Making & furnishing my first bin

humfry · 04-01-2014, 07:47 AM

Might not be able to take in a hamster for a few weeks yet but I've been busy preparing a Hamster Palace. Lots of inspiration found on this site, so with a SAMLA bin from IKEA, bolts, nuts & washers from B & Q, mesh & galvanized wire from Wilkinsons, oddments of timber & marine plywood lying around the garage, a roll of willow garden edging from the PoundShop & a tub of PVA glue I've been busy.

The bin lid cut outs were the toughest job - much cursing & several attempts to chop off the odd finger but it is done. The great thing about the IKEA bins is you can buy the lids separately so if you make a complete hash of the job you can get a replacement! I have decided for now not to put in mesh side panels but to drill lots of holes at various level all around - the bin is tough thick plastic & a sharp drill makes very neat holes with no rough edges.

In the photos you can see all the accessories & bits & bobs made so far. A large spread tub makes a wonderful igloo - when/if it get chewed it's easily & cheaply replaced. The water bottle holder is a grated cheese tub with a slot cut vertically for the spout. The holder can be wired onto the side of the bin making it easy to lift out the water bottle for cleaning & refilling. Next time I have an empty cheese tub I'll make a spare.

The willow edging is brilliant - I unwired it all to make loads of sticks then cut them to length & split some to make various ladders, wallbars, seesaw, & a flexi bridge (drilling holes through the sticks & threading stiff galvanized wire. Inspired by the wonderful dowel walls & things elsewhere on the site I made a couple of fences to provide safety barriers to the first floor (a piece of plywood - for which I first of all made a cardboard template to decise where the hatch for the ladder should be. This floor stand on the metal legs of an IKEA Vareira shelf unit - was going to use the actual shelf but it is covered in a perforated pattern which little toes could easily slip into.

Everything wooden is now ready for a sealing coat of dilute PVA. But it will have to wait as I'm away until next week.

Thanks again to everyone here who has inspired all the above - these bin homes are a revolution in Hamster acommodation & such creative fun!

Hope these pictures upload OK - I will do a second post as it only allows me 5

humfry · 04-01-2014, 07:50 AM

Some more pictures.

Have to admit it is ages since I did anything like this but it has brought out the creative side of me for sure! Although getting to grips with saws & drills etc has been hard work it will all be worth it as you can do so much at so little cost, & know that when hammy has destroyed it you can make more!

DexterChloe · 04-01-2014, 08:39 AM

wow! Palace indeed! it looks fantastic.

I love a good bin cage. I don't think I'll ever buy another cage again now.. they are so versatile and super cheap!
Looking forward to seeing all your accessories put to use what a lucky ham it will be!

humfry · 04-01-2014, 09:13 AM

Thank you - but as said it is down to the fantastic inspirational posts already on here giving me ideas. Otherwise I would not have known where to start! It was initially seeing bin cages that made me definitely want to have another hamster - I think I always felt a bit sorry for my past ones in their barred "prison" cages (even though I got generous size ones) - they were never deep enough for them to really dig around with making a total mess everywhere so I ended up standing the cages in large boxes, then felt sorry cos they could only see out by climbing!!

I'll do some more pics when the bin is ready for occupation. Also inspired by those amazing KNUFF shelves I think I will make the first floor like a little garden with a herb/grass floor covering - is there anything I should avoid? did wonder if dandelions would lead to hammy needing the loo quite often!!