# My acrylic cages



## WARPIG (May 21, 2008)

I finally got a lil time and most of my supplies inorder to start my new project, my own cages. 

Its a challenge, but its starting to look pretty good. I'm making these 6x6x12, these should hold most of tree lovers for some time.

The shell






Adding the strate retainer






Adding hinges






Next I need to cut the top, add the airholes with a drill press, cut and add the floor and I'm finished with my first cage.

I'll update this tomorrow with the finished cage, too tired to finish tonight. I have enough to make about 10, hope to fill them with mature avis, psalmos, and a few pokies

PIG-


----------



## Mister Internet (May 21, 2008)

Those look great!  How are you adhering them?


----------



## WARPIG (May 21, 2008)

Mister Internet said:


> Those look great!  How are you adhering them?


They sell an adhesive which bonds by melting the two sheets on contact. Its fast acting and not very forgiving. 

PIG-


----------



## Brianhogs (May 21, 2008)

Lookin great man!


----------



## bakaichi (May 22, 2008)

looking good~
look more cleaner the  the one i made 

btw what is the thickness of the acrylic sheed you are using ?


----------



## gvfarns (May 22, 2008)

I love building enclosures out of acrylic.  That solvent cement is magic.  I have a hard time with the cutting, though (the edge has to be practically perfect for the cement to work right).  I really need a table saw.  Is that how you did yours?

Good luck and I hope they work out as well as they are already looking (i.e., very).


----------



## rwlangbauer (May 22, 2008)

*tempered mirror*

your plastic work looks really good.  i haven't seen that out of anyone who wasn't a pro.

i just built my little girl a new enclosure -- i hate the word cage - it sounds so medevil.  i built it out of plate aluminum, heavy aluminium angle, tempered glass & tempered mirror.  the mirror cost a fortune but she enjoys doing her hair (setea) in it.  it is 2.5m x 3/4m x 3/4m (8' x 2' x2').  the minute she got into it she was in heaven.  she had been in an enclosure 1/4 the size.  she was bored out her mind.  imagine being incarcerated in a 6 x 9 cell & think how you would feel.

i know that many will object to the size.  i don't know if their objections are not spawned by pecuniary interests.  she gets what she wants.  okay, she has me wrapped around her little tarsus.  guilty.

plastic has definate advantages but only in the short term.  i expect this one to be @ my funeral.  i spent a little more but amortized over its service life -- the enclosure was free.


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

The thickness is 3/16, i used a table saw with a saw blade made specifically for plastic, the blade was about $75.00, the more teeth the blade has the cleaner it cuts.

Thanks for the compliments!!!

PIG-


----------



## rwlangbauer (May 22, 2008)

*plastic*

i just read some of the other responses.  plastic fabrication is not that hard but not for everyone. to answer what i can (i may be an md but i have a # of intense hobbies.)

there are a # of solvent welds.  differentiated mainly by speed.  some of the slower ones are also "bodied up" (thickened w/ additional plastic).  while you will not get as clean a joint, they will forgive more errors in fabrication.

the table saw is the standard tool, although; in a full shop there are several tools which would work.  get a carbide triple chip blade for your saw.  it will produce a much sweeter cut w/o the chip-out.  @ home w/ limited means, i would try a router & a guide.  rough it out a little full w/ whatever saw is available.  then spend some time placing a guide.  then use the router w/ a really gentle touch.  think of it as a tarantula/woman.  force will get you nowhere.

i have never tried to glue up acylic thinner than 5mm (1/4") thick.  i'm sure it is possible.  i just don't see the cost savings.

finally i think all of you can get to a TAP plastics.  not great prices for sheet goods but often informative.  if worse comes to worst, they have a minimum wage high school kid who is probably better @ making pieces of plastic stick to each other than i am.


----------



## bugster (May 22, 2008)

looks like somebody's about to give tarantulacages.com a run for their money!!   

Btw, i guess it's just a exuvium, but it looks like you have an escapee in Pic #1.  LOL!!  ;P


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

bugster said:


> looks like somebody's about to give tarantulacages.com a run for their money!!
> 
> Btw, i guess it's just a exuvium, but it looks like you have an escapee in Pic #1.  LOL!!  ;P


The container beneath that exuvivum is a 2.5" P pulcher, recently molted 

PIG-


----------



## bugster (May 22, 2008)

SWEET!!   Yea, i figured.  Just a little early morning humor.    He's gonna like his new home when he's big enough.


----------



## Skullptor (May 22, 2008)

You have the skills to make acrylic enclosures for sure.

I still make these for making silicone molds, but that kinda ruined me for making them for T's. When I look at them now I see a mold box. But when I made them for T's, I cut three small pieces of acrylic and formed a water bowl in one corner. I drilled a hole directly above it to drip fill the water dish. One of my pet peeves is an enclosure you have to open to fill the water dish.

* just an idea, and my opinion.


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

forensics said:


> You have the skills to make acrylic enclosures for sure.
> 
> I still make these for making silicone molds, but that kinda ruined me for making them for T's. When I look at them now I see a mold box. But when I made them for T's, I cut three small pieces of acrylic and formed a water bowl in one corner. I drilled a hole directly above it to drip fill the water dish. One of my pet peeves is an enclosure you have to open to fill the water dish.
> 
> * just an idea, and my opinion.



DUDE, great minds, what I intend on doing, is in one corner of the enclosure is driling a hole and attaching aquarium grade hard tubing and running it down to a spot where the water bowl will go, then if you need to go on vacation someone can add water to cages without fear of getting bit or losing one of your spiders!!

PIG-


----------



## Elaine (May 22, 2008)

It looks fabulous mate. I look forward to seeing the finished result with new occupant   xx


----------



## UrbanJungles (May 22, 2008)

I will take 6...you know where to deliver them right?
:clap:


----------



## gvfarns (May 22, 2008)

forensics said:


> But when I made them for T's, I cut three small pieces of acrylic and formed a water bowl in one corner. I drilled a hole directly above it to drip fill the water dish. One of my pet peeves is an enclosure you have to open to fill the water dish.
> .


I have the same peeve.  I built an acrylic enclosure and made one corner into a water bowl, then drilled a hold in the side of the wall there below the water line and built and outside container for the water.  So I add water to a pool connected but outside the enclosure and it flows in.  I love it.  I never have to open the enclosure except to throw food in there.  If I want to clean out/replace the water, I suck it out of the outside pool using a turkey baster, then refill.

Optimizing enclosures is part of the joy of this hobby, I think.


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

UrbanJungles said:


> I will take 6...you know where to deliver them right?
> :clap:



No doubt 'D', no doubt!!! 

PIG-


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

Here the floor has been added, the lid has been cut and dry fitted. I'm off to the drill press to add air holes. I need to add a hasp and then I'm done.

A lil decor for motivation.






Enjoy
PIG-


----------



## verry_sweet (May 22, 2008)

:drool: Wow Pig that looks awesome. I want to get a uniform look in my T room and if you start making these to sell please, please, please let me know. I haven’t tried to make my own but anytime I work with plexi I screw it up so I’m not even going to attempt an enclosure :8o 

Seriously you did a great job :clap:


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

Completed lids
Drilled lid with protective plastic cover






Completed lid






Almost done

PIG-


----------



## WARPIG (May 22, 2008)

All done

1.5" peat, moss cover






set-up done






Eviction






Home Sweet Home







Now I need to do this a few more times.

Hope you had a good trip through my lil home project!!!

PIG-


----------



## TarantulaCages.com (May 23, 2008)

This is inspiring


----------



## WARPIG (May 23, 2008)

TarantulaCages.com said:


> This is inspiring


Inspiration and persperation 

This is the occupant for my second enclosure. Ck out the junk in that trunk!!!







Now to crank out several mor tanks, I have to re-house several P cambridgei.

Enjoy
PIG-


----------



## Zoltan (Jun 1, 2008)

rwlangbauer said:


> your plastic work looks really good.  i haven't seen that out of anyone who wasn't a pro.
> 
> i just built my little girl a new enclosure -- i hate the word cage - it sounds so medevil.  i built it out of plate aluminum, heavy aluminium angle, tempered glass & tempered mirror.  the mirror cost a fortune but she enjoys doing her hair (setea) in it.  it is 2.5m x 3/4m x 3/4m (8' x 2' x2').  the minute she got into it she was in heaven.  she had been in an enclosure 1/4 the size.  she was bored out her mind.  imagine being incarcerated in a 6 x 9 cell & think how you would feel.
> 
> ...


Could you post a pic somewhere of this enclosure? I'm curious.


----------



## rwlangbauer (Jun 2, 2008)

*picture*

i have one.  give me a second.  the file is large i need to compress it.  on the left are orchids & Goth (hiding).  the annodized copper, which is on the outside of the enclosure, can be lifted to provide a view into her prefab burrows.  i have dark adapted eyes so i can do this w/o freaking her out.  the jungle gym is made by Magnetix. she loves to climb i love to build.  the fountain is made from simple nursey products.  i filled it w/ marbles when i realized how stupid crickets are.  i have no idea what this would cost someone else.  if you can't do it yourself & need to actually pay for things,  put 3 zeros @ the end.  oh, Ted's in the corner on the right.  he's Bridgette's.


----------



## Jeff Godbold (Jun 2, 2008)

PIG-

Could you give a materials list? Could HD or Lowes make all the acrylic cuts if you didn't have the tools?

Thanks,

Jeff


----------



## rwlangbauer (Jun 2, 2008)

*HD or Lowes*

TAP plastics is alot better.  the companies you named will not gauranty the accuracy of their cuts.


----------



## WARPIG (Jun 19, 2008)

Finished!!!
1 sheet of acrylic and this is what I get, 11 enclosures 6"x6"x12", and 3 small enclosures half that size. I just got my lazy curly tail in gear and finished today.

My arboreal rack/ will transfer several T's tomorrow.






Top shelf showing the lil enclosures on the right






One of the shy inhabitants who surfaced today.






I'm not realy looking forward to moving several of my big puppies which include 2 P metallicas, and my H maculata, she's gonna be a bear to move as she is dug into a hide.

Now to work on a few enclosures in glass, acrylic is nice, but glass is clean. I am jealous of some of the European T enclosures. Gotta buy a glass grinder and teach myself to use it.

Enjoy
PIG-


----------



## GartenSpinnen (Jun 20, 2008)

PIG-
I must say excellent job, all of those look excellent! But seriously... the first pics... whats up with the Nikon D300 book staring at us? Its like ha ha my acrylic cages are amazing AND i have a Nikon D300 to take pictures of them with...... All i have to say with jealousy is.... :drool: 
Cheers


----------



## WARPIG (Jun 20, 2008)

jadespider1985 said:


> PIG-
> I must say excellent job, all of those look excellent! But seriously... the first pics... whats up with the Nikon D300 book staring at us? Its like ha ha my acrylic cages are amazing AND i have a Nikon D300 to take pictures of them with...... All i have to say with jealousy is.... :drool:
> Cheers



Thanks,
LOL, saving my pennies for my D300, will have it SOON , just decided to read as much as I can b4 buying.

Thanks again.
PIG-


----------



## Mister Internet (Jun 20, 2008)

rwlangbauer said:


> i have one.  give me a second.


Well, there's no way that's 8 feet long like you originally said, but it's certainly large.


----------



## Cocoa-Jin (Jun 21, 2008)

Can you build one of those with a top door and side door...plus the same 4 walled area at the top as you have on the bottom?

I'd like to have a place for substrate on the bottom, but also a "cavity/pocket" at the top since my pokie likes to hang out on the top of its enclosure

And how about some screening for the lid...I wanna keep little unwanted critters from going in there.

I'd really like to see someone tackle a hexagon or octagon like this.


----------



## WARPIG (Jun 21, 2008)

Cocoa-Jin said:


> Can you build one of those with a top door and side door...plus the same 4 walled area at the top as you have on the bottom?
> 
> I'd like to have a place for substrate on the bottom, but also a "cavity/pocket" at the top since my pokie likes to hang out on the top of its enclosure
> 
> ...


Jin, you're only limited by imagination. You can have a top and side door as long as you use cross supports (no biggie) regarding screening, you can use a router, cut out as much of the lid as you want and replace the cut-out with screen.

Hex? why not, need to miter the edges, thats all.

PIG-


----------



## Cocoa-Jin (Jun 21, 2008)

Im just waiting for this pokie to get a tad bit bigger and I'll be ready for it...if you can make it I will buy it.

Especially if you can add in a drainage port and openings for misters.


----------



## Lucara (Jun 22, 2008)

Ohhh!!! VERY NICE Pig! Let me know when you start on terrestrial cages. I'm looking for 3 large display tanks for my blondi's =D


----------

