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Need help naming/finding something to stabilize two of these together at a distance of between 6"-12" apart. (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Like the title, I have a small DIY project where I’m going to put a gerbil tunnel system connecting two of the enclosures in the image together. Because the transparent window is thin clear plastic they aren’t really strong enough to handle any force at where the tunnels will connect to the windows.

So, I want to put stabilizing bars connecting both enclosures together at their frame. I’m thinking like a 1”x1” hard plastic bar, that’s 6”-12” long, at the corners of the window that lock into square plates that have three sides lifted (“c” style) to slot and lock the bar into. I don’t know what this would be called. Idk where I would find it. But, this seems like something I’ve seen before and should exist.

Does anything come to mind?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I would just get a 1x2 board and screw it on the back. Or onto the legs.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Hmm, something 3D printed, perhaps?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Are you trying to stabilize the tunnel or the whole cabinets to each other? Or both the cabinets to the wall?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Cabinets to each other, probably 3-4 stabilizers, 1 per corner of the windowed sections between the two cabinets.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Why not stabilize the cabinets to the wall, like with child proofing wall anchors?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What's going in the middle? I think the easiest/best looking way to do this is to add some shelving at the bottom/middle and that could stabilize the two cabinets together. And if necessary add extra bracing in the back behind the cabinets.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I went ahead and used large binder clips.

I pushed the two cabinets together, removed the clear windows adjacent to each other, wrapped the wood in that thick and pliable clear plastic shelf liner, then used binder clips every 3-4” across the inside of the whole frame of the windows, marrying the two cabinets together with a plastic seal. Worked like a charm and much less intensive.

Now, I did have to buy a jig saw and shave 1/4” off the inside edges of both top display windows/doors. They wouldn’t shut otherwise.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (2 children)

too bad you can’t get plastic unistrut. that would be perfect.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

although apparently you can now get fibreglass unistrut. how healthy are your lungs feeling?

https://unistrutstore.com/fiberglass-unistrut/fiberglass-channel.html

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I suppose I could put two unistruts across the backs of the enclosures, near the bottom and top of the window top half. That would stabilize it enough that you wouldn’t really be able to flex the fronts together.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Maybe a closet rod holder and you could get a closet rod and cut to size? Unless I'm thinking of something completely different from youre describing

https://images.thdstatic.com/productImages/d2d96b0d-6b73-465a-956a-2e160b11cdcf/svn/matt-black-everbilt-closet-rods-eh-wsthdus-543-64_600.jpg

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

This is similar to what I had in mind, but rectangular instead of cylindrical, and that had a lip on the ends of the bar that slotted and locked into “C” plates on both ends.

But, unistrut bars across the backs of the cabinets also might do the trick, instead of bars in between.