Torching a cage-- take 2

shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Rabbit Talk Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
skysthelimit

skysthelimit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
9,479
Reaction score
9
Location
Ohio
It's come to that, now with the Woolies, and eventually an Angora is going to molt, or start shedding. I cannot get this fur off. Torching seems my only option, but I am afraid of fire, I can't even barbeque, I don't have a gas stove. :cry:

What do use to torch a cage, how long do I stay in one spot, will it kill the cheap wire cages that I haven't replaced yet?
 
You can use a small propane torch, the kind they torch creme brulee with. :p

You can get them at Home Depot or Lowes, and maybe even at Walmart. Something like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic- ... /203368720 (Home Depot, $25).

When it fires up, it will immediately be making a quiet roaring sound, so be prepared. You may be able to find Youtube videos of people using propane torches to get an idea how they are used and what you are in for.

How long to stay in one spot? Don't. Keep it moving. Letting it stay in one spot will damage the galvanizing of the cage and cause it to rust sooner. Move slowly and deliberately. Have an extra bottle or two of propane on hand (they're small).

Oh -- and burning fur stinks. :)
 
You can get a lot of the fur off with a wire slicker brush. I use one that has the little plastic beads on the tips to avoid scratching the galvanization.

I also have a back scrubber brush that I bought at the dollar store for routine fur removal. I brush the wire frequently so it doesn't have a chance to build up and cause an icky mess.
 
MamaSheepdog":3qqj8kfq said:
You can get a lot of the fur off with a wire slicker brush. I use one that has the little plastic beads on the tips to avoid scratching the galvanization.

I also have a back scrubber brush that I bought at the dollar store for routine fur removal. I brush the wire frequently so it doesn't have a chance to build up and cause an icky mess.
Click to expand...
Excellent tips, and way cheaper than a torch! Thanks! :)
 
There are the bottle type torches and then there are 20lb large tank torches that are used to kill weeks, Harbor Freight has one for $20 http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-91033.html I would feel more comfortable with those then I would be with a bottle torch. The heat is more than sufficient that it will burn fur but the heat is more dispersed so overheating is not as likely as high as the bottle torches. Zinc has a pretty low melting point (under 800 degrees Farenheit) and if you are not careful you could melt off the protective coating. Use caution and keep torch moving. Zinc evaporates at 1600 degrees and the fumes are toxic.
 
Yeah, we have one of the large torches with the 20-lb tank as well. Niiiiiice. :)

It makes much shorter work of cages, but I didn't bring it up because she's afraid of fire. I figured the larger flame, especially since it's invisible, might be too much.

But then, I was intimidated by it, too, until I learned how to use it. :)
 
Yeah, I don't even like lighted candles. When I did have a stove with a flame, I stand at arms length to turn the knob.


I secretly want one of those weed torches, but I'm not sure how I'd get it lighted. I just have visions of propane canisters exploding.

Silly, I know.

I'll try the back scrubber for now while I work up the courage.
 
A non fire approach might be a pressure washer. Truthfully I recently clean on of my hairy cages and used nothing but the jet spray from my garden hose. I never touched the cage. Some hair grouped and still hung on the cage but when I towel dried the cage they came off or I pulled them off.

Another option to consider is a shop vac with a brush attachment.
 
ckcs":bcka1a96 said:
A non fire approach might be a pressure washer. Truthfully I recently clean on of my hairy cages and used nothing but the jet spray from my garden hose. I never touched the cage. Some hair grouped and still hung on the cage but when I towel dried the cage they came off or I pulled them off.

Another option to consider is a shop vac with a brush attachment.
Click to expand...


Too expensive (did I say I quit my job). The real problem is these cages are all connected,and cannot be removed from the barn. And the barn cannot be wet down. I believe that was the source of all my bunny issues, a moldy barn. I regraded the land and do the best I can to avoid any water in it, because it has no drain in the floor, and it will pool.

The shop vac I have several options there.

__________ Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:41 am __________

Here's a good way to set your barn on fire.
A) Buy a mini butane torch to burn fur off
B) Use the torch next to the auto fly sprayer
C) Ignite the stream of spray, turning the mini torch into a maxi torch
D)Have no idea how to turn it off (despite reading the directions three times)

All this before noon. Obviously way too much Benadryl, or not enough. I decided to come in and have a cup of tea instead.
 
skysthelimit":1l1nwctw said:
C) Ignite the stream of spray, turning the mini torch into a maxi torch
Click to expand...

:shock:

No wonder you are afraid of fire. :x

skysthelimit":1l1nwctw said:
(did I say I quit my job)
Click to expand...

Yes you did.

Details? :popcorn:
 
Sky,

Use a small propane torch with a plumbers' head on it.
Don't worry, it's a piece of cake.
It will remove the hair very quickly.

It's the best way in the world to remove hair from a cage.
I've used one for years. I've got to do some torching tomorrow.
If I think of it, I'll take some before and after pics.

Once I've burnt all the hair off, I'll take a soft bristle brush
to knock all of the burnt hair off the wires.
It makes that cage shine like a new dime.

grumpy.
 
MamaSheepdog":1a0w6kmy said:
skysthelimit":1a0w6kmy said:
(did I say I quit my job)
Click to expand...

Yes you did.

Details? :popcorn:
Click to expand...


I just couldn't take it anymore.

They have made so many promises. This has been a poorly run school from the start.The previous principal was booted for misallocation of funds. The former treasure had his license revoked by the State.
Ashe used to be our sponsor.
http://charterschoolscandals.blogspot.c ... ademy.html
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/07 ... ashes.html

But they began the year by cutting my salary by $3,000, by getting rid of a position they said wasn't needed, although I found out at the end of the year there were teachers that needed the service to renew their licenses. They increased the hours we needed to be there, by adding on useless after school meetings that administration did not attend.
Then the firing started. They fired the principal, the person that was the only reason I even returned to the school in the first place. Then they fired teacher after teacher, for seemingly no reason. The one guy came in on day and was told to leave that morning, then they gave me all of his students, bringing my roster up to 33 the next day. Over fire code for that room.
33 kids, often no breaks, no paper to make copies (no textbooks at this school), constant fear of being fired on the spot for any little thing, student running out of class, students running out of the building in the middle of downtown (1st graders), students throwing chairs at other students, no administrative back up. Then they hired an incompetent curriculum director that wasn't even a state certified teacher (I have a Masters) to tell us how to implement the new Common Core standards, and used all the material I gave to the previous principal like it was her own work.

And then paychecks 2-3 weeks late, other things I can't mention...
At the end of June my license expired, and because of the shoddy planning they school did I did not have enough continuing credits to renew it, no way I'm paying $1000 for more classes to work in a low paying charter school. Did I mention the administrator was the former school nurse?
They spent the summer inventing things for us to do, so my summer was wrapped up in helping for next year, and I didn't even have a contract for next year! So I said forget it.

I have enough money saved to feed dogs and rabbits till the end of September, but it looks like Convention might not happen. But now at least I have time to set my cages on fire.<br /><br />__________ Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:55 pm __________<br /><br />
MamaSheepdog":1a0w6kmy said:
:shock:

No wonder you are afraid of fire. :x
Click to expand...

I did not let go of the torch. I backed away from the auto sprayer, tripped over the water bottle and knocked it into the fan, and calmly carried the torch out of the barn. I tried to turn it off, it kept making a hissing sound for a while but the flame was gone.

I will take the sprayers out of the barn and try again tomorrow. I was too focus to notice whether I spooked the buns but the dog got out of there real quick!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top