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Post by g on Sept 7, 2021 11:39:16 GMT -8
I got a 75 gallon aquarium for my new gerbils. I’d love to fill it up high with bedding and build a few platforms for food and water and their wheel.
-Is Elmers glue good enough to secure legs to a platform? -Are nails or screws safe to use? -Do you use any sealant on the platform or do you leave it exposed and replace it when it gets soiled? If you use a sealant, what’s safe?
Thanks!
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Post by Scott on Sept 8, 2021 9:07:36 GMT -8
I detailed building my first platform here and have since made a few more the same way. Basically, I took some hardwood boards and drilled holes near each corner about 3/4 of the way through using a Forstner bit--it's a drill bit used for making flat-bottomed holes in wood. I inserted hardwood dowels (one inch diameter, IIRC) into the holes, hammering them in--they were pretty tight. To be certain they didn't come out, I then used a 3/16" regular bit to drill through the side of the board (i.e., the edge), going through the dowel, and banged 3/16" hardwood dowel through it, then sawed the dowel flush to the board, sanding it smooth. No glue, no nails, no hardware, and it's rock-solid. I rubbed the top of the board with pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil as a sealant. Still gets stinky (I probably don't use enough), so I soak the top in H2O2 when I clean the tank and reapply the oil.
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Post by g on Sept 8, 2021 12:24:17 GMT -8
I detailed building my first platform here and have since made a few more the same way. Basically, I took some hardwood boards and drilled holes near each corner about 3/4 of the way through using a Forstner bit--it's a drill bit used for making flat-bottomed holes in wood. I inserted hardwood dowels (one inch diameter, IIRC) into the holes, hammering them in--they were pretty tight. To be certain they didn't come out, I then used a 3/16" regular bit to drill through the side of the board (i.e., the edge), going through the dowel, and banged 3/16" hardwood dowel through it, then sawed the dowel flush to the board, sanding it smooth. No glue, no nails, no hardware, and it's rock-solid. I rubbed the top of the board with pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil as a sealant. Still gets stinky (I probably don't use enough), so I soak the top in H2O2 when I clean the tank and reapply the oil. Great! Thank you!
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Post by Scott on Sept 8, 2021 14:29:29 GMT -8
I should add: I made that first platform nearly 2-1/2 years ago, and it's absolutely fine (slightly gnawed around an edge). I made another set for my new pair (a more-complex two-level system for a bigger tank) and the boys seem to find it the perfect place to poop, so I have to clean it more than I ever did the original.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 12, 2021 4:21:35 GMT -8
Looks good Scott, I'm puzzled though, you don't mention any legs , yet I can see it in your other thread. Is it 1" dowelling you mean? When I see the word dowel (rightly or wrongly! lol) I think of very short pegs, typically 1-2" I suppose, rather than much longer rods. g I took a different route, I used large screws to hold the legs to my platform. As they are countersunk, and go down into the middle of the legs they are in no danger of being chewed to for many years at least (unless they happened to focus on one spot of a leg, which my boys have never done). Bearing in mind you'll be taking the platform out at regular intervals to clean the cage out anyway, you can check it then. I did also use regular wood glue (just a little near the ctr of the legs, again the leg would have to take a lot of damage before they got to it), but to be honest I think that was overkill and I didn't really need it, and I think I'm going to regret gluing the legs on if I ever need to change them! So yes screws or nails can be safe to use if they go into the middle of thick wood, the legs on my boys platform are 3cm squared, the platform has been in my boys cage for just over a year now, and all they've managed to do is streamline the more exposed edges . A good and safe sealant to use (at least here in the UK) is Plasticote, IIRC only the brush on one is safe for some reason (I'll see if I can find more links etc to the right one - a little disscusion about it here). Btw, this is the sealant I used for the top of my platform, still seems to be holding up well after 1yr . Top of platform (when new), I decided to add an extra ledge for a bigger sandbath I had in mind (which they've since had). The ledge is held on by one large screw and wood glue again (needed it this time), I let it set a good few days before putting it in the tank. Platform when it was newly installed (before it got largely submerged)
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Post by Scott on Sept 12, 2021 5:27:33 GMT -8
Yes, the dowels are legs; see, e.g., here (6 foot long, 3/4" diameter hardwood dowel). edit: well, for some reason the system totally reformats the link so that you can't see the product page; maybe because it's to Home Depot?
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Post by g on Sept 12, 2021 8:36:26 GMT -8
Looks good Scott, I'm puzzled though, you don't mention any legs , yet I can see it in your other thread. Is it 1" dowelling you mean? When I see the word dowel (rightly or wrongly! lol) I think of very short pegs, typically 1-2" I suppose, rather than much longer rods. g I took a different route, I used large screws to hold the legs to my platform. As they are countersunk, and go down into the middle of the legs they are in no danger of being chewed to for many years at least (unless they happened to focus on one spot of a leg, which my boys have never done). Bearing in mind you'll be taking the platform out at regular intervals to clean the cage out anyway, you can check it then. I did also use regular wood glue (just a little near the ctr of the legs, again the leg would have to take a lot of damage before they got to it), but to be honest I think that was overkill and I didn't really need it, and I think I'm going to regret gluing the legs on if I ever need to change them! So yes screws or nails can be safe to use if they go into the middle of thick wood, the legs on my boys platform are 3cm squared, the platform has been in my boys cage for just over a year now, and all they've managed to do is streamline the more exposed edges . A good and safe sealant to use (at least here in the UK) is Plasticote, IIRC only the brush on one is safe for some reason (I'll see if I can find more links etc to the right one - a little disscusion about it here). Btw, this is the sealant I used for the top of my platform, still seems to be holding up well after 1yr . Top of platform (when new), I decided to add an extra ledge for a bigger sandbath I had in mind (which they've since had). The ledge is held on by one large screw and wood glue again (needed it this time), I let it set a good few days before putting it in the tank. Platform when it was newly installed (before it got largely submerged)
Awesome. Thanks!
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Post by Markpd on Sept 12, 2021 12:05:55 GMT -8
Yes, the dowels are legs; see, e.g., here (6 foot long, 3/4" diameter hardwood dowel). edit: well, for some reason the system totally reformats the link so that you can't see the product page; maybe because it's to Home Depot? Link works for me , ah ok, pretty sure we call the long stuff dowelling here
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Post by Scott on Sept 12, 2021 14:00:43 GMT -8
I had to reformat the link several times
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Post by PipSqueak on Sept 12, 2021 18:49:12 GMT -8
I made two platforms today. I bought some wooden dowels and a 12” by 24” birch plank. I then cut and sanded them. Here is the video I used. youtu.be/ufsvX00lJ-o I ended up making 2 platforms, one for the wheel that is shorter and another for their sand bath that’s higher so no bedding can get it at all. They turned out great and it was definitely a good choice. Both ended up being cheaper than buying one on Amazon.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 13, 2021 2:44:59 GMT -8
Cool , can we see photos of them?
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Post by PipSqueak on Sept 13, 2021 15:06:19 GMT -8
Here are the images of their new platforms. You can see the whole tank here.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 14, 2021 2:35:34 GMT -8
Cool, although I've just realised that we didn't warn you about using plywood , IIRC the fumes from the glue used to bond the layers are the problem. Although I can't remember if that applies to just new plywood or indefinitely, perhaps Scott could pitch in on this?
I used solid pine for mine, and I think Scott used solid Birch? (although I can't find where he said that now).
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Post by PipSqueak on Sept 14, 2021 3:07:03 GMT -8
Yikes, will definitely look into that. I bought the birch wood at Home Depot. Would this be fine or does it still have glue?
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Post by Markpd on Sept 14, 2021 3:23:26 GMT -8
Err, if your Birch wood is ply (it looks like it is, unless you're referring to wood not shown in the photos?) then it'll have glue. Only solid wood (not plywood or chipboard) will be glue free. We had a longer discussion about this somewhere here, but I can't remember the name of the thread
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