Amac Style Box Enclosures

[aphono]

To make the round hole you use a hole saw bit the size you need.

For these enclosures to get holes in a straight line I used a piece of electrical tape (painter's tape would work best) along the top edge of the enclosure. I drill a line holes on the bottom edge of the tape. Then I covered the tape with a second piece that overlapped the bottom edge by about 1/4 the width of the tape. I drilled the next set of holes in a line along the bottom of the second piece of tape. Repeat until you have as many lines as you want using the tape to keep you straight. Peel of the tape and you have a nice multi-line set of vents.

Some people measure and mark with a grease pen drill and then wipe it off. I think this is easier though. Using the tape as a straight edge you can make all kinds of patterns if you are so inclined.

Very helpful. I am not handy so I really appreciated that, thank you. What size drill bit for the holes?

 

[Trenor]

Very helpful. I am not handy so I really appreciated that, thank you. What size drill bit for the holes?

No problem, I'm glad it was helpful. The holes should be small enough that the carapace of the sling you want to put in the enclosure can't fit through. I usually go way smaller and just add more holes in till I get the ventilation I need.

 

[Magenta]

@Trenor, you inspired me. I used an Amac box for my A. metallica I cut the top off of a Gatorade bottle and also cut a hole in the side of the Amac box and hot glued the bottle piece in place. It's really easy to fill water dishes, drop in prey, etc.

 

[Trenor]

@Trenor, you inspired me. I used an Amac box for my A. metallica I cut the top off of a Gatorade bottle and also cut a hole in the side of the Amac box and hot glued the bottle piece in place. It's really easy to fill water dishes, drop in prey, etc.

Cool, post up a photo of the mod. Sounds interesting.

 

[MetalMan2004]

@Trenor, you inspired me. I used an Amac box for my A. metallica I cut the top off of a Gatorade bottle and also cut a hole in the side of the Amac box and hot glued the bottle piece in place. It's really easy to fill water dishes, drop in prey, etc.

Photo please!

My versicolor molted today and its time to rehouse once it hardens up. I have an AMAC box ready to go but may have to add this to it first.

 

[Magenta]

These boxes are great, they're so clear. It's nice to actually be able to see the Ts I have a few boxes hanging around just in case I see a deal I can't pass up.

Let me know what you think. I'm always looking to make improvments where I can
http://imgur.com/i7J3LIR


ETA: Soldering the air holes turned out kind of sloppy.


@Trenor, Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[user 666]

These boxes are great, they're so clear. It's nice to actually be able to see the Ts I have a few boxes hanging around just in case I see a deal I can't pass up.

Let me know what you think. I'm always looking to make improvments where I can
http://imgur.com/i7J3LIR

Oooh, you are using the gatorade lid as a secondary door. I missed that detail before. Nice!

 

[MetalMan2004]

These boxes are great, they're so clear. It's nice to actually be able to see the Ts I have a few boxes hanging around just in case I see a deal I can't pass up.

Let me know what you think. I'm always looking to make improvments where I can
http://imgur.com/i7J3LIR

Thats a fantastic idea! If you can feed and water through a separate hole that solves the issue Trenor explained of pokies running down when the enclosure is opened. Just son't forget to put the cap back on!

 

[user 666]

Thats a fantastic idea! If you can feed and water through a separate hole that solves the issue Trenor explained of pokies running down when the enclosure is opened. Just son't forget to put the cap back on!

A lot of my mid-sized enclosures (4x4x5 AMAC boxes) have at least one ventilation hole sized for a syringe. (I'd take a photo but it is too dark.)

 

[poopymcgee132]

Here are some quick photos of some Amac boxes that I use or plan to use for enclosures. @Mauri



I use them primarily for slings but once they go to juvenile I switch over to doors on my enclosures. They work for arboreals and terrestrials.

This is a terrestrial setup for slings:

This is a arboreal setup and how it opens. A flat surface keeps the box sealed while I cange water and do clean up/put out food:

The corkbark and anchor points are glues to the side:

I wouldn't use these for pokies myself but it works good for most arboreal IMO.

Here is one box I haven't setup yet but picked up for a terrestrial setup when my B. albopilosum molts another time or two:

Can you do a tutorial on the setup and possibly any bigger ones

 

[Trenor]

Can you do a tutorial on the setup and possibly any bigger ones

Wow, that is from a while back. I do not have assembly photos since I dislike stopping once I start work on a project like this.

As far as materials go:

I picked up a lot of fake plants and vine leaves from the local craft store. I looked for sets that could be disassembled easily and leaves in a size range that would work for most enclosures.

Hot glue is my adhesive of choice and I have used it with great success over the years. It works with cork bark, fake leaves and hard plastic. I have heard that when attached to glass it can come loose after a time. I have not used it on glass, so I do not know.

I got most of my containers on amazon though if I remember right the cube thin top ones can from a different site.

Plastic hinges and hasps are used when needed.

Hides and backing plates are mainly cork bark.

I use a topsoil and cocoa fiber mix for my substrate.

Water dishes are 2-4oz deli cups for big enclosures and screw on bottle caps for the smaller ones.


The building process for a top opening enclosure is: If needed I build the hide which is a half round cork piece with fake plants hot glued to it. The hide gets partially buried then extra leaves and such get glued around the enclosure for webbing points. Add water dish in there somewhere you have room and done.


The building process for a bottom opening enclosure is: I measure and cut a cork backing piece that covers the back wall. I glue the fake leaves to it till it is cluttered. I then glue plants to the other three inside walls before gluing the backing plate in. Protip: Putting hot glue on the plant piece then sticking it up in the enclosure is far easier than getting the glue gun up in there. I add some substrate in the bottom for a bit of moisture retention and a water dish that leaves room for the food to be placed in.

Here are some photos you can use for ideas. I will be upgrading a few of my Ts into some gallon containers in the next week or so. I can drop a photo or two of those once they are done if you are interested.

Shoe boxes: I used a table saw to cut the lids into 3 piewces then glued hinges and hasps as shown.

The left most one below is a bought one. I made five of the other ones for the same amount as the bought one cost me.

It's easy once you have done a few. If you have questions let me know. Good luck.

 

[Ferrachi]

Very nice enclosures !! How long does it take approximately to make one with hinges like that ?

 

[Trenor]

Very nice enclosures !! How long does it take approximately to make one with hinges like that ?

I did those as a batch of 8 or 10. Cutting them on the saw, gluing the hinges/hasps and sealing the bottom with silicone took two-three hours. Not counting the dry time of the silicone (6 hours if i recall right to cure) Cutting the cork and gluing up as a batch too about the same. It's faster in bunches when everything is cut laid out and just has to be assembled. They were pretty easy to make and have worked really well. You could do all 8-10 in a day without much effort.

I'm about to transfer some tarantulas out into newer setup and refurbish these after cleaning them up.I don't rehouse my tarantulas very often but sometimes they need a housing clean up. Some of their current enclosures are the same from 4-5 years ago.

 

[Ferrachi]

I did those as a batch of 8 or 10. Cutting them on the saw, gluing the hinges/hasps and sealing the bottom with silicone took two-three hours. Not counting the dry time of the silicone drying time (6 hours if i recall right to cure) Cutting the cork and gluing up as a batch too about the same. It's faster in bunches when everything is cut laid out and just has to be assembled. They were pretty easy to make and have worked really well. You could do all 8-10 in a day without much effort.

I'm about to transfer some tarantulas out into newer setup and refurbish these after cleaning them up.I don't rehouse my tarantulas very often but sometimes they need a housing clean up. Some of their current enclosures are the same from 4-5 years ago.

Really nicely made... would love to see the newer setups when you're done !