Acrylic Questions...

I'm looking to make some nicer cages for my montanes. Originally I was going to go with a glass/acrylic panel and a wood frame. then I decided to get cheap and simple.

I want to keep this as simple as possible, with as few components as possible.

My current idea involves longer sheets of thin acrylic. I had originally considered cluing acrylic panels into a box shape, but I'd need thicker acrylic for that to work.

So, the thought involves taking a readily available sheet of acrylic (24"x48", for example), and - using heat and a 90degree angled surface, bend the sheet twice. This would form the back and sides of a 24" tall 16" deep 16" wide cage. The other details (attaching aluminum screen vents and top, acrylic door panel and bottom) would be relatively easy to figure out.

the issue is if it's worth doing. Will it work? Anyone ever bend sheets of acrylic like this? It's not very expensive for thin sheets of this size. Keeping it a single piece would retain enough strength (I think I think), whereas thicker material would be necessary if I were cutting and gluing(I'm pretty sure).

It'll only cost $12.00 to practice with material that would yield an 18" tall, 8" deep and wide cage (not counting additional height gained by adding ventilation in the form of screen panels on top, as well as a bottom drainage basin). Not a large cage, but great for baby geckos and tiny chameleon babies.

IF it works, this might be fun to play with. Or, I'll burn my house down.
 
It would suggest that you make a form out of bendable Luan or plywood. Then lay the piece of acrylic on top and heat it up with a heat gun or heat bar and bend it.
 
I've done it with 1/4" acrylic. A heat bar would work best. Shouldn't be to hard. Also the larger the radius the easier it would be.
 
Another idea you may look at is PVCX. It won't be see through, but you have more than 1 it shouldn't be anyway. You can cut it into strips and glue+screw it together. A lot of people use it for snake racks etc. It is slightly pricey depending on the quality however.

1/2 inch pvcx is cheaper than 1/4 acrylic which is what you would need.
 
1/4" is out of the question, cost wise. I'm exploring the use of thin sheets - approximately 1/8 inch, these would be braced with a door frame, at least. These are for small cages, not anything that would support heavy weight on top.
 
1/4" is out of the question, cost wise. I'm exploring the use of thin sheets - approximately 1/8 inch, these would be braced with a door frame, at least. These are for small cages, not anything that would support heavy weight on top.

For babys? Or what is a small cage. 1.8 plexi doesn't have enough surface for you to glue to, that wont hold up for an adult cham of any species. 1/8 also isnt very rigid.

This is why I suggested PVCX, its only like 100-150 a sheet (4x8)

There pvcx/expanded PVC is great. I don't have a supplier nearby anymore though. .

Home depot sells it under the name veranda, they may not carry it in your store but they may be able to get it for you if you asked.

If you have to go with 1/8 acrylic. I would make the frame from screen frame, and use the Acrylic for the walls, Like Dragon strand does.
 
Initially, I was planning on using it for a screen replacement. However, I thought if I heated and molded into shape, it would be study enough. Certainly for small baby cages. Idk about adult size cages.

It would be impossible to use cut pieces, due to the thinness . I'm thinking of heating it and bending it into shape. Possibly taking a single piece and forming a half-pipe shape. I'd make a rigid rectangular frame for the door and top.

The only way it could possibly work is if I kept it a single solid piece. It's cheap enough that I can buy a piece and experiment.
 
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