Plexi glass issue, please help

Poekie · 03-09-2021, 02:04 PM

I have one linnmon cage, which has plexiglass on the front. It is 120x60cm and 2 or 3 mm thick. The issue is that the silicone I used to glue it to the cage is letting go, and the middle is coming forward a bit. We've now used steel corners to keep it from falling off. I have a dwarf hamster in there, so there is a lot of bedding and things to remove if I need to reapply the plexiglass.

Can I fix this by putting thicker plexiglass on it, or can I fix it in this state?

Pebbles82 · 03-09-2021, 03:01 PM

I am not very good with this kind of diy I'm afraid. Will the steel corners not do the job? I'd have thought screwing some kind of blocker near the top on the inside of the plexi would hold it in place but can't quite imagine what it looks like. Do you have a photo?

Salem13 · 03-09-2021, 05:04 PM

Silicone actually doesn't stick to acrylic, which is probably what is causing your problems. Pretty much all glues that will work for acrylic are very solvent based and will give off strong fumes while drying or curing.

Poekie · 03-10-2021, 06:36 AM

How do I insert a picture?

Are there any acrylic silicones that are okay for hamsters and strong enough to hold it in place?

The issue with the plexiglass is'nt just that it doesn't stick, it's also the middle part, which doesn't have much support, so it's curving outwards there.
Can I just add a support beam along the top and glue it to the plexiglass?

AmityvilleHams · 03-10-2021, 08:40 AM

Anything you use with acrylic will not be silicon and would have to be completely used outside due to toxic fumes while curing. Silicon requires the same safety precautions too by the way - it also produces fumes while curing but once fully cured both silicon and the things that bond acrylic to my knowledge do not produce fumes.

I would screw the acrylic in and create a support system on the top and possibly even add center bracing as well. You could create a structure to have the acrylic essentially slot into place which would be beneficial for easy removal, but having it really sturdy would be achieved better through screwing it in place and having a better support system.

Poekie · 03-10-2021, 10:30 AM

Won't it crack if I screw it in?

AmityvilleHams · 03-10-2021, 10:31 AM

If the right tools are used, you go slow, and preferably also use pilot holes you shouldn't have any issues with cracking.

Keep in mind anything done to plastics which can produce fumes or small particles should be done outside where hamsters(or any other pet) and humans won't be exposed. You really should have that level of ventilation for things like drilling, cutting, etc with acrylic. Wood also would preferably be cut and such outside, but that's more of a dust issue than fumes(providing you're working with a hamster safe wood species) so you can get away with it to some extent in a different room wearing a proper mask for protection for example to create the support structure from wood.