making cages

[lissapell]

The cage I am building should have taken me 3 hours tops but had taken about a day and a half so far. I am still not finished. :evil: I picked up j clip pliers from TS b/c they were the only store local who carried them. After 3 j clips were installed the pliers were so mangled they would not clip any longer. My hubs stripped the rivet and reworked the pliers but the metal bends so easily I had to stop every few and clamp the pliers back together at the head and the handle. So, I am looking for a good set to order. Any suggestions on where to order from?

I havnt been able to find anywhere that states how large the door opening is on a metal hanging cage for a large meat rabbit. How big should I make them?

thanks

 

[Secuono]

I only use regular needle nose pliers, none of the specialty pliers ever worked well for me. Farm Home Center had better ones than TSC, though. Actually, skip all the stuff at TSC and go to a small farm store instead. TSC charges $7 for 25 insulators, but same brand and amount costs just $2.50 at my local farm store. Also do not buy TSC wire cutters, worthless.

 

[MaggieJ]

Benn a long time since we made cages, but I recommend a door that opens down and out of the way... preferably the whole front of the cage. So much easier to get them in and out and no, they will not make a break for freedom when the cage is opened.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

I tried those TSC j clip pliers too and had the same trouble so switched to my husbands multitool and that worked great.

 

[LindseysWoolies]

Yeah the tsc pliars broke on me too. They are junk!

 

[skysthelimit]

I can't even remember what I used to put the j clips on, so it must have been regular needle nosed pliers.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I have two pair of J-clip pliers. One light-weight purchased at our local feed store that have worked just fine over the years. The other, a heavy-duty pair purchased from Bass Equipment for around $15. I use the heavy-duty pair all the time as they work better and have cushy handles and after a couple of years of use show little if any wear.

http://www.bassequipment.com/Cages/Cage ... fault.aspx

 

[boundarybunnyco]

I got an inexpensive pair at Big R for 8.99, they have lasted really well. I like the doors on the cages to open to the side. I find the ones that open upwards to be hugely inconvenient. Make sure your doors are big enough to get your nest boxes through. I hate when I'm trying to force one in and it stresses out the doe.

 

[GBov]

ACE is the place! At least my local store is. They have a good J-clip pliers as well as the clips in two pound bags and at not too much money. So far my pliers and I have made and re-built over twenty cages and its still going strong.

Make your doors big enough so you can get BOTH your arms AND the rabbit through it at the same time! That will save you much time and hassle later on.

I like a door to open tward me and drop down out of the way. And if you hinge it not to the bottom edge of the opening and instead hinge it to the wire an inch or two down from that bottom edge, you can put door edging strips on all the edges of your door opening and save yourself many cuts and scrapes from sharp edges.

Some people use an angle grinder to cut their wire and say it cuts smooth with no sharp bits left but I haven't tried it yet so until then, door edging strips are my friend. We only found them on line though which reminds me, I ran out yesterday.

 

[trinityoaks]

I have j-clip pliers from Bass Equipment, as well. They have served us well through the making of many cages.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I got mine at www.klubertanz.com

Those TSC ones are junk, as are the clips they sell. Do yourself a favor and order some JClips along with your new applier.

 

[lissapell]

you can put door edging strips on all the edges of your door opening and save yourself many cuts and scrapes from sharp edge

Where do you get these from? I've already cut myself multiple times

 

[OneAcreFarm]

you can put door edging strips on all the edges of your door opening and save yourself many cuts and scrapes from sharp edge

Where do you get these from? I've already cut myself multiple times

Clip appliers and clips
http://klubertanz.com/images/Klubertanz_Pg12.pdf
http://www.bassequipment.com/Cages/Cage ... fault.aspx


Door edge protectors
http://klubertanz.com/images/Klubertanz_Pg17.pdf
http://www.bassequipment.com/Cages/Cage ... fault.aspx

 

[MamaSheepdog]

you can put door edging strips on all the edges of your door opening and save yourself many cuts and scrapes from sharp edge

Where do you get these from? I've already cut myself multiple times

I bought some at a show form KW cages I think... there were two vendors at that show so I am not 100% certain.

A more labor intensive alternative is to leave about 1/4" wire uncut, and bend it over. But it will still snag your clothes... but I proudly wear my torn sleeves as a bunny-owning badge of honor!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

you can put door edging strips on all the edges of your door opening and save yourself many cuts and scrapes from sharp edge

Where do you get these from? I've already cut myself multiple times

I bought some at a show form KW cages I think... there were two vendors at that show so I am not 100% certain.

A more labor intensive alternative is to leave about 1/4" wire uncut, and bend it over. But it will still snag your clothes... but I proudly wear my torn sleeves as a bunny-owning badge of honor!

And your hair, if you stick head and shoulders into the cage.... :evil: Ask me how I know.... :roll:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

And your hair, if you stick head and shoulders into the cage.... :evil:

There is a fix for that as well, Sistah, and it is labor saving in the long run... whack off your hair! Go short! :twisted:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

And your hair, if you stick head and shoulders into the cage.... :evil:

There is a fix for that as well, Sistah, and it is labor saving in the long run... whack off your hair! Go short! :twisted:

Your BIL would DIE! -/-( :lol:

 

[Truckinguy]

I have New Zealands and my cage doors are about 16-18" square and seem to work for me. I think bigger would be batter, though, having good access to a bunny trying to get away from you is a good thing!

When I cut my cage wire I cut it with angle cutters and then used a die grinder with a small grinding wheel and buzzed the cut ends of wire down. It took a few extra minutes but prevents me from being cut by wire for the rest of the life of the cage. Definately worth it!

 

[starshotbandit]

I like the door to swing inward two of my cages do it. they have hooks that hold them when i open them if my latch breaks the cage still stays closed. I went through the TSC plyers too, Bass equipment, is way better. but there shipping is high. The only "rabbit supplys" that im still using from them is water bottels. I do get my feed from them