Broomer Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Hello all, just wanted some input on a playstand that I've designed on photoshop. Some of the parts I have a feeling I'll have to special order, but all in all I do believe it's workable. The main part in question is the 5-way PVC connector seen here, but I haven't tapped into all my resources yet, so I'm sure I'll find them: http://www.northernpvc.com/images/CON-PVC-5Way-Bevel.JPG I plan on using the flexible PVC tubing instead of hulahoops (That seems to be the norm) for a sturdier Sphere. Here is my design so far, any suggestions would be welcome! Also, we plan on adding a Boing above it for Loki's swinging pleasure, since the Sphere is stationary. (I hope it makes sense, it does to me, but I know I can me a bit .. "out there" :silly: ) http://www.birdboard.com/forum/attachments/do-your-self/28561d1217039287-help-future-play-gym-d-new-pirch.jpg<br><br>Post edited by: Broomer, at: 2008/07/26 04:46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 The link won't let me in unless I logon. Can you post the picture here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Same here Broomer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 Hmmm, good point. Here ya go: http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k470/lokicag/NewPirch.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Great plans there,i cant wait to see the finished product once you have made it be sure to add some pictures for us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 {Emotions-0002007D} Oh my :blink:, just did the math on what supplies i'll need for ths project: Connectors: 36 Angled-3 way: 6 Seen Here Angled-4 way: 10 Seen Here 5-Way connectors: 6 (all for hoop) Seen Here 90 Degree elbow: 2 Seen Here 3-Way Tee joint: 12 Seen Here --------------------------------- PVC Piping: (not including front bar for net) 67 feet of PVC piping ... YIKES! :pinch: (rounded up to 70 for mistakes ... though i'll probably end up needing 80 :whistle:) --------------------------------- Flexible PVC: (hoops are 25.3 inches in Diameter) 20 Feet (6.667 feet per hoop) --------------------------------- 3/8 inch poly rope - 25 foot lengths: 6 --------------------------------- Vet wrap: oodles. (My new measurement standard :lol: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slmclean Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 sounds like you are going to have fun with it, let us know how it goes and good luck:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 Oh, I'm sure I will, the wife is gonna laugh at me when I tell her what I'm going to need ... I'm sure I'll get a "Yeah, you have fun with that" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 {Feel-good-0002006E} Thats alot of supplies :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 It won't be THAT much :silly: .... until we try to get it A ) into the car ... and B ) Into the Condo :pinch:<br><br>Post edited by: Broomer, at: 2008/07/27 23:07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 :woohoo: Oh! I just realized I can replace most, if not all of the 3-Way Tee joints (Seen Here) with: These! That will cut down on my cutting of the PVC piping but a whole lot, and instead I can use 1 simple screw to hold it in place... Glad I didn't start ordering parts yet hehe {Feel-good-000200A2} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 {Feel-good-0002006E} This is so funny, i wish other members would pop in & have a read,it's one way of getting my daily laugh :side: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 You are using 1.25 inch PVC piping? Seems very thick -- do you have a larger bird? Where did you find that slip connector? (obviously online) Do you find a local source for those, or are you going to order online? I've shopped Lowes, Menards, and True Value and didn't see anything like that; that looks like an IDEAL connector, as it will add to the strength of the device to not have all those short cuts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Hi n2fisher are you going to be building a play gym ? or made any in the past ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I've put together two PVC stands .. your basic floor stand with one horizontal bar. I haven't glued them, just pushed them together tightly. Lets you rearrange it as needed. I've used 3/4" and 1/2" tubing on the two stands -- the first one had 1/2 for the base and vertical, and 3/4" across the top, letting Gandalf have a good size perch. The second one was all 3/4" .. a bit sturdier. The second one was designed to fit in the bathtub, so Gandalf could "shower" with me -- complete failure as he clearly told me he didn't like it. (I'd tried taking him in the shower on my arm previously, he wasn't real comfortable, so I thought that having a stand in there might help). Didn't work .. he just didn't like showers. (see my post on bathing my grey for my later success with him) The second one I also tried putting different levels on it -- putting a T on one side and going up a variety of levels (I first tried about 8 inches, then shortened it to 4 inches, and tried other combinations). He didn't like it one bit .. he sat on the other side of the stand. I could put him on the upper level, but he quickly got down to the base level and moved away from that side. So .. these two stands that have been shown here look exciting to me; I'll probably copy the other one and make one like it. I've never seen the "sphere" concept nor do I quite understand what he would do with it -- looks to be a bit of an overkill for a third attempt at something Gandalf might like. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/86094-mikas-new-playstand.html is the other stand that I'm going to try to build .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I've put together two PVC stands .. your basic floor stand with one horizontal bar. I haven't glued them, just pushed them together tightly. Lets you rearrange it as needed. I've used 3/4" and 1/2" tubing on the two stands -- the first one had 1/2 for the base and vertical, and 3/4" across the top, letting Gandalf have a good size perch. The second one was all 3/4" .. a bit sturdier. The second one was designed to fit in the bathtub, so Gandalf could "shower" with me -- complete failure as he clearly told me he didn't like it. (I'd tried taking him in the shower on my arm previously, he wasn't real comfortable, so I thought that having a stand in there might help). Didn't work .. he just didn't like showers. (see my post on bathing my grey for my later success with him) The second one I also tried putting different levels on it -- putting a T on one side and going up a variety of levels (I first tried about 8 inches, then shortened it to 4 inches, and tried other combinations). He didn't like it one bit .. he sat on the other side of the stand. I could put him on the upper level, but he quickly got down to the base level and moved away from that side. So .. these two stands that have been shown here look exciting to me; I'll probably copy the other one and make one like it. I've never seen the "sphere" concept nor do I quite understand what he would do with it -- looks to be a bit of an overkill for a third attempt at something Gandalf might like. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/86094-mikas-new-playstand.html is the other stand that I'm going to try to build .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 n2fisher wrote: You are using 1.25 inch PVC piping? Seems very thick -- do you have a larger bird? Where did you find that slip connector? (obviously online) Do you find a local source for those, or are you going to order online? I've shopped Lowes, Menards, and True Value and didn't see anything like that; that looks like an IDEAL connector, as it will add to the strength of the device to not have all those short cuts! Not going to use 1.25, just using the pictures as an example :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 n2fisher wrote: I've never seen the "sphere" concept nor do I quite understand what he would do with it -- looks to be a bit of an overkill for a third attempt at something Gandalf might like. I'm trying to make it before Loki comes home in September, And I went for the "Sphere" after the Hoopball I've seen people make, just gives him the ability to hang upsidedown, sideways, or anything he likes. I just liked the Hoopball/Atom challange and thought it woudl add a little spice to the stand We're going to hang a boing above for his swining pleasure. We are, however, going to look in a few stores in the next few weeks to see if there are any premade perches .... after doing the math the one i've designed could cost up to $300 ... soooo I could just build it later when we get a bigger place. :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Wow, it sounds really exciting! I wish i could get my act together and make a playstand for my bird. I keep wanting to order a manzanita tree stand but then i change my mind (because of the cost) and think I'll just make something...but I never seem to have the extra time/motivation to do it because if I do have any free time I'm playing with my bird or cleaning bird cages or the house... it's an endless cycle. I've been looking at those "atoms" too but they are so expensive. Anyone know where you could buy the stainless steel rod and rope to make a bird-safe one of those for cheap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 The Atoms can be made rather easily (relativly speaking) out of hulahoops. On Birdboard.com they have a Do it yourself thread on how to make one. Seems easy enough. I just had to take it to the next step and take it from the "Not to hard" to the "What in the heck was I thinking" stage .... something I practice regularly and seem to excel at :woohoo: Here is the link on the Birdboards site: http://www.birdboard.com/forum/how/25942-hoopball-diy-project.html You have to register to see it though. BUT it's just another birdy forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I can't wait to see the finished product:laugh: :blink: :whistle: :lol: :woohoo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 n2fisher wrote: Where did you find that slip connector? (obviously online) Oh, I found a picture online. I'm going to check localy though, since that website are charging 1.50 - 4$ a pop depending on the connector. meanwhile I know I can get a few of the connectors at Home depot for .70$ Anyone know what size PVC I should be using for a CAG? I was figuring 3/4 inch, but I have no idea if that would be big enough. The Sphere will be 1/2 inch and then wrapped with 3/8 Polycord, which will beef it up. The rest I was going to Vetwrap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 My CAG is very happy with 3/4" pipe with vetrap around it. I dug out my supplies from the last time I was building .. have a receipt in it dated Dec last year; 41 cents for a 3/4 tee, $2.69 for 10' of 3/4 pipe. I don't see this project costing anywhere near $300. As I said, I checked Menards, Lowes, and True Value previously; haven't seen the slip-T's, so you may have to skip those and do the extra cutting. I as well found them online for $4 or so. Not worth it!! Even a "warehouse" site sells them for that much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 I've found a few electrical supply stores around here that sells PVC, going to go check them out tomorrow to see what they have. And the price at $300 I've widdled down to 200 so far by double checking prices at various other stores. One big part was the Polycord. Kim (Wife) said she saw the price at $19 per, and I thought they were 25' lengths ... they were 100' :blush: hehe, so that's $80 right there. As for the ease for the slip-T's, I'd gladly spend a little more for those since I can avoid a bunch of cuts, and for under the poop-tray I can keep them loose for cleaning the pipe. As for the Home Depot and Lowes here in Canada, if I remember correctly, the 10' PVC 3/4 pipes were $8 per .. sooo shows the inflation and differences here in Canuck-land :pinch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2fisher Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Ouch! Prince inflation in Canada? What are you using the polycord for? Not sure what you do with it. I presume you've looked at Mika's playstand elsewhere on this board. I'm looking to build something similar to that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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