Enclosure building question

[james.w]

When building an enclosure would it be stronger if you made the joints 45 degree angles or just screw them together straight on?

 

[Toby_H]

First offÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ a very simple 2Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã? x 2Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã? lumber frame shelled with 3/8Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã? plywood can easily be built strong enough to serve as a Tegu enclosureÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

I built mine out of 2Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã? x 4Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã? lumber but it also serves as an aquarium stand for up to a 265 gallon aquarium which can weight around 2,500 lbs (or 1,133 kg). Using larger lumber does make the enclosure stronger, but it also makes it a lot heavier. My 8Ã?¢ââ??‰â??¢ x 3Ã?¢ââ??‰â??¢ @ 3.5Ã?¢ââ??‰â??¢ tall enclosure weighs well over 250 lbs and almost killed me bringing it up a flight of stairsÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦


But a more direct answer to your questionÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ it all depends on where or how you are making the connectionsÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦


Connecting the front lateral beams to the side lateral beams with 45* cut corners is fine. It makes measuring and cutting more difficult and doesnÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢t really help anything, but it also doesnÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢t hurt anythingÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

But you Do Not want to have the vertical posts meet the lateral beams with 45* connections. Doing so will transfer weight outward, when we want to transfer all weight straight down.


All vertical connections are best to be simple, flat 90* cuts. You want the vertical support to be directly beneath the lateral framework.

Here is a diagram I made when designing my enclosure (bare in mind this is also a stand for a 2500 lb aquarium). This displays my concept of transferring weight straight downÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

 

[james.w]

Thank you. I will just do 90 degrees for all joints. Would you recommend 2x2 or 2x4 if I planned on stacking a couple cages?

 

[Guest]

Two by twos should work ..I would use three quarter plywood that is where your strength is a 2x4 across your doors may be a good Idea ..