making a wire cage is NOT easy, the wire won, I lost :-(

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:58 pm

I was trying to make an 32Wx13Dx17H all wire cage today, and it was NOT easy. In fact I'm about ready to give up. The problem with an all wire cage are:
- it is hard to bend the wire mesh to be what you want it to be
- the ends of the wire mesh are sharp and can scratch badly
- there isn't the rigidity of a wood frame
- the wire flexes especially the longer runs like the front, top, back and bottom.
- the cutout for the poop tray really hurts the rigidity of the cage
- a movable divider is hard to use in a cage w/o a rigid frame, with the flex of the front, top and back sides, the birds will be able to sneak around the divider. I had to wire the divider in place to pull the cage front, top and back sides close to the divider. I might just remove the divider and use it as 32" flight cage. I wanted the movable divider to help contain the birds when I want to catch them.
- finding a poop tray the correct size is a DiY task or you fit to one of the standard sizes, which takes away one reason for doing a DiY, special size to fit what you need (a shelf in my case)

The all wire cage might work OK for a smaller cage or a cage w/o a divider. But the 1/2x1/2 mesh that I used was not stiff enough.

I was planning to build 2 or 3 of the 32" cages as breeding cages, but I think I will be ordering commercial 30x18x18 or 24x16x16 cages with dividers instead.

So much for a good idea and saving money.
Now I will have spent more money, because of the additional supplies and tools for the wire cage.

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:08 pm

You deserve some credits for trying and all those hard work.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:45 am

ac12,
I have great faith in your abilities...... I hope you build the metal storage shelf cage like I posted in "Bird building"
That way you will recoup some of your monies. Also you can use the corners of the metal shelves to bend exactly where you want the bend.
Good Luck!!!

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 3:15 am

Try using "J" clips to attach the sides, top, front, etc. together. There isn't a need to bend the wire although you could bend it over to double it in areas to make the wire more stiff. "J" clips and the pliers are cheap at a feed and seed store.

The feed and seed stores also sell metal trays, so it might work better to purchase the trays first and then construct the size of the cage around the tray. I don't see a way to install a divider unless you use thin metal or tin around where the divider would be. I imagine the top and bottom would be one piece, whereas the front and possibily the back would have a space to allow the divider piece to slide in through.

I've used a Dremel to grind down the burrs so it's not sharp.

Don't give up. Draw yourself a design with accurate measurements. The 1/2" x 1" hardware cloth available is stiffer, but more expensive.

What about the idea of using the bookcase as an integral part of the cage? Meaning, just having a wire front?

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:18 am

Build box cages with a wire front like we do in Europe..they are better,more efficient,and easier to build.
Why nobody makes them in the States is a complete mystery to me.

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:49 pm

poohbear
The one that really caught my eye was a site that made the box cages using PVC instead of wood. That would be a lot better than painted wood for keeping clean.

atarasi
I am using J clips.
I made mine by bending a 60" piece to make the bottom, back, top and front. Then I attached the sides. Next time I might try cutting each side separate, as I think the bending of the softer 1/2x1/2 hardware cloth creates a softer side that flexes too much for a large cage. I need to find the heavier/stiffer 1x1/2 hardware cloth and try that.

I made my divider a swinging door style, so I don't compromise the structure of the cage by cutting it, as it is too soft as it is. I attached it to the back and it will swing forward and I wire it to the front. Not as easy to use as a slide in divider, but I figured a swinging style would be the best compromise for the softer wire.

I will be looking for a shelf/book case as CandoAviary suggested. The trick is finding a reasonably priced one. A $100 shelf and I might as well buy the commercial cages, as I've saved nothing. I have a 14x36 wire shelf that I picked up at Goodwill. That defined the size of the wire cage that I built.

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:13 pm

I was looking at a couple of the inexpensive bookshelves in the house, and it just might work. They are 30" or 36" wide which is good, but they are only about 12" deep which I think will be OK. The wood will have to be painted over with latex or polyurathane to seal the surface. The only issue I see is the back. The back is a heavy cardboard, not good for the poop that will land on it. So it will have to be replaced with something better, more $$ sigh. Making the poop tray will require some thinking, but I think I have an idea.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:41 pm

The one I made before was made with one of those utility grey metal shelves that has holes predrilled all around for adjustable shelving. Back 20 years ago that was the only kind of shelving people put out in the garage for tools.... remember those? Well I would put the top shelf on the correct way, then I would put the next shelf 36" down (depending on how tall your wire roll is) upside down to make a tray, with the lip upwards. I would fill with corncob bedding or now care fresh....
I would attach the hardware cloth around the metal shelf with nuts, bolts and washers through the predrilled holes...washers large enough so the nuts would not slip through tthe 1/2' opening of the wire. The end would have a door cut ...attached with J clamps and a spring closing mechanism. You could repeat this process underneath and have a self standing double flight cage... They have X braces for the back of the shelf to keep it from racking but I found after screwing all the hardware cloth all around it was plenty rigid.
These cages worked great for me.... I bred a many of canaries in them.
I think they still sell these grey metal storage shelves.......I know I saw them at K mart.
They were really large, inexpensive, and last for years.

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:24 pm

CA
I still have those shelves. But mine are not usable for birds as the car oil and other garage "contaminants" are on the shelves.
Actually I think your idea might be better than the bookshelf, as I realized, how do you put a perch in a bookcase cage?

And I'm still thinking about just getting the commercial cages. I don't want to go thru another round of spending $ to try to make something, only to have it fail again.

Since I have enough wire mesh, I'm going to try to make another all wire cage next weekend, but rather than bending once piece to make the top, front, bottom and back, I will cut the 4 pieces out, so there isn't the distortion of the cage caused by the bending.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:00 am

Good luck with you new cage building.
Yeah, I gave up the build your own cage... much easier to buy them by the case. I try and buy them at bird shows so that I don't have to pay the shipping but sometimes that doesn't work out timing wize. That's when I call Country Feathers. They are a small family run company, I met them when they were selling at a bird show here in Panama City...I bought 3 cases then and 2 really nice flight cages on stands also. But I just ordered 6 new breeding cages for my keets... and I used the older ones I had for the zebras to grow out....check out the the coat hanger perches I gave the zebs...just a crazy idea but they love them...

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:10 am

The next bird mart in the SF Bay Area is not till June, so I have to build or order.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:49 am

ac12
Whats wrong with useing a wood frame a lot easier to make and a lot stronger tha just the hardware cloth ,you can stain or paint the frame befor you put the wire on you can paint the wire with a roller
Check out the gallery lot of good looking cages & aviarys good luck

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:16 pm

BCamp
I was trying to make the cage as simple as possible, hence w/o a frame. I realize that I could make a small cage w/o a frame, but the bigger cages will need the frame to stiffen the longer sides. Oh well, it was a learning experience.

I have a bunch of hardware cloth left, so maybe I'll make one with a frame and see how that one comes out.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:32 pm

The suggestion with the metal shelfs I think would work also, good luck with what you decide

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:54 am

you could always try again using a thicker gauge of wire, it wont flex as easily (if at all). in the past I have made a couple of cages using 25mm x 12mm x 2mm wire mesh and cable ties to hold it together.
What Paul said is right though. a timber cage with a mesh front is best