# Designer Retro Terrarium



## BertS

This topic is a report regarding a project I just finished.

I was fed up with the rectangular terrariums and wanted to create a well designed viv. Because our interior is become more retro nowadays, I decided the viv should have the same style. 

The terrarium will be for my bearded dragon and has an useable surface of 130 x 70 x 70 cm. Lighting is T5 day light TL of 900mm 21Watt. Included is a Arcadia 23W D3 UV lamp with a basking spot on 30 cm. Heating is a Elstein ceramic heater controlled by a Habistat thermostat. 

Front and sides are 7 mm glass. The thickness of the walls are 40 mm and are isolated with poly urethane. Isolating is more to block sounds then keeping the heat in. Walls are covered with bending plywood of 5 mm. 

This construction will not be supported by the floor, but I made a special bracket, so the terrarium seems to float in the room.










Enough talking, lets continue with the build…

First I created a model in Sketch Up.










Using the side view, I made a mould which was used to create the ribs of the viv. Ribs are made of 18 mm MDF. The photo below shows of the frame. Unfortunately made using my mobile, so picture has less quality.










Once the frame was assembled and the glue dried, I covered the inner side with 5 mm bending plywood. 










The interspaces were filled up with poly urethane which prevents hollow sounds and has some heat-isolating properties. See photo below.










Made a mould for all plugs, using this I can draw easily in the rear side of the viv.










The Elstein heating is a bit over-the-top but the viv is quickly on temperature.











Without bracket.










With home-made bracket.









Some fitting.. Heating beams are placed next to the UV source. When the dragon want to heat up, it also gets an dose of UV, like in nature (although that is what we want to replicate). 











Applying a water resistant lacquer. 










Bracket welded and painted.










Brackets attached to the wall.










Applied a corned strip.










This picture shows that the glass strips are recessed. 










Only still some finishing touches and the project is finished!










Finito!





















 Look here for aan picture on a black background







Hope you'll like it!


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## Demon9374

:no1::no1::no1::no1:


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## [email protected]

wow!!! Amazing.


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## tony_ynot_1

Wowowow


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## Spider Call

Wow! O= That is great.


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## staffy

now that is proper nice:2thumb::no1::notworthy:


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## x_Living_Dead_Girl_x

That is immense! I love it when people make vivs that aren't a 'normal' design :2thumb:


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## Ssthisto

That is an amazing build. Do you have brand names for the bending plywood you used, or was it steamed(?) and bent by hand?


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## eddygecko

That really is amazing, bet theres some real money to be made in producing these on a large scale. 

Well done it looks abolutely cracking


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## staffy

Ssthisto said:


> That is an amazing build. Do you have brand names for the bending plywood you used, or was it steamed(?) and bent by hand?


bendy ply can is available from most good timber merchants or diy suppliers.


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## chondro13

thats EPIC :no1:


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## BertS

Thanks for the nice reply's!


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## komodoking

Wow - that's truly 1 of a kind, fantastic build


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## quizicalkat

amazing! :no1:


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## cmmercer

WOW!!!

That is immense!

:no1::no1::no1:


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## Whosthedaddy

That really is a nicely executed viv. When I read 'retro' I was thinking maybe the odd glitter ball and shag pile?


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## Biggys

you should make these for people to buy
i defineitly would 

looks amazing by the way :2thumb:


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## swift_wraith

Pity you aren't in the UK else i'd be looking to buy one... or seven


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## BertS

I already had the idea to make a series of these, but i've spent almost €950.- on this one so it is'nt quite profitable to sell :blush:


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## jbateman1995

I only got 1 word........WOW:gasp:


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## domeboy

OMG i want one, no need one


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## Trezeck

Jeez that is FANTASTIC :no1:

Shame it's not more economical to make or else you could have a superb business.

Unless of course, if you want to still sell something like that to the more wealthy customers. I'm sure that some footballer that keeps reptiles would be happy to have a viv of this quality in his home.


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## Morgan Freeman

Who rules? You rule!


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## Grimbo007

Very nice well done!


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## Lozza.Bella

* Speechless* That is amazing!


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## bothrops

A stunning viv and clearly a very skillful constructer! I was hoping to recreate something similiar when I saw the pic in your welcome thread but now it is clear I don't have the necessary equipment or skills. (Zero metal working skills and limited woodworking skills!)

It is an awesome looking viv. Just for the record (please don't take this as me being anything but helpful) I think the word you were after was 'insulating' meaning 'keeping heat or sound out or in' rather than 'isolating' meaning 'keep something on its own':2thumb:


Again, welcome to the forum and when I win the lotto, you'll get an order for a lot of those vivs!

Cheers

Andy


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## jinks

that is an extremely nice viv!i have seen many 'homemade' vivs and they never looked like that!infact i dont think shop purchased vivs can ever look that good?well done mate,alot of skill needed to achieve that and you made an extremely good job!
once again well done


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## Brierley

One of a kind.

Fantastic build.


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## BertS

Thanks for the nice comments!

I'm reading them with a big smile on my happy face :2thumb:


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## Syl85

WOW!!!
That is amazing!:no1:


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## mrhoyo

That is bloody good.


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## yonark

WOW :mf_dribble: now that is my style of viv :2thumb:


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## Dan P

That is totally and utterly awesome!!


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## BertS

Thnx! Guy's / Gurls!


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## Dan P

How long did it take you to make that?


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## BertS

I guess in total about 60 hours.


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## haunted-havoc

*jaw hits floor*

i think most people on here would use their grandparents as currency to buy this


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## BertS

haunted-havoc said:


> i think most people on here would use their grandparents as currency to buy this


:roll2:


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## jasonkwong135

Super AWESOME!!! the isulation is especially a good idea, must save a lot of energy.


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## mandi1234

wicked, i love it :2thumb:


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## BertS

Thnx! :blush:


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## ♥Becki♥

WOW Wish i could make somethink this amazing!!


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## pioneer518

*Very cool*

Hi you must be like me hate the same old rubbish like to be diffrent ..
i had very simler design ideas as u but without glass side and mine was oval shape ..but i like ur galss side idea better im i ok to use that tnkz .. 

I dont have a url to show u pics but i can email you me idea folder if you wish...:2thumb:


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## Catfud

Wow, thats really impressive and inspirational. Good work


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## SJC_Josh

WOW !! This look's awesome. I would totally buy a few if you made these, I can really see these being a big hit if they went in to production. :no1:
Cheers Josh.


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## mooshu

I saw one of these in a episode of star trek! :lol2:
It looks awesome!


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## PESKY

I know its an old thread and its been said but OMG that is one awsome self build and what a belting idea nice work all round


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## Charlotte__

:mf_dribble: turn around so i can steal that beautiful viv. It matches my fireplace! :blush:

just out of curiosity, where about's is the ventilation?


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## s6t6nic6l

glad this got resurrected. outstanding project. your soundproofing & insulating integration to the build is really beneficial for the pet in question. well thought out planning.


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## Swain86

Thats brilliant :no1:


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## Draig

:notworthy:That’s a fantastic build, really think there would be a market out there for them. Such a novel idea, love it :notworthy:


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## BertS

Thanks people!
:blush:


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## Bearded snake

: victory:awesome!:no1:


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## Cookaaaaay

*WOW!*
That is absolutely amazing! :notworthy::notworthy:


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## Blissfullsilence

It's a piece of art in my opinion, so elegant. Having a series of similar vivs on a wall some small, some tall etc would look awesome, like a living modern art instillation :2thumb:


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## thething84

Blissfullsilence said:


> It's a piece of art in my opinion, so elegant. Having a series of similar vivs on a wall some small, some tall etc would look awesome, like a living modern art instillation :2thumb:


 
second this. in the right space it would fit perfectly. and look much more elegant than the usual square viv.


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## BertS

A evening shot with the night led lamp.


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## MaxJay

Fantastic work m8 loving it.


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## alcamee

1) Stunning

2) Very cool

3) incredibly clever

4) Damn I want one/several.

:no1::no1:


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