a few questions

[agordon89]

I am going to make an enclosure for my baby beardie and have a few questions.

1. What should I use to hold it together? Gorilla wood glue, aquarium silicone, or nail's?

2. What should I use to cover the inside of it? The floor and walls? Could I paint it and then seal it with gorilla wood glue? I have read that it is an ok sealer for fake rocks.

3. Is there a simpler way to make fake rocks? Every thing that I've read makes it seam like a very difficult process and I don't wanna do something wrong and it hurt my baby?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Feargan]

I'm currently in the process of constructing a larger version based on this article.
http://www.freewebs.com/crossfireenclosures/
I'm holding mine together with wood screws after pre-drilling and counter-sinking the pilot holes for them. I'll also be sealing the internal seams with silicone.
My flooring is 12"x12" (and some custom cut sizes) of natural slate tile.
As for making the fake rocks: I've had decent success with the method of covering styrofoam/polystyrene with layers of grout (after purchasing a cheap polystyrene sculpting tool - Trying to work without one was incredibly frustrating! ). I have still yet to decide on a safe sealant though... :study: I've just been leaving the grout unsealed :|
I'm very interested in what others have to say about the gorilla wood glue as a sealant; I would think that wood glue in general would be non-toxic but may make the surface too slick for the dragons to climb... I really have no idea without having tried it though.

Best of Luck! 8)

*Edit - Here is a thread concerning the gorilla glue as a sealant: http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=145169

 

[Feargan]

I found this instructional video for the polystyrene/grout/sealant method for creating fake rock landscapes.
http://www.reptileenclosure.org/bearded-dragons/fake-rock-wall-for-a-lizard-cage/

Hope it's useful. 8)

 

[volvotech]

Avoid pine and seal the wood. If you haven't done enough woodworking to know whether you want to use nails, glue, or screws, then you might want to avoid a project this big. If you feel you're a confident wood-worker, search around a bit. Myself and many others have posted threads about enclosures and the build process.

 

[agordon89]

I know that this is a big project, that is why im doing as much research as I can before I start or even buy anything.

And I have read the other threads and the options that I listed were the most commonly used, I was asking for advice as to which one works best, and for others experiences using each.

No one starts off knowing everything and asking is the only way to find out.

 

[volvotech]

I totally support seeking advice, but projects of this magnitude can be dangerous. Inexperienced people near high powered table saws, etc. can be scary. Good luck, and I hope it works out well!

 

[agordon89]

Don't worry I have my bother doing all the cutting and stuff like that. And he's been a carpenter for a long time.