I had the wonderful opportunity to breath life into this design and make it a reality for a special individual. The design is so simple and made the project a lot easier. So this makes for a great example. Dimension are clear and all the required specification have been highlighted.  Top, front sliding lid.​ Water tight.(Which all units come as.) Sturdy and rigid, but yet light. Black satin finish. Side and back ventilation. ​ The benefits of polycarbonate definitely shines through on larger projects, compared with glass and veneered chipboard or melamine.  2mm polycarbonate might seem thin, but is bulletproof compared to glass. The grade has flex in and this prevents any bowing or defects due to temperature and why you can find it mainly in industrial applications. Once the parts have been welded twice to create the internal tank unit. Each unit is water tested and can hold the same volume as it's dimensions. Rigidity, checked! The wooden frame that encases the tank unit adds to that strength. As a unit on it's own, without any substrate, etc. The weight is a big winner!

This was a collaboration with the one and only, Steve Thornton from 'Tarantula Tastic Enclosures' https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053947106076 and was created for a charity raffle. The funds raised was donated to the National Autistic Society. I thoroughly enjoyed this project, especially working with Steve who did the internal build. When I saw the finish, I was gobsmacked by what he had achieved. It definitely elevated the whole design. Do check him out on all platforms, especially if you would like to learn how to setup your enclosures. He does tutorials that are very informative and easy to follow. The Nclosure is an arboreal design with a pair of double bi-fold doors, which was a crazy idea that ended up being a very unique and stylish show off piece. Currently the design is a one off, due to the complexity of the build and finish. The finish is a custom paint job and was achieved by using pouring acrylic paint. Very time consuming!

This was definitely 'the build of the year' for 2023. The first two pictures are the initial design and the edited version. I always strife to give my customers what they ask for and try to create their ideas just as imagined. This in itself is a process, if not the most important part of the transaction and getting the specifications right is of utmost importance. Specifications for the project was; LED Lighting as a conduit and a bar strip at the top. (This can be seen in the video) Extra framing detail, inspired by Mayan and Aztec art. The framing makes the whole piece pop. Not too little and not too much, just right! Openings; two side openings and one top hinged opening that also has an additional hatch for quick access. ''Slide, drop, slide and run!'' Custom oak finish to match furniture. Definitely a very enjoyable build and credit to the final setup. The owner who again, has become a great friend and a familiar face in the hobby, has definitely done wonders with the finish. The theme is based on Socotra Island, where the species is native to and if you ask me, bang on! Looks like a sandy Paradise. He also created a fantastic series of videos for his YouTube channel, hopefully they will be uploaded soon. So keep an eye out at https://www.youtube.com/@HauntoftheSpiders-cl2vp Don't forget to subscribe for all things Tarantula and J, thanks for the amazing opportunity!

The DF Beetles custom Nclosures was a challenge, mainly due to the ventilation. Which was an important specification and I did it all by hand. The beetles are native to desert biomes and need a lot of air circulation within a captive environment. Another requirement was no warping or cupping. The customer bought acrylic enclosures and was not happy with this defect that mainly affects acrylic. Polycarbonate behaves differently compared to acrylic. The grade that I use has flex to and this allows for movement, which avoids cupping/warping to occur. Custom Hinged Nclosure to house a Tarantula. I did not offer hinged opening as a standard option until I crafted this one. What a great decision that was, as it has become just as popular as the slide option. Definitely a huge thank you to the customer for this wonderful idea!

This creation is based on my first Balfouri communal(second picture), with additional LED lighting. At the time, this was the largest custom build and felt like a massive challenge due to the size. Practical? It was very straight forward and a much easier task compared to smaller units. The lighting idea stems from an earlier experiment(third picture), which was to use the polycarbonate as a conduit for the light to pass through. Great as a night lamp on a chest of drawers or bedside cabinet. The light that is created by this application is harmless and will not cause stress compared to the normal blue/white light spectrum. This Nclosure was crafted for a customer, who is now a friend and fellow hobbyist. He is known as 'Bear' and creates informative family friendly content on YouTube(fourth picture). If you want to know more about care tutorials, etc. Please do check him out; https://www.youtube.com/@houseof1000inverts

A customer requested a design that I have anticipated for sometime, as it is something that I have been through when I am brainstorming ideas and different designs. I was introduced to Tarantulas through my children watching YouTube videos, at the time, it was two channels that they enjoyed most, 'Exotic Lairs' and 'Dark Den'. Off topic, but let us not forget 'Ants Canada' too and 'Coyote Peterson'. Anyway, the two former had set ups with the same opening design and made out of glass. I was very uncomfortable with how you have to interact with a glass door that is hinged in this orientation. You have to gently lean it against some sort of support or constantly hold it open when you are accessing the closure. When hinges go pass the axis of the joint and make contact with the opposite frame, it creates the ideal scenario for the hinges to fail under tension. The screws will be ripped out, glue/sealant fails or the hinge snaps. There have been many instances where the door slips out of their hands and breaks, glass shattering everywhere. This is purely why I do not offer this opening design as a standard option. All standard options are slide or hinged vertically. I have thought of a hydraulic mechanism, like the ones used for furniture or kitchen units. I have created a few trunks and installed them to the lids, you can get a wide range of sizes for the hydraulic struts. It could work, however. Would the metal components decay under different moisture levels and temperatures? That is the main questions that I have. What do you think? Is it a good idea? Still the only unit of it's kind, here at Nclosures. Nonetheless, I enjoyed creating it and will definitely be able to learn from the experience, thank you!