# Tools for making an enclosure?



## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

Hi, 

I'm finding it quite difficult to source an enclosure for my yearling stimmie in Cairns, and sadly, it costs way too much to ship enclosures from elsewhere. So I'm thinking I might need to make one myself. 

Frankly, I'm not sure where to start. I have no knowledge of cabinetry (although I believe there are places that will cut the material for you) and have very few tools. Can you DIY experts please tell me what tools I will need to make a robust enclosure? Hopefully without spending a fortune?

And while I'm here, what is rebating and what do I need to do it?

Thanks.


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## Red-Ink (Dec 20, 2011)

A drill, a jig saw and a circular saw... pretty much can build any enclosure with that.


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## Pilchy (Dec 20, 2011)

+ a tape measure and screws


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

What do you use the jig saw for, Red-Ink? Do you need it if you only want to cut straight edges?


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## Red-Ink (Dec 20, 2011)

Renenet said:


> What do you use the jig saw for, Red-Ink? Do you need it if you only want to cut straight edges?



Vents... you could get by without one and make circular sink strainer vents instead with a circular cutter. But if you want square vents a jig saw comes in handy.


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## Trouble (Dec 20, 2011)

+ 1 to what those two have said lol. Oh and liquid nails to help with bonding (don't just rely on the screws) and glue  staple gun maybe, too!


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## AirCooled (Dec 20, 2011)

If you work out all your measurements,the hardware where you get your timber might cut the correct lengths for a small price


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## J-A-X (Dec 20, 2011)

all of the above power tools

and a tape measure ....... measure twice cut once. 

a nice sharp pencil, 

and most of all patience


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

Red-Ink said:


> Vents... you could get by without one and make circular sink strainer vents instead with a circular cutter. But if you want square vents a jig saw comes in handy.



I was wondering how you got the vents in the walls.


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## imported_Varanus (Dec 20, 2011)

A drill and drill set with a hole saw attachment; always good to drill holes for your screws (avoids splitting wood) and a hole saw attachment ($25 from Bunnings) for vents as stated above. Bunnings can cut wood to your desired sizes, but a cabinet maker will do a much better job (5mm saws from Bunnings compared to 1mm from a cabinet maker), then just screw and glue. Bunnings will cut for a few bucks, but a good cabinet maker will charge around $50- well worth it in the end though, when all your panels fit precisely!


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## maddog-1979 (Dec 20, 2011)

i have a drill and a jigsaw......and crossed fingers that the bunnings guy cuts everything straight.....stoopid bunnings guys


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

Thanks for everyone's input. 

So if I get the cabinet maker to cut the panels, do I need to bother with any of these power tools other than a drill? I'd rather not spend hundreds on tools to begin with, although I might in future.

Living in Cairns, I also need to think about good ventilation. I'm not sure I'll get enough of it with a small circular vent. Can the cabinet maker cut the vents?

Do these tools work equally well on HMR melamine and wood?


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## Red-Ink (Dec 20, 2011)

Bunnings enclosure cuts.... good

















Cabinet maker cuts.... perfect


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

Oh, those cabinet maker ones look good, Red-Ink! I'm definitely going to a cabinet maker. 

What material did you use there? And I love the metal frame and the castors.


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Dec 20, 2011)

It would be cheapest and easiest to buy an old tv cabinet from ebay or a secondhand and put sliding glass on the front, almost no tools at all, just glue and screwdrivers. If you need more specific advice give me a pm


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

Just_Plain_Nuts said:


> It would be cheapest and easiest to buy an old tv cabinet from ebay or a secondhand and put sliding glass on the front, almost no tools at all, just glue and screwdrivers. If you need more specific advice give me a pm



Thanks, Ben, much appreciated.

I did think about a cabinet, and it's still on the cards, but I'm having trouble finding one. They don't seem to sell TV cabinets on eBay in Cairns, and there wasn't much on Gumtree last time I looked. There's also the Cairns Post Exchange, a printed booklet that has the odd cheap cabinet in it, but there are no pictures.


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## J-A-X (Dec 20, 2011)

*palm slaps forehead*

I almost forgot the most important thing you need when building your own enclosure ! ! ! 

Bandaids......... ROFL...


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## Renenet (Dec 20, 2011)

I was putting bits back on my bicycle a couple of days ago and gashed my palm on a crappy tool. If I make this enclosure, I will make sure I have an entire box of band-aids handy.


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## black_headed_mon (Dec 20, 2011)

don't forget your hands lol


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## graffix (Dec 21, 2011)

All you need is a case of beer.

Being male I sent my better half down to the kitchen makers just before quitting time with a slab and get her to ask if she can go through their off cuts to make a cage for her (imaginary) son. It also helps that she is blonde. She aced it by asking how you cut this stuff and the classic "how do you make it all stick together?" The guys actually cut it to size for her.

I knew I kept her around for something


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## Dmnted (Dec 21, 2011)

I found with making mine that laminated waterproof MDF worked much better than melamine. Melamine tended to "chip" even with a brand new fine tooth circular saw blade.
You can't get Waterproof MDF from bunnings but mitre 10 usually has it in stock (in various colours too).
You can also buy rolls of edging which you can iron on for a perfect finish.
There is an edge trimmer too which makes the finish look perfect.
If you have a look through my posts, last year I sold a few so you can see what the end product looks like.
Apart from that, ditto for eveything, everybody else has mentioned.


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## wokka (Dec 21, 2011)

An alternative is to get the local kitchen maker to do the lot !


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## smeejason (Dec 21, 2011)

Get melamine cut to exact size at bunnings and while you are there get a sheet of pegboard cut for back.best ventilation you can get. Then you will just need drill and screws.


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## BigWillieStyles (Dec 21, 2011)

The electrical wiring part is the tricky stuff. I designed my enclosures with top opening mesh doors to place dome lights on which meant I didnt have to muck around with wiring it up. Also with the mesh top, I didnt need to have vents cut out.



Deadpan said:


> If you work out all your measurements,the hardware where you get your timber might cut the correct lengths for a small price



They always do it wrong though. It depends on the quality of an enclosure you want in the end. I recommend getting a professional cabinet maker to cut them as they have proper equipment. Even being out by a few mill can make the enclosure look wonky. 



Dmnted said:


> I found with making mine that laminated waterproof MDF worked much better than melamine. Melamine tended to "chip" even with a brand new fine tooth circular saw blade.



If you do end up working with MDF, wear a face mask as it can cause cancer if the dust is inhaled.


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## Renenet (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks everyone. I will have to work out a good design. A mesh top is a good idea, but I want mine to be stackable - I plan to get more snakes eventually! But good point about the wiring. I will try to think of something non-hazardous. 

Peg board is a great idea for ventilation. I've seen an enclosure like that in an SXR info sheet. I will have to dig out that out again and check it out. 

I've had stuff cut by Bunnings before. It was fine for what I wanted, but the pieces weren't accurate enough for something like this. If it looks wonky, it'll annoy me. A cabinet maker would be the go this time, and if they can do they entire thing for a decent price, I might consider it. But I do like a little DIY, so I don't actually mind putting the thing together myself.

Now, does anyone know a good cabinet maker in Cairns, preferably on the north side?


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## Waterrat (Dec 21, 2011)

If you only need one enclosure, the tools, etc., will cost you more than a ready-made enclosure. Have a look at the Cairns Ultimate Aquariums on Hoare St, Manunda. They have a few there.
Also, you don't need any wiring / heating in Cairns (as you obviously can feel. lol)


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## viridis (Dec 21, 2011)

I reckon you should ask Waterrat to make you one ...........When it comes to cages I have seen some rippers in my time but Waterrat's display cages are better then any zoo exhibit that I have seen.


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## Renenet (Dec 21, 2011)

Waterrat said:


> Also, you don't need any wiring / heating in Cairns (as you obviously can feel. lol)



Oooh, yeah, although it has been cooler over the past few days. It seems to be warming up again today.

Thanks for the tip about the place in Manunda. I will check them out. I've been to a few petshops and found only enclosures with the usual petshop prices. That's one reason I'm considering making my own. The other is that I plan to get more snakes in future.


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## 53ERX (Dec 21, 2011)

graffix said:


> All you need is a case of beer.
> 
> Being male I sent my better half down to the kitchen makers just before quitting time with a slab and get her to ask if she can go through their off cuts to make a cage for her (imaginary) son. It also helps that she is blonde. She aced it by asking how you cut this stuff and the classic "how do you make it all stick together?" The guys actually cut it to size for her.


Quoted for truth!



> I found with making mine that laminated waterproof MDF worked much better than melamine. Melamine tended to "chip" even with a brand new fine tooth circular saw blade.
> You can't get Waterproof MDF from bunnings but mitre 10 usually has it in stock (in various colours too).


Have worked at a cabinetmaker for 7 years and have never heard of 'waterproof' MDF. Think you've been taken for a ride there. Moisture Resistant yes, but not waterproof. And I'd bet my left nut it's not laminated either. It would be melamine as well, but because the MDF substrate is more consistent you get less chipping. Especially compared to cheap imported crappy particleboard anyway. Aussie stuff is better (and has far less formaldehyde).
There is a waterproof product called Nycell that is slightly similar to MDF, where the substrate is actually a high density foam. But it only comes in white and costs 5 times as much as white moisture resistant particleboard.

Renenet: Kilfoy Cabinets should be able to help you out, but they're in Portsmith. They have good software and a weeke CNC machine so if you convince them it's worth the time (maybe there's a gap in the market in cairns?) they might put in a little effort and set it up with mortice & tenon and pre-drilled construction holes for you. Then it's just a matter of assembling the flat-pack.

edit: Also found when designing mine, that to keep costs down it was easier to rebate a piece of glass in a hinged frame door than buying sliding tracks and glass drilled for locks. One large door also allowed easier access to the whole enclosure for cleaning etc.


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## Waterrat (Dec 21, 2011)

Nick, thanks for the compliments but don't particularly enjoy making cages, I only do it when I have to.

Reneret, here is a simple enclosure, maybe if you take the plan and pics to some cabinet maker, it should be a breeze. I made it out of plywood and the vents are from Bunnings.

It looks like I can't attach word files here, I'll email you the plans.


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## Renenet (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks, Michael. Much appreciated.



Waterrat said:


> Nick, thanks for the compliments but don't particularly enjoy making cages, I only do it when I have to.



I certainly wouldn't expect you to make one for me. In any case, you've been helpful enough already.


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## Red-Ink (Dec 21, 2011)

Renenet said:


> Thanks, Michael. Much appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> I certainly wouldn't expect you to make one for me. In any case, you've been helpful enough already.



Can't hurt to ask.... he seems to be very partial to red wine so that might grease the wheels abit


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## Waterrat (Dec 21, 2011)

Red-Ink said:


> Can't hurt to ask.... he seems to be very partial to red wine so that might grease the wheels abit




Ha,ha,ha .... better go and buy a top quality professionally made enclosure. It'll be much cheaper that bribing me with wine. LOL


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## Renenet (Dec 21, 2011)

Waterrat said:


> Ha,ha,ha .... better go and buy a top quality professionally made enclosure. It'll be much cheaper that bribing me with wine. LOL



I was pretty sure the price in vino would be extremely steep.


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## Renenet (Jan 18, 2012)

Waterrat said:


> If you only need one enclosure, the tools, etc., will cost you more than a ready-made enclosure. Have a look at the Cairns Ultimate Aquariums on Hoare St, Manunda. They have a few there.



They're not there anymore, unfortunately. I went on Monday to see what they had and they seem to have closed down. What a shame.


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## Tristan (Jan 18, 2012)

tools are easy to get i have been getting tools for birthday and xmas gifts i got a Makita orbital sander for my bday and a Makita Router for xmass last year


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