# Got a tv corner unit, ideas on what to do with it?



## marcus0002 (Nov 3, 2013)

I just bought this





Its 2m tall, 1.2m wide and 0.6m deep at its deepest.
The part above the cupboards is 1.4m tall.

I want to make it into an enclosure for my 2 bredli, then my maccie can move out of the little one in the pic to their old one, which is just a longer version of his.

Im thinking whack out the two shelves, make a litter guard then make two hinged doors for it on the front. Need to find a similar stain to match them to the rest of it.
Seal it with some sort of sealant (not sure what, any ideas?) 
Fit a basking shelf, fit a heat panel ( maybe a homemade one out of heat cord?)
Add some branches and hides.

That's the general idea, any hints tips suggestions?
Especially with regard to heating as I don't want to fit heating that could burn the place down. There will be a thermostat.

Another idea I did have was leave one shelf in and make it a double, however the bredlis will probably end up outgrowing it as a single let alone if they only had 2/3 of the space. Any thoughts on this?


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## smileysnake (Nov 3, 2013)

here is a couple of pics of my corner unit shelves ripped out cupboard down the bottom i turned into a hide i have ceramic heat emitter and 2 halogen downlights,temps are fine with this i dont use heat mat or heat chords in this enclosure it is for my bredli he has been happy in here for about 6 months now....sorry for the dodgy pics


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## Snowman (Nov 3, 2013)




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## marcus0002 (Nov 3, 2013)

Thanks for your input 
Smiley snake I like your background, is it bamboo? How much did the glass front cost? 
What are the side doors like for cleaning? 
Snowman is the top cupboard on that an enclosure as well or just storage?

Both of you what did you use to seal the varnish? Did you need to do any sanding or prep or just brush it straight on?

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## pythonmum (Nov 3, 2013)

Here's what I did with one.


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## smileysnake (Nov 3, 2013)

mine is a bark background bought from bunnings side door is a bit of help for cleaning and to replace his waterbowl and glass with aluminium frame was $130.......pythonmum that looks awesome...oh and i didnt re-varnish thats how i bought it....


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## marcus0002 (Nov 3, 2013)

Smileysnake Did you need the ali frame custom made to fit or was it just a standard window etc from bunnings? If so what did you need to do to fit it? I just looked at mine again iI won't be able to fit side doors as the parallel sides are only 150mm long.
Would I be able to get away with sliding glass panels at that size or would they be too heavy?

Pythonmum I like those doors, pretty much what my original plan was. How did you make them?


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## pythonmum (Nov 3, 2013)

Hi Marcus,
The doors were dead easy. I made the frame with pine and then put plastic U strips inside. Slid in the glass and sealed it with silicone. Dead easy.


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## marcus0002 (Nov 3, 2013)

pythonmum said:


> Hi Marcus,
> The doors were dead easy. I made the frame with pine and then put plastic U strips inside. Slid in the glass and sealed it with silicone. Dead easy.



Did you glue them together or screw them? How much did the glass cost? Did you go to bunnings etc or a glazier?


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## pythonmum (Nov 3, 2013)

marcus0002 said:


> Did you glue them together or screw them? How much did the glass cost? Did you go to bunnings etc or a glazier?


I glued and nailed the frame joints, but after you put in the glass it really stabilises them. I got the plastic frame at Bunnings and had the glass (just cheap window glass) cut at a glazier. It was only about $25 - 30. When I did my more recent renovation and had the edges of larger pieces for a sliding glass door arised (dulled) it cost $50. Well worth the money. I have cut my own glass when doing leadlighting, but for this sort of thing it is much easier to get a glazier to do it.


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## smileysnake (Nov 4, 2013)

gday mate it was custom made for me


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## justin91 (Nov 7, 2013)

I've got a pretty similar cupboard.

Sorry bout dodgy photos. 

Heaps of things you can do with one of these bad boys.


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## marcus0002 (Nov 7, 2013)

Nice work mate a lot if efforts gone into that one. What did you seal the varnish with? How much did the glass cost? 
I'm wondering if I can get away with having sliding glass doors the whole length of it above the cupboard. It would give me a bit more visibility than hinged doors. 

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## pinefamily (Nov 7, 2013)

Sliding glass doors can get too heavy and stick in the tracks.


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## viciousred (Nov 8, 2013)

I'm after an answer to sealant/varnish question as well... I've stained the inside of my double with pondite on the bottom but looking for a clear sealer thats safe 

Have fun converting it by the way buddy! will look awesome when finished


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## pinefamily (Nov 8, 2013)

Pondtite is a sealer itself and safe.

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## viciousred (Nov 8, 2013)

I'm looking for one to put over the stain. Pondite is only on the bottom and 150mm up the sides


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## marcus0002 (Nov 8, 2013)

I was thinking maybe get a Glazier to make up a frame for the sliding glass like 
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/sliding-glass-115915/page/3

Takes care of the weight and rigidity issues

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## pinefamily (Nov 9, 2013)

The glazier should be able to tell you if it will be ok or not.


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## MrsAeren (Nov 13, 2013)

Hi guys, 

awesome jobs. can you tell me what you use as a heat source? and how you get ventilation? My mother in law has one that she is trying to get rid of so here starts my project.


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## marcus0002 (Nov 14, 2013)

Cut some holes with a jigsaw and add the Louvre vents from bunnings or masters for ventilation. 
Heating can use globes, heat panel, heat mat under a tile or heat cord under a tile. Globes and heat matts can be a fire hazard if you don't know what your doing so I'm leaning towards a heat panel or heat cord wrapped around a frame under a ceramic floor tile. Heat panels are good but cost more.


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## MrsAeren (Nov 15, 2013)

Awesome thanks. Can a snake sit on the tile or would it get too hot? can the heat come from the top in small enclosure?


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## marcus0002 (Nov 15, 2013)

MrsAeren said:


> Awesome thanks. Can a snake sit on the tile or would it get too hot? can the heat come from the top in small enclosure?


The heat matt or cord under the tile is hooked up to a thermostat and set to 32-35c, so yes the snake can sit on it.

If by from the top you mean globes or ceramic heat emitters yea you can that too but the fitting must have airspace around them (no flush mounts) and the must have a cage over them do the snake can't be burnt by them. A globe thats hooked up to a thermostat to keep the warm end at 32c, will mean the globe itself will be around 60c


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## squidlinc (Nov 15, 2013)

Do this 







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## marcus0002 (Nov 16, 2013)

Thats a big door. How much did it cost for the glass?


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## squidlinc (Nov 16, 2013)

I used perpex so that we could cut it and glue it in easily, also because you would need good hinges and a steady base to support a glass door that big. So it only cost me $10, but it did scratch a bit which I was disappointed about :/ 


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## MrsAeren (Nov 16, 2013)

Would it be easier to use a globe in smaller spaces? Or would that heat the whole enclosure to much, and wouldnt have a cool place. Ill get my mother in law to bring the cupboard over then ill take pics so I can get some help. I dont want to get it wrong.


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## pinefamily (Nov 16, 2013)

A smaller space just means you'll only need a lower wattage to maintain the required heat level. For example, in our 4 ft enclosures, we have 100w CHE's, in a smaller glass one only a 60w one.


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## MrsAeren (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks pinefamily. That makes sense. What about heat cords, they seem to be used by a lot of people?


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## pinefamily (Nov 17, 2013)

We used a heat cord attached to a tile with electrical tape, and buried in the substrate. However since reading on here, it's probably better to rout a groove in a piece of melamine or MDF and fit the cord into it, and glue a tile to the other side of the wood.
Check out the threads in the DIY section, and you'll get plenty of info just as we have.


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## pythonmum (Nov 17, 2013)

I make heat panels using heat cord. Build a pine frame and put cup hooks inside to wind the heat cord around. Top it with a tile and you are in business! Alternatively, it can be screwed under a basking shelf and you cover the open side with metal fly screen. Very cheap to make and energy efficient.


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## MrsAeren (Nov 17, 2013)

Hi, I just started a DIY thread with a set of draws that ive just started. I believe Im on the right track. Any extra advice would be great.


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## Topic1996 (Jan 1, 2014)

Hey guys great set ups, we have a set of draws we are going to convert any suggestions on keeping heat in ie insulation? Would we need any or would just making the enclosure be enough (we're going to make the background and floor ourselves but we've looked into that pretty well, it will be from things like foam and grout ect.) 


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## DarwinBrianT (Jan 2, 2014)

Before I knew any better I uesd a heat globe in mine but I put some fibro sheeting up first to give some fire protection to the wood.


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## Topic1996 (Jan 3, 2014)

pythonmum said:


> I glued and nailed the frame joints, but after you put in the glass it really stabilises them. I got the plastic frame at Bunnings and had the glass (just cheap window glass) cut at a glazier. It was only about $25 - 30. When I did my more recent renovation and had the edges of larger pieces for a sliding glass door arised (dulled) it cost $50. Well worth the money. I have cut my own glass when doing leadlighting, but for this sort of thing it is much easier to get a glazier to do it.



What area did you get it from or what is the product called? 


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## pythonmum (Jan 4, 2014)

The glass was from a glazier in Thornleigh. Any glass company can do it. They also sell tracks or you can buy plastic ones at Bunnings. Let the company know the size of your opening and the type of track you are using and they will calculate the size of glass needed very quickly. They were great!


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