# acrylic vivs



## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

hi all, just to let you know i build acrylic vivs, if you are intrested in these or would like to know more then please drop me a line.

D


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

Can you post any pics of your work? id be intrested in some and your not that fare from me.


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

im new to this site, so not to sure how to post pics on here but i can send to an email add.

D


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

Id be interested in seeing them too.
Seee http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/newbie-advice/112135-how-post-pictures-using-photobucket.html to learn how. (its easy)


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

hi tops, i will join photobucket tomorrow and sort out some pics to post.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

i do have a web site but im not to sure if i can put it on this post ?

D


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

You can post the link...


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

www.fistafiltration.co.uk

thats me.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

or look on here, under acrylic vivs

Reptile Classifieds - Buy, sell, exchange for free


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

ooh VERY nice. That just makes me want a GTP all the more grr :bash:


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

Some very nice looking work there, i will be intrested in some of your mariene stuff in a few months. In process of buying a new house and once in its time to spend:2thumb:


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

thank you for the nice comments glad you like what you see, i have been making things out of acrylic for the past 18yrs but now made it into a business.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is 1 of my viv's i have made for a customer


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## madaboutreptiles (Jun 5, 2007)

They are very nice but whats the price...............:whistling2:


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

the one in the picture is 26(L) x 25(H) x 16(W) = £125

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is another one


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## madaboutreptiles (Jun 5, 2007)

fizzy said:


> the one in the picture is 26(L) x 25(H) x 16(W) = £125
> 
> D


Thats actually not too bad at all......................:no1:


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

thank you for the comment, because i work on my own i can keep the price down low but because of that sometimes it can take awhile to build things if ive got a full order book.

D


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

What sort of price would i be looking at on that multi leval one and whats the sizes? Price on the other one seems fare:2thumb:


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## sanderson (Aug 5, 2008)

Do they not melt if you use ceramics?


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## Wobbit (Nov 15, 2008)

these look very good, the kind of thing i would like for a gtp in the future!


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## Demonique (May 5, 2007)

How do you heat them?


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

rigth to answer all of your questions about heat, acrylic can take heat up 67 c = 156.7 f so heat matts will not affect it as for the ceramic lights, holes can be done for the fittings and for air vents, all of my vivs are made to measure and can be made in white or black and of course clear, all i need is a drawing to work by and that does not matter how bad you drawing is as i will then re-do the drawing so that you can then see what is being made, even if it means that a few drawings go back and forth to make sure the item is made to what you want.

here is my latest one i have just made.


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## donstapley (Jul 28, 2008)

i really love these, im looking at getting a 3ft x 18" x 18".
any ideas on what a price for something like that would be??
thanks


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## R.E.C.S (May 13, 2009)

hi, i make vivs from fibreglass and as such they can withstand major heat, upto about 200c contact temperature. ambient temperature will be higher.

my question here is this, with your acrylic vivs will the acrylic become brittle with the heating and cooling as 67c isnt very much when ceramic bulbs get involved, or are these not designed for bulbs??
another thing is do they scratch and cloud up when cleaned??

also if i were to give you a drawing and send you a profile could you bend a piece of 20mm acrylic to shape?? its for a fishtank im currently building with a nice front. a work in progress, its very big so problem is i cant find anyone to make the front.


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

right to let you know i have been working with acrylic for the past 28yrs as i use to make and install signs, i have even put up acrylic signs in saudi and as you will know its bloody hot out there, the acrylic will not go brittle with getting hot and cooling down, i have tested the acrylic with neat disinfectant and there was not marking of the acrylic, yes all acrylic will scratch but if its fine scratching then it can be polished out.

As regards to bending 20mm acrylic, well im sorry but i cant do that, that would have to be done on a special machine which i dont have.

You are more than welcome to PM me about pricing.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is another viv that i have made, this viv is in 2 parts, each viv is 48(L)x36(H)x24(W) and is divided into 6 compartments, here on the pic there are 2 of then and they are standing on top of each other.


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## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

Im a bit concerned about the whole ceramic issue? They can get up to 200 degrees as far as im aware, even hotter the Saudi Arabia as far as I'm aware? 

Im worried with you not being clear cut about this some poor bugger is going to buy one and then burn their house down after fitting a ceramic bulb in there.

Ive seen these acrylic vivs sold for inverts as they can be fitted with a heatmat. But when your selling 3ft plus vivs that might be used with species that are going to need more then a heat mat its going to end in tears if they can only take 62C like you say? Even a light bulb gets hotter then that.


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## R.E.C.S (May 13, 2009)

jack_rep said:


> Im a bit concerned about the whole ceramic issue? They can get up to 200 degrees as far as im aware, even hotter the Saudi Arabia as far as I'm aware?
> 
> Im worried with you not being clear cut about this some poor bugger is going to buy one and then burn their house down after fitting a ceramic bulb in there.
> 
> Ive seen these acrylic vivs sold for inverts as they can be fitted with a heatmat. But when your selling 3ft plus vivs that might be used with species that are going to need more then a heat mat its going to end in tears if they can only take 62C like you say? Even a light bulb gets hotter then that.


im afraid i would have to agree, have you tested the use of a ceramic bulb in these vivs before??

if it turns out that the ceramic bulbs are an issue to the deformation of the acrylic, all is not lost, i may have something here that will help you solve the problem.


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## Paul_MTS (Mar 23, 2008)

I believe the norm for heating acrylic vivs with ceramics would be to have a hole cut in the top, have a wire mesh fitted over the hole and you would then hang/rest a ceramic with reflector above the mesh.

I have seen a few set ups like this using acrylic with no issues.


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

YOU are very correct paul, i do ask my customers what they are going to use for heating, air vents or holes for mesh can be put in without any problem


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

may i ask how much for a 2x2x2 foot... with holes for ventilation etc..


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

UPDATE as regards to the issue of what sort of temprature acrylic can work up to is:

PERSPEX cast can be heated up to 140-170c so that it becomes fliexable so that it can be formed into shapes.

PERSPEX extruded can be heated up to the same tempratuer as cast to form shapes.

The temprature point at which cast and extruded will melt is 200-230c

So with this information if you are not to sure about having a viv made and you use ceramic's then do not have one made BUT on saying this air vents can be cut or large holes can be done where it is covered with a mesh then i leave it up to you to decide, acrylic is fine with all heatmats.

This information comes direct from the manufacture where i get my material from.

D


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## tiesto (May 6, 2009)

jsut what ive been looking for ... you have PM


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is my lastest project for a customer, it is not finished yet but will be by the end of the week


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is the update of the display unit


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## stan (Sep 18, 2006)

fizzy said:


> here is the update of the display unit


Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

hope you like it stan, i am very pleased with it.

D


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## Paul_MTS (Mar 23, 2008)

That looks stunning!

Whats it being used for? I first thought spiders but after seeing what you keep in your sig Stan I'm guessing corn display unit for at shows?


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## stan (Sep 18, 2006)

Paul_MTS said:


> Whats it being used for? I first thought spiders but after seeing what you keep in your sig Stan I'm guessing corn display unit for at shows?


Exactly that, a show display unit, completely bespoke, very happy with how its turned out.


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

soon be there stan, i hope its what you want, im glad that other people like it as well.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

my latest project.


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## boidae (Jul 14, 2008)

are you able to make these strong enough to house a burmese python?

(aasuming you make large viv's.)


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

pm me with a size you want and ill let you know

D


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## Louser (May 25, 2009)

I've PMed you by the way.
Did it this morning; forgot to leave a comment :L.


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## Pink Floyd (Apr 11, 2009)

PM sent


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## VdubS (Jul 15, 2007)

boidae said:


> are you able to make these strong enough to house a burmese python?
> 
> (aasuming you make large viv's.)


Im thinking the same thing.. would you be able to build something like 5'x2'x2'?


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

hi all

yes i can make large vivs, and as for air vents/holes all i need is some details of what you want i.e a drawing and i can then make it from that.

D


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

here is another 1 just made, ready for the doncaster show for a customer.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

I have to say, they look amazing. Its unfortunate that perspex costs so much more than MFC, it would make an interesting stack for me.


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

acrylic is very versatile, it does not warp out of shape if you wash it out unlike wood which will soak it up and swell up, i have tested it out with neat bleach and it did NOT affect the acrylic, i can keep my prices down as i work on my own and only charge for material used.

D


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## fourdown (Oct 3, 2008)

just read through all of this!


WOW!!

these are so brilliantly elegant.

nice work


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## fizzy (Apr 18, 2009)

thank you ben, im glad you like what you see.

D


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