# Cupboard viv conversion



## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Hi everyone. quite new here, my name is adam, i have a 5 ft corn snake called tango 
He has rather outgrown his vivarium as at 5ft 1in he is a big boy.
So i have made up some plans to make him a vivarium out of a mint condition solid dark oak cupboard that i have aquired.
Heres the cupboard in question








The drawers and doors are going. Im making a door myself that is completely removable as my corn likes to roam the living room freely, so the open front and fairly low bottom will enable him to come and go as he pleases, when im home ofcourse.
Any and all comments, good or bad, and suggestions welcome.
Ill keep this updated as and when i do things, but be warned, it will be slow progress as im a busy man lol
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Unit stripped of doors, drawers, runners and partitions, have just measured out the wood for the back panel, and all the bits of wood im gonna need for the interior.
Watch this space guys and girls 










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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Oh and as it turns out, its not a solid oak unit, its dark oak veneer, good job i only paid a tenner for it lol
Adam

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## JonnyFrilledDragonLawson (Oct 26, 2012)

cant complain for a tenner lol


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Definatley not, was in mint condition before i pulled it apart lol
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Well, i ordered myself one of the new jml exakt saws yesteday, and it arrived this morning!!! Very impressed with it so far, will ipload pics when i cut the piecesni need out, i have just been playibg with some scrap wood so far
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Progress this morning, having a break for dinner lol
Here is my new exakt saw, it is absolutely brilliant, definately recommend to anyone 








All marked out and a few cuts done


















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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Sorry to be a pain.....could you possibly do a close up of the cut that the saw does, it looks rough in the pic above, but it's real difficult to tell, if it's better than my tools i may look into getting one.

Dave

edit: and was that sheet of contiboard £2!!!!??


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

No worries mate, some of the first cuts i did cam out a bit rough, but i was just getting used to the saw, this is the worst of my non practice cuts, and thats the back where theres more likely to be 'breakout'








I got the conti board from my local family run hardware shop, it was a 6ftx2ft board and was originally £9.99, but they reduced it to £2 cause of this, about an inch along and half inch down








Out of that board i managed to get a back panel and all the bits ill need for the interior.
Will upload some more pics when the curs are all done and the back is on. Then i gotta build the interior bit 
Adam
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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Not bad really then, how quick is it? I mean, is it going to be faster than a decent handsaw? Because realistically that's about the best way I've found so far, my table saw and circular saw both lack accuracy, and my router is buggered!!

Dave


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Not bad really then, how quick is it? I mean, is it going to be faster than a decent handsaw? Because realistically that's about the best way I've found so far, my table saw and circular saw both lack accuracy, and my router is buggered!!

Dave


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Well ive just cut a 41" straight line in less then 20 seconds, accurate and neat
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Right then, i have now got the backboard in, rather than attach it to the back, i have recessed it inside the back so it sits flush with the frame.
And i have also got the bottom guard (the bit that holds the substrate in) and the top guard which i put in to hide the light fittings ect
Pics to follow either later on or in the morning, depending on when my kitchen (workshop ) is clean enough
Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good. Keep the pics coming! Might have a look at this saw too!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Tom!! Ive been meaning to message you, i have looked through your diy background thread over the past couple of days, gotta say, it is absolutely fantastic!! How difficult did you find it to sculpt the board? Do you know of any ppremade backgrounds that look decent? Any thoughts on the colour? Im planning on painting the whole unit, inside and out, in a 'chocolate milkshake' colour (b&q colour) to match the furnishing in my living room.
The dark oak colour is too dark for my living room and it looks horribly mismatched lol.

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

And i will be varnishing over the paint with some reptile safe sealer
Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

heathster said:


> Tom!! Ive been meaning to message you, i have looked through your diy background thread over the past couple of days, gotta say, it is absolutely fantastic!! How difficult did you find it to sculpt the board? Do you know of any ppremade backgrounds that look decent? Any thoughts on the colour? Im planning on painting the whole unit, inside and out, in a 'chocolate milkshake' colour (b&q colour) to match the furnishing in my living room.
> The dark oak colour is too dark for my living room and it looks horribly mismatched lol.
> 
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk


Cheers pal. I wouldn't say it was particularly difficult but it does take a lot of patience and I've definitely improved with time and practise. It can be done with household tools, knifes, sand paper, whatever you can think of. However it is much much quicker when using a dremel. 

I know there are pre made backgrounds out there, however from what I have seen they are quite 2D and follow the box shape of the vivarium plus they aren't unique or cannot be customised to your own spec. 

Both myself and Dave offer services if you wanted something made for yourself if you don't have the time/patience/tools. Feel free to PM me with any ideas for a chat and quote and I'm sure Dave will say the same.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

I would live to have something like that in my viv, but unfortunately it would take far too much space out of the viv.
Im having to do it fairly cheaply this time round, as its a first attempt im not spending much on it.
Next time round i think ill build a viv myself, will be a 6'x2'x2' for two female beardies.
Could i use 12mm mdf to build a viv with? Or is that too thin?
Adam

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## JonnyFrilledDragonLawson (Oct 26, 2012)

im using 18mm mdf for my current build.. but thats quite a large viv lol, 5ft high 4ft wide and 2ft deep, id imagine 12 will be fine


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

heathster said:


> Here is my new exakt saw, it is absolutely brilliant, definately recommend to anyone



Except left handed people! I got one a couple of years ago, but because of where the switch is you have to use it right handed. If you use the switch with your finger you don't have much grip on the saw.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Cheers pal. I wouldn't say it was particularly difficult but it does take a lot of patience and I've definitely improved with time and practise. It can be done with household tools, knifes, sand paper, whatever you can think of. However it is much much quicker when using a dremel.
> 
> I know there are pre made backgrounds out there, however from what I have seen they are quite 2D and follow the box shape of the vivarium plus they aren't unique or cannot be customised to your own spec.
> 
> Both myself and Dave offer services if you wanted something made for yourself if you don't have the time/patience/tools. Feel free to PM me with any ideas for a chat and quote and I'm sure Dave will say the same.


 Undoubtedly I will, although i'm looking busy for the next few weeks......i guess i could fit a little one in at a push though  Thanks for the referral! 


heathster said:


> I would live to have something like that in my viv, but unfortunately it would take far too much space out of the viv.
> Im having to do it fairly cheaply this time round, as its a first attempt im not spending much on it.
> Next time round i think ill build a viv myself, will be a 6'x2'x2' for two female beardies.
> Could i use 12mm mdf to build a viv with? Or is that too thin?
> ...


 That would be too thin for a 6 x 2, or actually anything much more than 2 x 2. Even then it'd probably warp and sag unless supported, and it'd need a framework to fix too, over all more hassle than it's worth. Realistically even 18mm MDF will sag horribly if unsupported over more than about 4 foot, with the back and a decent plinth on it may be ok for a 6 foot viv, but i'd choose ply or chipboard over it any day. Dave


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Meko said:


> Except left handed people! I got one a couple of years ago, but because of where the switch is you have to use it right handed. If you use the switch with your finger you don't have much grip on the saw.


 Guess i'll give that a miss too then, Damn the world that is so discriminatory towards us lefties!!!!


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

they're just jealous of our superiourity so they leave us out when designing things.


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Meko said:


> Except left handed people! I got one a couple of years ago, but because of where the switch is you have to use it right handed. If you use the switch with your finger you don't have much grip on the saw.


Ah man! Throws that idea out of the window then!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

my_shed said:


> That would be too thin for a 6 x 2, or actually anything much more than 2 x 2. Even then it'd probably warp and sag unless supported, and it'd need a framework to fix too, over all more hassle than it's worth. Realistically even 18mm MDF will sag horribly if unsupported over more than about 4 foot, with the back and a decent plinth on it may be ok for a 6 foot viv, but i'd choose ply or chipboard over it any day. Dave


Ok, thanks for the advice  much appreciated, what thickness of ply would you recommend?
Also is mdf or ply better for a using to make an 'upper level' inside the viv? It will be supported the whole lenghth by a batton and at both ends, and might even put an archway of sorts in to make it sort of like a hide but more open, this will then support the front of the shelf then too
Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Haha, all 3 of us are lefties!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Hmm.. seeing as ive got a shit load of useless off cuts, ill have a play tomorrow, ill have a few goes using my left hand just to see how much harder it is for you guys  it is quite bad how they only make them easy to use for righties (i cant complain obviously) but you would think they would come up with a tool that could be used by both, for example putting the 'trigger' on the bottom rather than one side, and a guard release on both sides that are joined so you can use either one
Adam

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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

my_shed said:


> Guess i'll give that a miss too then, Damn the world that is so discriminatory towards us lefties!!!!





Meko said:


> they're just jealous of our superiourity so they leave us out when designing things.





tomcannon said:


> Haha, all 3 of us are lefties!


What they miss is that most of us lefties are so superior, we can do everything right-handed, too, as a result of growing up in a right-biased world- so most of us can do* both*!

*TAKE THAT*, limited righties! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Except use an eXakt Saw


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

Everyone is left handed :lol2: and most tools are made for narmal people:Na_Na_Na_Na: lol


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Well, I'm pleased to say that I feel i'm in exalted company, Ron, Tom and Meko. Hmmm, i'd wager a guess that most of the people we give advice to on a regular basis are............righties lol!!


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## ayrton (Apr 22, 2012)

my_shed said:


> Well, I'm pleased to say that I feel i'm in exalted company, Ron, Tom and Meko. Hmmm, i'd wager a guess that most of the people we give advice to on a regular basis are............righties lol!!


I do imagene it is :lol2:


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Meko said:


> Except use an eXakt Saw


Haha, that's the first time I laughed out when reading something in a long time. I was going to put 'lol'ed' but I hate that abbreviated :censor:! 

It is strange especially for something like this however I believe its a similar situation for most hand tools, computer gaming mouse for example, there's only 1 left handed version by a company called razer and they said its just not financially viable to produce a left handed version as the market is too small, as Ron said we just use our right hands if need be. They still made it though and I bought it just for the principal!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Haha, that's the first time I laughed out when reading something in a long time. I was going to put 'lol'ed' but I hate that abbreviated :censor:!
> 
> It is strange especially for something like this however I believe its a similar situation for most hand tools, computer gaming mouse for example, there's only 1 left handed version by a company called razer and they said its just not financially viable to produce a left handed version as the market is too small, as Ron said we just use our right hands if need be. They still made it though and I bought it just for the principal!


Computer keyboards, roller blinds, mobiles, window latches, tin openers......you name it everything is designed around the right hand, even down to what side the banister rail is usually put on stairs :bash: 

Dave


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

my_shed said:


> you name it everything is designed around the right hand, even down to what side the banister rail is usually put on stairs :bash:
> 
> Dave



i can't work out if that should have a :whistling2: on it or not.


Keyboards - i never use the numeric key pad.
Mice - i use my left index finger for the left click and thumb for right click, but i've seen people swap the buttons round
Tin openers - i use my right hand (only thing i really use it for)
Only thing I can't use is a bloody eXakt saw!!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Progress people, i have spent the morning snading down the unit inside and out, ready for paint. Came across a few chips and old screq holes from the drawer runners ect, these have now been filled and while i wait for the filler to set im off the my local sign makers to price up a peice of 6mm perspex for the door
Pics when the filler has been sanded 

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Personally I wouldn't use Perspex. I don't believe its much (if at all) cheaper than glass and scratches real easy. He'll no doubt scratch at the doors and it will look pretty :censor: after a few months. Shouldn't cost much at all to get toughened 6mm glass for the doors.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

tomcannon said:


> Personally I wouldn't use Perspex. I don't believe its much (if at all) cheaper than glass and scratches real easy.* He'll no doubt scratch at the doors *and it will look pretty :censor: after a few months. Shouldn't cost much at all to get toughened 6mm glass for the doors.



with his little corn snake fingers?


~goes back to double check it's still for a corn~


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Meko said:


> i can't work out if that should have a :whistling2: on it or not.
> Probably :whistling2:
> 
> Keyboards - i never use the numeric key pad. I do :blowup:
> ...





tomcannon said:


> Personally I wouldn't use Perspex. I don't believe its much (if at all) cheaper than glass and scratches real easy. He'll no doubt scratch at the doors and it will look pretty :censor: after a few months. Shouldn't cost much at all to get toughened 6mm glass for the doors.


Agreed, although as meko pointed out in his inestimable style, not for the sake of scratches, but because it warps easily, discolours, may be flexible enough to allow the corn to push his/her way out.



Meko said:


> with his little corn snake fingers?
> 
> :lol2:
> 
> ...


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh yeah... :blush: I blame not having stopped talking about BD's and their setups all day! 

Still, glass all the way!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Ill be using 5mm acrylic, as it is easier and quicker for me to get hold of, less than a tenner for a 1025x440mm peice, the hot spot is going to be in the back right corner so its wont be close enough to make the acrylic warp.
As as for it flexing enough for tango to escape, well when you see it you know thats not gonna happen
Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

heathster said:


> Ill be using 5mm acrylic, as it is easier and quicker for me to get hold of, less than a tenner for a 1025x440mm peice, the hot spot is going to be in the back right corner so its wont be close enough to make the acrylic warp.
> As as for it flexing enough for tango to escape, well when you see it you know thats not gonna happen
> Adam
> 
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk


What about the claws! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

tomcannon said:


> What about the claws! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


Its for my corn snake  unless yiu have an awesome new species, they dont have claws lol
Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

heathster said:


> Its for my corn snake  unless yiu have an awesome new species, they dont have claws lol
> Adam
> 
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk


I was referring to my earlier mistake thinking it was for a bearded dragon! Jeez, read your own thread will you! :whistling2: : victory:


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Ah ok, my bad lol
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Right then ladies and gents!!!
I have made progress lol
I Made a start on the interior today, still need to cut the arches out of the front facing panels, but here it is so far
































Any comment or feedback welcome
Adam

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## Jay9098 (May 21, 2011)

If I am looking at this correctly wouldn't it be a nightmare to clean the inside of the cavity or will it be removable?


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

The long front facing panel will be mostly cut out into one big arch oraybe two smaller ones, the 'box' at each end will have a small arch cut out of it as a way in/out from the front, these will then act as a hot end and a cold end hide, while not losing any floor space as the top has a 1.25" deep space for aspen so he can go up there too, the hot end will have a heat mat in the 'box'
As an addition to the heat mat, there will be a 50w infrared bulb directly above the hot end box, to provide extra heat and a red viewing light so i can see him at night time when his light is off
The whole thing is removable, it will be held in place by a few connector blocks along the back and one on either side, 

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## Kilbz (Jan 12, 2013)

Looking very smart & good.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

So.... small update
This morning i have removed the interior build and marked up all the cuts for the arches, im undecided whether the do half circle cuts, or do something different, like diamonds or trapeze shapes.
Forgot to add, all edges are going to be smoothed to take the corner off, so it will have a more rounded edging on it
Adam 

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

I decided on the shape for the arches!!!
I wanted something a bit different, so i went for trapeze shapes.
Was a bitch to cut out cause my jigsaw is buggered, so i used my jml exakt saw. So the joins were a bit rough.
Ive put a fair bit of filler in the front cause im smoothing the corners off and just wanted to be sure there wil be no gaps, when im finished it will look like one peice.
In the last pic you can see how high the arch goes, i have allowed for 2" of substrate so the arches will only actually look 3" high

































As always, please leave any feedback and/or suggestions!!

Adam

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Started making a pool for tango tonight, at the moment he only has a small water dish thag he can drink from, it about 4" in diameter and only 3/4" deep.
I have made one approx 10" in diameter and 2.5" deep.
He loves baths so i figure that he can bathe whenever he wants when its finished 
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Small update, gave the unit its first coat of paint, inside and out.
Its upside down in his pic as i had just painted the bottom









As always, comments and feedback welcome, good or bad 
Adam

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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

my_shed said:


> Guess i'll give that a miss too then, Damn the world that is so discriminatory towards us lefties!!!!


 
try the worx multisaw, homebase are selling them, my son is lefthanded and uses this with ease.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

vivs looking good there, will be looking forward to seing the completed article


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

mitsi said:


> vivs looking good there, will be looking forward to seing the completed article


Thank you 
Just got 24 hours for the paint to dry, then give it another coat.
Then let it ait for a few days to make sure paint is solid, then on to the varnish to make it snake safe, then air it until the smell disapears 
And while all that airing is happening ill be making the door, which will be made of a single peice of sheet wood cut into shape, and a single peice of 5mm acrylic.
Using a one peice frame to eliminate any flex, and the way it will be secured will eliminate any remaining flex.
Tango will not escape lol.
What are your thoughts on a removable door? As this is what im making, i want the front to be open completely so he can go in and out as he pleases when im am in the room.
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Small update. Has had a second coat, have fitted the inside bit, just need to give it a third coat then give the interior part a few more coats.
Have made a start on the door frame, but havent got any pics of it yet


















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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Update time...
Have made the door frame!!!
I decided to use 4mm toughened glass instead of perspex as its safer.
Ill be picking up the glass on friday.
The frame consists of 4 peices.
The front peice being a 4mm mdf frame, then (in the second pic) a slightly smaller 9mm mdf frame.
Part 3 being the glass which will sit inside the 9mm frame flush to the 4mm frame.
The fourth part being another 4mm mdf frame that will sandwhich the glass between the front and back of the frame.
I did all this with mdf that i had leftover from work.

Front of the frame









Back of the frame so far










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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Any feedback guys and girls?
Always greatly appreciated

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good. I was waiting for another post with the rest of the door complete? Not finished I assume? Looking good, almost there now!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Been really slow progress due to work being really busy, and my daughter and my OH have been poorly for the last week, so beentrying to entertain an ill 15month old girl while my OH got some rest, and trying to work on my viv too lol.
The door isnt finished yet no, thats as it now.
The viv has been painted and varnished, and is airing out.
Getting the glass friday, then just need to paint the door and fit the locks to the door and the viv.
Im using tool box style clasps to keep the door secure, and as i am using 3 slightly thinner layers of mdf instead of one thicker peice and glass instead of plexi, there wont be any flex in the door 
All that remains after that is cutting vent holes, and fitting the light tube, heat lamp and heat mat if it needs one 

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Small update, i had nothing to do on the viv today as my glass isnt ready until tomorrow.
So i went and bought the locks that ill be using for the door.
Fitted the clasps today just for something to do.
I used a spare bit of wood that i had, which i cut to the size of the door, to line the parts up accurately.
Only took one pic as they are all the same anyway.
This is just a sheet of mdf, not the actual door








Very happy with how secure it is, there is no way he could escape through it lol

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Not really part of my build but...
My 10kg bale of repti card arrived today!!!
It is very well compacted so there is a hell of a lot more than i expected there to be
Have already cleaned out my viv and filled it with repticard.
It is dust free, very easy to clean up if you drop any, and looks more natural than aspen bedding, it looks fantastic!
Took a few snaps after i put Tango back in there.
He seems to like the change so far









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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Picked uo my glass today 
Test fitted it to maje sure it fits in the frame ive built, fits like a glove.
Took a quick snap of the door with the glass in, cant really see the glass though.








Wont be doing anything on it today as im going to be making an incubator, as a member on here, local to me, has very kindly let me have some beardie eggs that i can incubate and watch hatch at home, getting them tomorrow so need to get the bator done today
Ill put a few pics of the incubator in here when its done too

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Built my incubator last night, been running at a constant 31.6 since, ideal temp for beardie eggs 
Just had my eggs brought round to me heres some pics
The eggs








In the incubator









Massive thankyou to james (jamesferrassie on here) who gave me the eggs and for his advice.
Absolute legend, and a pleasure to meet you 

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

heathster said:


> Built my incubator last night, been running at a constant 31.6 since, ideal temp for beardie eggs
> Just had my eggs brought round to me heres some pics
> The eggs
> image
> ...


Wicked, you're a lucky man, now get that viv finished so you can start on the 3 4x2x2's!!! :whistling2:

Well done to you too James!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Lol ill have the viv finished this week now as the missus and our daughter have gone to visit family for a week 

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Question for you tom!! (And anyone else reading this)
I have been thinking about lighting...
I am planning on putting in a false ceiling so i can use something like these, what do you think?
http://m.homebase.co.uk/mt/www.home...51&partNumber=736490&un_jtt_v_unSetCookie=yes

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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

heathster said:


> Question for you tom!! (And anyone else reading this)
> I have been thinking about lighting...
> I am planning on putting in a false ceiling so i can use something like these, what do you think?
> http://m.homebase.co.uk/mt/www.home...51&partNumber=736490&un_jtt_v_unSetCookie=yes
> ...


Shouldn't be a problem provided you're aware that they give off heat. A lot of heat. Only certain halogen bulbs are suitable for putting in false ceilings as they need a certain radius of free air, and only certain bulbs are dimmable. If you go for these I'd use a dimming stat hooked up to them and ensure you choose the right lights for the space available above your false ceiling.

Dave

Dave


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Ive been looking into it a bit more in the past half hour, im going to source some lef downlights, so they wont give off much heat 
Is this a better idea?
Adam

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

I have found a set of 3 gu10 halogen downlights for £15 
To solve the heat problem, i have fojnd somewhere to get replacment bulbs, LED bulbs that retro fit into any gu10 fitting 

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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like a plan!


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

The bulbs i have chosen are £12 each  and i need 3 of them
But they are awesome!! The have a 120 degree light range  and they have a choice of either a cool white or warm white, which do you think will look better?
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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

heathster said:


> The bulbs i have chosen are £12 each  and i need 3 of them
> But they are awesome!! The have a 120 degree light range  and they have a choice of either a cool white or warm white, which do you think will look better?
> Sent From My Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk 2


Cool white, it's closer to daylight. If you put plants in they'll be better supported by cool white too. Have you got a link?

Dave


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

my_shed said:


> Cool white, it's closer to daylight. If you put plants in they'll be better supported by cool white too. Have you got a link?
> 
> Dave


Just found some different ones, they are the same but from a different place, only these ones are £4 cheaper 
http://www.ledhut.co.uk/spot-lights/gu10-smd-led-220-lumens-45-watts-equiv-best-internet-price.html

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## Rammy (Feb 3, 2013)

They are similar to the ones I bought recently to replace my dining room lights. Similar price too:
CPC


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Rammy said:


> They are similar to the ones I bought recently to replace my dining room lights. Similar price too:
> CPC


What are they like? Brightness wise?
Adam

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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Kosnic 6500K 11w GU10 Energy Saving Lamp Daylight White CFL Light Bulb 11w=60w Light Output

Just ordered five of these......I've been thinking about adding a couple to my cham viv for a while to punch some serious light from the top down, and these look ideal.

Dave

edit: These are CFL lamps, not LED


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Whats a cfl lamp?

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Compact fluorescent light 
Google lol
They actually look pretty good you know, could you get some pics of them running when they come through? 
May get these instead

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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

heathster said:


> Compact fluorescent light
> Google lol
> They actually look pretty good you know, could you get some pics of them running when they come through?
> May get these instead
> ...


No problem, i'll be using them alongside a 6% T8 UV tube and a grow tube, in a four foot high 3 foot wide viv, so it'll give me a good range to test the light penetration, growth results, etc.

Also if/how much the raise the temp......hopefully not too much, although I've got room to play with it, my cham views the upper foot of his viv as a no go area cos there aren't any prized plants for him to destroy up there!!!

Dave


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

my_shed said:


> No problem, i'll be using them alongside a 6% T8 UV tube and a grow tube, in a four foot high 3 foot wide viv, so it'll give me a good range to test the light penetration, growth results, etc.
> 
> Also if/how much the raise the temp......hopefully not too much, although I've got room to play with it, my cham views the upper foot of his viv as a no go area cos there aren't any prized plants for him to destroy up there!!!
> 
> Dave


Sounds like an interesting build. :2thumb:


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Right then, forgot to mention that yesterday i went out and bought a heat bulb for ny new viv, only a 40w infrared as its only going to be heating the warm end of the upper level, and i also bough a heat mat the heat the lower level of the warm end

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

And i have just finished building the door!! The glass is in, ive now got to wait 24 hours for the adhesive to set (wellbond stuff)
Then i just need to do ventilation. 
And the false ceiling

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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> Sounds like an interesting build. :2thumb:


It's an old viv mate.....well, it's been running for a year or two, just not bright enough for the plants to thrive.

Dave


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## rexob (Sep 1, 2012)

Very good build cant wait to see the finished product.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Its finished!!
(Almost)
Its all together and running to get it up to temps ect, just need to put the decor in for now 
Gonna leave the lighting as i wanna do it properly and just cant afford it right now 
So in a few weeks ill do the false ceiling.
Until then, tango will be in his new home with no lights lol

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Forgot the pics lol









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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Looks ace, you've done a really nice tidy job Dave


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

my_shed said:


> Looks ace, you've done a really nice tidy job Dave


Thanks mate, that means alot to me 
I have worked hard on it lol
Need to get a ceramic heater too bofore he can go in, the ambient temp is only 24 and the cool end is 18 :/

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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Instead of getting a ceramic, ive got a more powerful bulb, which keeps the warm end and 31 and the cool end around 22-24.
And as a temporary measure i have put a strip light i had lting around in there cause im too impatient to wait 
He is in his new home, heres a few pics, the viv idnt staying there, will move it into my living room once he has got used to it.









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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Well done mate. Looks really good. : victory:


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

heathster said:


> Compact fluorescent light
> Google lol
> They actually look pretty good you know, could you get some pics of them running when they come through?
> May get these instead
> ...


Here you go..... Pic 1, just the original lighting I was using, 1x24W 6% UVB tube, and 1 grow tube (mounted halfway down, it's not a bright light so i wasn't too worried about it being at eye level, and it's screened to the most part too)










Pic 2, The original lighting plus the new bulbs 










Pic 3, Just the new bulbs










It doesn't do them justice, I was playing with light exposures, white balance, etc on the camera but it's not the best camera and lighting is a bugger to show at the best of times! I would say that it will probably do exactly what I was looking for.....punch a lot of extra light that's in the right color temperature towards the plants. They're not overly bright, but the top half of the viv is pretty well lit with just them on, i think they'd probably be good competition for LED lighting. 

Dave


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Need to do another one of these for my royal I think


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Your viv looks great, ive just collected a unit and two cupboards that will all soon be vivs, got mine for free though from freecycle, I just love turning furniture into vivs. Mine will give me another 6 vivs, then got to fill them.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

You done some conversions already?


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Ive got two vivs from cupboards at the mo, the rest my hubby built from scratch.


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## heathster (Jan 24, 2013)

Pics?


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Will get some taken and put up for you


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Heres a bookcase I converted

URL=http://s126.photobucket.com/user/tlr_smidsy/media/our%20reptile%20family/newsnakesandtheirnewvivs024_zps24a6e6a1.jpg.html]


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

betty001-6.jpg Photo by tlr_smidsy | Photobucket

simosviv002-1.jpg Photo by tlr_smidsy | Photobucket


http://s126.photobucket.com/user/tl...irnewvivs002_zpsc9cd9c48.jpg.html?sort=3&o=34
http://s126.photobucket.com/user/tl...irnewvivs001_zpsbc64a94f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=36

http://s126.photobucket.com/user/tlr_smidsy/media/pedrosvivfinished004.jpg.html?sort=3&o=43
heres a couple more, hope the links work


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