Construction decisions and holds

# SP-SLIM-01 — audit and construction decisions

October 16, 2026. Review design for ONE ADULT regal jumping spider, Phidippus regius. Not an animal-use approval. No construction prototype exists.

## What existed

The supplied brief is 12 × 8 × 12 inches outside, with an oak exterior. The earlier generated image is an appearance study, not measured construction. No original cut list, engineered closure, mesh specification, tolerances or hardware schedule exists for this new size. Its apparent screen roof and door cannot establish containment. Existing N07/P02 packages supply reader/viewer implementation only; none of their dimensions or hardware have been scaled into this design. Released files remain read-only.


## Research and the decisions it supports

| Evidence | Scope | Design consequence | Limit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Exotic Pet Vets](https://theexoticpetvets.com/resources/jumping-spiders/) | Veterinary guidance for jumping spiders | A ventilated, furnished, solitary enclosure; compare usable space with the 6 × 6 × 9-inch adult baseline | Not a species-specific enclosure trial; larger outside dimensions do not prove adequate interior space |
| [UF/IFAS IN309](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN309) | P. regius natural history | Preserve elevated resting/nesting surfaces; allow visually guided daytime hunting | Body length is not the body width that determines passage through a gap |
| [SpooderNest](https://spoodernest.com/how-to-care-for-your-first-jumping-spider/) | Firsthand keeper/breeder practice, especially juveniles | Opposing ventilation and access that leaves the upper retreat intact | Transfer of the access principle to this adult design is an inference; juvenile advice does not validate this product |
| [Marshall Arachnids](https://marshallarachnids.com/pages/phidippus-care-guide) | Genus-level keeper guidance | Connected climbing surfaces and accessible prey are necessary even in a larger enclosure | Not a controlled minimum-size study |
| Current Creature Corner regal-jumping-spider care record | Approved care context | One adult; 6 × 6 × 9-inch usable baseline, 8 × 8 × 12-inch preferred target; monitor drinking/drying and temperature | This enclosure's 8-inch outside depth cannot meet the preferred 8-inch usable depth |

Temperature/humidity prescriptions differ among sources. This project does not average them or rewrite care guidance: the current species guide governs the commissioning starting point. Useful diffuse light and shade, no direct sun, accessible droplets and a drying cycle are retained. Vent area alone does not predict humidity or airflow. No reliable universal maximum escape opening was established. Adult scope explicitly excludes spiderlings, juveniles and offspring of a previously mated female.

## Chosen construction

A small balanced-veneer plywood case with internal corner cleats, clear acrylic splash/cleaning liners, a fixed roof window, a fixed front transom and one lower hinged door. Two compact draw latches close the door against a continuous one-piece silicone-foam ring. Four opposing side vents use specified fine woven stainless mesh. Cut wire edges are captured between liners and retaining frames. The fixed transom keeps routine access below the upper retreat. There are no cable or feeding ports.

The visible door reveal is a movement allowance, not an accepted open escape path. The seal behind it must contact continuously. Screen edges, glass edges, case seams, corners and service joints are containment interfaces too. Perimeter sealant does not substitute for mechanical mesh retention. All maintenance requiring removal of a pane, mesh or seal takes place with the animal safely rehoused.

Oak covers all outside faces, roof surround and exposed plywood edges/reveals. Matching backer veneer balances the main faces; no strip bridges a moving joint. Maple/walnut images are appearance alternatives requiring their own material receiving/balance check. Texture normal strength is deliberately low and no geometric displacement is used.

## Alternatives considered

1. A removable screen roof: rejected for routine access because the upper silk retreat would move and another large closure would need sealing.
2. A conventional inset door with only a small clearance: rejected because a cosmetic gap is not a reliable containment barrier.
3. Large enclosure bolts or padlock hardware: rejected for this light, compact build. Interior screw paths and small low-profile hardware preserve the approved V5 appearance.
4. A fully acrylic bought enclosure inside an oak sleeve: potentially simpler to validate, but it would be a different product and would reduce the usable space. Not silently substituted.
5. Solid wood panels: rejected here because movement makes the small door/seal tolerance harder to control.

## Holds, not invented measurements

H01: received plywood/veneer/coating thickness must match the derived stack; otherwise regenerate cuts before cutting.
H02: hinge leaf thickness, pin position, screw pattern and SCC25 placement require received hardware/template validation. The model uses declared envelopes where manufacturer detail is unavailable. No drilling from a rendered image.
H03: gasket thickness/compression and supplier die-cut tolerance; full perimeter contact under closure force, including humidity cycling and repeated openings. BF-1000's nominal thickness tolerance is significant; set stop depth from the measured ring, not a nominal fixed shim. A converter-applied PSA backing (G01B) retains the one-piece ring on the acrylic stop. Its exact adhesive chemistry, thickness and bond qualification remain unresolved; the 0.005-inch (0.127 mm) backing in the model is only a planning envelope. No adhesive edge may be exposed to the occupied space. Recompute spacer depth from received compressed foam plus the actual backing.
H04: mesh maximum received aperture and edge capture; no damaged wires or bypass. 0.011-inch nominal aperture is not an offspring-containment certification.
H05: acrylic/sealant/wood finish/PSA compatibility and complete cure. Food-contact or aquarium marketing does not establish suitability for this spider.

Finish research follow-up: Rust-Oleum's current manufacturer support article for Ultimate Water-Based Polyurethane specifies at least three brush coats, at least two hours before recoating, 24 hours to light use and three days to normal use under suitable conditions. Those use intervals do not state enclosure off-gassing clearance or a spider-safe cure threshold. Exact selected SKU/label and material-stack compatibility remain H05; no animal-use date is inferred. Source: https://rustoleumsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422343760141-Varathane-Ultimate-Water-Based-Polyurethane (checked October 16, 2026).
H06: prototype squareness, fastener strength, door warping, opening sweep, hand/tool access, service removal and secure containment. No live animal is used to discover escape faults.
H07: empty furnished commissioning with actual room conditions and qualified species review. No heat fixture, UV dose, bioactive/wet use, stacking, transport with animal, or roof load is approved.

The candidate can be reviewed as a complete documented design with these holds. It must not be presented as fabrication-ready or animal-ready while they remain unresolved. Numerical/model checks and picture quality cannot close physical holds.