boaphile plastics is starting to piss me off....

Too be honest im not even sure if they gave me a time frame but i think it says on thier site 4 to 6 weeks and its about week 6 now so if it doesnt come in soon im going to be an even more pissed off customer. This just isnt right Topshelf i agree they should do the deposit because its kind of uncomforting when you send all this money and who knows i may not receive it for another month....

"we got your money, youll get your cage when we finish it, on OUR schedule..."

I agree with that statement....
It's unfortunate, but once a company/person has your money the sense of "control" a customer has is lost, and is in the hands of the company. I think the 50-50 rule is a fair proposition...

"Boidaddic14" have you tried constructing a rack? They are VERY VERY VERY easy to build. Home Depot sells all the melamine broads already pre-cut. I've built racks, which cost me $50-100 for the material. I've seen similar racks being sold for $400-700!!!

The melamine boards look just as nice as any plastic rack (if not better). The only disadvantage is the weight, but it's not like you're going to be moving it around everyday...

It was just a thought, and an option for you in the future....

Peter Fromme

I think you have convinced any whom cared to argue anymore Chris....

Im pretty sure im gonna start building my own racks out of melamine lt's just alot cheaper and it sickens me looking almost identical to the ones we buy for like 8 times more.
Their was a website mike sent me and it looked really simple to build

Has me thinking. I have excellent acess to ACAD with which I can send cutting directions to the computer driven machinery to cut all the necessary parts for caging. Access to Melamine and so many other parts which would make cage design and construction a snap. Beginning this weekend I'll see if I can't work out some plans and transfer them to my system at work so that all the components could be cut out, packaged and then sold to buyers for home assembly with easy to read directions. Even have a friend who does technical writing for a living and could probably get him to do the instruction sheet for assembly. I'd be interested to see who might be interested in something like this. If you would consider it IF I can get the price in a reasonable range, please drop me an e-mail and let me know. Suggested sizes for caging/racks would also be appreciated. I've got a Matrix rack here I can use for an example, but would love to hear other ideas and suggestions.

I'm serious folks, put your thinking caps on and start flooding my inbox with ideas. I'll surely do some for myself just to see how it works out and to see how inexpensively I can get the work done (and how quickly) and also to see how simple I can get final assembly so that even the person with the worst skills imaginabe can assemble it right in their own home.

Thanks in advance and I'm looking forward to hearing from folks.

David

I am also planning on making my own melamine racks... I will make them so they are compatible with 16, and 32qt sterilites. That way I can house adults and youngins in the same rack, without having to have multiple racks.

great idea an idea could have a large boid rack like freedom breeders maybe because theirs is upwards of 2 grand! just an idead not sure if it would work or not

Eric Weintraub

LOL

The problem is not in the design of the current cage manufacturers or the materials they are using. The problem is in the money and planning to build 6 - 8 weeks worth of sales before opening shop (pre buying materials and paying laborers). Considering the margins that the current cage manufacturers have wheedled themselves down to it is hard to find someone to invest that type of funds in the venture (stock market or real estate is a much more lucrative investment field right now).

If you came up with a great way to manufacture the cages or racks within 4 weeks you would be in the same boat as the current manufacturers without proper funding and planning as demand drove you to the brink of insanity.... and competitors starting dumping prices thinking that is the way to compete (removing your reason for building cages in the first place).

It helps that I work in a custom cabinet shop and if this would work out, then I could order the materials right along with the regular orders, would be a simple run and since actual assembly would be at the buyer's home, by the buyer, then it would cut lead time to maybe a couple of weeks (order made, materials ordered, parts cut, packaged for shipping and estimate days for ground delivery to reduce total costs.) Setting it up and arranging the time and everything with the boss would be the hardest. I'll begin checking out prices for materials first of the week and begin working out designs and as detailed a description as possible. The company owner and I were talking a week ago about looking for a product that could be run on a steady basis (or fairly steady) which would sustain the company even in slower times of the year. We're currently running dog hotels for somebody in the New England area and this would be little different. I think I could "sell" the idea to him for running them fairly easily. It'll be well worth it just to work it up and take the idea to him. With the way we're set up, I could run just about any size imaginable as long as the materials can be purchased in the right size for larger cages. Looking for something large enough to house a burm or retic...how about outside dimensions of 8' long by 4' deep and even 3' or 4' tall. Probably more expensive than a smaller rack, but size ceases to be a major issue with the ine of thinking I running with right now.

David