DIY enclosure planning help

[RedMountainHome]

Hi all,

I've a rough idea of how I'd like to make my DIY enclosure, but I never took shop in high school and haven't made anything more complicated than box frames in the past. I don't really know how to correctly measure the cuts I'll need to make for a project like this which'll include not just a frame, but doors and a bottom cabinet area for drainage.

Does anyone know of a good guide, or even better a program, that'll help me plan? Something that already knows the dimensions for common lumber sizes would be great.

Thanks!

 

[KLowery88]

SketchUp might suit your needs: http://www.sketchup.com/

I've been meaning to play around with it and see what plans I can make.

 

[Lathis]

Sketchup and Google the true sizes of dimension lumber. That will get you most of the way there. You can make it easy on yourself by making all the horizontals the same dimension if you are not shooting for specific outer dimensions.

Careful measuring and planning is key and you shouldn't have too many problems. The trickiest part will be the door.

I built my cage a few years ago. I don't consider myself super handy, but it came out really nice. I built mine over a prefab cabinet, so I had to match those dimensions. There are a few progress shots in my post:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/thank-goodness-for-9-ft-ceilings.111618/

Another good one:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/diy-chameleon-mansion-build.102657/

 

[RedMountainHome]

Thank you both for the tips!

Lathis, I've seen your build thread before and my plans are based somewhat around your enclosure! I don't know how to do the fancy looking trim you've got on the bottom cabinet, and I don't trust my handiwork to hold up without having a brace between the 2 sets of doors, but otherwise I'm shooting for a mini version of what you've got there. I'll be building it from scratch so the dimensions don't matter overmuch.

I'll post a question or two on your thread, if ya don't mind, on how you did a couple of things that I'm still trying to figure out.

 

[cyberlocc]

Thank you both for the tips!

Lathis, I've seen your build thread before and my plans are based somewhat around your enclosure! I don't know how to do the fancy looking trim you've got on the bottom cabinet, and I don't trust my handiwork to hold up without having a brace between the 2 sets of doors, but otherwise I'm shooting for a mini version of what you've got there. I'll be building it from scratch so the dimensions don't matter overmuch.

I'll post a question or two on your thread, if ya don't mind, on how you did a couple of things that I'm still trying to figure out.

She didn't do the trim she just said that was a pre fab cabinet. I thought she made the cabinet I gave her props in it too lol.

If you are doing a screen cage, than building a box is all you need. A box built of 2x2s its fairly easy.

A screen cage like this, View media item 42879. Is easy.

Just cut the dimensions of the inside beam smaller to account for the size of the 2x2s on the outside. For the door build a rectangle. Thats all there is too it .

Now if you are getting more flashy like my current project,
View media item 42895
Youtube man, Youtube .

 

[Lathis]

Fooled you both! It's a prefab cabinet Like one of those made for over the fridge. BUT, I did have to mod it to make the prefab cabinet work. The cabinet is only 12" deep, and my enclosure is 24" deep, so I extended it with a 2x frame and used red oak veneer to finish the sides.

At the time, I didn't have the confidence to build a fully custom base. Now, I totally would. A fully custom base would let me hide bigger water reservoirs.

 

[RedMountainHome]

So, I've spent some time playing with sketchup and made a rough draft of a smallish cage I'm going to try building before I make anything that'll be large enough to be considered "furniture". I also hope to move into a house in the next year or so and don't want to make anything "permanent".

I was going to upload the sketchup I made but the file type is evidently not allowed on this forum, so a screenshot will have to do. It's 45 inches tall from the bottom up to the top rim, and 37 inches wide. I made it to fit on top of a custom fish tank stand I made years ago, while being just tall enough for me to reach on top if I need to. Don't worry about the different colors of wood, those were mostly just for me to differentiate between the different cuts of lumber. Since making this sketch I've already found some things I want to change, but this is what I've got so far.

 

[RedMountainHome]

Ok, I made some changes and, at least for the moment, this is what I think I'm going with. Any sketchup pros out there know how I can easily measure all those lengths of wood to figure out what kinds of cuts I need?