How to Build Lizard Tanks

Building your own lizard tank is a great project for someone who is not at all happy with the offerings of the local pet store. Most pet store cages come in a very dependable standard set of sizes and shapes. By building your own cage, you are limited only by your imagination.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic Sheeting (Such as Acrylic or Plexiglas)
• Square
• Painter's Tape
• Table Saw or Band Saw
• Sandpaper or Electric Sander
• Acrylic Cement
• Map Gas Torch (Optional)

Instructions

1. Decide on a size for your tank. For simplicity purposes, this article will describe how to make a box-shaped tank, but you can make yours in any shape and size you can imagine. You might, however, wish to use some scraps of acrylic to make a small box first, so you can learn the techniques before moving on to a more complicated project.

2. Measure and cut with the saw, five equal squares of acrylic sheeting using the square to ensure squareness.

3. Sand the edges of your cut pieces perfectly flat and smooth. Be sure not to round off any edges because this will interfere with proper adhesion during the gluing process.

4. Assemble the five pieces from Step 2 into a box shape with an open top. Use two pieces of tape per side to hold the pieces in place.

5. Use the acrylic cement to attach each piece to the others. Acrylic cement typically is a self-wicking liquid that runs under the seam as you apply it along the edges. Run a bead along each seam.

6. Let the acrylic cement cure for at least 24 hours.

7. Smooth the edges into a glass-like finish by running a map gas torch along any rough edges, if desired.

References

• Building cases out of plastic