Terrestrial DIY Acrylic/plexi glass enclosure

[Frogdaddy]

The OP is clearly asking for help and guidance in making decisions on a DIY enclosure. Dorfito and everyone else has a right to post and help guide that person. Just the same as you are posting here. That's how a forum works.

 

[Dorifto]

I answered you the same way you answered us, it's annoying eh?

moricollins nailed the response.

We are here to spread and to learn from other people's knowledges. I gave my opinion about glass enclosures, never pointed the OP with a gun to force him to choose glass instead of acrylics, instead I argue about that.

You came here attacking everyone without even arguing about your choice, and we are the ones who need to stay quiet? As I said don't derail another post because your wont be doing any favour to the OP.

 

[DaveM]

I used plexiglass before sometimes, but I've switched to glass now, partly because of wise and helpful advice from @Dorifto -- thanks! I'm much happier now that my enclosures will be more durable and will stay looking nice over time.

 

[MrDeranged]

<Admin Note>:

Just got done cleaning up irrelevant replies, quotes of irrelevant replies and responses to irrelevant replies. Please keep further replies in the thread relevant.

Regards,
MrD

 

[Dorifto]

How does it warp? Like bend or difficult to see through

Thanks everyone for your opinions I'm having a hard time choosing between glass and acrylic as you all have interesting points!

Maybe this thread could help you more

Acrylic enclosure warping

I have some acrylic terrestrial enclosures (purchased from a reputable dealer) and either the lids or the enclosures themselves (or both) seem to be warping. The top is no longer flush and the lid dips down a bit (slight gap on the L enclosures, more pronounced on the XL enclosure). The hasps...

arachnoboards.com

 

[The Snark]

Just some FYI goo.
With around 50,000 different kinds of 'acrylics' out there, and more being produced as required, making a blanket statement like 'it will warp' is a little bit pfffffftb! Most plastics are plastic. That is, have a degree of flexibility. You overcome flexibility with greater thickness (or stiffeners). How thick depends upon the rigidity of the material. Just check the side windows in your average aircraft. Ultra dissimilar pressures and humidity on opposite surfaces but no warp. Rigid. Get the right material for the job at hand. And BTW, the crap you find in your average hardware store is just that. Translucent crap. Made as expediently as possible because average home consumer doesn't care if it can withstand 500 PSI or is chemically stable into the next decade.

Plate glass requires the proper tools to work with, along with some practice for the learning curve. Lots of tricks of the trade. As for scratching, minor scratches can be polished out. Actually, all scratches can be polished out. Check the Mount Palomar 200 inch telescope that had 4 1/2 TONS of glass polished off to achieve the concave surface. It only took a machine a year to do it.

 

[TheDarkFinder]

pfffffftb!

So, when we say it will warp, it we mean that one side will absorb moisture and slowly expand. We are not talking about flexibility. We are talking one side of the plastic swelling until it deforms.

I would love to use stretch cast acrylic with special coatings at .4 of an inch thick, which is your air plane window.

So lets see here. 31.75 a sq foot. a 12x12x12 square will cost 190 dollar per cage. PS you have to buy the plastic by the case, 10,000 dollars per case. Everyone has 190 bucks just to get a fancy cage. Now you could built it out of glass, have professional to it and get it for 48 bucks. We could do it our self for less then 7 bucks a sq foot. Cheaper if you use cheaper glass. But no, you convinced me, 190 dollars per cage is the least I can do.

In fact, when you think about about it, nothing short of clear aluminium will do. And we are not going to use that 2,100 dollar a sq foot aluminium oxynitride. Oh no. We can not cheap out now. We have to go full bore aluminum oxide. Ok, let see here, carry the one, prices on the open market....


Could we all just admit that glass is better to build with?

 

[Braden]

If I were to use acrylic, it would be for a T albopilosum 5'' female(so it would be kept a bit dry, but with some humidity). Would it warp or whatever or would it be ok?

 

[Braden]

Ok, construction has finally begun. After considering everybody's ideas and opinions on different materials I have decided to..... use both! For the enclosure, the back, bottom and sides will be glass and the front and top will be acrylic. I am making it so I just have to slide the acrylic so no need to glue or whatever(obviously acrylic doesn't stick well). This waqy if the acrylic warps I can replace it. Thanks everybody

Also my T albopilosus sling molted and is now slightly over an inch so yay!

 

[Matt Man]

Plexiglas can warp and is susceptible to humidity. Here's a read. https://www.plexiglas.com/export/si...roduct-Info-Plexiglas-Moisture-Absorbtion.pdf

 

[Braden]

No worries, the sub will be kept dry

 

[Matt Man]

yes, if you control heat and humidity it isn't an issue

 

[SunTiger1]

Hi guys, I really want to make my own enclosure made of acrylic, plexi glass or some strong see through plastic material(I want to drill ventilation in the sides and design it myself). The problem is I do not know how or what to use(what is safe for tarantulas. I want to make something like what the dark den makes.

Thanks

Hi Braden

I recently built my first enclosure with a combo of glass and Plexiglass, it's really fun and I think a very cool part of the Tarantula hobby. I didn't have any problems with the glass or Plexi.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Hi Braden

I recently built my first enclosure with a combo of glass and Plexiglass, it's really fun and I think a very cool part of the Tarantula hobby. I didn't have any problems with the glass or Plexi. View attachment 362279

What kind of adhesive did you use to stick to both glass and plexiglass?

 

[SunTiger1]

What kind of adhesive did you use to stick to both glass and plexiglass?

I used normal Marine Silicone

 

[Matt Man]

looks good. Careful of that light on top.I assume the top is Plexiglas and too much heat from that light could cause some warpage

 

[Braden]

Hi Braden

I recently built my first enclosure with a combo of glass and Plexiglass, it's really fun and I think a very cool part of the Tarantula hobby. I didn't have any problems with the glass or Plexi. View attachment 362279

You did a beautiful job! I really can never find the right enclosures for my T's, they either have a screen lid or just not what I like.

 

[SunTiger1]

You did a beautiful job! I really can never find the right enclosures for my T's, they either have a screen lid or just not what I like.

Thank you very much, I appreciate it. Yeah I know how you feel but it's even more difficult here in South Africa because our general enclosures doesn't have any ventilation and the build quality is up to sh*t. If you want you can DM me then I will send you all my blueprints and explain what I used and how

looks good. Careful of that light on top.I assume the top is Plexiglas and too much heat from that light could cause some warpage

Thanks, yeah the top is also plexiglass but it's a 4W LED globe so it produces no heat at all