I Connected Two Cages Together

[Finnie]

you can take the legs and bend them away from each other about half an inch... then slip on a washer when you install the center wheels... the washer will push the wheel down lower to compensate for the raising from the bending of the leg

I don't really follow what you mean by this, but don't worry, I have a plan for the center.

Here are some photos of how it sits right now.

The back will be plywood, and the floor of the cage might have to be a fixed piece of wood or melamine. But I'm still trying to work out a way that if I measure very carefully, I can leave a thin gap between the wire and the base so that I can slide the floor in and out for cleaning.

And I'm also trying to work out a way to leave a thin gap in the front middle, so I can slide a divider in and out.

A plan is taking shape inside my head, but it will require some written measurements and a trip to the big box store to see if they have what I think I need in the right sizes.

My son-in-law is a mechanical engineer, and he would love to help with this, I know. I'll have to run my ideas past him and see if I can't lure them down to spend a weekend with us!

[mayble]

If you were going to do a custom build, is there any way you could dismantle the cages, and use the panels of them in your custom job?

I've been planning to do something like this with the wonderful (but too small) Petco cage - using pre-fab shelving supports for the ends and plywood for the back, I figured I can make a 48" wide x 36" tall x 24" deep cage.
I think that will be my next project, actually, once I've finished the walk in flights that are currently in pieces all over my dining room.

[Finnie]

I think that will be my next project, actually, once I've finished the walk in flights that are currently in pieces all over my dining room.

I am dying to make a walk in flight cage/aviary like the ones in the Finch Info Center made from screen doors.

But I know that it would be in pieces all over my house, too!!

[Finnie]

Here is what I have accomplished so far. My carpentry skills leave a lot to be desired, so what would take someone else an hour or two takes me a whole day

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These don't happen to be laying in the proper orientation to each other, so it may be hard to visualize where this is going, but I have both halves framed with wood now, and when it is together, the wood will be in the center.

The wood will be painted black.

[cindy]

looks like a great idea, gives it support in the middle to!!!

[EyesofFreedom]

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Framed each half with wood to attach the center of the cage together..jpg

that's what I was thinking... basically building it then normal way then putting wood on one side... preset the wood so you can attach the boards together... then attached the boards to the cages and then to each other...

[cindy]

Finnie, I have one of those cages, love to get a second to join together!! Now I think I may get a second!!!!

I have joined 2 30x 36 cages together and two A&E flights together....the scarlet chested are housed in it. Love coming up with new ways to house my birds!

[Finnie]

Finnie, I have one of those cages, love to get a second to join together!! Now I think I may get a second!!!!

I have joined 2 30x 36 cages together and two A&E flights together....the scarlet chested are housed in it. Love coming up with new ways to house my birds!

Your cage looks great!

I am making mine with only one Prevue F040 though, so I only have enough wire for the front and sides. The back will have to be plywood.

But I am going to paint the back white to maximize light reflection.

I had wanted to put a third HQ double wide flight in my bird room, but no matter how I tried to work out the measurements, it would mean blocking all of my electrical outlets. The nice thing about the one I am making, besides coming in a little cheaper, is that it will be about 6" less wide, so it will just fit into the space available! And it will be a little lower to the floor, which I feel that my HQs waste that area. If I want to stack cages on top of this one I am making, they will be a little lower, and easier to access, too.

Yes, I have enjoyed coming up with creative ways to make better use of things I have already sitting around. Learning about measuring, tools, and hardware gives me a feeling of empowerment. My husband shakes his head and says, "I don't know, it looks too complicated", but wait until it's done- I will show him. (Although he already possesses the skills to make lots of things, so if he would help me, it would get done a lot easier. )

[cindy]

If you want to drop your HQ cage to the shelf on the bottom take out the cross bars on the stand that the cages sits on and slide the cage down onto the shelf.

[cindy]

You could also take the sides and cross bars off the stand and set the cage on the shelf on the stand and secure the cage to the shelf with zip ties.

Bet you could do this with two HQ cages, remove the sides and zip tie the cages together as I did and create a low 5 ft long flight....could even stack a second long flight on top of it.

[Finnie]

Wow, it has been six months since I last posted about this cage I'm building. How time flies!

I didn't really get around to working on it much over the winter, but in the last couple of weeks I have made quite a bit of progress. And my husband DID help me out, which made a huge difference. (I think he is motivated, because I had the pieces laying all over his part of the basement, and it's been in his way. )

So here is what it looks like now:

Some of the details:

I was able to make that center support perfectly even with the rails on the original cage wheels, where the slide in tray would have gone. So I will be able to make floor pieces that slide into each half of the cage. They will rest on the wood ledge there in the center.

Of course, when I slide the floor out, there will be no wire to keep the birds from flying out. So when I want to clean the floor piece, I will have to shoo all the birds into the other half and insert the divider. That way I will be able to clean one half of the cage at a time.

[debbie276]

Coming along nicely

[Finnie]

Thanks, Debbie.

You are fast! You commented before I was finished editing the post and adding more photos. (I had to do the photos one at a time, because my internet explorer was acting up, and I was afraid I would lose the whole post if I didn't hit "submit".)

So I have all the rest of the wood pieces I need cut and waiting for a day when I can paint them. Then I just need to attach them all and cut extra doors in the wire, because the original cage only had two doors, and I think this one will need four in order to reach each area inside.

I'm planning to house fledgling Bourke's in this, so I better get busy, because three of my Bourke's mamas are on eggs!

[debbie276]

Can't wait to see it when it's done!
Congratulations on the bourke's
now hurry!!

[cindy]

Great idea!!! I mentioned earlier about dropping the cage to the bottom shelf....just did that with a A&E cage. It is divided in have for breeding bourke and scarlet chested. I am in the process of giving everyone brand new cages and redoing the birdroom.