DIY Cage plans materializing...

[Hamtastic]

*PLEASE NOTE ALL THE MISSING PHOTOS ON THIS THREAD ARE NOW ON PAGE 3 WITH A FIXED LINK*
So here's what I'm planning:

(a rough draft drawing)
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/IKEAExpedit4x4with3cages.jpg

from an IKEA Expedit 4x4 case:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/expedit-shelving-unit__0092723_PE229445_S4.JPG

My desk is currently attached to a 2x4 Expedit. I'm going to replace it with a 4x4 Expedit and add the cages. The top two will be ~41"x 15" (104cm x 38cm) inside, and the bottom left one will be ~27" x 15" (69cm x 38cm).

Already have quotes for glass for sliding doors and bedding guard pieces. Now I just need to figure out if I have to spend whole $130 on a new case or if I can get lucky and find a used 4x4 Expedit in the near future.

Also getting these color-changing light strips:
DIODER 4-piece light strip set - IKEA (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/)

I'm very excited! There's a lot to wrap my head around with making this case. I think for ventilation, there's going to be half mesh / half (bottom) plywood for the back panels and also holes drilled into the thinner sides.

[KatiePillow]

You could always do less than half of the back in mesh, because I found my hamster climbed up the mesh, and it's not great for their paws I don't think.
Other than that it all sounds good.

You might want to offset the cages too, so that the levels don't bow (which it would if there was no support for that long an area I'd imagine.)
Other than that it's looking good.
Did you convince your OH by saying it'd take up less space? :)

[AngelAmes]

Wow that's a pretty big project
But it will look fabulous when complete
Keep us updated with pics :-D

[Hamtastic]

Ok, so here's my plan

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/attachments/diy-do-yourself-hamster-projects/7825d1328392390-diy-cage-plans-materializing-ikea-expedit-4x4-red-glass-beige-background.jpg

Hopefully getting the case tonight, if my friends will have room in their car after they are done with their shopping at IKEA. Otherwise I'll have to wait to go myself or keep looking on-line for ads.

Can't decide if I should get the new gloss red color or birch. My bedroom is in red brick and beige tones with lots of IKEA birch furniture, so red goes pretty well there.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Cool, it looks like an awesome plan and I hope you do get the case tonight :)

[Hamtastic]

Ack, red or birch... can't decide! My friend's staring at the cases right now, and I'm frantically thinking if red will be too odd with cages. Though I can put contact paper of any color on the insides...

Edit: well, I just went with red! Should have the case in the next hour or two :D Then will be working on the rest of the materials during the upcoming week.

[StarlightSerenity]

I'd go for birch - that way it will fit in with any colour scheme and wont cause problems if you change the colour of the room etc.

[KatiePillow]

I think beige, but just because I'm scared that that much red would be disjointed.
The cage looks great, I just hope you can decide soon!

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'd have gone for red! Looks really fun and that makes it the best choice in the world to me lol

Good luck getting the rest of the materials :)

[Hamtastic]

I said "red" and then texted back that birch would be more practical but that my friend can just surprise me, as honestly, I like both equally! I am going to cover the insides of the shelves with light-wood print contact paper anyway, so the only difference will be on the outside. I'm also going to have the shelf in a fairly dark corner, illuminated by 3 CFL red light bulbs. It's going to have a reddish cast, as it does now, even on birch.

[hamsterlover13]

the plans loook amazing and I can't wait to see the final result!!!

[Hamtastic]

Ok, the case is RED :D

I've put it together and decided to have all the cages aligned along the left side, as my desk will be taking up the four bottom right cubes in area (Expedit desk, so attached to the case), and it will be easier to have full access to the cages if they are all to the left.

The finish is high gloss red, so there's protective sticker paper along all the edges, which I'm leaving on until everything is finished.

IKEA Dioder color-changing LEDs are shown as well (to be attached elsewhere later)

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020093.jpg

In the dark:

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020099.jpg

Next I have to go to a hardware store and get some plywood for the back panels, 0.25" square mesh, and some materials for the front glass sliding panels.

[AngelAmes]

Wow looks good already :-) good luck with the rest

[sully]

Looks nice, is the pattern up the side little paw prints,i cant quite see?

[Gizmodo ^_^]

I'm so jealous, because i know its going to be amazing :D
your ham's are so lucky! :D

[Hamtastic]

The case is finished! At some point when I'm not exhausted from working at work and working at home (on the case), I'll post a detailed guide of how I made it.

In the meantime, I put up back panels (plywood covered in contact paper for easy cleaning) + metal mesh for ventilation:

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020110.jpg?t=1328668674

Added IKEA Dioder color-changing LED light strips

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020112.jpg?t=1328668708

Covered cage floors and edges with contact paper as well, as it's so easy to clean.

Had glass cut to size for sliding doors and bedding guards. Had to make my own tracks for the glass to slide in, as it's 1/8" glass, and I couldn't find such skinny tracks in hardware stores (didn't bother looking on-line).

There's still some white protective paper left on the case in these photos. I've since taken it all off.

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020130.jpg?t=1328668756

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020128.jpg?t=1328668779

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020140.jpg?t=1328668809

Now it's time to clean... the apartment. Then I'll put Viola in first--she's going to go into the middle enclosure. Lucy will be in the top one, I think, and Lazy Izzie in the bottom.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Awesome! It looks fantastic :)

[Hamtastic]

Continued from above:
Viola is the first inhabitant of the Expedit Hamster Metropolis. Here's her set up. I love all the red / wood tones. I switched to greenish white LED light for this photo, but normally keep it set to red. Going to swap that wodent wheel to a beige track / sticker (or red!)

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020152.jpg?t=1328679356

Lucy is the second!

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020156.jpg?t=1328683650
(find Viola!)

Isabel's moving in when I finish a shelf for her new home.

[Mona's Humans]

this is absolutely incredible..... you should go into business designing perfect ham set ups :)

[Sandrilene]

Wow that looks absolutely amazing. My husband and I recently failed at putting shelves up on the wall so I think that is out of my league by a lot. But I would love that ability. I am however good at mudding and sanding walls and painting them... so I guess after I create disasters i can fix them? I wish we had an ikea here... closest one is 5 hours away.

[KatiePillow]

Looks great Hamtastic :) Glad you got it done so fast, I've wanted to do this for ages and have had quotes for glass done and everything, but don't know if I can justify it!
Love the idea of contact paper too ^.^

[kyrilliondaemon]

Awesome, I bet the girls love those :)

[AngelAmes]

Wow that looks so good :-)
You've managed to do it so fast
I hope the hams like it :-)

[Hamtastic]

Thank you--I love the case so much! Couldn't go to sleep last night, just kept staring at Lucy and Viola exploring and hopping around. Both girls are very active. Viola's a big climber, jumper, and explorer, and I got her a nice new piece of driftwood that's perfect for it.

[KatiePillow]

AND, you can justify that you've fit 3 cages in a tiny space ;)

[Hamtastic]

Indeed! I wanted to push for a Detolf, but it doesn't fit into our bedroom very conveniently, and would give less cage room overall. It's also very convenient to have my computer desk attached to the Expedit, so I can be on my computer, look left, and see all the awesome cages with lighting on.

[KatiePillow]

I can imagine, I've got the same desk as my sewing table, don't think the hamsters would appreciate the vibrations though,
But you should be really proud, you did a really good job in a really short period of time ^.^

[Hamtastic]

So um, I moved the photos to an album in photobucket, and all the links changed! Smart... I'll just link to the album here:
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket (http://s1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/IKEA%20Expedit%204x4/?albumview=slideshow)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6841789061_173ab54f9e_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6841793751_a8d71dd1fd_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6841796287_e0377c6995_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6841799003_016b1243a3_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6841803791_314034742e_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6841807951_55865ca85c_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6841811167_c479cec172_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6841817653_7c5b4cc5e9_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6841820385_d7df54f0e6_b.jpg

[pixachu]

Wow that's great!!

[Chloe xx]

Wow what a cage i bet your hamsters are so happy. what glass did you use and where did u get it from ?:mrgreen:

[Hamtastic]

Thank you. The glass was from a glass cutting shop. I gave them the measurements I was interested in and glass thickness specifications, and it was cut to size and polished along the edges.

[sully]

Well done!

[ShannenClare]

This looks fantastic! amazing job you have done! congrats on your achievement..even i want to live in there myself :P

[Gibbs&JackBlack]

Wow! That really rocks! I LOVE that! Great job!!

[Hamtastic]

Ok, all done. Moved Izzie in last night, so all three cages are now fully functional and occupied :D Izzie's home is fairly simple, as she's sooo clumsy (being a big chubster), so I had to think about how to make it easy for her to get around and not be too bored.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6853486327_7ecd836a85_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/space_is_a_lonely_town/6853486327/)
Isabel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/space_is_a_lonely_town/6853486327/) by Space is a lonely town (http://www.flickr.com/people/space_is_a_lonely_town/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6853478569_b9e2335302_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/6853441059_a788b10b56_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6853430141_7964b9c4de_z.jpg

[gellerbing]

wow youve done a great job there, am sure your hammies will love it :)

[kyrilliondaemon]

Awesome, looks great :)
Oh and by the way... Whenever I see her Isobel I apparently think of her and her fleece tent now lol. Am glad to see you haven't stolen it from her cage yet :D

[Hamtastic]

I think she would never forgive me if I did! I keep waiting for her to sleep elsewhere so I can wash it. She did sleep under her new shelf last night, but I was too tired to do anything about the tent :roll:

[kyrilliondaemon]

lol I hope she sleeps under the shelf tonight too then :)

[hamsterlover13]

that is amazing i love it

[Sammybingo]

You are living the dream! This is exactly what I want, but I'm just too much of a .. what's the polite word? Klutz ;). I also already use a Expedit of the same height, but half the width, with my desk, and I adore it.

I think if I had the money and space, I would pay a good deal of money for one of these, done for me, to a pro standard - like, £250 or something. Alas, I am broke hah! Student = sucks.

It looks amazing though. So envious! I'm going to bookmark your photoalbum to perv at and make everyone look at hehe.

EDIT - I love it so hard, I posted your album to my FB, hope you don't mind.

[Hamtastic]

Thank you :)

Sam, I don't use Photobucket that much--mostly flickr, from which I linked the latest photos. I do have a section on my habitats there :D

Also, this did cost me a fair amount, because I had to buy a new 4x4 Expedit, since Craigslist would not cooperate, and I couldn't find any used ones. I could have waited, but I was too impatient to start! Then the glass was like $100 with cutting and polishing :( I sold my old 2x4 Expedit though and also selling the 20 gallon that Viola was in + the case it was standing on, so I can subtract that chunk of money form the total :D The satisfaction is priceless, however!

P.S.: the tent has been sneakily washed and is now drying.

[kyrilliondaemon]

P.S.: the tent has been sneakily washed and is now drying.

Congratulations then :)
Clearly worth all the cash just to get permission to borrow the tent without a very miserable hamster lol

[CoolcatNatNat44]

wow that looks amazing! :)

[KatiePillow]

Looking good!

My OH said that this picture
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6853486327_7ecd836a85_z.jpg

Should be Hamster of the month, if only there wasn't a shadow on the top half, should take another and enter it ^.^ I'd vote for the little chubster :3

[Sammybingo]

Looking good!

My OH said that this picture


Should be Hamster of the month, if only there wasn't a shadow on the top half, should take another and enter it ^.^ I'd vote for the little chubster :3

Ooooo! That picture! I want that bath / potty. Would it be big enough for a 'nando's fluffy butt?

Adorable, too.

PS. Come stay and make me one of these homes? I'll take you to Poms... we can do some good hamnappings... ;)

[Hamtastic]

Hm, it sounds very enticing... How much would shipping some... 200 kilograms to the U.K. cost...

That potty thing is by Marchioro, and I got two in France, though they are also sold in the U.S., so it's quite possible you have those in the U.K. too. Came in many colors, but I choose a woody combination.

It comes in at least 3 sizes: 1C, 2C, and 3C. I have to check which one mine is, but it's the smallest, which I think is 1C. The model is called "Nora":
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marchioro-Nora-Covered-Corner-Litter/dp/B00140Q9WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329006069&sr=8-1

3C is rabbit sized, by the looks of photos. 2C is 13.8" x 9.5" x 7.5". I've just measured mine, and it's 19cm diagonal, 12cm tall, and ~13cm along the short sides.
---

Thanks, Katie, I'll let Izzie know she has fans :) I already have a photo of Lucy up for March though, so Isabel will have to wait for her chance :)

[Sammybingo]

Pfft, can only find it in a dark brown colour in the UK. I don't fancy his poo box being the same colour as his poo, I want it to be like a party (for me). Thanks though :D x

[Hamtastic]

That "poo color" is like mine above: transparent beige-brown and a milky gray bottom. It's much lighter in person than on that photo.

[Teddybearhamster420]

Wow! Thats so amazing! I cant wait till I have my own space and time (not to meantion money!) to do that!

[Hamtastic]

Freshly cleaned tent went back in.

Result...

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P1020233.jpg?t=1329027248

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff446/stereotypical11/P10202382.jpg?t=1329027396

[fluffymunchkins]

Her face tells me she never wants to leave that tent again :mad: x

[Lougarry]

They are amazing, Hamtastic. I love them.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Awww, I'm glad she's happy to have the tent back :)

[Hamtastic]

Took more photos today!

Here's the overall look of the IKEA 4x4 Expedit with a desk attachment and cages.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6889457217_714c554f6f_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6889459605_628f08985c_b.jpg

I'm still so excited about it :D My room is super organized now. Got two IKEA Malm dressers in another corner of my bedroom with a large aquarium on each (for my pairs).

[Sammybingo]

Lol. Every time I read this thread, think about this thread, or look at my shelves, I wonder if I can get the 3*4 in my room instead of the 2*4. Even the 4*4! My room is massive, but I like not walking into my shelves. But I shall daydream about it tonight as I doze off. It just looks amazing, they have proper little heavenly homes (and it's all tidy and organised!) x

[LawaRawr]

wow they are amazing :D i absolutely love it, i would love to be able to do something like that for my hams but i lack money. im sure the hamsters are very happy with their new homes :D

[BaileyandBeth]

I'm sat looking at my idea shelving with that look in my eye. I'm so very jealous. Maybe you could just post it to me :D.

[kyrilliondaemon]

That really does look awesome! People say we've done well arranging stuff, but you've made it look really neat and never seem to be tripping over cages in the periods where its not all organised lol
Those cages do look fantastic :)

[CoolcatNatNat44]

That is actually amazing! I have an Expedit in the spare room and now i want to convert it into hammy cages haha

[Hope]

It looks completely amazing! I am very jealous! :)

[xXxEricaxXx]

This is a SERIOUSLY amazing cage set up.

[Hamtastic]

Thank you very much :)

[hammy_luver]

I LOVE the way you have it all set up by your computer desk, so you can observe them while you "compute" lol. Once again, they look absolutely fantastic and the lighting looks inviting and comforting. You do your hammies proud. :)

[MommaHammie]

One day I want to make something as awesome as this!
Very jealous >_<

[Rhubarb]

That cage is actually awesome.

I would seriously consider trying to make one of those for Cal - who is in desperate need of a new cage - if I wasn't going to Uni this year or I could take her with me. Bleh.

Oh well! Plans for the future, heheh.

But seriously, great work. It looks fantastic!

[Ren]

Wow! I'm amazed. I'm looking at my expedit (5x5) with new eyes now.

[Hamtastic]

Thank you! The case is going strong, and it's definitely great. I'd recommend extra side vents to those with poor air circulation in their rooms (for hot summer days). I leave the glass doors about 5mm open on both sides for some draft from front to back also.

[Ren]

I wonder if you could put up a supply list and what you did to convert it completely? I would be extremely grateful for this since I have never built something before (besides putting together IKEA things).