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Old 04-21-2020, 03:41 AM   #1
oxBlazingWolfxo
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 7
Default Frameless Detolf?

Hey guys! Hope everyone is safe and well.

So I recently bought a Detolf to use for when I get a new hamster after my last girl had to be PTS in June (it was bought and built just before this Covid-19 stuff as I was originally planning to get a hamster soon, bit of unfortunate timing since I can't do anything/get anything haha ).

Anyway, I've seen a couple of pictures on the internet of people completely ditching the metal frame, and just using silicone to hold it all together. It looks so much nicer to me, and was something I've been considering.

However, I've never done anything like that before and I'm wondering about how fragile/unstable it would be? I mean, I know fish tanks are held together by silicone, but this feels different haha.

I couldn't find much information provided by others who have done it, so I don't know how much luck they had with it. I was wondering if any of you have? Or know if it's realistically a possibility?

My detolf seems to have a large-ish gap in the corner anyway (where the seal doesn't quite reach the end), so I need to do something to block that so that substrate doesn't escape, and the FIL suggested silicone.

So yeah, any advice? £60 is a lot of money to me, so don't want to do it if it's just going to break
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Old 04-21-2020, 04:23 AM   #2
Jadetooth
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 37
Default Re: Frameless Detolf?

I haven't attempted to make an aquarium but I have a lot of them. I would be surprised if this would work (and be worth doing), as probably the deltolf is optimised for thin light glass whereas aquariums have a decent overlap for the silicone to stick it together.

Fish tanks can be crazy cheap second hand, and very often free if they leak (no prob for hamster).

Seeing as you're committed to making a lid for deltolf anyway, perhaps consider buying a "frame free" or glass only tank in similar dimensions and you might get the aesthetics you want. Down side is it would weight more, and might be too tall, but worth a look (I have got all my tanks a fraction of the price new online).
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Old 04-23-2020, 10:33 AM   #3
HamsterHaven2020
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: England
Posts: 21
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Thumbs up Re: Frameless Detolf?

Quote:
Originally Posted by oxBlazingWolfxo View Post
Hey guys! Hope everyone is safe and well.

So I recently bought a Detolf to use for when I get a new hamster after my last girl had to be PTS in June (it was bought and built just before this Covid-19 stuff as I was originally planning to get a hamster soon, bit of unfortunate timing since I can't do anything/get anything haha ).

Anyway, I've seen a couple of pictures on the internet of people completely ditching the metal frame, and just using silicone to hold it all together. It looks so much nicer to me, and was something I've been considering.

However, I've never done anything like that before and I'm wondering about how fragile/unstable it would be? I mean, I know fish tanks are held together by silicone, but this feels different haha.

I couldn't find much information provided by others who have done it, so I don't know how much luck they had with it. I was wondering if any of you have? Or know if it's realistically a possibility?

My detolf seems to have a large-ish gap in the corner anyway (where the seal doesn't quite reach the end), so I need to do something to block that so that substrate doesn't escape, and the FIL suggested silicone.

So yeah, any advice? £60 is a lot of money to me, so don't want to do it if it's just going to break

The exact same thing happened to me! The day after lockdown was put on, ikea decided to deliver my 3 detolfs! I have everything set up for my 2 current hamsters and eagerly waiting to get my third.
To your problem (sorry for the backstory)
I was say go onto amazon, there is a good aquarium silicone that I have used plenty of time for only about £5 depending on where you live plus the p+p. Another suggestion is (if you don’t have a chewer) cut out corners of cardboard and just glue them there. Here is the link for the silicone ::

BOND IT CLEAR HA6 RTV Silicone Sealant Marine Aquarium Safe Water Fish Tank Adhesive https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BBIAR..._efDOEb6SJD5AJ
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Old 08-30-2020, 06:59 AM   #4
Kukuru
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Default Re: Frameless Detolf?

Quote:
Originally Posted by oxBlazingWolfxo View Post
I'm wondering about how fragile/unstable it would be?
So you've probably put your detolf together already, but I just had to come here to say that I have a detolf assembled with silicone.

I put it together about 2 and a half years ago. It has survived a moving van and me lifting it alone from the kallax to a table and back again. It's way sturdier with silicone than with the rods. The bond between the glass and silicone is strong. The bond between silicone and the particle board end pieces seems to be holding nicely as well. I've had no problems with the amount of bedding I've used or the lid resting on the glass.

To do this you'd need aquarium safe silicone and probably a friend. I did mine alone, but I would have saved myself some silicone mess by having a friend for sure. Assemble on the floor, but prop up the bottom glass with cardboard or something. There is a gap between floor and glass because of the end pieces. Do a dry fitting first so you can see how the side glasses attach to the bottom glass (bottom glass is sandwiched between the sides). Add silicone in between the side glass and bottom glass and squeeze together. Add silicone to the end piece and attach to the glass. When all the pieces are in place you add silicone to the inner edges and smooth over with you finger. I suggest watching aquarium assembling videos from youtube for tips on working with the silicone.
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