|
1-2 of 2 messages
|
Page 1 of 1
|
|
RE: CAGES
|
Reply
|
|
by Charper on April 20, 2001
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Supplies Needed to Build Cage:
1/4 inch TEMPERED GLASS ( to fit inside front dimensions )
CASTERS x 4 ( 4 inch wheels work best on large cages )
HINGES x 2 ( heavy duty brass door hinges )
HASPS x 2
LOCKS x 2
3/4 inch plywood ( any grade will do, but there are differences in the finish )
wood glue
GE Clear Window Silicone
Brass Pan Head Screws ( can't remember the exact size, but you can figure it out when you see what they're for ) Box of 50
3 inch sheetrock screws ( 1 pound )
Hardware cloth with 1/4 inch mesh and "U' nails
INSTRUCTIONS
The first thing I determine is the space that I have available for a cage and then I calculate the inside dimensions of the floor. The floor will be 1.5 inches smaller, in both directions, than the space you have available to put a cage. For example, if you want a cage 36 inches wide by 24 inches. Your floor will be 34.5 inches x 22.5 inches.
Cut out the floor first.
2nd - Determine the height of the cage and cut out the sides. Do not allow the sides to overlap the front and back. Pre-drill some holes about 4 inches apart along the bottom edge of both side pieces. You can use the bottom piece to draw a pencil line and determine where you need to place these. Once both sides have been predrilled, attach the sides to the bottom using a battery powered drill with a phillips head screw bit. I use 3 inch sheetrock screws. Put down a bead of wood glue between the 2 pieces for added strength.
3rd - Re-measure the width of the bottom piece with both sides included. Cut out a piece to perfectly fit the back of the cage. Attach the back using the same method as both sides - always pre-drilling your holes with a drill bit smaller than your screws !
4th - Measure the front dimensions of the cage now. Being sure that you have made all cuts a perfect square. You don't want your cage to be warped. The front piece should be exactly the same size as the back. NOW, you can do this one of two ways - EITHER attach the front without cutting out a window first, or cut out a window first and then attaching it. If you have a jig-saw, it doesn't matter how you do it. You can get fancy and cut a scroll pattern or just use straight lines. Once the window is cut out, SAND THE EDGES SMOOTH. Either way, put down a bead of glue and attach the front piece now.
NOTE : I normally leave a 2 inch border of wood all the way around the front window.
5th - Now for the GLASS:
I DO NOT ROUTE OUT A GROOVE FOR THE WINDOW ! Glass that is in a routed groove is more likely to break if the cage is torqued ( twisted ).
When the cage is at this point, I measure the inside dimensions - top and bottom - just in case the widths and heights are slightly different. I then order a piece of glass that is ¼ inch smaller than the width and height measurement.
I also go to a cabinet shop and get some 1 inch strips of oak that are used for trim work. I cut these strips into 3 pieces - the first piece is the inside bottom width of the cage. The next 2 pieces are the inside height of the cage - minus the height of the bottom strip. In other words, these 2 will sit on top of the bottom piece.
I pre-drill holes about 2 to 3 inches apart along these strips. I start by putting a hole on both ends of the piece first though. Then I fill in the gaps. You will need some brass pan-head screws that are about 1/2 inch long. These will hold the wood strips on.
You will also need a tube of "GE clear window silicone".
When the glass arrives, I clean it with windex and lay it on a blanket beside me and lay the cage on it's front. I put a bead of silicone around the inside front of the cage for the glass to lay on and along the very edges of the inside front. This will insure that the glass is not touching any wood. It will be floating in a sea of silicone.
Once the bead is down all the way around, lay the glass inside the front of the cage. On the inside of the glass - ONLY ON THE SIDES AND THE BOTTOM - put down a small bead of silicone.
Slightly press the glass forward. Put in your trim pieces to hold the glass in place. You will use the brass pan head screws to attach them to the bottom and the sides through the pre-drilled holes.
You will notice that there is not a top trim piece. You don't need one. The silicone will hold the glass in place. Allow the silicone to dry for at least one day. You now have a cage with no top. SAND ALL SURFACES OF THE CAGE TO A SMOOTH FEEL.
6th - The top
Measure the dimensions of the top. If it is not exactly perfect, that's okay, but you will have to make the lid fit the top of the cage. I split a 2 x 4 into 2 x 2's with a skill or table saw. The table saw is much easier if you have one. Pre-drill holes and attach the 4 pieces for the top into a frame. This frame should fit the top of the cage.
NOTE: Sand and stain this frame and the cage now. I also use 3 coats of "sanding sealer" to coat my cages. Rub the finish between each coat with steel wool. Make sure the coat is dry before you rub it with the steel wool. I do not stain the insides of my cages. I do put 3 coats of sanding sealer on the floor to waterproof it. You can paint the insides of your cages with latex paint, but you might want to do that before you assemble the pieces.
Now that the frame is built and has the final finish that you want on it, you will need to cut out 2 pieces of hardware cloth to fit both sides of the frame. To attach the hardware cloth, lay the piece on the frame and start attaching the U nails in the middle of the frame. Work your way outwards to achieve the highest tension on the mesh. If you work from both sides, it will have flexibility in it.
Once the top is completed, attach it to the cage using the brass hinges and lock hasps. DO NOT ATTACH THE HASPS TO THE FRONT OF THE CAGE WHERE THEY WILL PIERCE OR CONTACT THE GLASS. Attach on the front sides.
You are done.
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
