DIY Depot Cube

[Ghostie]

OK noticed the cube was popular. Figured I'd do a step by step DIY tutorial.

Here is how to build the cube. Next I will show how to install the screen.

Note, this isn't for the faint of heart. Some mechanical assembly experience necessary or you might drill a finger off.

Let us begin by writing up bill of materials.

12 x wood dowels from Home Depot 12" long by 3/4" wide by 3/4" thick. part # 659649 - $0.69 ea

1.5" screws. (also called 1 1/2"). Galvanized or coated so they don't rust. Shown package of screws cost $2 and is overpriced, but worked nicely.

1/8" wood drill bit

3/16" wood drill bit

"Phillips" head screw driver bit to fit the screws

"Countersink" bit (in the pictures I am using a type of milling bit)

Electric drill motor or Rechargeable cordless drill

Heavy Duty Stapler.. will be discussed in the screen installation section when I get there.

Staples... size will be discussed in the screen installation section

Aluminum window screening roll cost about $10

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Now that we have that out of the way let's begin assembly.

You will want to use a nice flat building surface to hopefully get the cage "squared up" proper so it's not leaning like the Piza Tower when you're done. :turned: I chose my bathroom sink since I am in a tiny one bedroom apartment. The neighbors should love me after all the noises I make. Might take a few bucks off the ol security deposit here and there too so be careful not to gouge the counter tops.

The first step will go something like this.

Take your 1/8th inch drill bit and set it up in your drill chuck. Hold one square dowel to the other as shown in the picture and drill through one and into the other. Note the screw I have placed in the picture. You are drilling this first hole as a "pilot hole" so you do not crack the wood when you insert the screw and the wood expands. This drill can be a bit tricky and you really need to watch your angles and fingers etc etc.

You go through the first board and all the way into the second board with as long as you need to match the screw length for the right depth hole. In the photo that is a two inch screw but we will be using 1.5". It's ok to drill a bit deeper or whatever as long as you get it deep enough.

Now you will need to remove the 1/8th inch drill bit from your drill and install the 3/16's inch bit. Take the 3/16" and run it through the first dowel you drilled through. This enlarges only the hole in the first dowel and not the second. I do this to create a "clearance hole" so the screw will slide easily through this dowel and screw into the next.

See the larger bit through the first dowel?

Now you will need to countersink your clearance hole you just drilled. This creates a pocket or a seat for the screw head with the correct angle. You can either recess the screws or just get them flush with the surface of the wood depending on how deep you drill the countersink bit. Here's a fuzzy before photo.

...and here's how it looks after being countersunk.

Here's some examples of screws installed and the reason we countersunk. So no screw heads stick out of the cage.

Now I will grab a 1.5" screw (was using the 2" screw for reference since it's nice and big and easy to see)

... and screw the first dowel with the countersunk clearance hole into the second with the 1/8th inch pilot hole as shown.

Just get it "finger tight" for now as we will be tightening all the screws down later to keep the cage square. Here is what you should be left with if you followed along closely.

 

[Ghostie]

Now,

grab yourself another new dowel, line it up as shown and drill a 1/8th inch pilot hole through the first and into the second. Be careful to drill this hole slightly above the last hole you drilled, so you do not run into trouble when the bit hits your first screw. Study the picture carefully.

Switch back over to your "clearance bit", which is the 3/16's inch bit, and drill your hole for clearance on the top/first dowel. Study the pictures closely here.

Go ahead and countersink that clearance hole.

Now using your 1.5" screws, attach the third dowel by using the second countersunk clearance hole in the first dowel into third dowel pilot hole.

You should be left with a "cage corner" as shown here. Disregard the toothpaste or use it as size reference, whichever you chose. At least I brush!

From this angle it looks like a Indian TP.

 

[Ghostie]

You will want to build two of these "cage corners". Go ahead and make the second one up now and lay them out as shown to make sure you have built the right objects like shown.

Now take one of the cage corners, and attach another vertical dowel to it using the techniques outlined in the first few steps. Study the picture carefully. It should answer all your questions.

Now apply one more dowel to the mix. You should now have a side that looks like a cage corner, and another side that looks like three cage corners. Study the pics closely. You will need to attach both of these together to form half of a cage. Use the attaching techniques outlined in the beginning few steps of the tutorial, alternating between your pilot bit, your clearance bit, your countersink bit and then the 1.5" screw. You will need to do this twice in this step.

...and you will have hopefully ended up with half of a cage.

Now you can start closing the cage off the rest of the way by installing the remaining four dowels between the other vertical cage dowels from the previous steps. Use the assembly techniques outlined in the first few steps of the tutorial. Study the pictures closely!

After all four of the final dowels are installed it should come out looking like this. Now you can square it up by pushing all the corners down against the table while tightening the screws. You can set some lifting weights on it if you want to help with this but be careful you don't drop them and crunch your toes. Or worse, dent the counter top.

Next time I feel energetic we will get to installing the screens and doors.

Here is how your cage frames should look when complete. To be continued.

Let me know if you find any of this helpful, have questions or liked/used my DIY! I know the folding net butterfly cages are nice but for folks who caught their mantis at home and don't like to order or if you just want a stackable unit, a unit that can handle more heat or a nice old fashioned home made look, these might be for you!

Don't get me wrong, I dig the nice net folding cages too!

 

[eur0pein]

how do u get the mantis into the net cage, from the last picture it looks like the is no door.

 

[LauraMG]

It's an open bottom cube. I don't think he's figured out a door yet, have you Ghostie? I need to get something like this for my newly found Carolina who's about to come unglued in it's deli cup. Thanks for the detailed instructions buddy!

 

[Rick]

Curious about a door. There has to be away to make one. Perhaps make a small square out of smaller dowels in one corner of the larger cube and somehow fit a hinged door to it.

 

[mantidsaresweet]

This is awesome! Thanks for taking the time to put this up. I'm going to try this once you put up the screening part. This is really cool and I can't wait to make my own. Thanks again!

 

[Ghostie]

I will get to the door sooner or later.

For now I teleport the mantids inside. hehe. I actually have not used the cubes yet for more than a few minutes while cleaning mantid cages but will need them soon with all my Chinese and shields. They're all getting huge already. The mantids can grip the screens no problem.

I have a few ideas for the door but need to pick up some hobby plywood and dig up my hacksaw.

One other thing is this cage won't keep the ants out and the mels in, but as a trade will keep in the crickets.

 

[nickyp0]

I will get to the door sooner or later.

For now I teleport the mantids inside. hehe. I actually have not used the cubes yet for more than a few minutes while cleaning mantid cages but will need them soon with all my Chinese and shields. They're all getting huge already. The mantids can grip the screens no problem.

or just put ghost mantids in there after all they are ghosts lol

 

[eur0pein]

i would put a smaller square inside the open square and put some small hinges on one side so u can see them and they are flat when the door is closed and then put a lock or something on the opposite side.

 

[Ghostie]

I won't be able to get to the doors until this weekend.

I'm trying to prevent having to saw the square dowels to make a door.

There are many ways it can be done which is half of the fun!

Plexiglass doors that you can see through better than screen, no door at all or whatever your desire.

Use your Imantisnation on this one.

I will post more on these when I have more progress on them.

 

[Precarious]

I would twist the frame around into a Mobius strip. That way the mantids will think they're trapped but it will really just be a two-dimensional, artificial, open-air worm hole feeding back into itself. Then I'd install a small black hole above to reduce the earth's gravity so the mantids will get as big as dinosaurs.

I think black holes are on sale this week at Lowes. Yeah, I just checked the Sunday paper. Half off all black holes! ^_^

 

[Ghostie]

That's definitely a good mantis imagination there! :lol:

Whatever does the trick! I like the mobius strip so the mantids won't think their enclosed after all.

 

[LauraMG]

I would twist the frame around into a Mobius strip. That way the mantids will think they're trapped but it will really just be a two-dimensional, artificial, open-air worm hole feeding back into itself. Then I'd install a small black hole above to reduce the earth's gravity so the mantids will get as big as dinosaurs.

I think black holes are on sale this week at Lowes. Yeah, I just checked the Sunday paper. Half off all black holes! ^_^

Ingenious!

 

[Precarious]

Ingenious!

Glad to see you're all on board. I'm heading out to Lowe's now...

 

[LauraMG]

Glad to see you're all on board. I'm heading out to Lowe's now...

Send me one when you're done

 

[eur0pein]

I would twist the frame around into a Mobius strip. That way the mantids will think they're trapped but it will really just be a two-dimensional, artificial, open-air worm hole feeding back into itself. Then I'd install a small black hole above to reduce the earth's gravity so the mantids will get as big as dinosaurs.

I think black holes are on sale this week at Lowes. Yeah, I just checked the Sunday paper. Half off all black holes! ^_^

what do u mean by a black hole

 

[Precarious]

what do u mean by a black hole

You know, a point-like object of infinite density, able to warp the very fabric of space-time. I find them to be the best means of countering the gravitational pull of the earth.

Just don't get too close! Hit the event horizon and you're theoretically done for. I mean you'd exist in that moment for an eternity, but that sounds pretty boring to me.

 

[Ghostie]

While were on the topic of things we can't see, here's a picture of one.