My first project

[Da Twista]

After waking up with a wrist that doesn't want to function this morning, not sure what I did with it to be so sore, well the wooden cabinet is now standing!

[gekosin]

Looks awesome! Wish i had the space for something like this!

[Da Twista]

I'm going to need some suggestions here. I'm now trying to sort out a backing for the cabinet but the only options I have here is plywood or hardboard, but it just doesn't look right. I asked about a burnt oak hardboard or something like that, it doesn't make any sense considering the price to buy a full board of burnt oak melamine to use for a backing. Another possibility is using a stain but again the price is very high for the varnish and stain.

How would I be able to get something like plywood or hardboard being the same color (grain included) so it matches the burnt oak melamine? Any ideas?

[cascade]

You can buy the vinyl that is on your wood and just stick it on to match the look.
Vinyl is not the right word though.

[Da Twista]

Ok I'm back in action. Had some serious wrist pains from all the screwing <smirk>

I decided to go with the stain option. After pricing vinyl, it would have worked out a load more while the stain was only R58.

Here are some pics of the staining and finally having the backing on! Today I shall be picking up my 24 sheets of glass from PG glass. Only problem I face now is that I cannot find (At a reasonable price) the glass sliders so that I can get the glass in. R180 for 5 metres is going to cost me R540 which I find ridiculous considering it is nearly the most expensive thing on this cabinet and it's only plastic. I need to find some alternate solution for this one now. Ideas welcome!

[kfc223]

So no lip on the cages?

[Da Twista]

Nope, well, there would be some sort of a lip to prevent the substrate from falling out by using the glass runner tracks. However, I've now been to every single hardware store around here and no one sells these damn things.

[bradmiller]

Check this thread...
http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=6597&p=51136&hilit=glass+track#p51136

The best I can do is R100 for 3m brown set but it is for the 6mm glass.

[Primogen]

Da twista your setups looking good so far.

I am busy planning my tanks for my snake room just want to know who bought your melamine from?

[Da Twista]

Hi Primogen!

There were a few places I could have bought from but to save time and petrol money I went and bought it at builders warehouse up the road from me. They can cut to the exact dimensions plus if you go in the morning your wood will be ready for collection in the afternoon. They also stocked most of the different colors of melamine available these days.

But I do suggest you phone around a little bit, you may be able to get it cheaper. Builders warehouse charged me around R730 for one sheet including the cut up.

Funny enough, there was another place I initially went to as it's basically walking distance from where I stay. They wanted to charge R900 odd plus it would have taken them a week to cut it up for me. So best you call around, I'm sure you can score a deal somewhere.

And now it's finally official! I cannot get these rails anywhere. My only hope was builders warehouse for 6mm brown rails, altogether setting me back R540. Not to mention, the glass was nearly half this price. Price is cr@p and 6mm is too big.

Cabinet is now standing, I have everything sorted out. Vent holes with vent covers, light holes, light setups, sealed the whole cabinet. So now the cabinet is standing looking so beautiful half naked with the glass sitting next to it

[Primogen]

I know what you mean you cant find those rail I did alot of searching and still
came up short, so now I am going to use hinges and locks/latches.

[bradmiller]

Why don't you make your own rails/tracks?
Get strips of wood and router out the 4mm channels?
That way you can make the tracks higher and you have your lip sorted plus you can sommer screw them in from the bottom.
Only one potential problem the piece between each track must be at least 2 maybe 3mm to stop it from breaking off.
You wont be able to use chip board but I cant see why MDF wont work...

[Da Twista]

I had already thought about making my own but I don't have the tools to do this with me. So in the end if I buy what I need, tools, wood, stain it still going to cost me a load.
I cam across another guy selling aluminum ones. Same price as the plastic so I'm at a stump now.

Another options would be to get hold of 600mm in length pieces of pine, thin ones, and attach them the required mm apart from each other and just stain the pine. That will give me the lip and basically home made tracks but wood glue is not going to hold on the melamine and I cannot screw from both top and bottom of each enclosure which I would need to do but the tracks from the enclosure from above or below will be in the way.

I'm trying Unitraco now, if only the people on the other end will pick up their phone. I saw in another thread here back in 2008 they sell different color and sizes.

[Da Twista]

Sorry for the double post.

Unitraco it is!!!

R130 for a 3.5 length which includes both top and bottom.

Hell yeah! I'm going to go fetch it now!!

[Da Twista]

Well I'm on the home stretch now! All I need to get is smaller bulbs at a lower wattage, small door knobs for the glass sliding doors and reptile bark. Once that is done then this project is done!

I put the snakes in last weekend and they seem to be liking the extra space they had. All ate as well, no regurgitating, so I'm pretty much happy. Only one concern though, the stain I used, it seems to be water based. Meaning if I wipe it with a wet clothe then it comes off. Not sure if this will be harmful to the snake but I think a coat of vanish will sort that out for me.

Well here is a photo of it in place in my lounge, lights already in, snakes already in and so on...