Locks

[Stefan-A]

So, with the newly acquired enclosures, the need to get half a dozen locks has arisen. Any suggestions? Any recommendations?

There's not much of a need to keep other people out, I'm mostly concerned with keeping the snakes in (yes, one of my wandering garters managed to partially open a door within 5 minutes of entering the enclosure). I'm also not a fan of having to use a different key for each enclosure, so any solution that prevents the doors from sliding would be great.

I also have a plan to reduce the gap between the doors to an absolute minimum, so it should preferably be a lock or locking mechanism that doesn't need to fit between the doors. Or if it did need to fit between them, it shouldn't need more than a millimeter or two.

I have a couple of ideas for very simple home-made locks myself, but I'd prefer not to have to use them.

[MasSalvaje]

Depending how much the doors overlap, you could drill a hole through both sheets and use any number of things to hold both in place. I have not tried this but one of my buddies has. It looks smooth and you don't have to worry about a key, he told me he took it to a local window shop and they drilled the holes for a couple of bucks each.

I just use velcro. I know it doesn't look the best but I have yet to have it fail on me and it is quick and simple.

-Thomas

[guidofatherof5]

What about putting a tight fitting felt(or other fabric) material in place of a lock.
This way the snakes can't fit between the glass and they won't be able to slide the glass at either end because of the friction created by the felt. Just an idea.

[infernalis]

I like both of those ideas, The velcro sounds perfect.

[Stefan-A]

Thanks for the suggestions, but unfortunately I'm not warming to either idea. :)

[Spankenstyne]

Low tech solution
;)

http://www.office365.co.uk/im/pim/698114.jpg

[Spankenstyne]

... or you could use a dowel cut to size in the track

[drache]

I've got several tanks with sliding doors.
I jam a quarter of a cork coaster into the rail of each door and that both sandwiches them closer together and keeps the doors from sliding
the cork coasters are easy to jam in and pull out, easy to replace and relatively inoffensive visually

[Stefan-A]

Low tech solution
;)

http://www.office365.co.uk/im/pim/698114.jpg


... or you could use a dowel cut to size in the track
And the other door? :rolleyes:

[Spankenstyne]

And the other door? :rolleyes:

You're a smart guy Stefan I figured I didn't need to explain ;)

This of course is assuming we're talking about two sliding glass doors in a track?

One piece of dowel on the inside track, and one piece on the front/outside track. You only need to remove the front piece of dowel unless you slide open both doors. Either way simple, easy and doesn't interfere with the view.

The wedge just goes between the panels. Works amazingly well but looks ugly. Probably not a good idea if you're concerned about the space between the doors.

You can also take a piece of metal, like a small piece of coat hanger and bend into a modified 'S' shape that you place between the doors. I'll see if I can find a pic online or worst case make one and take a pic. This weekend is nuts but I'll see what I can do.

[Stefan-A]

One piece of dowel on the inside track, and one piece on the front/outside track. You only need to remove the front piece of dowel unless you slide open both doors.
Or if I want to open the door on the inner track.




Anyway, the glass is 6 mm, the tracks 9 mm and the wall between them is 2 mm. So the minimum space possible between the doors would be 2 mm and the maximum (i.e. the current) is 8 mm, which is more than enough for an adult male to escape through.

[Spankenstyne]

I also have a plan to reduce the gap between the doors to an absolute minimum, so it should preferably be a lock or locking mechanism that doesn't need to fit between the doors. Or if it did need to fit between them, it shouldn't need more than a millimeter or two.


The dowel suggestion was taking this into account, but ultimately it's just a suggestion.
Yes at worst you may need to lift up two pieces of dowel if you want to open both, or the inside door. Any sort of lock will require some sort of unlocking prodecure to open.

[Spankenstyne]

Or if I want to open the door on the inner track.




Anyway, the glass is 6 mm, the tracks 9 mm and the wall between them is 2 mm. So the minimum space possible between the doors would be 2 mm and the maximum (i.e. the current) is 8 mm, which is more than enough for an adult male to escape through.


That is quite the gap. I'd be less than impressed with it as well.

[Stefan-A]

The dowel suggestion was taking this into account, but ultimately it's just a suggestion.
Yes at worst you may need to lift up two pieces of dowel if you want to open both, or the inside door. Any sort of lock will require some sort of unlocking prodecure to open.
Your suggestions are appreciated, don't let my tendency to evaluate suggestions harshly fool you. :) Or any other quirk.


That is quite the gap. I'd be less than impressed with it as well.
Yeah. I does make you wonder what they were thinking when they designed the enclosures. I mean, other manufacturers can make good doors. The local pet store used to sell a model of glass terrarium, that had a gap that was only 1-2 mm wide.

[ConcinusMan]

Can't say I have any of those issues. I really don't care for the way the doors are designed at all. I mean they make great display enclosures but geez.. the issues. I did once have an enclosure of that basic design with 2 sliding doors and all. Looked great but i hated it. So many issues, all of them related to the sliding doors.

I simply don't have those issues with my basic glass enclosures with screen tops. The only escapes that happen or even come close to happening are because of my own absent mindedness such as forgetting to close the access or turning my back and getting distracted while a snake makes a run for it.