How to Make Shelves - With Photos

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This is PERFECT! Thanks Alli! Now when I get Milo's cage set up on christmas ( She can't have it until then! Mom says she has to wait like everyone else. lol) I can have my boyfriend help me make some for her! :)
 
so the washer and the wing nut go on the outside of the cage to hold it in correct? Sorry im new at this and want to replace the metal shelves in my chins cage with wooden ones. Also my cage has the vertical bars and will work with that type of case as well?
 
I'm making these. :) To echo everyone else, thanks for posting.

How big are the washers? I know it depends on the bar spacing of the cage, but what would the standard size be? I'm getting a new cage soon but I want the ledges to be ready~~ It may be an FN or CN cage, so which size of washer would work?
 
DayofHope,

I believe several posts back that it was mentioned to use at least 1 5/16" washers for FN or CN cages.

I found on a different post the link to Bolt Depot which has the following:
1/4" x 3" lag bolts $10.98 for a box of 100
1/4" x 1 1/2" Fender washers $18.27 for a box of 100

In addition, they have the following:
1/4-20 x 2" Hanger Bolts $1.00 each ($67.41 for a box of 100)
1/4-20 x 2 1/2" Hanger Bolts $1.11 each ($75.88 for a box of 100)
1/4-20 x 3" Hanger Bolts $1.28 each ($87.36 for a box of 100)
1/4-20 Wing Nuts $0.28 each ($18.90 for a box of 100)

You can use the same washers as above.

I hope this helps out.
~Richard
 
Another quick question,

If purchasing pine from the hardware store for shelves, do I need to bake / prepare it?

Just wondering if it needs to be dried after purchasing and before the chins start to chew.
~Richard M
 
rem said:
Another quick question,

If purchasing pine from the hardware store for shelves, do I need to bake / prepare it?

Just wondering if it needs to be dried after purchasing and before the chins start to chew.
~Richard M
Click to expand...

No. Just make sure it is Kiln dried pine. Not treated pine. My home depot has like a whole row dedicated to the kiln dried stuff.
 
You can also bypass the bolts and simply use wood screws and fender washers (saving yourself from becoming gored by the wingnuts).
 
Great tutorial! I just made a dozen ledges for 30 bucks and an hour of work, total. Twelve ledges at the pet store here would be close to 150 bucks, so you saved me a lot of cash. :)
 
Where do you get the hanger bolts from, when I went to Home Depot they only had huge ones, so I used just wood screws for now.
 
This is so great! I hope to make some of these for my choncho! He will love them, thanks for posting
 
Honestly, i hadn't thought of only using one washer on them like shown in those pics. I always had two. One on each side of the cage bars. I guess with the big chuck of wood their, you could get away with just one.
 
I wanted to add that I use threaded inserts in the word, rather than the hanger bolts. I find they last longer and are safer. I use the 1/4-20 13mm threaded inserts which I buy from amazon. 1/4-20 x 1" stainless steel screws and 1/4" fender washers. You can get the screws and fender washers from home depot, but amazon has the best pricing. I just get a bulk order of 100 pieces for each :)
 
My washer always gets stuck too far down on the bolt, to the point where I have to start over and throw the bolt/washer out because it refuses to come out. Anyone else have that problem, or a way to prevent it?
 
If you wanted to do a "poop guard" would I just put the hanger bolt threw both pieces of wood? Or nail them first?
 
can you get the hanger bolt out of the wood to re use it when you have to replace the shelf? I used Wood screws for my shelves but using the wing nuts is a lot easier. but i don't want to have to buy more hanger bolts when i have to replace the shelve...
 
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