Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, got my design down ( using 3/4" oak ) and I'm putting sliding doors on it. ( putting 2, three foot doors ( around 26 to 28" high )with a 2" doubled up support beam in the middle ) Ok, here's the question, 1/4 inch glass or 1/4 inch Lexan... I'm leaning more towards the lexan for safety and looks ( yes I know it cost more )... Thoughts guys? Want to hear experiences with using both....Standing by to receive...

Sounds good, I use 1/4 safety glass in all my cages cheaper than Lexan and doesn't scratch its also safe doesn't shatter.
My 2 cents
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

Ok, Jeremy or any one else out there on a saturday night... I wanted to put up a background on the inside of this beast of a cage, and then "laminate" it, seal it some how... I was thinking some 3M clear contact paper, but was unsure how well it would hold up to being subjected to 60% humidity... thanks in advance again guys...

Contact paper is no longer what it was, I don't recommend useing it. On the other hand Vinyl film has made its place in the hobby. The sticker decals vendors and businesses put on their windows is made of vinyl film. The come in large rolls in varied colors, they also come in different years of resistant but that doesn't matter in our application. I suggest calling a few sign places local to you and see what they have. Chris Harper orders his online but I can't remember where.

I havn't got around to useing this stuff in a cage, but others have raved about its use. I have used the same stuff to re-do my stickers on my rubicks cube. LOL they held up great.

Hope that helps.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.11 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

Standing by...

Sorry I missed this post. BTW, there is zero reason to appologize for posting first on the thread above. The more the better around here.

Like Jeremy said, vinyl film is amazing stuff compared to contact paper. I have never seen or used the clear but I understand it displays whatever is behind it quite well.

Vinyl film is usually pretty cheap but you have to buy a lot of it. I purchased mine from Beacon Graphics. For my application I only needed a basic vinyl. The clear stuff may cost more.

Let me know if you need anymore help. I have the email notification option set for this post.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Well, the only reason why I was looking for a film or coating of some form like contact paper or in this case vinyl, was I was going to airbrush ( using either latex or a similar product that's neutral/non-toxic when dry ) the background onto inside back and sides of the cage, then cover it with the vinyl to protect my work... I'm almost wondering now looking into it, about painting it up then sealing the painting with a clear coat of some form, I oil paint alot, so I'm familar with sealing my oil paintings, but I'm unsure as to how Herp Friendly that sealant is going to be...

A clear coat would be your cheapest option. Obviously you'll need to know what clear coats are compatible with the background you'll paint, but I'm guessing you have a pretty good handle on that part.
It sounds like what you need to know is what clear coats are suitable for the species you keep.

Remind me again what species is going in this cage?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Eventually this master cage will house a female columbian red tail, her parents were both salmons however, she's not really showing any signs of that. Got her from a buddy of mine, said she might get a "pinkish" hue as she grows older because his female was the same color as she is when he got her... any ways she's still ~6 old at this point so I've got some time before the cage needs to be completed...

Okay, I thought it was for a boa but did not want to read through all of the recent threads to confirm that.

I think the ultimate clear coat to put over your background with be Envirotex Lite bartop epoxy or many of the available bartop epoxies. I'm pretty certain they won't lift up the acrylic paints you'll be spraying for your background. It's expensive and a bit fussy to work with but should last the lifetime of the cage if applied correctly.

Waterborne urethanes are another good choice and I don't believe they will effect the acrylics. Most WB urethanes can just be sprayed just like your spray your acrylics. This would be the cheap and easy option, albeit one that might have to be redone every so often. My main concern would be the difficulty in repairing a WB poly coat over your acrylics. You might also need to seal the acrylic but I'm not sure.

What sort of clear coat are you using now over your acrylic paint? What is the exact product?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

For my oil paintings that won't have a lot of traffic and or people touching them, I use a spray, Bob Ross's Finishing Spray, put a thin coat over the oil paint itself...Wouldn't be applicable for this app what so ever.... I'm familar with using some epoxy like products in the past, have built a lake for my buddy train table top, using arcylic for the color of the water and then layering the epoxy, thin coats as possible, adding "ripples" and "wakes" as I went... project took three weeks give or take a couple days... turned out great... Thinking maybe something along those line would work well, as long as the end product is innert/non-toxic and what not, all should be well, I'm starting to get itchy to start painting it right now, have a million ideas trapped in my head at the moment...

A side note... this might be hard to make sense of, but have any of you put mirrors on both sides of your enclosures in the past? purpose...giving the false appearance of a continuing enclosure when you look at it from the inside... would it mess with the snakes vision at all?? as poor as it is, I wouldn't think it would...

I just did a quick google search and see that Bob Ross' finishing spray is solvent based. I think it would have to be in order for it to flash off quickely enough.

I don't think you should overlook using it necessarily. I think it might act as a good sealcoat between the oil and the epoxy, if that's what you decide to use. The epoxy is slow cure and is poured on thick so I'd be very worried about some of your paint leeching into the epoxy layer. That could be a disaster.

I'm pretty sure I have seen mirrors used in displays at Reptile Gardens. I have seen colored acrylic panels used that have a reflective look to them and they do seem to add depth to a cage. I don't think it would be a problem, although I have heard rumors of zoo's having bad luck when using one way glass in exhibits. I don't know if that's true or just rumor.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Yeah, I'm trying to make this cage look "alive" by itself, let alone the snake living within.... I'm liking the idea of sealing the paint then placing the epoxy in... can't wait to start building now!!