My latest build progress

Beg, steal and borrowing is always the best approach! All the tools I use are my old mans! Plus he has a garage to work in which is perfect!
 
Sadly, still no mesh.... Getting seriously f***ed off with this now! But until it arrives (whenever it arrives) all I've been able to do is plant the base. Here are the pictures:

First, i put a couple of inches of compost in and pressed it down hard:

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Then i added a fine sprinkle of this:

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Its slow release plant food and will help the plants stay alive:

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Then repeat this again and fill it to the right level so that the plant bases will sit just below the rim:

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Then put the plants in:

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Then fill it with compost until you're just below the rim making sure you push it down too keep the compost fairly compact and give it a good soaking:

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Here is the tube to the bottom if any water is needed to be removed from the base - but it shouldn't:

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As a bit of a trial, I'm using a 6500k bulb to see if I notice any growth/movement in the plants. I'm hoping to see the leaves turn to face it if it does what I hope it does.

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That is all for now! Just waiting on this stupid mesh to arrive! Once it's here I'll be done in a few hours! I seriously hate waiting!
 
Cheers mate! Nor can I! Once the mesh is in place, I can build the whole thing and get the other bits of wood/vine in there! Then I just have to try and find myself my ambilobe! Blue bars are impossible to find in the UK! :(
 
Is it not an option to ship from the states? I guess the time for shipping would be too long. I am gonna get the table i showed you and start my project next paycheck!
 
It could be, but it would take a long time which would be bad for the cham. I may have just found a diego suarez (my favourite locale) so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed till the guy gets back to me!

Sounds like a great plan to me! How do you think you're gonig to do it? The trickiest bit will be making all of the side flush. If you get it right it will look amazing!
 
I am just going to have like five foot trim for corner pieces in all of the corners of the table. Nail them into the inside, and just wrap the mesh around the outside. I don't know if that makes sense, but I have it in my head...
 
I think I get what you mean, but dont know what you mean by "trim"? I'd probably make each side seperately (ie 8 rectangular sides) and just fit them on individually using "stripwood" to fill the gaps that would appear between each side panel (the inside edges would all touch, but due to the angles of the octogan base, the outer edges would be slightly apart). I don't if that makes sense, but i might draw a design tomorrow if i get a free moment!
 
i see what you mean...they wouldn't have 90 degree angles, so it would have to have a different edge to it...hmm..if you get the time to do that, that would be great
 
two pieces that were right angle triangles could fit together to form the angle...something to this effect from the top..
 

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two pieces that were right angle triangles could fit together to form the angle...something to this effect from the top..

That's not bad, but that sort of wood can be quite expensive. Plus there would be the slight overhang on each join. This is what I meant:
Idea.png

Where the gaps are on the outside (due to the angles) I'd fill it with expanding foam, cut it off flush to the edges (creating a really small side if you will) then cover it with a piece of fine strip wood (just gluing it on will be enough). Something like this:
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...refview=search&ts=1273398001912&isSearch=true
Sorry that's from a UK store but I dont know where you'd fine it in the states. This would overlap a little onto both sides that it joined and should look quite elegant. If you wanted, you could use a dado rail with a similar pattern to the base to cover these gaps so that it would look inkeeping with the design of the base.

Hope that gives you some inspiration!

This cage is going to be kick:eek:!!! Awesome work. Wish I was more handy with wood:rolleyes::D Cant wait to see it finished.

Looks great, looking forward to the finished product!

Thanks! I may even have the cham to go in it next weekend too when I want to have it finished! :D That could be a very good weekend! :D
 
Ah! Quite nice sir! Thanks a ton. I may have found the same thing in a square shape, which would be easier...not nearly as impressive when the work is done though. We shall see
 
A square base would be considerably easier, but you're right, an octagonal shape would be cool! I like square bases as it just makes them easier to fit in places and there's no dead space around that isnt being used if you push it into a corner etc.
 
Yeah, it'll make it a lot easier! I'll be looking out for your build thread when you get it going! I have the mesh! Finally! I will be complete this weekend now!
 
Right, I think I might kill someone now. I opened the mesh up fully today and noticed that once again, it is short of the full order. I only received 2m not 3m! I can't believe it! I am so annoyed right now that you wouldn't believe how much! I'm getting my cham on Friday which means I need this mesh by Thursday at the latest to get it finished! Not to mention, I want to test the temps with the mesh in (I've already run it without but it might make a difference!).
 
This is pretty much the only place that you can get this from! :( Rather pissed off right now, but I'll make do somehow! I have something I can use temporarily if I dont get the replacement stuff through!
 
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