912 replies to this topic

[Jeoff82]

Here's some of mine I make

[Trailandstreet]

For one of my Myrmica rubra colonies (founded last year) I created a small box a clay granulate as a drainage layer and loamy soil to digg their own nest. I tried this to see how they develop in a natural environment.

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[BrittonLS]

What kind of tool and bit would I need to drill a hole in acrylic and/or softer plastic? I want to make a hole around 5/16 inches.

[Crystals]

If the acrylicis not brittle, I have used everything from a drill or dremel with a regular wood bit, holesaw, or spade bit.  Just find a 5/16 bit if you want a 5/16 hole.

[BrittonLS]

If the acrylicis not brittle, I have used everything from a drill or dremel with a regular wood bit, holesaw, or spade bit. Just find a 5/16 bit if you want a 5/16 hole.

What about if it is brittle?

[Crystals]

 

If the acrylicis not brittle, I have used everything from a drill or dremel with a regular wood bit, holesaw, or spade bit. Just find a 5/16 bit if you want a 5/16 hole.

What about if it is brittle?

 

Go very slowly with a stepper bit or a holesaw.  Preferably with a drill press.  Or take it to a glass cutting shop.

[Huch]

What works for me in drilling acrylic is to use a regular wood or metal bit, drill enough to make a small indentation, then go max speed in reverse with a bit of pressure. Within 30 seconds to a minute, the acrylic melts and you should be able to go through with minimal damage.

[dspdrew]

I find it works best to just use the proper bit. Stepper/Uni bits work great, and also deburr at the same time.

 

[BrittonLS]

What works for me in drilling acrylic is to use a regular wood or metal bit, drill enough to make a small indentation, then go max speed in reverse with a bit of pressure. Within 30 seconds to a minute, the acrylic melts and you should be able to go through with minimal damage.

Typically you don't want your thing to melt while you're drilling it, but I guess if it works it works. 

[Crystals]

Here is another outworld I made, the one corner is a pretty steep hill with a large rock sunk into the side.  It is a nice 3D effect.

 

 

Here are some ant waterers I made.  The tutorial is here.

 

Edited by Crystals, December 28 2017 - 3:08 PM.

[Jeoff82]

Recently I obtained a colony of Lasius Brunneus. Rare here in the UK but native, I have only found them once in the wild. They are normally found on Oak trees so I have a created a formicarium for them. This colony is from this summers flights and has around 5 workers.

[PTAntFan]

Cool. A spy cam in there would be the bomb.

[dspdrew]

My latest fungus-grower formicarium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[drtrmiller]

My latest fungus-grower formicarium.

Wish I had known what you were doing.
I would have suggested a completely open tunnel instead of an opaque tube with a hole at the bottom—and you would have said how stupid it was.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 3 2024 - 8:46 AM.

[dspdrew]

Haha that top part (the cone) looks almost identical to what I originally had.

 

 

You probably should read my Formicarium 08 thread where I actually explained my design. BTW, I'm planning to get some translucent filament for the 3D printed parts. I think that would be enough visibility for such small parts of the formicarium. I might think about opening up the entrance tube now that you mention it though.

[drtrmiller]

Clear filament won't really help unless you have a huge nozzle diameter, generally above 0.6 mm, along with very thick layers.

[dspdrew]

Won't help what? Are you saying it won't be translucent?

[NightsWebs]

Damn, that looks amazing! You need to make about 10 of them to start! as I want two now! Great job Drew!

[dspdrew]

Thanks. I'm also going to make a one chamber design just like the original one, only they'll be using the same parts as these. It will just have an added vinyl tube in between like the first ones. I guess I lied when I said on my formicarium 08 thread that I'm no longer using vinyl tubing in any of my designs. In all honesty, you just have to make sure not to have any exposed ends that the ants can get their mandibles around.

[drtrmiller]

Won't help what? Are you saying it won't be translucent?

 

Correct. It will not be effective for seeing any amount of detail with a standard .4 mm nozzle and standard layer height that is achievable with such a nozzle.