What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Highland tank reborn

  • Thread starter swords
  • Start date
  • Tags
    cut
Here it is,

highland1.jpg


I bought some waterproof tub/shower wall surround fiberglass paneling and fixed it over the frame. I need to figure out how to cut this stuff cleanly (I'm just fussy)-the DIY instuctions show using a utility knife but I don't even think the incredible hulk could put a blade through this stuff!
tounge.gif

The seams between the wood and the paneling is sealed with waterproof shower wall caulk (I did not intend to use beige caulk, it came in a white tube...).

I used a 32" x 47" storm window hung upside down (so the access is the top half not the bottom). The window is only hung using waterproof caulk because I didn't build the frame to accomodate the window, I just snapped my plexiglass door today so I ran out and got the window (after a good amount of cursing of course) for $27.
 
hey,
to cut that strait you need to get a T-square from home dopet make your measurment mark it. line the T-square up with the mark place your foot on the bottom of the T-sqare at the bottom of the MR boar or whatever you used and cut up. you do not need to cut throught the board just some of the way,then get on the other side of the board knee it a bit and it will break in half. After you have done that cut the paper on the side you are on and presto a clean cut easy and quick. thats if you have not finished every thing or for futer reference.

joel
 
I used a tape measure (on both sides) and another sheet of the fiber board to make straight cuts but it doesn't seem to want to snap in a nice easy line, it alway seems to end up jagged. ah well it's a first try with a new material!
smile.gif
 
Looks good.
smile.gif
Just make sure that your wire plant racks do not bow out anymore too muhc or your plants will be all over!
tounge.gif
 
Yes, these "yaffa blocks" I bought as a shelf did not work like I thought they would! I could have made nicer ones from 1x2 lumber (which I will do probably tomorrow with the day off work) for a lot cheaper than these things which are supposed to be "strong and sturdy"... I should send a photo to the maufacturers demanding a rebate!
biggrin.gif


My plan for the wood shelfs will be 3 shelves about 8" wide (not including the tank bottom which will be for the things sitting on trays) so when you look at the tank it will be like looking up a mountainside (from the end it would look like stairs). According to the ortho "all about greenhouses" book the stepped bench allows you to keep more plants in less space.... I've got a bunch of highlanders coming from Germany soon so the more space the better!
smile.gif
 
the dry wall or whatever you are using is not going to be perfectly strait you have to put corner beed on and skim it.MR board and the such will never come  out perfect, unless you skim it out then it could almost be seemless.

biggrin.gif
joel
biggrin.gif
 
This is waterproof fiberglass tub/shower surround which you put up on the wall. It's about 1/8" thick and very heavy!

What is corner beed and skiming it? I'm new to building large semi-permenant sturctures like these so any info is appreciated!

Say here's that new bench-look ma, no sag!
biggrin.gif


highshelf.jpg
 
Hey Swords,
That looks great!
biggrin.gif


Wish the wife would let me build one...
wow.gif
 
  • #10
hey,
well corner beed you buy at home depot, it goes onand latches to the corner to create a nice perfect 90 degree angle. you usually use a special devise for dry wall, but since you are using fiber glass, id just buy the wood corner trim. i dont know what its called but its trim that is in a 90 so as to cover the corner of the wall. so just glue that to the corner. you said it is fiberglass, are you sure or is it tile board? that is used in showers and iam sure a lot less $. but it would have to be painted and skimmed. you should be able to tell farely easily since tile board looks like it has stone init when it is cutt
but i thoought id ask any way. skimming is when you take a trow and spead plaster on the wall to make the wall smooth and totake out all the imperfections. skimming however leaves ridges and needs to be sanded to be smooth ann then primed and painted in you case with high grade exterior paint or somthing that was ment to stay out in the enviroment, ask someone at a paint store which is best. benjemin moore is ussually one of the best paints most painters i know that like to do a good job that last, use this, for most of their painting.
home depot paint stinks bear paint is like water and does not cover well. other brands that you find like porter paints are fairely good as well.

biggrin.gif
Joel
biggrin.gif
 
  • #11
Ah I see!

It doesn't have little stones in it like tileboard, it's a glossy white plastic type of material (it comes as a 4 ft x 8 ft sheet for $12 - $20 depending upon how thick and rigid you want-I bought the thickest). It's made by Poly-tex, I got it at a place called Menards as I couldn't find anything like it at Home Depot other than an actual shower stall kit which was quite a lot of $ compared to recovering the enclosure I already had with shower wall material.
 
  • #12
I've done some work with plastics, usually not doing the scrach and snap, but, I have found it helpfull to improvise a fixture that holds a hard ridgid edge on both sides of the "cut". Actualy in the shop we used a break ( tool for bending sheet metal and such ) as a big wide clamp for such work much streighter snaps, still not perfect, but better. For dressing edges ( when a clean edge was necessary ) we would cut slightly over sized then clamp the sheet to a table SQUARE IT, and either use the table edge or set a fence and use a router to zip a nice streight edge on the piece. We allso used this method to put a radius cut on the edges of 1/2" thick UHMW counter tops, the shop looked like a snow storm afterwords, but the results were nice. Get a router. It has many wonderfull uses and being small it stores well.
 
Back
Top