How often do you see the metal screen lids at pet stores, check out the prices and cringe?
How about for oddball sized tanks you have that noone makes a top for?
Those days are over!
This is a simple project anyone can do at home with a few basic tools and the need for a simple, nice looking top for small critters, such as most smaller lizards, some Ts' and others that normally don't require locking tops.
First off, the tank..
Typical 5 gallon glass aquarium.
The tools..
Drill, miter box and saw, staple gun, hammer, spring clamps and clamp board (plain wood, just to hold pieces flat) A few others not pictured- a sharp knife, tape measure and a small square.
The basic materials, aluminum screening, 3/16 dowel rod, screen moulding and 1x2 stock.
Now for the how to!
The top being made here, fits on top of the tank, seated on the inside lip of the plastic topping.
Begin by measuring the lip of the tank.
And cutting the first 45 degree angle on a 1x2, using the miter box and saw for a perfect cut.
Measure the peice you just cut, starting at the end of the point on the 45 and mark the wood with a pencil, so you will have the next cut easier to make.
The second cut, will have the 45 opposing the other ends cut, it will look like this and can be checked for fit at this time.
Go ahead and cut the rest of the sides, measuring and cuttin the same as the first was done. Tip- To insure squareness of the finished lid, make the opposite sides, equal to each other in length, the long sides the same and the short sides the same.
Now get the clamps, clamp block and square ready!
Put two of the peices together on the board, clamp them and check for squareness.
The clamps are a handy set of tools to have when drilling the holes for the dowels (same size bit as the dowel rod) or predrilling holes for wood screws. (I use dowels over screws as it lends to a neater look with no chance of rust stains or loosening)
The finished hole. It needs to go through the first section of wood and at least 3/4" to 1" into the second piece.
Drill slowly, with little pressure while holding the second piece of wood tightly to keep the joint from seperating while drilling.
Cut some of the dowel rod, about an inch longer than the holes you drilled for them and taper one end.
Spread wood glue on the joints and use a small stick to get a good amount of glue inside the holes.
The glue makes an incredibly strong joint and the glue inside the holes helps lubricate the dowels so they can be tapped in easily with a hammer.
Give the dowels a good coat of glue as well, tap them lightly while holding the two pieces together and don't worry about the excess glue that seeps out.
You can wipe it off with a damp paper towel.
The dowel, we'll trim off later.
Tapered dowel end beside non tapered. The taper helps start the dowel into the hole.
A good coat of glue.
Using a stick to coat the entire hole with glue.
Dowel driven in and excess glue wiped off.
One corner, complete with dowels, clamped down and being checked for squareness.
Finish the rest of the frame in the same manner, checking all the corners for squareness and clamping all four sides to the clamp block to keep its square while the glue cures and the frame becomes a single solid piece.
After the glue is cured and the framing tight, trim the dowels flush with the frame.
If using screws instead, don't worry about dowels.
Now test fit it to the tank and sand it smooth and finish or paint it.
That is the basic frame, tommorrow, we screen it
