# Neds Chateau De Serpent



## NTNed (May 15, 2012)

Hi All,
Just thought I'd share the Snake Enclosure I built. Having a few mates with Herps I sort of took the best ideas out of their cages and built my own. Gotta say it was a huge learning curve for me and while it was designed in a pub and built in a shed, a lot was done on the run as I soon worked out not everything I thought would work did.

It measures 1800H X 1200W X 600D. Only wanting to buy Hatchies and yearlings and growing them to monsters myself is my plan so:

I wanted to build something modular, something I could change the internals around in to make room as needed as the critters grow. What I finished up with an enclosure that is divided into 6 sections of 600 X 600 X 600. Each floor and centre divider piece is removable so I can adjust the size to suit the size of the critter. So the inside could be, 2 enclosures at 1200H X 600W X 600D and one at 600H X 1200W x 600D, basically fitting two Aboreals and a Terrestial. 2 Carpets and a Woma for example. At the moment my girls are about 12 months and about 6 months so no worries until I get the urge to get more (feed the addiction), then I'll build another one. I learnt quite a lot building this one, so the small mistakes I made will be fixed.

Things I learnt:
1. While construction grade Ply and Pine seem like a cheaper option at the time, the amount of prep work for the desired finish is not worth the saving. I think I would spent what I saved on sandpaper, that and my poor makita sander makes some wild noises now.
2. Never use oil based Stains and Sealers, they take too long to dry (in the Darwin Wet season they do) and leave a toxic smell for weeks. Hence the work lights doing some extra drying time for about a month. Water based next time.
3. Don't build a wooden enclosure in the Wet season with pouring rain outside and 100% humidity. If I wasn't in a rush initially I wouldn't have.

And I learnt a bit about improving the aesthetics as well. I reckon it's pretty good and the critters agree.

Now I just need to follow some of the hide ideas for some beautification, not that they use them now. The Jungle spends her time up on her shelf and the Albino Darwin spends her time coiled up on her fake vine.

Cheers,

Ned.


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## CaptainRatbag (May 15, 2012)

Looks pretty good 

It might not be as perfect as you wanted it to look..... but it sure is very functional 

Now you just need to fill it with snakes :lol:

Well done


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## Skitzmixer (May 15, 2012)

I think it looks fantastic! I cant even cut in a straight line so for me to pull anything like that off would be a miracle! Just a quick question regarding number 1 in the things you've learnt. What would you use insted of those items?



NTNed said:


> 1. While construction grade Ply and Pine seem like a cheaper option at the time, the amount of prep work for the desired finish is not worth the saving. I think I would spent what I saved on sandpaper, that and my poor makita sander makes some wild noises now.


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## smithson (May 15, 2012)

Mate that looks the goods 
good job bud!


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## CrystalMoon (May 15, 2012)

That is very impressive, that is a beautiful work


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## spinner_collis (May 15, 2012)

Skitzmixer said:


> I think it looks fantastic! I cant even cut in a straight line so for me to pull anything like that off would be a miracle! Just a quick question regarding number 1 in the things you've learnt. What would you use insted of those items?



Dressed pine panels would be the best bet for something like this. As he said construction ply is cheap but very rough and takes some rubbing to get to a nice texture.


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## mad_at_arms (May 15, 2012)

The unit looks pretty solid, construction ply is hard work to get any kind of decent finish.
Are they perspex doors?




NTNed said:


> designed in a pub and built in a shed



Brilliant.

Also RIP makita sander.


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## Jande (May 15, 2012)

Ned it looks great! And I wholeheartedly agree with oil-based stains being a pain to work with. I recently built myself a smallish enclosure from ply and the sanding was an absolute pain. Not to mention the extra work in fixing up Bunnings' dodgey cuts! 
I stained my coffee table this time last year and it worked out beautifully, but I can't get the stains for my enclosures to do the same. 
I also realised that anything gloss up his a nightmare and quickly sanded it all off and changed over to satin. I found the drying time wasn't an issue myself. It dried so damn quick (not thinned either) that I have a couple of sections with visible brush lines in which I hate the look of. 
I am my own worst critic, and it doesn't look too bad really, but it bugs the hell out of me. I've started snapping up cheap tv units to convert now to save my power tools and I'll be using water-based next time as well I think. Had so many setbacks building it myself that it just wasn't worth saving the money on in my opinion.

Considering all of these factors, yours looks fantastic so I wouldn't be too worried.


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## NTNed (May 16, 2012)

Wow, Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I am chuffed with the first crack at it, especially seeing as I'm not a Chippie.

I'll try to cover off on most things if I can:



> SkitzmixerWhat would you use insted of those items?​


*
Wood/Timber: 
*

You can buy Appearance quality Plywood. You won't find it at bunnings, you need to go to a proper trade supply place (that's not a diss at Bunnings BTW), by that I mean a place where tradies and larger construction companies buy stuff by the pallet. Appearance grade ply is around $60 - $70 a sheet of 2400mm X 1200 X 12MM. You can pick up CD ply for around $30 a sheet. Appearance grade Ply looks amazing and needs next to no prep work.
I'd still use the Construction pine for the framework. The finished texture is something my two girls love, especially when shedding.




> mad_at_arms* Are they perspex doors?*​


*


Doors:
*

The 6 doors are 6mm perspex. I had them cut to size by a plastics place here in Darwin. They cost me $220 and they did the hard work for me. I dunno whether you've worked with perspex before, it's a trap for young players......lol. I had enough trouble just drilling the holes in it without it chipping.
I looked at 10mm thick perspex originall due to the little Darwin hatchy, she'll be a big girl when she grows, but the smaller sized doors make them a little stronger. Two hinges on one side and some filthy big coach bolts and wingnuts should pull her up. They're built like that so I don't have to open a whole front when the girls grow. Just the bit I want to access to clean or if I get game when the Jungle is in one of her moods, Mortal Kombat.





> JandeI wholeheartedly agree with oil-based stains being a pain to work with. I recently built myself a smallish enclosure from ply and the sanding was an absolute pain. Not to mention the extra work in fixing up Bunnings' dodgey cuts!​



*Stain and Lacquer:
*

Water based in future for sure. Not only because of the toxic fumes, but drying/recoating time too. The oil based is 2 hr touch dry, 12 hour recoat time, the water based is about about 2 hr recoat and no stench within a day.
Plenty of brush marks in this too, yet another Oil Based trait I'm led to believe.
Gloss looks awesome on the outside but has no place inside. While you would think the colour of my girls would absolutely contrast. they're hard to see cause its so dark and reflective. (after looking at another thread on DIY 3D backgrounds, I think I can solve that painlessly enough) definately a satin for inside, maybe a lighter stain or at least less coats of it. I love the Cabots Aussie Jarrah seal and stain but.


Once again, thanks everyone for your interest, support and some other ideas. 

Ned.


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## tahnia666 (Dec 29, 2013)

Love it!!

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## tahnia666 (Dec 29, 2013)

Wow, that's really nice NTned! I just built a single 500wide by 500deep by 800 high for my new 4 year old coastal, I used 16mm melamine board, I'm definitely no carpenter, so it took me about 2 weeks lol that being said,i found it pretty easy to work with, I just used aquarium sealer at all the joints, and cut two pieces of 3mm glass with an aluminum u channel and a cabinet lock. The whole thing ended up costing about 90 bucks and I didn't have the problem of glosses and paint and all that plus its super easy to clean

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## PappaSmurf (Dec 30, 2013)

WOW,,,,,just WOW


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