Building a new enclosure

[leigti]

I am working on a new enclosure for my Russian tortoise. It is going to be a semiclosed chamber. My issue is that part of the lighting fixtures are going to be directly touching wood. What can I put between the fixture in the wood to keep from starting a fire?
I could get shorter fixtures but I really don’t want to spend the money on it. My 48 inch fixtures are just great. There just a little long. So I was hoping there was an easy solution. Tinfoil? Some kind of heat resistant tape?

 

[wellington]

I doubt fluorescent would even start a fire. Tin foil would work but it might make the fixture too hot and burn it out faster. You could put something under it that sits on the plastic to raise it just a hair off the wood?

 

[leigti]

I doubt fluorescent would even start a fire. Tin foil would work but it might make the fixture too hot and burn it out faster. You could put something under it that sits on the plastic to raise it just a hair off the wood?

I could probably put some sort of plastic down. The enclosure is made out of plywood, hardware cloth across the top. I decided to go with blue for the inside color after talking to @Tom, thought it might be different. Maybe look like sky. Most of it is actually pond armor. So it should be good and waterproofed.

 

[leigti]

Still a ways to go.

 

[Tom]

I thought this over and I can think of several solutions, but I wanted a solution that you could go get yourself at Home Depot.

First, you want something metal because it will absorb and disperse the heat without any possibility of melting or catching fire.

HD sells various lengths of 1/2 or 3/4 inch metal pipe that is threaded on the ends. You don't need the threads but that's how it comes. Measure the width of your fixtures there and buy 4 pipe lengths that are about 3" longer then the width of your fixtures. Just guessing from looking at your pics that those fixtures are 4-5" across? If that is correct, buy four pieces of 7 or 8" pipe. Rest those on the wood and your fixtures will eventually rest on top of them. If you go to the electrical section, they sell little metal clamps that hold electrical conduit. Use one clamp on each end of each pipe. You'll need 8 clamps to do both ends for both fixtures. One screw holds each clamp and one end of each pipe in place.

Here is the pipe I'm talking about. This one is 12", but they sell them in many lengths down to 2".
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mueller-Global-1-2-in-x-12-in-Black-Steel-Nipple-583-120HN/100204171

Here are the clamps I'm talking about:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-in-Rig...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CL2HrbKZ_tYCFRK9TwodSi0OGg

The other simple way would be with some "L" steel, but then you'd need the tools and ability to cut and drill metal. Got a chop saw with a metal cutting blade and a drill press with some heavy duty bits?

 

[leigti]

I thought this over and I can think of several solutions, but I wanted a solution that you could go get yourself at Home Depot.

First, you want something metal because it will absorb and disperse the heat without any possibility of melting or catching fire.

HD sells various lengths of 1/2 or 3/4 inch metal pipe that is threaded on the ends. You don't need the threads but that's how it comes. Measure the width of your fixtures there and buy 4 pipe lengths that are about 3" longer then the width of your fixtures. Just guessing from looking at your pics that those fixtures are 4-5" across? If that is correct, buy four pieces of 7 or 8" pipe. Rest those on the wood and your fixtures will eventually rest on top of them. If you go to the electrical section, they sell little metal clamps that hold electrical conduit. Use one clamp on each end of each pipe. You'll need 8 clamps to do both ends for both fixtures. One screw holds each clamp and one end of each pipe in place.

Here is the pipe I'm talking about. This one is 12", but they sell them in many lengths down to 2".
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mueller-Global-1-2-in-x-12-in-Black-Steel-Nipple-583-120HN/100204171

Here are the clamps I'm talking about:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-in-Rig...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CL2HrbKZ_tYCFRK9TwodSi0OGg

The other simple way would be with some "L" steel, but then you'd need the tools and ability to cut and drill metal. Got a chop saw with a metal cutting blade and a drill press with some heavy duty bits?

Thanks Tom. I can do the pipe and clamp idea. I value my fingers too much to get near a chopsaw. So there will be enough room between the bulbs and the word so that there won’t be any problems? There’s only a couple inches on each end of each fixture where the bulb would be above would otherwise it’s above the hardware cloth.
Once everything is all set where I want it, one and will have a heat lamp and then each and will have one UVB bulb and one day light or plant growing bulb, I will use the reflect X bubble insulation over the open parts of the hardware clothto make it more of a close chamber so all the warm air doesn’t escape.With the blue walls it should be nice and bright. I don’t think I’m even going to paint the outside. For one thing I’m sort of tired of working on this and for another natural wood color works just fine for me.

 

[Tom]

Plant growing bulbs are for plants. I wouldn't use one over a tortoise.

 

[leigti]

Plant growing bulbs are for plants. I wouldn't use one over a tortoise.

I could just use a regular day light bulb then , it’s just for more light. Depending on how much light the UVB bulb put out and how it reflects off the walls, may not need other bulbs.

 

[KevinGG]

Looks great. Nice job

 

[Gillian M]

A well-done job.

 

[Erik Elvis]

I have fixtures just like yours with the edges touching wood. In my opinion doesn’t get hot enough to start a fire unless there’s some sort of malfunction. But it is always better to be safe then sorry. Especially if it’s easy to do.

 

[leigti]

I have fixtures just like yours with the edges touching wood. In my opinion doesn’t get hot enough to start a fire unless there’s some sort of malfunction. But it is always better to be safe then sorry. Especially if it’s easy to do.

I have always use these type of fixtures with the edges touching the top of the enclosure. There’s a couple inches on each end of the fixture that there actually isn’t a bulb.The problem is these overlap a lot more so that the bulbs themselves will be directly over the edge. That’s the part that I’m worrying might get too hot. I’m probably just over worrying.

 

[leigti]

@Tom would PVC pipe work? I have got a ton of 1 inch PVC pipe in the garage.

 

[Tom]

@Tom would PVC pipe work? I have got a ton of 1 inch PVC pipe in the garage.

Not if it gets too hot. If its not too hot for pvc, then its not too hot for the wood either.

 

[leigti]

Well, finally making some progress. I will get everything done today except the glass doors, those go on tomorrow. Hoping to have my tortoise in it by the end of next week. Have to get it completely done and check temperatures etc. before I put him in there.
I decided to put this reflective tape down where the lights make contact with the wood. Then I will use the reflect X to Cover the gaps in the screen around the lights.
Now I’m going to go put in some furniture i’ll post a picture when it’s all done.

 

[leigti]

Heck, forgot to post these newest pictures.

 

[leigti]

Here it is. Finally done. All the temperatures are great. I’m really surprised how well the reflect X holds in the heat.