MOB 8x4x4 Assembly

We’re so excited you’ve received your Focus Cubed Habitats MOB. Now time to assemble!

To keep it simple – you will need three people to help in assembly; match up the numbered stickers, starting with joint “1” and ending with joint “6”, screw together using a #2 Phillips driver, remove vinyl alignment stickers, seal substrate area to make water/substrate tight. Done!

But in all seriousness, we’ve made sure assembly is minimal so you can get to enjoying it as soon as possible. Screws need a #2 Phillips with an electric drill/driver. PVC is smooth and does not take much effort to slide, so it helps to assemble on a non-slick surface. We use foam gym mats to aid in assembling large enclosures.

Stand the bottom panel up with the “1” and “2” stickers on the floor side. While the bottom grove (1) is accessible, use supplied stainless hardware to attach bottom brace (1) flush with the front and rear edges. This pocket groove will need to be sealed once all assembled.

Attach the left-side panel to the bottom (floor) panel. Match up the “1” stickers for the first joint, check front/rear edge alignment and screw together.

Attach the right-side panel to the bottom (floor) panel. Match up the “2” sticker for the second joint, check front/rear edge alignment and screw together.

ASSEMBLY WITHOUT REAR SHELF
Skip below if ordered with a rear shelf as the assembly sequence is different from an enclosure without a rear shelf.

Install the top brace (2) to the roof panel using standard hardware as well as any accessories into their pre-drilled holes & routed cord clips. Slide roof panel between the left and right side panels. The roof panel will be heavy with accessories, take care not to let it bend and flex. Match up the “3” and front/rear edges and screw together, then “4” and screw together.

Time to install the rear panel. The enclosure should be face-down with the rear facing up (the right side panel’s “6” on the floor, “5” ready to match up to the “5” on the rear panel), place the rear panel on the enclosure assembly, route and wires through associated slots, check edge alignment, and screw together. Helps have someone inside the assembly to push the floor and roof panels out/flush if needed. Start with the top-most left screw and follow an X-pattern moving to bottom right, top right, bottom left, then fill in the rest.

Last is the front panel. Rotate the enclosure assembly on to the roof panel to limit roof flexing taking care to mind the cords, then to the back panel where the front is facing up. Alternately, if you have enough people, rotate the enclosure onto the bottom, then onto its back while supporting the front of the roof panel during the rotation to prevent flex.

Pick up the front panel gently while supporting the center to limit flex, place on the enclosure matching the “6”, check edge alignment, and screw together. Helps to screw together using the same X-pattern as the back: top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left, fill in the rest.

Once done attaching panels, place enclosure as it would sit normally, line up floor and roof braces to the front and rear marks on the panels, and attach. Remove all stickers, and seal the substrate area to stop any liquid or debris from coming out of the seams. Also, put some sealant in the floor pocket where the shelf floor bracket would normally attach if a shelf was optioned but is not in use. Follow directions on your preferred sealant tube for best results. Allow ample time for strong odor to be removed before adding your animal.

ASSEMBLY WITH REAR SHELF
Due to the size and weight of the MOB’s shelf, the assembly sequence differs from the standard assembly process.

The floor, left and right side enclosure assembly so far should be face-down with the rear facing up (the right side panel’s “6” on the floor, “5” ready to line up to the “5” on the rear panel). The next step is to install the rear panel.

Have your drill driver ready with assembly hardware on each corner to limit the time the back panel has to “float” unattached to the assembly. Take the back panel with a person on each side, and one supporting the top center of the back panel and place on the enclosure assembly taking care to straighten the side panels square. The floor brace will help balance the bottom of the rear panel getting it in place, while the other person supports the top of the rear panel.

Align and attach the bottom corners first to steady the structure.

The third person should still be holding the top of the rear panel to steady it, while the two side holders move up to align the side panels to the top of the rear panel corners. Once the top corners are aligned, attach the rear panel to the top screw hole and stitch down the side and along the bottom.

For the shelf install, rotate the enclosure assembly onto the floor panel as it would normally sit. Assemble the shelf by lining up associated shelf braces to the numbers and alignment marks, tighten braces to the shelf using silver stainless hardware.

Take the shelf assembly and align to marks on the rear wall and right wall panel and attach using stainless screws. First the shelf, then the braces. You’ll need a helping set of hands with one or two people aligning the shelf and one person tightening. The “3” brace’s foot fits in the center of the floor machined pocket. You will attach this brace using a stainless screw to the bottom panel when the enclosure assembly is on it’s back. After the shelf is installed you can align and attach the floor brace to the rear panel at this time.

Now to the roof install. Preinstall the top brace (2) to the roof panel using standard hardware as well as any accessories into their pre-drilled holes & routed cord clips. The roof panel will be heavy with accessories, take care not to let it bend and flex when moving and rotating.

Place the enclosure face-down with the rear facing up, have someone supporting the top of the rear panel with shelf assembly as you rotate. Slide the roof panel between the left and right side panels and under the back panel. Helps to have someone inside the enclosure assembly to press the roof panel out flush when attaching to the back panel. Route wires through associated slots, line up and check edge alignment to attach the roof to the rear panel and sides.

Once the roof is fully attached, rotate the enclosure assembly, while minding the cords, onto the roof to limit flexing from the weight of the accessories, then on to the back panel where the front is facing up. Alternately, if you have enough people to support the roof panel during rotation, you can rotate onto the bottom floor panel while supporting the front of the roof panel, then onto the back panel to limit managing the cords. This will give you access to the final shelf stainless screw – center the brace in the pocket and tighten the screw. This pocket will need to be sealed once all assembled.

Last is the front panel. Pick up the front panel gently with support near the center to limit flex, place on the enclosure matching the “6”, check edge alignment, and screw together. Helps to screw together using the same X-pattern as the back: top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left, fill in the rest.

Once done attaching panels, place the enclosure as it would sit normally, line up floor and roof braces to the front panel, and attach. Remove all stickers, and seal the substrate area to stop any liquid or debris from coming out of the seams. Follow directions on your preferred sealant tube for best results. Allow ample time for strong odor to be removed before adding your animal.