DIY Cage plans materializing...

**Hamtastic** · 02-03-2012, 12:55 PM

*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)

from an IKEA Expedit 4x4 case:

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

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 · 02-03-2012, 01:52 PM

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 · 02-03-2012, 02:16 PM

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

**Hamtastic** · 02-04-2012, 02:53 PM

Ok, so here's my plan

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** · 02-04-2012, 03:32 PM

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

**Hamtastic** · 02-04-2012, 03:33 PM

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

Then will be working on the rest of the materials during the upcoming week.

StarlightSerenity · 02-04-2012, 03:36 PM

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 · 02-04-2012, 03:37 PM

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** · 02-04-2012, 03:54 PM

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** · 02-04-2012, 04:01 PM

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.