Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone give me info in createding a sliding door for the cage front? As far as i can figure out, it seems most people route out two slots in a door frame for the glass to slide into. I just can't figure out how wide of a board to use, i've heard of people using tracks for the glass to slide into, but when i asked someone at lowes or homedepot about this kinda setup, they had no clue about tracks for a "display case". I appreciate any info. Thank you!

you can goto these links to find plastic sliding door track.
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?&catid=20&objectgroup_id=37&offerings_id=2275
http://builders-hardware.aubuchonhardware.com/door_hardware/sliding_door_hardware/plastic_sliding_door_track_and_guides-228658.asp
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>>Can anyone give me info in createding a sliding door for the cage front? As far as i can figure out, it seems most people route out two slots in a door frame for the glass to slide into. I just can't figure out how wide of a board to use, i've heard of people using tracks for the glass to slide into, but when i asked someone at lowes or homedepot about this kinda setup, they had no clue about tracks for a "display case". I appreciate any info. Thank you!

Rockler has a couple of products which would work. I bought their plastic sliding door track for my latest project. They also have aluminum tracks. Woodworkers Hardware has self-adhesive finger-pulls for glass doors (similar to what you find on Vision cages). Look under "Knobs and Pulls", then "Specialty Pulls" for their glass door finger pulls.

If you want to build track yourself out of wood you'll need need to route two grooves big enough for the glass, plus a bit of extra space so the doors can move. I haven't done this, but I'd suggest you add 1/16th of an inch to the thickness of the glass to determine how wide the groove should be. I'd want at least an 1/8th inch of wood between the glass plates, as well as in front and behind. So, if you use 1/4" thick doors, you'd make the grooves 5/16ths wide, plus another 3/8ths for the wood in front of, between, and behind the glass. Minimum width would be 11/16ths.

That's the absolute minimum I'd start with. Better to have, say, a quarter-inch lip in front of and behind the doors/grooves and 3/16ths (or even a quarter-inch) between, especially if you expect to insert and remove the doors from the track on a regular basis.

Thanks for all the info, all this will really help out!

I've used the 1/4" track from Rockler and it works great. Mine is above the lip of my enclosure that i'm building but if you wanted to make it "Stealth" you could just router a gap the width of the track and depth of the track and it would be "hidden." i havn't tried to do sliding doors w/o a track so i can't help there.

I'm currently going to add sliding doors (of MDF board) to the bottom of my enclosure to make a nice little storage area for mealworms and crickets and pretty much anything else you need. I havn't found any 1/2" sliding tracks to use with the MDF board so i'm thinking that i'll just router it in or build a track out frame mouldings. Building a track will probably be easier for my cuz i dont' have a router. I would try to post my results but i don't have a digital camera.
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Later,
WhisQuila

FYI, I believe the Rockler plastic track is 3/4" wide. Might be just a touch wider, but seems to mount OK on the edges of 3/4" melamine boards...

Can't help you much with products, but here is a pic of my wood track. It was very easy (with my router) and WAY cheap. Be sure to countersink your screws. I have some track that I got from my glazer with rollers and shoes and all the stuff I needed. That cost me about $50, and it didn't keep my snakes in. Good luck

>>Can anyone give me info in createding a sliding door for the cage front? As far as i can figure out, it seems most people route out two slots in a door frame for the glass to slide into. I just can't figure out how wide of a board to use, i've heard of people using tracks for the glass to slide into, but when i asked someone at lowes or homedepot about this kinda setup, they had no clue about tracks for a "display case". I appreciate any info. Thank you!

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Zoodude

"Just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't after me."

How did you attach it to your cage?

I use liquid nails, It comes in a tube and you apply it using a chaulking gun. I run a small bead on the track and stick it where it needs to go. Then i take masking tape and tape it in place till the glue dries. It works good if you are not keeping large constrictors in the cage.

>>How did you attach it to your cage?
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Thomas Jones
aligatorhunter@earthlink.net

No one is to be trusted

What about medium constrictors, I need to build an enclosure for a bull snake. Would I be ok with sliders, or should I build door frames and hinge them?

Hey there,

I just built a cage and used aluminum groved stock from the local major chain hardware store. It ressembles this |_|
Just go to the alumimun section of the store (actually a small rack near the mailboxes area normally). I bought 2 peices 1/4" wide, they fit across melamine 3/4" width. I will post a pic.
The pre made strips work well also but after shipping and cost it is cheaper to use the aluminum IMO.
Chris