Ad photo for the enclosure

Ad for the enclosures showing dimensions

Design inspiration

Design inspiration

Design inspiration

Design inspiration

Client sketch of proposed design

Showing me how the enclosures open

One of the shorter 18 x 18 x 18 enclosures

Client and the spot where the shelves will go

This is an older unit by the same comany with two doors and a seam in the middle.

One of the 18" tall ones. The shelf will be for 24" tall enclosures.

The light bars on top - have to leave room for those.

The space where the shelving unit will go

My notes from the in person visit

Raw plywood

raw wood

Some more design ideas

I liked these legs

Cutting down the plywood for the sides

Shelves

Making the dados for the shelves

More shelf dados

A good days work

Working in someone else's shop means I have to keep my stuff organized

The dados in the middle need to be constrained on two sides

Checking fit

sides all done

putting the case all together

putting the back on

Adding edge banding to cover the plywood edges

Parts for the top trim

Top trim and flaps

Clamping the top trim on

Adding the base on

Almost ready for the trip home

The flaps go on at the top of each section to hide the lights

Flaps added

Flaps open to show how they work

A sample piece I used to show the finish to the client

I pulled my trailer back to the workshop for transport to my house for final finishing

The friend who lets me use his workshop changes the saying here often

Wrapped up in plastic against the drizzle

Wrapped in a blanket against the straps

What a cute little pull toy!

Unwrapping at home

Ready for final finishing with Rubio monocoat

Looks very nice

The flaps are attached with Blum hinges and come right off

Upside down to make sure I got all the corners

Some bumpers to make sure the flaps close nicely

Done!

Final measurements - inside width, 36 1/2"

36 1/2"

Oops

Showing the hinge mechanism for the flaps

Detail of the top trim

Outside depth, 19"

Base height 5" or 5 3/4" depending on what you're measuring

After delivering the first one (which implies there was a second one), I discovered that my measurements were wrong. The space for the vivariums were supposed to be 24" tall each, not 18" tall each.

Starting to cut parts for number two

Same basic construction

Made an extra flap just in case

edge banding installed

There we go - that's 27 inches tall

Proper height

37 3/4" wide

...and 19" deep

Looking at it from the base

base trim

Looking 'up' at the top trim

Top trim

Base/legs

These are the flaps that hide the lights

I'm so lucky I get to work at this shop!

Packing up to bring it home for finishing

Client decided on a darker finish for the second one

Small piece is Rubio Monocoat natural, the large pieces are Rubio Monocoat Charcoal

Making sure the holes in the back are large enough for extension cords to go through

Our friend Lindsay for scale. She is very tall.

Some sort of tree frog that my client might collect, ferinstance

When we brought the new cabinet over to the house, it was too big to fit through some of the corners in the hallways, so after some very nervous discussion we decided to cut the cabinet and then put it back together. I had to choose somewhere to cut it, so I chose the client's height.

With the top re-assembled on top. Hardly noticeable!

This is a jig I made for the hinges so they would open nicely.

Showing the pieces that cover the lights

Parts for the hinges to attach to

Final installation with the vivariums in place.