About Me

Over the past year I have developed an interest in thermoforming plastic and have come to appreciate the versatility of the products that can be made.  I’ve seen the process from research and development to production and marketing. 

Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. The sheet, or "film" when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types, is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature that it can be stretched into or onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape."  It is a relatively new concept that has had many applications.  Many of products on the current market are made through thermoforming.  Common examples are tables, sheds, chairs, and playground equipment.[i]

Mike Todd first introduced me to Thermoforming.  Mike has been good friend of my father for many years.  He works at Life-Time, a manufacturing plant, where he takes part in the entire thermoforming process.  I’ve come to realize he has a special talent and a very creative mind.  As he has come to understand the thermoforming process, and has been able to utilize it in his personal endeavors. 

With Mike’s innovation, my father’s business experience, and my cheap labor, we have created a business called Terrarium Art.  We specialize in creating a unique collection of terrarium and vivarium tanks using plastic that has been thermoformed.   Although we are still in the early stages of the business, we can see great potential in the products we make.  We have already gone to various shows to display our products and they have received great reception and interest.  One buyer even posted images of a tank on his blog.  The Infinity Tank, the name of our vivarium, utilizes basic scientific methods, by having air vents at the top and bottom of the tank.  This allows constant airflow; basically causing a stovetop effect.  This also allows you to have a clear lens without condensation buildup.  The lens of the tank is made from polycarbonate; the same material bulletproof glass is made from.  The tanks are lightweight, specially designed for smaller reptiles, and they look sharp.  It also has a built-in waterfall creating a mechanical and biologic filtration system that helps maintain a clean tank.  It also includes easy access to the pump and has a port in the back to drain the water.  After creating the basic plastic shell, we utilize other materials to design the cages.  We have designed very realistic desert, tropical, and cave-like terrariums to fit whichever animal you wish to display. 

Over a decade ago my father began a similar business mainly specializing in terrarium décor.  He focused on making water dishes and other naturalistic decorative items that enhance tanks.  Instead of using plastics he used cement for all of his products.  He was very successful in his business until competition became overwhelming. Similar products could be mass produced in China and sold for less, so his business ceased to exist. 

The initial impetus for these endeavors has been my father’s interest in animals. I have grown up with a wide variety of animals and I was the only kid in the neighborhood to have a zoo in his own backyard.  Some of the animals we have had over the years include: bobcats, bengal cats, falcons, snakes, spiders, lizards, chickens, pigeons, quail, rabbits, mice, rats, ferrets, and dogs.  You can imagine with that kind of collection the chores that had to be done.  Even though others thought us odd, collecting animals as a hobby has had many advantages, including the people that we meet.  My father’s interest in animals led him to meet Mike Todd. 

Mike and my father are both falconers.  It has always been and always will be their hobby.  From that point on we came to see how smart and resourceful Mike really is.  Before we resurrected Terrarium Art, Mike and my Father created a business called High Tech Falconry.  They created and sold falconry supplies, which were made from thermoformed plastic.  Mike’s genius created hoods, hood holders, perches, wall perches, bathing pools and much more.  It was successful for several years, but as time has drawn out, it has become dormant with a few items being sold each year.  The market for falconry supplies isn’t exactly booming.

Thermoforming has so many different applications that can be utilized if one is innovative and makes that idea a reality.  For that reason, I have become fascinated with its process.  We have created a unique business like no other.

                                                      Kyle Tanner- The Cheap Labor 

                                              My Father Justin Tanner-The Businessman 

                                                                    Naturalistic decor 

                                                                   Thermal Former (exiting isn't it)

                                                                              Molds

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[i] Wikipedia, "Thermoforming." Last modified January 25 2012 . Accessed February 20, 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoforming.