my own build.

[De Foezel]

if i where you i wouldnt buy it from the internet..
i would go to your local boat-repairshop or boat building company(u can usualy buy 1 or 2 liters with some glassfiber for (in my case) 20 euros.

[ConcinusMan]

We don't really have anything like that. I'd have to go to south into Portland. They are the one's with all the private marinas. We used to have a good sized marina on Vancouver Lake but a tornado destroyed it a few years back. The Vancouver side of the Columbia River is all industry and condos

[De Foezel]

oh ok...
i assumed u had as much water around as i do
in the netherlands ur never more then an hour away from a large waterbody
not that u would call it a large waterbody(because our complete country is smaller then most of your states)

[ConcinusMan]

I live less than 1/10th of a kilometer from a very large river, about 1/4 mile wide.(The Columbia River, sometimes referred to as the "Mississippi of the west") Vancouver lake is also a very large lake and used to be part of the river about 13,000 years ago. It's now fed by small streams and creeks. Lot's of streams and creeks flowing across the landscape flowing into both bodies of water.

On the contrary to what you said, I am never more than 5-20 minutes away from a large body of water. That's not the point. The point is, there are not any marinas on any of them unless I leave the state. Bottom line is, it's not very convenient at all to find a "boat repair" business near me that has that stuff on the shelf. It would be a major pain in the... And would probably cost more in gasoline than it's worth in savings. Still, there are other options. Many "home improvement" supply stores immediately nearby might carry such products. They just wouldn't be marketed as "boat repair" supplies.

For example, coconut fiber substrate for reptile enclosures. If sold as such, the price is very high. If sold as a garden supply product at a garden nursery, the price is much lower!

[De Foezel]

ok but then u would have to wait a very long time for it to stop gassing
(i dont think the resin is different but i think the hardner is)
thats why u have to wait a very long time(at least 4 months i would think)

[ConcinusMan]

Humidity, temperature, oxygen level, air circulation...

All will have an influence on the curing time. I would say wait MONTHS from completion before introducing animals. Just to be cautious.

The idea and materials are great. I think that if I was to produce these enclosures for my own snakes, or to sell, I would wait months. Perhaps build them during the summer and wait until the following spring to call them "cured" and safe for use.

I still plan to build some structures using this method. Perhaps background walls with shelves and nooks for plants, perhaps water features. It's a great idea.

However, my current project requires me to have snakes moved in by June or July. I will be using natural or already cured materials this time around.

I still want to try building stuff for reptiles from this idea. I just won't be using them this season.

[redspot]

I have a feeling De Foezel is working with a low VOC epoxy over in the Netherlands as thats all they've sold for the last 5 years+ over there. Most low VOC epoxy systems are fully done out-gassing in 72 hours. In the US we are well on the way to establishing low VOC products.

The stuff I would worry about outgassing FOREVER are any Urethane sealants, Stains etc... Most epoxy's fully cure pretty fast.

Nate

[ConcinusMan]

He's using fiberglass mesh and polyester resin. Used for environmentally safe boat repair.

[De Foezel]

concinnusman is correct I AM USING POLYESTHER FOR BOAT-REPAIR AND BUILDING
the reason for this is......
polyesther is easyer to mould to your own views
(i never used epoxy so dont know how it works but have been told epoxy is alot thicker fluid compared to polyester)
the cost of polyesther is lower then epoxy
1.5 kg epoxy = 24 euro(just epoxy)
3kg polyesther + 1 meter of fiberglass = 32 euros

[ConcinusMan]

I am glad you posted this info and pics of the results. I know know that it would be too expensive to use natural cork bark for the entire back. Also, the main thing is that I want to make a unit that I can remove easily, which will hold a submersible pump and water for a small multi-teired waterfall. Cannot buy what I have in mind. I'll have to build it. Coming soon. I''ll be posting results here: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6793

(I have to say, I've seen and smoked lots of other wonderful things coming out of Amsterdam and surrounding areas, including the best of the best plant genetics grown here in Washington State USA and Vancouver, B.C. Wouldn't mind doing one of those projects if it wasn't risking years in prison. But this polyester project, I can do. So for now, I'll be growing moss and garter snakes)The rest of the "free" world is grateful to your country's botonists but they are so good at it, we forgot to thank them. LoL.

To have health coverage when you're sick, and to be self-supplying, taking the money out of the hands of terrorists and criminal gangs... without fear of encarceration. Ahh... to truly be free.