many coats of render did you do? from the pics it looks like its on there pretty thick. normally its a couple of thinner coats and gradually build it up.

for all the girls lamenting they dont have a diy partner, it is possible to make an entire enclosure with a drill and screwdriver and some silicone if you get pieces cut at the hardware store, and a handsaw to cut the glass track. furniture conversions require the addition of a sander if you're planning on restoring a badly worn piece. None of these tools are hard to use. sneak out in the shed and have a go. you will surprise yourself. despite what most fellas will have you believe, there isn't a mysterious gene that they have that makes then 'know' how to use these things. Lots of the major hardware outlets have 'ladies' nights so go ahead, sign up. LOL


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 13, 2011)

he did one thick coat and used mesh as well as the foam to secure it. i told him to do more but he is sure it will be fine. worst case he will just have to redo it!


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

the trouble is if its too thick it will dry unevenly and theres a risk of cracking. hence the logic behind thinner coats, thin dries quicker and more evenly. render is designed to be used on masonary/cement sheeting which helps draw the moisture out (so its drying from both sides) when we put it on foam it can only dry from one side. 
Keep an eye out for cracking. If hubby has never done anything like this before, he has rushed into it and i'm not sure how it will hold up, but like you say, worse case, he will have to rip it all out and start again.


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 13, 2011)

yeah thanks for that. he's just a bit impatient! we'll see how it goes i guess.

So hubby is now just adding the perspex to the front and adding the cornering stuff. we had added all the plants inside and wil be adding the heat lights and lighting very shortly! pics will be up within hours of finished project!

yeah thanks for that. he's just a bit impatient! we'll see how it goes i guess.

So hubby is now just adding the perspex to the front and adding the cornering stuff. we had added all the plants inside and wil be adding the heat lights and lighting very shortly! pics will be up within hours of finished project!

Finally in and all done. Seems as though Ellie loves her new tank! have a hide at the top (which also serves as a basking spot) and one in the middle and one on the floor. We have used kritter cribble for the bottom. First shot is of the top (thermometre will be removed when thermostat gets here tomorrow), the second is of the bottom half, and third is Ellie checking it all out. 

So here is the finished product:


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

I really hate sounding like the party pooper BUT you should run it empty for a couple of weeks to make sure all fumes are clear. If the heat is too close to paint or sealer it could give off some pretty lethal fumes. set it up as if occupied Including water bowl, hides etc turn on the heat and lights, set up a thermometer where the snake will be basking and regularly check the temps for a couple of weeks. Enclosures should always have a " dry run" where the will be place. Any temperature readings you got in the shed will be different in the house. Better safe than sorry. 

Lecture over: it does look fantastic!


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 13, 2011)

No thanks for that. We just popped her in to check for escape holes and see what she thought. We have started keeping an eye on the temps inside and haven't done it in the shed at all. 

glad you like it, we do


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

i'm happier now i've heard that. I'd hate your next thread to be "Ellie died... why" and half your luck not having to do it in the shed, i dont know what the temps are in sydney but its eskimo weather over here... I've even stopped going to the shed so things are on a go slow until the weekend. work sux and gets in the way A LOT...


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 13, 2011)

hubby had the heaters set up in the shed for when he was working on it, but when he finished it up today we moved it in and set all the heating up. looks like the heating is a goer. he's made covers for all of the vents, so if it gets too cold will put the cover over the vent at the top. basking spot gets about 33 and mid way down about 20.


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

i'd aim a little higher with the temp on the basking spot, maybe another smaller branch so she can get a little closer to the heat if she wants to, or even use the light as a different temp zone and put something a little higher there, it doesnt matter (in my opinion) what the temp of the rest of the enclosure is, she will find where she's comfortable, and having a vertical tank means that if you keep the bottom at whatever the room temp is then she should be fine in the odd heatwaves. blocking upper vents in winter is a great idea, just leave a tiny bit open for air flow. 

what wattage globes are you using ?


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## shea_and_ruby (Jul 13, 2011)

well it was a 75w we had in today and it was hitting 33 - 35 and it was only 8 degrees here! so will check it out again tomorrow when it will (hopefully!) be a bit warmer. i reckon i must be part reptile as i despies the cold!


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## J-A-X (Jul 13, 2011)

8c LOL that's cooler than it was here. 35 would be what I'd aim for. Leave the temp probe there even when you get your thermostat If it's a min max thermometer it will give you an idea of how cold it will get when the 'stat cuts off,


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