# Just something I whipped together



## saximus (Jan 28, 2011)

This is an enclosure I built for my new breeding pair of spotted pythons. I'm kinda proud of it since I put in so much effort to get everything looking as neat and professional as possible. It's made from melamine with rebates cut into the doors for the two glass panels. I also made the light cages myself as I couldn't find the double ones and they are too expensive anyway.
The melamine cost about $90 all cut to size by the happy, helpful (lol) people at Bunnings. I think wiring and lights cost about $150 (can't really remember) and my uncle is a sparky so he helped wire it all together. The glass panels were only $25 from an awesome glazier I found. So total was about $250-$300 if you include all the other little crap.
I'd be interested to hear comments/criticism on them .

Daniel


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2011)

not bad at all


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## Deejay (Jan 28, 2011)

that is pretty good champ, you have done well, im a cabinet maker/carpenter and i think its great! especially 4 the price, i come from cairns and alot of blokes spend heaps more trying to get a cabinet like that! big thumbs up, and its good ur uncle is a sparky, that would have saved u a bit of cash, cause sparkys aint cheap! good on u bro! soon enough u will be selling em out of ur home!!!! cheers Deejay


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## Darkhorse (Jan 28, 2011)

I noticed you have positioned you heat lamp on the side instead of facing down - does this effect the heat output in the basking spot?

Oh and I think the enclosures look great by the way!


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## saximus (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks very much Deejay . I love doing this kinda thing and yeah I considered building them to sell. Maybe when I get more time I'll have a go at it.

Darkhorse I don't think it affects it that much. I guess it won't be heating directly on one spot but there will still be a gradient within the enclosure


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## Deejay (Jan 28, 2011)

hey saximus, wat do u do 4 work? are u a cabinet maker or wat?


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## Chicken (Jan 28, 2011)

Very very nice. I would pay top money for that quality enclosure.


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## abnrmal91 (Jan 28, 2011)

Looks really good quick question were abouts did you get the mesh for the lights. I have looked everywhere and I can't seem to find any. Plus I would probaly buy 1 if u started making them.


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## Deejay (Jan 28, 2011)

definantly!!!! im sold!!!!


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## saximus (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks very much guys you are too kind. I'm actually an engineer for work but cabinet making is a hobby I find very fun and relaxing. 
Abnrml I got a roll of metal gutter guard from Bunnings. Was about $13 for a 10m roll


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## hurcorh (Jan 28, 2011)

nice one mate. maybe put something on the edges of the light cages. they look a bit sharp.


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## abnrmal91 (Jan 28, 2011)

Cheers I think I need to go to bunnings tomorrow. $13 bucks is nice and cheap when they try and charge $30 for the cages in the shops. I can't understand how they can charge that much for 4 simple bends.


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## saximus (Jan 28, 2011)

Yeah that was exactly my thinking for making them. Nice and easy to bend up too. 
I have bent the sharp bits around so they aren't pointy now but yeah I might duct tape all the edges to be sure


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## chase77 (Jan 28, 2011)

saximus said:


> Yeah that was exactly my thinking for making them. Nice and easy to bend up too.
> I have bent the sharp bits around so they aren't pointy now but yeah I might duct tape all the edges to be sure



Most guys will tell you not to use tape in an enclosure. I'd cut some thin strips of metal. remove the screws, put the strips down then rescrew. would neaten it up nicely

chase.


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## chickensnake (Jan 28, 2011)

looks great!, I was refused at bunnings this week with the melemine i had waited 45mins to get someone to come and cut it. Apperentl it has femaldehide in the glue and theyr noit allowed to cut it?


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## saximus (Jan 29, 2011)

That's strange. I've never heard of that before. Maybe they just didn't feel like it that day haha


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## syeph8 (Mar 20, 2011)

Darkhorse said:


> I noticed you have positioned you heat lamp on the side instead of facing down - does this effect the heat output in the basking spot?
> 
> Oh and I think the enclosures look great by the way!


 
wouldnt make a noticable difference with party globes but with the directional globes i would think it would make quite a difference to the basking spot temperature.


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## Snakeluvver2 (Mar 20, 2011)

Nice work dan!

I havent tried making swinging doors yet. On the account that I am too lazy


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## saximus (Mar 20, 2011)

syeph8 said:


> wouldnt make a noticable difference with party globes but with the directional globes i would think it would make quite a difference to the basking spot temperature.


 Yeah unfortunately I didn't think about it at the time so I've had to put the hides in front of the lights to give them something to sit on to bask. I'm getting a good gradient though so that's the important part.


Jannico said:


> Nice work dan!
> 
> I havent tried making swinging doors yet. On the account that I am too lazy


 Haha thanks man. Yeah I'm loving the swinging doors compared to the sliders. The next one(s) will definitely have them


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## Snakeluvver2 (Mar 20, 2011)

How do you do it? 
Put the glass in a wooden frame?


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## saximus (Mar 20, 2011)

Nah I actually cut whole pieces of melamine then made a rebate with a router. So each door is a single piece of wood


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## Grogshla (Mar 20, 2011)

looks great mate.


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## cement (Mar 20, 2011)

Hi mate, you've done pretty well. But if your up for some constructive criticism Just a couple of things. You will get heat gradient whether the lights are coming off a wall or a ceiling, I put the heat source on enclosures that are side by side like yours in the centre against the centre wall, so the cool ends are on the outside. This achieves two things. You won't need as much heat and you will more likely always have gradient. Secondly, on your doors, all you need is silicon, not a timber bead. The bead will attract climbing (and falling) and hold crap. just make a good bead of silicon and imbed the glass into it. You can always go around the edge with more silicon if needed just to cover any sharp glass edge. This will leave you a flat internal door face that's easy to clean.
cheers


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## saximus (Mar 20, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions Cement. I probably should have just used silicone. I was just worried because the glazier didn't bevel the edges so it was really sharp (found out when I sprayed blood all over everything while I was removing the tape holding the pieces together).
I considered having the heating in the middle but couldn't work out a good way to set it up that would be easy to change globes and stop them getting through.


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## guzzo (Mar 20, 2011)

Good one mate....looks great


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## Red-Ink (Mar 20, 2011)

Looks very nice mate.... great work Dan!


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## dangles (Mar 21, 2011)

saximus if u get some sandpaper u can knock the sharp edge off the glass, it takes a bit off effort but is doable.


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## saximus (Mar 21, 2011)

Thanks for that Dangles. It isn't a big issue now because there is no way me or the snakes can come in contact with the sharp edges. It's just during the building process that it was a problem (next time I'll just be more careful)


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