Well, I am going to start building new cages in the next week or two.. here are my plans and some "plans" I threw together:
The rough dimensions of each enclosure will be 24x48x18 so that stacking will work well.
The interior dimensions will be 22 3/4x46 3/4x16. I plan on trimming the bottom with 1x4 trim and the top with 1x2 and two facing strips of 1x2.
Each enclosure can be made from a single sheet of 5/8" plywood and ~18' of trim (~8' 1x4 & ~10' 1x2) cut as shown on the diagram.
Under the bottom "floor" is a 1 3/8" space allowing for heat tape and airflow between cages. The trim isn't necessary but I feel it will really add to the look.
I plan on having the interior coated with marine epoxy or perhaps spray in bedliner for pickup trucks if its not too pricey.
The doors will most likely hinge from the bottom but I may try to go with sliding again... I prefer a hinged door as there is no 'break' in the center of viewing.
I will most likely be sidetracked and not start building these for a while, but when I do I'll try to document and post pics. If anyone else finds these helpful and decides to use them, please post a pic so we can see as well!
PS I estimated the cost per unit and came up with:
$15 Plywood
$24 1x4 Trim
$20 1x2 Trim
$10 Screws, silicone, and stain.
Total = ~$69
* could be cheaper w/o the trim, but it does look great and doubles as a litter dam!
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