MY DIY Bucket Wheel

[SKB_Hamsters]

I been recently looking for a new silent wheel for Sherbet since I noticed her becoming annoyed with the front panel of the Trixie wheel, she keeping catching her hip on the holes which led her to chew the front panel and she started to run with her head slightly turned towards the front, so I was looking to get her a new wheel which didn’t have a front panel, which was affordable, silent and a suitable size for a Syrian which would fit inside a ferplast Mary cage. Since looking around I really like the Carolina Storm bucket wheel but its cost for shipping (as well as the cost from the UK distributor) was more expensive than the price I was willing to pay. After doing some looking around on the internet I came across 2 website which had tutorials for DIY bucket wheel, so I decided to make Sherbet her brand new wheel.

After buying all the materials the wheel cost me around £10 to £15 (compared to £35+ to buy a bucket wheel), and the wheel was fairly easy to make roughly taking me 2 hours, but what took the longest was waiting for scooter wheel and ball bearing to come and trying to find a suitable size and length bolt. Although the most difficult part of the construction process was cutting the bucket to size and drilling a hole in the exact centre (the hole is slightly off but I doesn’t really affect the wheel itself).

The diameter of the bucket wheel is 10.5 inch (27 cm aprox) and has a 4 inch (10cm) running track. Once I completed the wheel I wanted to get Sherbet approval and she loves her new wheel, she had her evening playtime and she was running in it for around 20 to 30minutes, she did keep stopping and kept going in and out of the wheel so she wasn’t running for whole time. But I was pretty impressed considering she is 1 year and 10/11months old - it’s an early birthday present – she is still fairly active for her age. At first I thought she may struggle to push the wheel around as the wheel has no grips on the running surface but she did prove me wrong she was running in it with no problem at all. Also its is totally silent all you hear is the pitter patter of her footsteps which to me is the most relaxing sound.

I recommend making a DIY bucket wheel if you are looking into getting a new wheel for your hamster on a budget, although this wheel may be more suitable for smaller Syrians, depending on the size of bucket you use.

Here are a few photos of the wheel itself at different angles (the picture of the back of the wheel I didn’t realise Sherbet was in the picture at first) and also a few photos of Sherbet enjoying her DIY bucket wheel. :D

Photos of my DIY Bucket Wheel

[jennej]

What a fabulous idea. It looks great!

[AmityvilleHams]

Great idea!Would be even better if a bigger wheel could be made for larger Syrians,but that would take personal researching from an owner to figure out that one problem :D Definitely a money saver though!

[SKB_Hamsters]

jennej- Thank you, I'm really happy with how it turned out.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Great idea!Would be even better if a bigger wheel could be made for larger Syrians,but that would take personal researching from an owner to figure out that one problem :D Definitely a money saver though!

I think you can get bigger buckets also a washing up bowl could be used for larger Syrians though. I'm all about saving money:)

[M3gan]

wow! Honestly if you gave me that and told me you bought it I would believe you! It's amazing, well done xx

[SKB_Hamsters]

wow! Honestly if you gave me that and told me you bought it I would believe you! It's amazing, well done xx

Thank so much for your compliment! I really enjoy making toys and chews for my hamster especially as you see the enjoyment it brings to their lives, also I did Product Design 3D at a-level so I'm used to making complicated designs.

[AmityvilleHams]

I think you can get bigger buckets also a washing up bowl could be used for larger Syrians though. I'm all about saving money:)

I'm going to be looking into it later!Much cheaper than ordering a CSE even in the US,and considering how much it would cost me to get a wheel if I needed a larger one I definitely want to save as much as I can but the benefits of less noisiness and such definitely make up for it if it ends up costing as much or slightly more than a Comfort Wheel.

[SKB_Hamsters]

I highly recommend making one as it fairly easy and simple to make, also the satisfaction you get from seeing your hamster enjoys something you've made is priceless!

[Elliiy]

if your looking to make a larger wheel you can always use a bucket, but great tips will have to try this :)

[SKB_Hamsters]

if your looking to make a larger wheel you can always use a bucket, but great tips will have to try this :)

I recommend trying this you won't be disappointed. I used a 12l bucket for my wheel which I had to cut in half but I think you can get buckets with larger diameter for larger Syrians but I'm restricted on size due to my cage height and Sherbet is a fairly small Syrian (but I think my wheel is a similar size to the Carolina storm wheel) I'm also planning on getting different colour buckets so I can change the colour of the wheel:D

[Pebbles82]

Wow - I am so impressed with that! You are clever! Sherbet definitely seems to like it. How did you sort out the base and stand? Is it legs from something like a stool or something?

Could you do a tutorial on how you made it?

I didn't actually know there was a Uk distributor for CSW's!

[AmityvilleHams]

Wow - I am so impressed with that! You are clever! Sherbet definitely seems to like it. How did you sort out the base and stand? Is it legs from something like a stool or something?

Could you do a tutorial on how you made it?

I didn't actually know there was a Uk distributor for CSW's!

You can just use PVC pipes to make a stand,it's the same thing that CSW's and CSE's have :D

[SKB_Hamsters]

Wow - I am so impressed with that! You are clever! Sherbet definitely seems to like it. How did you sort out the base and stand? Is it legs from something like a stool or something?

Could you do a tutorial on how you made it?

I didn't actually know there was a Uk distributor for CSW's!

Thank you so much, it turned out much better than I expected. Sherbet loves it also last night was the first night she had it in her cage and she was actually running on it when I was writing the first post for this thread. Also after her playtime today she had a little run before going to bed.

I will link the websites I used later also I will write also how I did mine. Also I will post some more photos of the bucket wheel in her cage!

The U.K distributor is on Facebook they go by Carolina Storm Wheels UK which buy from the US in bulk so they can sell the wheels cheaper.


You can just use PVC pipes to make a stand,it's the same thing that CSW's and CSE's have :D

As amityvilleHams said I made the wheel stand from PVC pipes.

[CMB]

I think I have seen a you tube tutorial on making a bucket wheel.

[SKB_Hamsters]

I think I have seen a you tube tutorial on making a bucket wheel.

I couldn't find a good YouTube tutorial on how to make a bucket wheel which include measurements. But I kept seeing reviews for buckets wheel on YouTube and I really wanted one, and some said that the wheel looks fairly simple to make yourself, so I thought I would give it a try.

[SKB_Hamsters]

As requested here is how I made my DIY Bucket Wheel.

Syrian Hamster Approved
Difficulty Rating – Intermediate/ Hard (This depends upon your DIY skills)
Time Required – 2 hours minimum
Estimate Cost – £10 to £15 (mine cost £14.10)
Website I Used – I found these websites which have really good and easy to follow tutorials I used aspects of both make my wheel.

Hedgies.com:Bucket Wheel (http://hedgies.com/bucket_wheel.php) (I used this one mainly as the instructions are more clear)
Silent Hedghog/Pet Wheel (http://www.instructables.com/id/Noiseless-Hedghog-Wheel/) (this website has other options to make the wheel rotate)


Material and Equipment Required –
• 12l Bucket
• PVC Pipe (22mm diameter)
o 4 PVC pipe 90 degree elbow joints
o 1 PVC pipe T-Joints
• Scooter Wheel with ball bearing(a rollerblade wheel can be used instead)
• M8 Bolt which is 90mm in length (The diameter depends upon the diameter of the ball bearing and the length you require) (M8 = 8mm)
• M8 Nut (x2), Washer (x3) and Wing nut (x1)
• 3 Cable tie
• Tenon Saw
• Hand Saw
• Masking Tape
• Permanent Marker
• Sand Paper
• Rule (0mm is at the end of a rule – makes measuring easier) or a Ruler
• Scissors
• Drill and Drill bit
• Workbench with clamp (or somewhere you can work safely)

Method –

The Stand
1. I made my stand first. Initially I marked out each section (two 4inch pieces, two 5 inch pieces, and two 9 inch pieces). Using a tenon saw cut all the pieces, sand the ends and then assemble the stand the two 4 inch piece will be placed with the T-junction to equal a length of 9 inch, 5 inch pieces are the side and the other 9 inch piece will be the upright. I made it into a rectangular base as I couldn’t find end caps.
2. Drill a 8mm hole through the upright section to the height you want (this is best to be done after the bucket had been cut)

The Bucket
3. I measured 4 inch from the base of the bucket on the outside make little mark around the bucket, then use masking tape, tape around the bucket connecting all your lines. Best to tape on the part of the wheel you need as this protects the part of the bucket from scratches when you first try to cut into the bucket.
4. Cut the bucket to size using a hand saw, it does take a bit of time and effort to initially cut into the bucket once you cut into the bucket the rest is easier.
5. Sand the edges initially with a high grit number sand paper to straighten the edge and then using a fine grit number sand paper to smooth the edges and leave a shiny edge.

The Wheel Mechanism
6. Drill a 8mm hole through the exact centre of bucket (it doesn’t matter if the hole is slightly off, mine is and it still works fine).
7. Mark 6 smaller holes around the 8mm hole on the bucket. I found it was easier to attach the bolt through bucket and place the scooter wheel onto the bolt and secure with a nut, using the desired drill bit (large enough to fit a cable tie through), mark between the spindles of the wheel at even intervals for your 6 holes. Remove the bolt, scooter wheel and nut and then drill the holes.
3. Thread the bolt through the bucket, scooter wheel, then a washer and secure with a nut. Place the cable tie through the holes and tighten so the bucket is attached the scooter wheel and cut the excess of the cable ties.
4. Then I screwed another nut onto the bolt (use how many nuts you want), add another washer, then put the bolt through the PVC pipe add another washer and secure in place with a wing nut. An important point is making sure the nut and wing nuts are not too tight otherwise the wheel won’t spin as freely.



You wheel should now be complete. The picture included in the first post so the wheel at different angles. I personally tilt the wheel slightly back so the running track is flat this prevent your hamster from falling out.

The final stage is getting your hamsters approval; Sherbet loves her DIY bucket wheel.

I recommend making your own wheel but if you are not good at DIY I would also consider buying a bucket wheel but prices can really vary.

Here are some photos of my bucket wheel inside Sherbets Ferplast Mary cage which has a height of 37.5cm.

[Pebbles82]

Great tutorial! I reckoned I could have a go until it got to work bench and drill bits lol - but there's probably a way round that if determined! The idea of using a rollerblade wheel or scooter wheel is excellent.

Maybe you could go into manufacture! :-)

[Scarlett Empress]

This is brilliant! I'm glad Sherbert is pleased with it.

Smokey already has two Karlie wheels, one in the cage and one out, so I don't really need to make her another wheel...but I think I might have a go anyway!

[SKB_Hamsters]

Great tutorial! I reckoned I could have a go until it got to work bench and drill bits lol - but there's probably a way round that if determined! The idea of using a rollerblade wheel or scooter wheel is excellent.

Maybe you could go into manufacture! :-)

Thanks I tried to keep the tutorial simple so it would be easier to follow. The scooter/rollerblade wheel have ball bearings which fit into them which is similar to the ball bearings in the silent spinner wheels. Also one day I want my own business making small pet toys and chews to combine both my hobbies of design and animals.


This is brilliant! I'm glad Sherbert is pleased with it.

Smokey already has two Karlie wheels, one in the cage and one out, so I don't really need to make her another wheel...but I think I might have a go anyway!

Thank you, Sherbet absolutely loves it she runs on it at night more than she did with her previous wheel, considering her age she is still fairly active and still loves her wheel. But I think she prefers it as it has a larger running track and no front panel. I had two trixie wheels one inside her cage and one out but as I noticed her becoming angry with the front panel I decided to give it a go myself, You can never have too much hamster stuff including wheels! :D

[AmityvilleHams]

Thanks I tried to keep the tutorial simple so it would be easier to follow. The scooter/rollerblade wheel have ball bearings which fit into them which is similar to the ball bearings in the silent spinner wheels. Also one day I want my own business making small pet toys and chews to combine both my hobbies of design and animals.




Thank you, Sherbet absolutely loves it she runs on it at night more than she did with her previous wheel, considering her age she is still fairly active and still loves her wheel. But I think she prefers it as it has a larger running track and no front panel. I had two trixie wheels one inside her cage and one out but as I noticed her becoming angry with the front panel I decided to give it a go myself, You can never have too much hamster stuff including wheels! :D

It would be very nice to see more people getting into making things for small pets!Personally I'm kind of contemplating it at the moment but with my main focus being cages it is not easy.I think toys are extremely easy to do though,especially when you know what hamsters tend to enjoy and what materials are safe and all that :D

[SKB_Hamsters]

It would be very nice to see more people getting into making things for small pets!Personally I'm kind of contemplating it at the moment but with my main focus being cages it is not easy.I think toys are extremely easy to do though,especially when you know what hamsters tend to enjoy and what materials are safe and all that :D

I want to specialise in Syrian hamster cage accessories as pet shops never have suitable toys for them but also have cage items and chews for other small animals, but I really need to save up money so I can get some machines to make things easier as if I was making every thing completely by hand production would be slow and would make items more expensive and I need time to come up with unique designs. I think making cages is more difficult, but at least they will be suitable size for hamsters.

[AmityvilleHams]

I want to specialise in Syrian hamster cage accessories as pet shops never have suitable toys for them but also have cage items and chews for other small animals, but I really need to save up money so I can get some machines to make things easier as if I was making every thing completely by hand production would be slow and would make items more expensive and I need time to come up with unique designs. I think making cages is more difficult, but at least they will be suitable size for hamsters.

I'd love to make cages and they'd probably end up being quite large too :D They'd be a bit costly to make but there are some variations in design I need to consider first.Not sure if I'd be able to ship internationally and everything just because of the size and how crazy international shipping could get,but if I could eventually have a business of it and manufacture internationally it would be worth the cost.

Toys are a great idea though,and so are accessories.I think a lot of wheels in different countries are often unsuitable or way too expensive,so having different options would benefit many people.

[Wanna Hamster]

WOW! That looks awesome! Great job! :D

[SKB_Hamsters]

WOW! That looks awesome! Great job! :D

Thank You, it turned out better than I expected!:D

[DrKMcK]

That looks just like my Carolina Storm wheel. It is sold in the USA and isn't at all expensive. It's also sold in a huge amount of colors.

Storm Bucket Wheel - * * * * * * * * Carolina Storm Hedgehogs (http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/storm-bucket-wheel.html)

[SKB_Hamsters]

That looks just like my Carolina Storm wheel. It is sold in the USA and isn't at all expensive. It's also sold in a huge amount of colors.

Storm Bucket Wheel - * * * * * * * * Carolina Storm Hedgehogs (http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/storm-bucket-wheel.html)

I really liked the Carolina Storm Bucket wheel and I really wanted one as it was my dream hamster wheel. The wheel seemed really good value for money but the cost of shipping to the UK is £40 alone (which was out of my price range of £15 to £20). So that is why I decide to make my own bucket wheel also I could make it in my favourite colour which is orange. But in the USA the wheel is a great price and would highly recommend getting one if anyone is looking for a new wheel.

[DrKMcK]

LOL. I had the same issue with postage when I looked at a Hamster Heaven cage in the UK coming here to me. I'd have wound up paying $ 300.00 US for it. :-)

[SKB_Hamsters]

LOL. I had the same issue with postage when I looked at a Hamster Heaven cage in the UK coming here to me. I'd have wound up paying $ 300.00 US for it. :-)

I really wish shipping between the UK and USA was cheaper.

[DrKMcK]

Me too! :D

[Pebbles82]

You think they'd have invented a teleporter by now! Postage for parcels between the Uk and Europe seems to have got better - quicker and not too expensive. Shame it isn't the same to the US - a lot of the cost seems to be import duties. I once bought something on ebay from the US and had a letter saying I needed to pay £54 import duties before they would deliver it! Or they would send it back. So I said send it back lol!

[DrKMcK]

I like the teleporter idea. In fact, I'd like it even better for human transport. Then I could finally get a biiiiiiggg hamster over there!

[Pebbles82]

Lol! I don't think they're all as big as the ones in that show, but Charlie is quite big - he was big as a baby!