melamine partical board

[chip]

G,day all, I am looking to build a vivirium 200hx120wx600d just a big rectangular box with glass sliding doors.I was planning on building with melamine (easier to clean)but I not to sure how to join the pieces together would biscuits be ok or dowl I dont reckon panel pins would do it,there will be a fair bit of weight inside sometimes laying against the walls. allso does any know how big class slidding doors are before they are to big and cumbersome Iam hopeing to have 150cmtall x650widex6mmthick.

Thanks in advance Chip:confused:

[BigRed]

When I build kitchen cabinets out of melamine, I screw some 45mm screws in to hold it together. The screws aren't seen as they go from the outside. I guess with your box they would be seen. You can get little plastic caps for them, but they aren't the nicest of things. Have you considered making it out of MDF and painting it? Much stronger as you can glue and screw the joins, and bog the screw holes before painting. The paint would be a good wipeable finish, especially if you were to get it painted in a two pot finish. MDF melamine is probably a better option than particle board, if you can get it over there, as it seems to hold a screw better.

[Tonyz]

Working everyday with chip and MDF stick with MDF you can screw into it, and paint better than chip check out your local cabinetmaker/furniture makers or polishers they will usually spray ofen 2pak cheap as well. get your glasier to round the edges and buy some of that plastic edging [yikes-plastic] that allows glass to slide and it tacked to wood

[chip]

Thanks Big red , I was hopeing that I wouldnt have to use mdf because of the weight but if particle board is going to be sutch a pain then I,ll have to reconsiderthanks for your help.

Thanks to as well Tonto I considered mdf and ply but I cant get sheets of ply big enough and like I said to Bigred mdf is heavy I may have to move the cage around after ! but I may have no choice .

Regards Chip

[GCP310]

White HMR particle board would be fine. and as mentioned before, use 45mm screws. make sure you set the screws in 60-80mm from the edges to avoid splitting. Theres a special melamine glue available,but its not cheap. Sikaflex would work just as well, but its not cheap either.

check out your local cabinetmaker, the size you have given us would easily be found in some offcuts that would probably be thrown out anyway,they may even cut to size and put a pvc edge on the edges if you ask them nicely.

well, the ones round here would

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

You will find that a sheet of glass that size is pretty heavy.

I am assuming you know it has to be laminated or safety glass.

[Rocker]

Chip,

To follow up on 's point, I calculate that a sheet of glass of those dimensions would weigh around 16 kilos. With two of them, you are looking at 32 kilos for the glass alone. If you want to move it around, you will probably need to fit some heavy-duty casters.

Rocker

[chip]

Thanks CP310 I will give the cabinet makers a look over on my next day off I know a bloke that workes at one so things may work out .thanks for your help.

and Rocker sorry I did,nt explaine properly the doors will be 1000 tall and will be toughened glass I was hopeing to be able to take the glass out if I have to moveit around.

Thanks chaps good to know your there
Chip