How to build a bunny hutch for cheap-part2-completion

I finished the former kitchen cabinet to bunny-hutch last week. Turned out pretty nice. I added a second level with a ramp. Screwed on some scrap 2x4 feet to the bottom using one steel L-bracket per foot to add strength. And used a jigsaw to cut out parts of the hutch so I could staple in the wire mesh I'd picked up at Home Depot.

I ended up having to buy a couple of basic, hinge sets for the doors because one of the original hinges broke off from sheer age I guess.

Total items I had to buy from the local Home Depot were the following..
two sets of hinges for the doors
a roll of wire mesh
one 4' x 8' sheet of cheap plywood
4 L-shaped steel brackets to support the feet
one slide lock

All total, I spent less than $50.00 from beginning till completion of the project.

I re-used old drywall screws and finished off a half-emptied bottle of Elmers wood glue for most of the assembly. Pilot-drilled and counter sank each screw location.

The angled roof was built simply by laying two 1x2 pine strips across the top. The first on it's EDGE at the top of the front side, the second on it's SIDE halfway between the front and back sides of the former cabinet. Then, I lay down a sheet of the plywood I had previously trimmed so that there would be a 2" edge around each side of the hutch. This left gaps of course, on the sides of the angled roof. I covered those up simply by laying in a couple of left-over 1x2 pine strips right underneath the angled sides of the roof plywood.

It looks like decorative trim. Worked out great.

Once I had completed assembly, my wife and I placed the hutch on a tarp out on the front yard and let the children paint the hutch with white latex paint I had on hand.

As soon as we had ensured that every bit of wood had been sealed with a good layer of the white paint (both top and BOTTOM). The kids were given the serious task of beautifying the hutch.



You might feel the need to point out that the hutch looks like it was painted by a bunch of monkeys.



well... that's because, it WAS painted by a bunch of monkeys. Children monkeys.

4 of 5, the climber, felt that he needed to do his best work on the roof of the hutch.
And even 5 of 5 got into the project... mostly helping out by chewing on things and getting underfoot. In the end, she somehow got paint all over her feet and required an emergency feet washing in a bucket of water.



All and all tho, I think they did a great job.

The bunnies now have three times the space to hang out, the kids got to help out and do some empressive painting... and we were able to do it all inexpensively through the creative recycling of materials and hardware.

How to buld a bunny hutch for cheap-part1

We've got bunnies. Two of em. And they're both shoe-horned into this little, tiny cage. It's not fair for the poor little guys.

When we got the two little bunnies as babies, we had intended to buy a nice bunny hutch and keep them out under the shady trees in our backyard. But, then we ended up struggling just to pay basic bills. No money for bunny hutches.

Fine. So what to do... Those little beasties still deserve a decent place to live. And that's when I remembered the manky old kitchen cabinet that we had pulled to install the dishwasher when we moved in. That cabinet was still in the garage.



Using whatever spare pieces of spare plywood I had, I spent some time last saturday installing the second floor of our new little bunny condo. You can see the little hole cut for there sleeping area, and the floor section cut out for the ramp.

Next, I'll cut out some spaces out of the sides and in the doors for windows to allow fresh air to flow through.
I picked up some wire mesh from the local hardware store and will put that in too.

4of5 hung out with me for most of the time I spent on the project. He's been testing the strength of the second floors. ; )

My income was cut back by a thousand dollars a month early this year. It's taken hard work just to make sure the mortgage and student loans are paid each month. Paying for other non-essential things like say, utilities, food, and clothing are covered as best we can for now. At least I have job... there are quite a few people in my neighborhood that don't. Frankly, I don't know how they manage to keep their homes.

You know, if I didn't have to pay about $800. a month to student loans, our little family would be doing alright. I think that if I could go back in time, I'd NOT take out student loans. What's the point of paying massive amounts of money for a college education if the loans hang around your neck like a millstone for the rest of your life? I'd still go to college, but I'd take longer to do it and I'd find a way to do it without loans. Live in a dumpster if I had to so as not to burden my future with these miserable loan payments.

Yeah, I know... enough whining.

For now, I have to make some changes to the plans I had for the trailer. I will be limited to whatever materials I can afford or find to get this project back together. Will definately buy the steel though. Don't want to skimp on the frame. Just gotta save up for the materials, then I can begin welding.

Vintage Travel Trailer-part6-plans

The holidays were great! Filled with laughter and shining-eyed children, who were hopped-up on candy canes and cookies. And I got to hang up our first-ever holiday lights on the new house.

Whoa.. how on earth do you home owners get all those light sets installed and plugged in without blowing several circuits? One of my neighbors simply shrugged and said he just hooks up all the lights and then if he trips a circuit, he throws an extension cord threw an open window or such and plugs the lights in there. Hhhmmph... Obviously, I'm going to have to do some serious electrical planning for adequate lighting for next Christmas.

So while stuffing myself with good food and cowering from the pouring rain, I made some progress on how I want to rebuild the wood frame of the trailer body.

Originally, the walls and ends of the trailer had been nailed to the sides of that mickymouse sandwiched floor set-up. So, in effect, most of the body weight had been resting on the strength of those nails..

Nuh uh... don't like that.

In the drawing, you can see two trailer cross-sections. The one on the left is the original layout. The one on the right is what I plan to do to improve on the original design.



Basically, replace that goofy, cardboard sandwiched between two sheets of 1/4" ply floor with solid, 3/4" plywood sheets. I'll have to shorten the side and end walls so that they rest ON TOP of the floor. The 3/4" plywood floor will be bolted to the steel frame first. Than the walls will be bolted to the plywood floor using upside down carriage bolts. The idea being that should I ever have the need. I'll be able to unbolt the body from the trailer frame and floor without having to completely disassemble the body and aluminum. The upside-down carriage bolts will be hidden inside the cabinets and bed storage spaces. Hidden from casual site, yet within reasonable reach should the need arise to lift the body for future floor repairs.

I'd like to re-use the old aluminum as much as possible. And tho I plan to paint the trailer, I won't be filling in the dents in the aluminum. I LIKE the scratches, dings and dents. They tell the story of the trailers character. And I don't want to lose that. Most of the roof pieces will have to be replaced tho. Thanks to that past attack on the trailer roof by a drug-crazed fool and his awl of destruction.