Thread: Advice Required - Volunteer Project

My way of thinking would be to use half lap joints on the frame. I expect the timber will be thin to ensure that it is light and easy to carry.

Timber on the units I have seen is typically 19-22mm pine, ply is general external ply, or you could get away with masonite. Wire is available from Bunnings and others is short rolls (5m x 900W) or small sheets. Depending on the predators in your area, I think that replacing the hook and eye fastener and toggle catch on the doors with hasp and staples and pin or padlock would be worthwhile. In outer Melbourne we have regular fox raids in the evenings and there are always rogue dogs around. Either would be able to unlock the original catches in a couple of seconds.

If practical, a set of 6 inch wheels on the back and a drawer handle at the front may make it easier to move around, you know the trick where the wheels or slightly off the ground when at rest, but make contact with the ground and lift the back clear once the front is raised in order to move it around. Helpfull inside or out for moving the unit, will work well with a wheelchair ramp, but not much chop for getting up and down stairs.

Might pay to make provision for press stud shade cloth or ply panels for the meshed top and back side for shade purposes if your location is regularly over 25 degrees, probably not a major consideration in the UK.

Cheers guys

I was thinking half laps but then I need to buy a dado set which are pricey. (I couldn't be bothered using a router for such work) )

What about dowels? or other joint?

Two 10x50mm dowels in each join should be more than strong enough.

Looking closely it looks like they have put in screws from the top and maybe used butt joints?

Wouldn't be right to do that would it.......)~~ I have a Kreg pocket hole jig also which I have used once years ago but it just doesn't seem to jell with me using pocket holes, to me its like, I dunno its just not right.

Its funny with the strength of glue these days....last weekend I made a rolling cabinet and table for my garage and just used butt joints and Titebond II with screws.

I realized I made a mistake about 20 mins after gluing...

I tell ya, it took quite a lot of effort to break it apart lol )

Intensive husbandry of rabbits - Department of Environment and Primary Industries

link to the victorian regulations gives you enclosure sizes temperature etc, hope it gives some insight
cheers

I am going to throw a big spanner in the works.

I owned a fairly large rural pet shop and sold thousands of bunny wrabbets over the 18 years of ownership and have seen every type of hutch possible.

Two things you should think about. Firstly, wrabbets love chewing and wood comes close to the top of their favorite things to chomp on.

Secondly, wrabbets pee has a certain 'perfume' that most people do not enjoy in confined spaces. If the base is made of wood, the base will quickly exude "wrabbet oh dear cologne." That's why plastic cages are always the best choice for indoor wrabbets.

In outdoor situations, many of those imported timber cages start falling apart after a few years. Therefore outdoors cages are best made of metal with and where wood is used, it should ideally be where it won't be bunny tooth picks in a short space of time. Treated pine is not recommended if it can be eaten by the wrabbet.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but it is knowledge that should be considered.

Cheers for everyone's help but as I volunteered to build it and they asked for it to be out of wood, that's what I think I will do.

I have a few probs however.

1. I will most likely use pine, would you think 42 * 19mm will be good enough?

2. I was going to use dowels but then I thought, hang on i don't have a jig. As I am buying the timber and the mesh, and Titebond 3 and hinges and screws etc it is going to cost me a lot more than I planned so if possible I don't wish to buy a doweling jig. I then thought I will use my biscuit joiner. Prob is biscuits will be too big for the 42 mm width of the pine. I refuse to use pocket holes. Do you think butt joints, bad nailed then glued and screwed with Titebond 3 would be strong enough? I am tending to think not. I don't wish to use any fancy joinery at all as it will take far too long.

3. SWMBO has let me order a DADO set but it will be at least two weeks away, ie coming from the US.

Please let me know what you thoughts are, much appreciated?

Cheers

Glue and a couple of 70 or 75mm screws in each join should do the trick, just make sure you drill a pilot hole. You can bump it up to 100mm screws if you really want to, but that's probably overkill.