Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just finished the basic design of a cage I am to make from 1/2" MDF for the bottom,back,sides, and substrate dam. The top will be made from screen/spare mdf. I have yet to find out what kind is good at say not melting. Will aluminum screen work? Then the front door will be made from acrylic/plexi/tempered glass. It will be an open down door with 180degree or more hinges, so it can just rest against itself with no effort.

How should I glue/screw the base,back, and sides together? Anybody here ever worked with MDF specifically? I do not know what size screws I would need or where the best place to drill them in is. If anybody has pics or plans of there layouts or if you have any advice, all will be greatly appreciated.

The dimensions are:
W x L x H
48" X 24" X 24"
using 1/2" MDF

I know the rendering sucks but I needed to visualize it before I started just building away.

-Matt

Well, I've never used MDF for a cage before. From what I understand it is susceptable to water damage and most of my cages were built for Rainbow boas - high humidity and frequent (significant volume) urination. I've always been very happy with using 3/4" oak plywood. Being a woodworker, I have various methoids of attaching pieces together and will use them all depending on the joint and visibility. Typically use dowel or buiscuit joints but also use pocket holes where they won't show.

To finish, stain to your preference and several coats of water based polyurathane. I like the Varathane Diamond Polyurethane.

Another trick I like but does add expense is to laminate formica to floors at a minimum and walls/ceiling for the ultimate cage. Then just a bead of caulk around the seams and the cage is leakproof and oh so easy to clean.

First pic shows a cage stack that is 12 plus years old and no problems with it. Only formica is on floor.

Second and third pic is of a "duplicate" cage stack that is 3 years old. Copied from the first with improvements. It has full interior formica.

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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
21.29 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I have heard those things about MDF, but I am glad to hear it again just to confirm. I chose to use mdf mostly because of price. Then when I heard about the water damage from humidity, I didn't think it would be much of an issue only because the enclosure is for desert iguanas.

thank you for the tips
-matt

Will aluminum screen work?

I have used it before without trouble.

How should I glue/screw the base,back, and sides together? Anybody here ever worked with MDF specifically? I do not know what size screws I would need or where the best place to drill them in is.

I have worked with 3/4" MDF but not 1/2", at least not for a reptile cage. For joining MDF I would highly recommend Confirmat screws, although I don't know if they are recommended for 1/2" MDF or particle board. In 3/4" MDF or particle board they make for a very strong joint.

Do some research and see if they work in 1/2". For the Confirmat screws you do need to buy a special stepped bit.

If the Confirmats won't work in 1/2" and you insist upon using it over 3/4" then I feel your next best choice is the of use of rabbets and dados, which require a bit more skill and experience to cut.

I tried to use a bisquit joiner on 1/2" MDF once (not a herp project) and when the bisquits swelled it caused the MDF to swell and split slightly. It may have been cheap MDF and/or I may not have centered the bisquit perfecting in the 1/2" material. I do know I would not try it again.

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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

>>How should I glue/screw the base,back, and sides together? Anybody here ever worked with MDF specifically? I do not know what size screws I would need or where the best place to drill them in is.

I've use SPAX brand screws with 1/2" MDF before. You can get SPAX at Home Depot in the Hardware department. They're very similar to Confirmat screws and can be used with a square drive bit or phillips. I prefer using a square drive bit. The screws hold really well, but even with their self-drilling shape I've had some splitting so I usually use one of the flip-flop countersinking bits that has the countersink on one side and a screw tip on the other.
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Matt Campbell

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." John Muir

They do make a Confirmant-style screw and bit for 1/2" particle board or MDF. These are a knock-off of the Confirmat screw but have heard they are pretty good.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/subcat.asp?sid=399
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Malaysian locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

that looks exactly like what I am looking for. thank you so much!

-Matt