Question:
Finally! I have finally gotten around to posting the measurements for the cage that I have built. This is for the larger of the two cages, it measures 4' tall, 2' deep and 3' wide.

You will need 2 4' X 8' sheets of 1/2" melamine. The first sheet can be cut as follows...

1 - 3' X 4' This is the back of the cage
2 - 2' X 4' These are the sides of the cage
1 - 3' X 1' 11 1/2" This is the middle floor of the cage

The next sheet has considerably more waste. There is probably a better way to do it.

1 - 3' 1" X 2' 1/2" This is the top of the cage
1 - 3' 1" X 2' This is the bottom of the cage
1 - 3' 1" X 6" This is the kickboard in the front of the cage

Okay, here are some diagrams for the sheets.


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Sheet 2


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Okay the putting together part. You MUST drill pilot holes into the melamine to prevent it from splitting.

The cage must be put together in this way, otherwise it will not work with the measurements that I gave.

So, here is a top view of the cage. As you will see, the back sits flush with the sides. So, you should be drilling through the melamine of the cage and into the butt-end of the back. This explains why the top of the cage is 3'1" and 2'. The extra 1" on the width accounts for the width of the sides (1/2" each). But it is exactly 2' deep because the back is flush with the sides. Make sense?

Here's a pic...it might make more sense.


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Okay, next, the top. The top is 1/2" wider than the bottom. The overhang should go towards the front of the cage. This will allow us to fasten the middle post to it. The first picture shows how the top (colored blue) sits on top of the sides and back (pretend you are looking up through the cage). The second shows how the kickboard is going to sit up flush against the bottom of the sides. In this case, you are looking from the top of the cage into the bottom...the bottom is blue. You can put it in place by drilling through the front of the kickboard into the cage bottom and through the kickboard into the butt-ends of the sides.


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Now, the next step is to fasten the middle floor. This is the 3' (the inside width of the cage, from side to side) X 1' 11.5" (the inside depth of the cage, accounting the the 1/2" that the back takes up being that it is inset.

After that, you are going to need a post to latch the doors to (and give the cage a bit more support). I used MDF that was 3" wide and 1/2" thick. This gives the best fit. The height will vary. Basically, you need the post to span from the top of the kickboard (approximately 6.5" from the floor) to just under the roof, where it will be fastened (about 4' 1/2" from the floor), so the measurement should be around 3' 5.5". We have found that it is better to cut this piece AFTER the rest of the cage has been put together. The melamine sheets are usually a bit wider than 4' so that must be accounted for.

We used small L brackets to fasten the post to the top side of the kickboard. Next, drill from the top of the cage into the butt-end of the post. Finally, drill into the front of the post and into the butt-end of the middle floor.

We also used the MDF to make the doors. We have found that the frame is most sturdy if it overlaps. Measure the size of the opening for the doors and then take a bit of width and length off to ensure that the door opens and closes without getting stuck. Measure the width to be from the middle post to being flush with the side of the cage. The hinges are best hung on the side of the cage. We have found that it is best to making an overlapping door. So, cut the length (the tallest part) to the length that you have measured and also cut the width to the width that you measured. The sides and top and bottom are not going to be flush with each other. Instead, lay the top and bottom down, and then lay the sides on top of them. Drill through the face of the sides into the top and bottom, making sure that the door is square.

We used a staple gun to fasten the wire to the door.

Then, use pine boards to make shelves and attach them with L brackets.

It sounds complicated but this cage can be built in a day. I will post ACTUAL pictures of my cage tomorrow so that it makes more sense.


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nice plans, if i ever need to build a cage i want to build it something like that! thanks for sharing.


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Great idea Candice to add your cage plans. Maybe you could post a couple of photos of the finished product too. I know you did awhile back, but adding them here would probably be a good idea.
carleen


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Originally Posted by Candycane
I will post ACTUAL pictures of my cage tomorrow so that it makes more sense.


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That sounds somewhat like the cages we built except ours are noy quite that big, and we did not put in a middle floor we just added shelves.

I will have to keep this in mind for when i have a bigger area to work with.


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Yep, I need to clean cages this weekend so while I'm at it, I will take pics of the important parts of the building process and also the entire cage.