Hanging cages from a very long shelf- but how to build the shelf?

[Harbisgirl]

Hey all. I feel kind of stupid posting this but how are you all building your long shelves above your hanging rabbit cages? I've built many a shelf in random shops and outbuildings but I'm not sure how to do this one. Its almost 13 feet long. I'm not sure how to do it without using L brackets with diagonal bracing because the diagonals will get in the way of the hanging cages unless i put it much higher but..I don't want it much higher. I have plenty of Unistrut on hand and I think that's my best bet but I'm not quite sure how to do it, like which fitting to use. The shelf needs to be at LEAST 30" deep, though I would prefer 36". Any ideas?

I'll be starting with 2 double cages from KW Cages.

 

[maisaksson]

The shelf needs to be at LEAST 30" deep, though I would prefer 36". Any ideas?

That's a deep shelf. I'd work out hanging the supports from the rafters. Or you could use the brackets or unistrut for the back, spaced so your cages fit between, and build a front support.

For my setup I hung 2 rebars lengthwise by chains attached to the rafters and and placed the cages on the rebars. I spaced the chains for my cages so each cage has chain on each side of it. That way the rebar "shelf" has lots of support.

I'm assuming you're wanting to attach the top of your cages to the shelf; you could build side supports that are attached to the rafters, with a rafter-hung front support midway.

good luck with your setup! Let us know what you work out.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Hey all. I feel kind of stupid posting this but how are you all building your long shelves above your hanging rabbit cages? I've built many a shelf in random shops and outbuildings but I'm not sure how to do this one. Its almost 13 feet long. I'm not sure how to do it without using L brackets with diagonal bracing because the diagonals will get in the way of the hanging cages unless i put it much higher but..I don't want it much higher. I have plenty of Unistrut on hand and I think that's my best bet but I'm not quite sure how to do it, like which fitting to use. The shelf needs to be at LEAST 30" deep, though I would prefer 36". Any ideas?

I'll be starting with 2 double cages from KW Cages.

Some of my friends use sections of metal pipe to hold their cages up. I used to as well, and to that point it was the best (better than unistrut) at shedding waste and not getting full of globs of nastiness. Hanging is so much better!

Are you building shelves to catch/deflect waste, since you say you have the cages hanging? When I had two levels of cages, my husband built slanted shelves out of 2x4 supports and light plastic sheets. The plastic was not heavy but was smooth, so the droppings slid toward the back and prevented a heavy build-up, so the shelves didn't have to support a ton of weight (which of course changed during the winter times when everything froze as soon as it was produced!).

UPDATE: Ah, I see now that you want shelves for hanging the cages from. My husband built shelves like that, which are awesome storage for nest boxes/carriers, by sinking uprights into the ground and building from there, or building them into the wall of the barn. The shelves themselves are plywood, not painted or sealed since no rabbits or rabbit waste will touch them. Not sure if this is helpful in your case, but here are some photos that give a little insight into the design:


This is looking up at the bottom of the shelf from the top of the cage:

And here is the self anchored to the wall; it's also supported from above by being attached to the trusses (we live in wind and earthquake country):