Cutting those rubberamids

[Abdulla6169]

Anyone ever cut those Rubbermaid containers. We have a few (ok, more than a few) and I was wondering how people cut them? Any steps you use? How does the connecting tunnel look like (how big is it, where you bought it, etc.)? Thanks in advance

 

[kmartin]

It's easy enough to cut using a small hand/hack saw. You just have to be careful about smoothing out the edges you cut, they are rough an sharp! Think tortoise condo and have different depths and substrate even temps and humidity. Russians will travel and pace and redecorate the enclosure for you until it's 'perfect'. For them.

 

[Abdulla6169]

It's easy enough to cut using a small hand/hack saw. You just have to be careful about smoothing out the edges you cut, they are rough an sharp! Think tortoise condo and have different depths and substrate even temps and humidity. Russians will travel and pace and redecorate the enclosure for you until it's 'perfect'. For them.

Thanks

 

[Abdulla6169]

@kmartin thinking of using a hot knife, is that a good idea?

 

[tortadise]

@kmartin thinking of using a hot knife, is that a good idea?

That would work great I'd think.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Thanks a lot

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I use a VERY big garden chopper for the big, thick ones Just a good scissor for the little ones. Are you making a hide/burrow for your tort? You can connect a few for an even bigger area.

 

[Jazzbell772]

What are you guys using to connect the two rubbermaid containers? Does anyone have pics of the final project?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

@kmartin thinking of using a hot knife, is that a good idea?

I have used a hot knife for a long time now with many many tubs. It never leaves a sharp edge, it sorta seals/welds the edge so you will not get cracks or tears from the cut edge. I use a sharpie pen to draw where the cut will be and follow it with the knife. I have used a 'vinyl' knife for the concrete mixing tubs that I have modified, that plastic is much more rigid and takes the knife. The rubbermaid plastic is too flexible for a vinyl knife in my opinion.

I have joined two 54 gallon rubbermaid totes only a few times, and done it with them side by side. I used large diameter PVC pipe like the type used for drain lines. The second time I made the hole slightly small so the pipe fit tight. I did not try to seal it or glue it or otherwise try to attatch the pipe to the totes the second time. The first time I used a bonding material called "liquid nails". The problem ended up being that if a moved one tote without good coordination of the other tote, I'd tear the tote plastic.

I ended up just seeking and getting larger tubs as the longer term solution, and then putting a small size rubbermaid tote into the larger tub, for the hide or higher humidity or dry or whatever choice needed to be offered to the animals.