Building cages

[jackelope]

I have a project I'm going to work on that is not trapping related but along the same lines as building your cage traps. I'm curious to know what sort of wire bender or brake you use to build your cages. If you're not using a brake/bender how do you make the nice bends at the corners of your cage traps?
Thanks in advance.
-JB

[ouchfoss]

I just use jigs and heat it with a torch at every bend. Heating it up weakens the metal in that spot on cold rolled steel though. My uncle uses a break he made to do all his bends cold which saves the strength in your corners and then you don't need to buy propane and acetylene.

[wags]

A friend of mine bought a break at Harbor Freight recently for bending cage wire, it works great and was pretty inexpensive. I made one several years ago, I'm sure it cost me more to build one than you will spend on one at H.F.

[Humptulips]

Are you talking about bending the cage wire or the frame which is typically 1/4" round stock?

[Jonathan_S]

Acetylene torches and a jig or cold bending.  I'd be curious to hear more from others about cold bending on a jig because I have a hard dang time getting even lengths and shapes 

Bruce, he is talking about bending the rolled steel I believe.

[Jonathan_S]

Jack, if you're talking about just bending the wire, then I suggest solid wooden beam and a rubber mallet.  Be wary of the direction you bend it in because you might break the little welds.

[jackelope]

I'm talking specifically about bending 14 gauge welded wire mesh to make rabbit cages. I want them to be nice with good sharp 90 degree bends. 

[Jonathan_S]

I'm talking specifically about bending 14 gauge welded wire mesh to make rabbit cages. I want them to be nice with good sharp 90 degree bends.

Then I'd go with a sawhorse or work bench and rubber mallet.  Does that make sense?  You can bend it most of the way by hand and then form everything to a nice crisp angle by tap-tapping with the mallet.

[jackelope]

Yep I get that. Thanks.

[Humptulips]

If you really want some nice crisp bends and you are just doing a few rabbit cages you can do it with a couple pieces of lumber, two clamps and a mallet. I would use a wide piece of lumber like a 2x8 or wider. Clamp the wire between the two where you want the bend and then hand bend followed up with the mallet to get a nice sharp bend.
If you are doing a bunch then I think it would pay you to by a break.

[jackelope]

Thanks for the input, guys. I've got some ideas now.

[Humptulips]

Acetylene torches and a jig or cold bending.  I'd be curious to hear more from others about cold bending on a jig because I have a hard dang time getting even lengths and shapes 

Bruce, he is talking about bending the rolled steel I believe.

It takes a good jig to cold bend and a very solid way to hold the jig. When you cold bend it is hard to keep the rod from slipping a little making length control difficult. You have to have the end of your rod very solidly held so it won't slip when you bend.
Even at that the rod will usually stretch so you have to take that into consideration when cutting your rod to length. I find I have to do a couple tests before I get it just right then you can turn a bunch out. Following up by doing everyone exactly the same is the key.

[Jonathan_S]

Acetylene torches and a jig or cold bending.  I'd be curious to hear more from others about cold bending on a jig because I have a hard dang time getting even lengths and shapes 

Bruce, he is talking about bending the rolled steel I believe.

It takes a good jig to cold bend and a very solid way to hold the jig. When you cold bend it is hard to keep the rod from slipping a little making length control difficult. You have to have the end of your rod very solidly held so it won't slip when you bend.
Even at that the rod will usually stretch so you have to take that into consideration when cutting your rod to length. I find I have to do a couple tests before I get it just right then you can turn a bunch out. Following up by doing everyone exactly the same is the key.

Probably easier in the end to just cut & weld or heat & bend and sacrifice a little strength.  Thanks Sir

[Humptulips]

If you are just making a couple traps you are right. When you start making 40 at a time it saves to gear up to cold bend.

[jasnt]

I'm talking specifically about bending 14 gauge welded wire mesh to make rabbit cages. I want them to be nice with good sharp 90 degree bends.

Then I'd go with a sawhorse or work bench and rubber mallet.  Does that make sense?  You can bend it most of the way by hand and then form everything to a nice crisp angle by tap-tapping with the mallet.

thats what I do. I believe carp has a wooden bender he uses. Said he was going to share it in the tips and tricks thread but prob hasn't gotten time yet.