Things I learned from building my first cage...

[OneAcreFarm]

1) I will have blisters when I am done with all six

2) I should have paid the $80 for the auto C-ring applier :angry:

3) When you cut wire from one side and then hop to the other side to finish....make sure you are still on the same row...

4) 30" x 36" is WAYYYY bigger than you think it will be! :lol:

5) When making slant front cages, DO NOT cut the slants on the sides before you attach the front.

All that aside, it came together pretty well. No major issues and when I get home today, I will cut and install the door, feeder and water bottle before starting on cage #2. It should go much faster as I already have the parts mostly cut out. I need to have at least 4 done by Friday as I am picking up the buns on Saturday!

 

[Pickles]

Your list made me giggle! I have yet to actually construct my first cage... I purchased one already constructed for me. Are you making them from scratch or did you buy un-built cages from bass, kw, etc...? Im sure Ill be in the breeding game soon (have done alot of research & am looking around now for a shaded or solid Doe for my bun, Pie) an Ill be constructing cages then.
Good Luck on cage #2!!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Your list made me giggle! I have yet to actually construct my first cage... I purchased one already constructed for me. Are you making them from scratch or did you buy un-built cages from bass, kw, etc...? Im sure Ill be in the breeding game soon (have done alot of research & am looking around now for a shaded or solid Doe for my bun, Pie) an Ill be constructing cages then.
Good Luck on cage #2!!

I am a newbie too, but I decided to build my own after seeing this blog post...

http://therabbitmathematician.blogspot. ... chive.html

I like the slant front on the cages and the larger doors, which you cannot get if you order cages pre cut or built, or at least I could not find them. Anyway, I decided to make my own and sat down and planned them out according to the instructions on that blog. I ordered supplies from Klubertanz and they came in Monday. Really, it was not that hard and I will get really good quality cages that should last a long time. Also, I can make six for what it would cost me to buy four. She made hers all one long row of attached cages, I made mine singles so that I can remove and clean them easier. I will try to take some pics tonight of the finished product. It was raining yesterday, so I was constructing in my living room! My cats were in heaven, between the cardboard boxes and the big rolls of wire, it was like a kitty obstacle course! LOL

 

[Pickles]

Thanks for the link!

 

[eco2pia]

I love those slant fronts. If I had a barn that is totally the design I would use!

 

[Cattle Cait]

I've never seen cages like that, but I like it!

Good luck on your next cages. Sounds exactly like my first experience making cages.

 

[hoodat]

I love those slant fronts. If I had a barn that is totally the design I would use!

I'm curious. What do you see as the advantage of a slant front over a flat front? They seem to take about the same amount of wire since the part you cut off isn't much use.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I love those slant fronts. If I had a barn that is totally the design I would use!

I'm curious. What do you see as the advantage of a slant front over a flat front? They seem to take about the same amount of wire since the part you cut off isn't much use.

There are a couple of reasons I like it...
1) I have a small shed and it seems to me that it would 'feel' less crowded with the slant fronts

2) I like being able to reach down and in, versus just straight in. It allows me to hang the cages a bit lower.

Other than that, it is just personal preference...I like the way they look.

 

[avdpas77]

I used to make them that way. It is much easier to pull out a rabbit. Also, the doors don't get in the way as much in a smaller place. I ended up going back to the regular shaped ones, is that they were a bit easier to hang, and I wanted them more usable for other things. And.... Lets face it,they take more time to make and I am a bit lazy.

One can keep the sides the same height as the back, instead of cutting them to fit. It works well for hanging, but then one has to be careful of the corners on the upper front of the cage-sides.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I've never seen cages like that, but I like it!

Good luck on your next cages. Sounds exactly like my first experience making cages.

Caitlin,

I LOVE the new logo! Great name and awesome pic!

 

[Jack]

Um, check out a Quonset hut type cage, you just bend a close to half circle, and if you want to do a modified, then you do a solid back (useful in baby cages, as you can put nest boxes to it)

and you save wire, as you are doing front, back and side in one shot. AND its much less work, just put the wire on with the natural curve, no straightening required and you are done, join at the divider, other than having to cut the divide (if you want to) it's a lot less work and a 30% or more wire saving.

 

[eco2pia]

Quonset cages, I have seen those and like them too....But I guess I was worried that it might be harder to hang them securely? My brain wants to fuss about putting pressure on that curve, but I suppose if you kept your runs at 36 inches or less, the side wall would take the brunt of it just like a "normal" cage?

 

[Jack]

yep,
MINOR point
have you ever tried to reach into a 36" cage, that back corner IS VERY FAR, and of course thats the first place a rabbit goes to...
I find 24 really workable, with 30 being about the largest (depth) I would go. If you stack, it's not much a concern, just realize that if you don't get the floor built right, a quonset has a bit more of likelihood to sag, but that would only show up with a long span. Seen lots of them, most are just hung from chains & S hook like the rest.

 

[hoodat]

Your list made me giggle! I have yet to actually construct my first cage... I purchased one already constructed for me. Are you making them from scratch or did you buy un-built cages from bass, kw, etc...? Im sure Ill be in the breeding game soon (have done alot of research & am looking around now for a shaded or solid Doe for my bun, Pie) an Ill be constructing cages then.
Good Luck on cage #2!!

I just finished some cages 24X24 and one 24X30 for juveniles. If you make old time square cages and order your wire in a 24 inch width there is no waste at all except for what you need to cut for the doors. Put together with J hooks they go quickly.

 

[pfaubush]

Your list made me giggle! I have yet to actually construct my first cage... I purchased one already constructed for me. Are you making them from scratch or did you buy un-built cages from bass, kw, etc...? Im sure Ill be in the breeding game soon (have done alot of research & am looking around now for a shaded or solid Doe for my bun, Pie) an Ill be constructing cages then.
Good Luck on cage #2!!

I just finished some cages 24X24 and one 24X30 for juveniles. If you make old time square cages and order your wire in a 24 inch width there is no waste at all except for what you need to cut for the doors. Put together with J hooks they go quickly.

If you use the scraps from the doors to build hay racks, then the waste is completly eliminated.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

yep,
MINOR point
have you ever tried to reach into a 36" cage, that back corner IS VERY FAR, and of course thats the first place a rabbit goes to...
I find 24 really workable, with 30 being about the largest (depth) I would go. If you stack, it's not much a concern, just realize that if you don't get the floor built right, a quonset has a bit more of likelihood to sag, but that would only show up with a long span. Seen lots of them, most are just hung from chains & S hook like the rest.

I don't really like the quonset style so I went with the slant front. The 36" is the width on my cages, with 30" being the depth. I remember reading on here about that 36" depth being an issue, so I took that into account The slant front are not really hard to make...two sides and the back out of one long piece of 18" baby saver 2 x 1, bent to make the sides, bottom from 1 x 1/2 and front with slant and top from 24" 2x1 cut to width of the cage. I double clipped all the corners and will hang with s hooks and wire.

Shannon

__________ Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:23 am __________

If you use the scraps from the doors to build hay racks, then the waste is completly eliminated.

Yup, I remember Ottersatin saying that, so I have been saving all the scraps...

Shannon<br /><br />__________ Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:26 am __________<br /><br />Ok, I now have THREE cages built...for anyone thinking to build their own...get TWO pair of clip appliers....that way, you can get help without having to trade off. They are getting faster, or maybe we are...lol I am gonna finish that 4th one and hang them. I can do the other two grow out ones as I wait for the buns to grow to breeding age. They are about 4mos now.

Shannon

 

[Jack]

don't worry
you hand will be able to close again next week
the pain fades, and you will have one hell of a grip....

 

[OneAcreFarm]

don't worry
you hand will be able to close again next week
the pain fades, and you will have one hell of a grip....

:lol: :lol: How did you know? :mrgreen:

I am going to have forearms like popeye! hehehehe

 

[MNBobcat]

Instead of using the clips you could probably join everything with safety wire.

Harbor Frieght sells a special pliers. You pull the knob on the end and the pliers spin -- thus twisting the wire. You use stainless wire (which they also sell)

 

[hoodat]

C clips are easier to use but you end up with a cage that rattles when you shake it. They just don't close as tight as j clips.