This is a little project I will be starting soon. I made a smaller version for a friends carpet and I liked it a lot. He better send me pictures! I got the idea from Rio Bravo’s rack design using hollow wood interior doors that are not drilled for doorknobs.
I would like to say that hollow doors are quite light and very strong; also the air gap acts like an insulator. Hollow is easy to run electrical in also. You can get new doors from Lowes for less than 20 buck (primmered). Remember, hollow doors are solid at the perimeter, where you do all the screwing and gluing.
Parts list:
4 24”x 80”x1 3/8” Hollow wood door
1 1”x1”x (or 1”x 2”at least 48” stick of pine/fur wood
2 80”Sticks of aluminum track (see detail) for the slide
3 Pieces of Plexiglas or glass approximately (measure twice order once) 40”x 23 5/8”x ½”+
2 Sheets of Formica laminate and appropriate contact cement (this line item is optional)
Wood screws of your choice
A quality wood glue (some prefer liquid nails)
Silicon caulking for the inside seems
A durable paint/ stain/ finish for the outside
Optional legs or casters
Glass display lock
The Build:
First thing is to cut one of the doors into two 22 5/8” pieces. Taping the area to be cut helps the wood from splintering (Use a fine tooth blade). Cut the piece of fur to fit inside the hollow end to make it solid, file and sand smooth. This side will go towards the back.
I like to install the Formica Laminate to the inside pieces at this point being careful not to put it were your joints are. Follow the instructions on the contact cement.
At this point you have some choices in joining the panels together; you can glue and screw or you can glue and use large finishing nails (set under the surface) and wood putty over the holes. You could even use wooden dowels (and glue) and clamp it together.
Cut the aluminum track (I got mine at OSH hardware) and drill some countersink threw holes for some 6s or 8s countersink screws from the inside of the track. If you are careful you can countersink with a larger size drill, but I like the countersink tool better. Make sure the screws are blow the surface or the glass will rub. Screw down the upper track, put the glass in the lower track and slide it into the upper track. Push the glass to one end and screw down the bottom track on one end and then slide the track to the other and repeat.
Finish the out side as desired and caulk the inside. Install your heating element (I’m using one of those flat radiant heat elements from the inside top.
I didn’t cover vents because some people like lots of air and some like hardly any. It depends on how much humidity the reptile needs and your location. As far as making one use your imagination. I like to make mine adjustable by making a couple large holes and gluing on two pieces of ¼” plastic that has smaller holes drilled in them so you can spin them to control air flow.
