DIY from Projection TV

[Andry]

We decided to take the freebie on the curb down the street from our house to make it into an enclosure. The sliding tracks should be in today, so we should be finishing it up this weekend. Although, I didn't get the plexi-glass cut to the right measurements, so now I'm not sure if I can cut it myself or have to take it back to the store to get it cut.

Here is the work in progress...

My boys telling me exactly how they want it done...

Of course, this was before we got our second bearded dragon. My husband is actually almost finished making the cabinet doors on the bottom and now I'm suggesting we make the bottom portion a separate enclosure for the second dragon. It's certainly big enough. The whole thing would be a rolling tank. It should turn out pretty cool. Can't wait.

Only problem is, I decided I wanted more color on the grout but I have already sealed it with a water based acrylic grout sealer and now I can't paint it. :-( But oh well...

 

[Andry]

Any suggestions on how to install the lights on such a tall enclosure? Will they have to hang from the top?

 

[DoubleJ]

My current viv is 2ft in height. I had the uvb on the back wall but soon moved it into the middle. I use clips hammered into the top to secure the tube and the wires run through a little whole in the back as do the wires of the basking light. The uvb hangs really low and doesnt look great so I will be getting a wider but lower viv soon.

 

[Andry]

Aww, I bet it won't look too great in mine either. I figured if I have to hang it that low then maybe I can wind some fake vines along the top of it to decorate it more.

 

[DoubleJ]

Could you not design a ledge to run along the back thats wide enough for your beardie and then fasten the tube to the back above it? That way your beardie can get right up as close as it needs to. If you overlap it with the basking light then it would be beardie heaven

EDIT: Just had another look at your picks. Would that ledge not get your beardie within 6-8 inches of the uvb if you had it on the ceiling of the viv?

 

[Andry]

I don't think so. I'm not in front of it right now, but if I have a bulb installed in the ceiling of the enclosure, it would probably be like a foot and a half away from the dragon. But I'm not absolutely sure. With the bulbs I have, that actually might be okay. It's the tube I'm worried about. That will will be probably 2 feet away from the dragon. The UVB will not reach him i don't think.

 

[DoubleJ]

Ah I see. Does the back wall slope too much to fit a tube on? That way you could fit it halfway down but it would look neater and not be hanging in front of things.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Nice.

 

[Blundy]

Awesome idea!

 

[Andry]

I forgot I had this thread already on here. I added a new post but it is has new questions on there, so I guess it's okay to leave it. Here is an update on the Projection TV enclosure. Spike is officially living in it.

And I decided to go with an MVB bulb which I didn't know was an option. So, I won't be needing the tube.

 

[TwistedCrayon]

That viv is AWESOME! We have a tv just like that. If/when it ceases to be I know what to do with it. Never ceases to amaze me at how ingenious people can be.....

 

[ReptileGuardian]

my parents had a TV just like that one and they got rid of it. man i'd love to make a viv like that!

 

[Livey]

Wow, that really does look awesome!
I had a massive tv a while back, just like that, if only i woulda though of that :/

 

[Izzie]

Great idea and very well done