Cut plywoodCut 4- by 8-ft. plywood into two 4- by 4-ft. … Find and mark the centers with your tape measure.Make a compass out of cardboard to draw circles on 4- by 4-ft. plywood pieces: … Cut both plywood pieces into 42-in. circles using a jigsaw or router.Adjust the compass radius and draw a 39-in. … Cut out the 36-in.
Introduction: Cat Exercise Wheel Device
So I have this cat. He is very old and refuses to pass away just yet. In actuality, he accompanied me when I moved to California fifteen years ago. patiently he was there purring all the way. As a matter of fact. when he is fast asleep. poke him and the purring begins.
I fear that he is almost done. Himalayan cat, 21 years. His thin fur requires constant attention, and he won’t leave my laundry room. Instead, he curls up next to the heater and won’t move.
He would spend the entire day outside with me when it was warm. This works amazing on his back legs. Now that it’s snowing, he appears to be fading. Like me he needs to work out.
This straightforward project has become an enormous time waster of two weeks. I’m finally finished, and the process has taught me a lot.
I initially attempted to run him on a treadmill, but it was unsuccessful. A few years ago, I saw a device similar to a hamster wheel, but it was far too expensive.
I reasoned that I could construct one for less money than it would cost to ship a product that would be sold commercially. Additionally, every advertisement features a cat who adores and uses it nonstop. What could go wrong?.
The initial brown base design was a complete disaster driven by conceit, presumptions, and haughtiness. Do not even attempt a support base of this type. it will frustrate and destroy your willingness to live. STEP 4 is EVIL!.
With the major redesign, it is remarkably quiet and has cost only about $75 so far. I’ll have to play with it and see how the cat reacts.
Step 3: Place the Slats
For the purpose of joining the cut lath (slats), use clamping force and friction glue. I started with just 15. Using the plywood edge as a guide, use one edge of the 3D circle to glue sections together to form a ring around the outside. Having both sides as parallel as possible is the aim here.
I held mine in place with a cargo strap. clamp as you glue. This kind of adhesive foams, so your errors should be fixed.
Additionally, I adjusted for any unusual slat warping with some clamps. this was done at 15 sections at once.
Continue until the circle is complete. Verify that there are no 2 36-inch disks attached to the lath. The glue has this unfortunate side effect. Simply strike it from the side to separate any adhesive points. It turns out that the adhesive used in foaming poly style has very little shear strength; flat pieces joined together will not separate, but angular attachments do not adhere.
As I write this it is 1:53 in the morning. I’ve just finished section 53, and glue does take some time to dry. Anyone who knows me will be sickly proud of this number’s significance. I have ensured that the wheel’s exterior is true by using clamps and duct tape.
Go ahead and there might be a strangely sized section as the last I used a lot of foaming adhesive to secure the remaining piece after cutting about a quarter of an inch off its side.
You may have noticed a location change. The later photos were taken in my basement because the workshop was below freezing.
Added bonus. This will destroy your cargo strap. The strap will have tiny adhesive lines on it that will keep you from using it correctly once more. With the soft pink hands, thin lines of hardened razor sharp glue are difficult to use.
Just patiently continue until the circle is complete. I’ve now completed the circle after five days!
Now that everything is fully assembled, let it dry for a few days. In the meantime
Honestly, now we wait…
How to build a cat exercise wheel?
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FAQ
Why are cat wheels so expensive?
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