Making cages vs. buying cages

[MamaMandy]

I'm trying to decide between ordering cages (Klubertanz, Bass etc.) or making my own. Where would I buy wire sturdy enough for cages and then what do you cut it with? Does TSC carry building materials? Then I'd still have to order pans too...just weighing my options here. What do you all suggest? Thanks!

 

[OnTheBrightside]

I make my own and have found it a lot cheaper, I recently got an electric wire cutter, the blades wear down pretty fast though. I used to use, and still do sometimes, regular wire clippers by hand. Wear gloves or be prepared for blisters though!
I get my wire from either TSC or Orchlens, use heavy duty j-clips to hold the cages together. They should carry everything you need. Also, if you buy pans in bulk they'll be cheaper. Not sure who to recommend for that though as I don't use them.

 

[MamaMandy]

Thanks! We've got a TSC nearby so I'll have to go see what all they have. I have some Dura Tray pans that are really nice. Do you know about how much it costs you to build a 24x36 double cage? Do they have the door latches and everything?

 

[trinityoaks]

I used TSC wire for my cages. I recently discovered that their floor wire is NOT good wire (not heavy-gauge enough). And if you live in an area that is even half-way humid, they will RUST. Their j-clips (and most other rabbit supplies) are junk. They don't carry door latches or anything like that. The only reason my cages have lasted as long as they have is because until recently, I lived in a VERY dry climate and didn't have to deal with rust.

My next cages are going to be built for me by a local guy out of good-quality, galvanized-after-weld 14-gauge cage wire. I will pay a little more for these cages, but they will last at least twice as long. I could buy wire from him and make my own, but I wouldn't save much money by doing it myself, and he has the equipment to do a professional job.

 

[MamaMandy]

Uh oh. Yes, it's quite humid here in the summer and my backyard tends to stay a little damp. Maybe I better not buy that wire. Where does the guy you're buying cages from get his wire? I wonder if Lowe's or Home Depot sell good wire?

 

[Peach]

I've been thinking of building my own cages,but I'm interested to see if building your own or just paying someone for the labor is cheaper

 

[SatinsRule]

If you choose to go with cheap wire, expect the rapid rebuild that will most likely accompany it.

There are bound to be some feed stores (probably a locally-owned one) which either carries or can get good quality, American-made wire. Go with 14-gauge 1/2" X 1" galvanized-after-weld (GAW) wire for flooring, and either 16-gauge or 14-gauge GAW wire for the sides and top. The 14-gauge tends to be more rigid and durable, but it will pay huge dividends in how less frequently it wears out.

My personal preference is to order the cages pre-cut, then assemble them myself when it gets here. In the long run, it doesn't wind up costing me any less to buy big rolls of wire, cage accessories, etc., (with shipping costs being what they are), and doing it myself from start to finish as compared to buying them pre-cut, and I sure don't miss the sore hands, wrists, and blisters.

 

[skysthelimit]

I wonder if Lowe's or Home Depot sell good wire?

No they don't. It's ok for starting out. Mines will be a year in august, but they have always been kept outside. When I got the stackers, there was a BIG difference in the quality of the wire. I'm not sure how old these stackers are, but there is no way the Lowes wire would last or hold these rabbits as long as these stackers will. The only thing I don't like is the 30x30 metal pans rust out and tend to bend when carried. If given a choice, I will never use the Lowe's wire again.
now you can make your one latches from metal coat hanger wire, and Home Depot does sell a spool of 14 gauge wire to make latches. I've made most of mine, and bought a few from shows.
If I could, I would order wire, but the S&H would be the cost of the wire.

 

[grumpy]

There are bound to be some feed stores (probably a locally-owned one) which either carries or can get good quality, American-made wire. Go with 14-gauge 1/2" X 1" galvanized-after-weld (GAW) wire for flooring, and either 16-gauge or 14-gauge GAW wire for the sides and top. The 14-gauge tends to be more rigid and durable, but it will pay huge dividends in how less frequently it wears out.

My personal preference is to order the cages pre-cut, then assemble them myself when it gets here. In the long run, it doesn't wind up costing me any less to buy big rolls of wire, cage accessories, etc., (with shipping costs being what they are), and doing it myself from start to finish as compared to buying them pre-cut, and I sure don't miss the sore hands, wrists, and blisters.

Check out SatinsRule's advice. The 16 gauge is "okay" but not near as good as 14 gauge GAW. BUT that is some very tough stuff to work with. AND...if you use the heavy-duty J-clips, you're gonna find yourself "missing" a good connection quite frequently. If you're not used to doing this, you're going to have some extremely sore hands. Buy yourself a "very-good" set of wire cutters and still expect painful hands after cutting all that wire. "Precut" cages may well be the avenue to follow. Less time cutting. I've never bought any pre-cuts, so I don't know the "quality" of the cuts you'll be getting. They may still need to be trimmed back.

You might want to look at using mostly "rings" along with the Heavy J-clips where they can be easily attached. I've been re-building a bunch of Amish-made cages and they are definately "harder" to deal with because of he heavier gauge wire. But, they will last me forever.

Grumpy

 

[OnTheBrightside]

I'm wondering if the wire is different in different locations, like rabbit feed. Is the wire made in different places? That could be why yours are rusting as I've always used wire from there and still have strong, nice looking cages 2 years later. Its also pretty humid a lot of the summer.

Peach: I would have to say its cheaper building your own, depending on who you got to do the labor for you and what they charged. I don't add much onto the price from what it cost me to build it but they do have to make some profit on it.

 

[SatinsRule]

I'm wondering if the wire is different in different locations, like rabbit feed. Is the wire made in different places? That could be why yours are rusting as I've always used wire from there and still have strong, nice looking cages 2 years later. Its also pretty humid a lot of the summer.

Peach: I would have to say its cheaper building your own, depending on who you got to do the labor for you and what they charged. I don't add much onto the price from what it cost me to build it but they do have to make some profit on it.

Most of the stuff you'll buy from outfits like Lowe's, TSC, and Home Depot is made in China. I bought a small roll of 1" X 1" wire to make some hay racks with, and no way would I use it to build cages. Flimsy doesn't even begin to describe how weak that mess was. Welds routinely broke on it, and I'd hate to see how quickly it begins to buckle under the weight of a rabbit.

There are generally 2 different types of wire in use by cage-building outfits these days. One is galvanized BEFORE weld, and the other is galvanized AFTER weld, and they're available in different gauged wire (size of the individual wire strands before it's "meshed", for lack of a better term). I prefer GAW because it's less prone to rust and corrosion, but whatever you go with, you'll live to regret it if you go on the cheap. It's an investment item, and you'll find yourself replacing flooring and reworking your cages more often with the cheap stuff, thus spending far more money in the process of trying to save a little money in upfront costs.

What the quality of the wire you're buying is depends upon where your local store buys from and where/how it's ultimately manufactured.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I'm wondering if the wire is different in different locations, like rabbit feed. Is the wire made in different places? That could be why yours are rusting as I've always used wire from there and still have strong, nice looking cages 2 years later. Its also pretty humid a lot of the summer.

Peach: I would have to say its cheaper building your own, depending on who you got to do the labor for you and what they charged. I don't add much onto the price from what it cost me to build it but they do have to make some profit on it.

I am pretty sure that you are correct...here in Texas the TSC carries only crappy wire. But some folks I know in other states, their TSC carries good 14g GAW wire...that is the thing. Where ever you buy it from, make sure it is 14g, GAW.

 

[MamaMandy]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I'm pretty sure you all saved me from wasting my money. SatinsRule...where do you order your precut cages from? That definitely sounds like the route I'd like to go. I was planning on building the cages with my 10 yr old son and I don't think either one of us is up for cutting heavy duty wire like that.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Klubertanz has precut cages. I ordered a roll of wire from them for my growout cages (I am using panels from an aviary as the floors, so just needed the 1" x 2" wire), and the difference between it and the cages I bought from BASS is astonishing. Their J-clips are amazing too. When I need more cages or have to replace my existing ones, I will buy from them.

Even with precut wire, expect some very sore hands. Wear leather gloves, or at least one on your dominant hand, leaving the other uncovered for more dexterity when picking up J-clips.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Klubertanz has precut cages. I ordered a roll of wire from them for my growout cages (I am using panels from an aviary as the floors, so just needed the 1" x 2" wire), and the difference between it and the cages I bought from BASS is astonishing. Their J-clips are amazing too. When I need more cages or have to replace my existing ones, I will buy from them.

Even with precut wire, expect some very sore hands. Wear leather gloves, or at least one on your dominant hand, leaving the other uncovered for more dexterity when picking up J-clips.

I could not use my hands well for like a solid week after making 5 cages with 14g wire and all those J clips! :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yup. Making one or two, or a nest is a breeze... but full production mode is not fun at all! I'm a little OCD, so if I put a J-clip in the wrong place, I have to fight myself not to remove it! "It will just make the cage stronger... resist! Resist!"

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Yup. Making one or two, or a nest is a breeze... but full production mode is not fun at all! I'm a little OCD, so if I put a J-clip in the wrong place, I have to fight myself not to remove it! "It will just make the cage stronger... resist! Resist!"

Silly girl! Don't you know that it is ACTUALLY called "CDO"? All the letters MUST be in Alphabetical order! :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

**GASP**

I am not as obsessive as I thought!

 

[grumpy]

OCD or CDO = picky chicks!!

Just Teasin'!

Imported wire from china is J-U-N-Kusually low-carbon steel with little to no tensile strength.

Your really good quality wire is, "I believe" still made in the USA, or Japan.

I used to work in a fully-intergrated steel mill and was able to "buy" (scrap)rolls of wire for six cents a pound I would go by the operator's station at the beginning of a shift and "IF" they were running the sized wire I wanted, I'd ask them to save a roll or two of "reject" wire. (WINK-WINK) Usually, I'd have two rolls that were accidentally overuns on length. Seven or Eight bucks is more than it usually cost me for both rolls of wire.

It was all galvanized "Before" welding....but the price sure was sweet. I got 14 and 16 gauge wire that way.

grumpy.

 

[tnelsonfla]

I make my own cages, but order pans from Bass, because of there set shipping prices. I am thinking of buying future cages at rabbit shows once I am finish with the rolls of wire I have. So if you have a rabbit show near you check them out and save a little because they seem to match prices but you save on shipping charges.