Plans and/or guidance for Ferret Box

[Madcowz 0]

Was having a look online at Ferret boxes and I thought they all looked a little expensive. So, I am going to make my own, the sense of satisfaction will be worth any hassle involved in making one.

 

What I would like though is some advice from those who have used boxes and recommendations for features the box should have. I have had a good search through the forums but have yet to find any plans or recommended dimensions.

 

 

What size/design features would you guys recommend for a double box with bow back?

What thickness ply should I use to get the back to bow correctly, and what about the rest of the box, 12mm?

Sloping roof or flat roof?

Sliding lid or individual lids to stop a ferret explosion when out in the field?

If I go down the route of using an old seat belt for the strap, what would I use to attach it to the D ring, ie rivet type things.

Anything else I should think about, apart from hinges, catches and stain, maybe a waterprrof cushion on the top to keep my bum from getting numb?

 

thanks,

 

/Mad

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I have a craftsman built, bow backed ferret box here. I'm sure it cost me in the region of seventy quid?! Maybe that's a skewed memory? But, if ye saw the sheer quality, maybe it wouldn't seem too insane?

 

Anyway, making ye own? 1 / 4 " Marine Ply's what I used. As I remember, it was about fifteen inches wide and had a slide out partition and two part lid. Flat topped ~ so I could sit on it! Probably about ten inches high and a foot deep. I put it together with pins and waterproof wood glue. Gave it several coats of gloss paint, on the outside and away I went.

 

That's about as much as I can remember of it now. But it was light and very strong. As I remember; I bought some rings with screw on plates to take the strap. Wasn't a bow back either. I couldn't be arsed with the extra trouble of making one of those.

 

Just for fun; Here's one made some years back ~ decades, I shouldn't wonder. I now use it to store some old catalogues and papers in.

 

 

S. Young & Sons Ferret Carrying Box

 

 

That one cost me a pretty penny too, as I recall!

[Madcowz 0]

Thanks DS,

 

excellent info as usual.

 

Love that old box, looks well used.

 

I'm going to try a bow backed box as I like the idea and look of them. Need to work out how to pin the strap back on itself after going through the rings. Pictures I have seen look like rivets.

 

 

thanks,

 

/mad

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Hullo again, mate. Well, I'm a lot fresher right now so I just shot off and did what I simply didn't have the oomph to do last night; I picked my way into my over crowded and shamefully piled and cluttered 'Killing Room' (My pest control / trap store) and fished out my own Bow Back. And, lo and behold, discovered where my neoprene strap's got to! Could've stuck this one on my rifle and saved a few euro's! Still, no sense in making the box even more useless than it is. (No rabbits for miles around here, thus I no longer have or need ferrets). Funny though; This box hasn't held a ferret for pushing two years, yet I couldn't keep one of my Dogs away from it! Anyway .....

 

 

What to Aim For

 

 

This one measures as follows: 17" Wide. 9" High. 10" Deep (Widest) x 7 1/2" (Centre of Bow). Split lid and slide out central partition. He's used 1/4" for the bowed back and what looks to be about 5mm for the sides and front.

 

Now, this one came with a seat belt strap. I can't honestly remember how it was attatched etc. because I'd barely had the thing when someone altered it for me, to take my own, loop ended, strap. That being attatched with a simple nut, bolt and washer combination.

 

Two ways to get ye own seat belt sorted out: Get " Strong Stuff " to do it for ye and send the finished thing, complete with rings, ready to bolt on. Or, screw ye loaf and take a tip from one who knows: Forget the old seat belt chestnut. Get with the modern world and buy yeself a neoprene 'Bouncy' strap such as I have on this box and now my rifle! That ye can fit on just as I have. Only I tell ye; Having lugged ferret boxes, telescopes and rifles all over the place for decades now, I'd never again choose to stick anything on my tired old shoulders that didn't afford me the luxurious relative comfort of a neoprene strap. They really Do 'lighten the load'.

 

Go ahead and find / fit a seat belt, if ye wish. But after a few hours lugging that thing about, as it jars, jolts and cuts in, ye'll have this nagging thought in the back of ye mind that maybe, just maybe, that old c*** on the forum was onto something!

[Hob&Jill 258]

Why not just bolt the strap in place, thats what my old box has and that was my Dads going back 30+ years so its good and strong. Its got a hole through the strap, doubled over then a bolt through that and into the wood.

 

Think I would use 12mm, warm enough and light. I would make it 2 compartments, then as you said you wont get that explosion of Ferrets diving out the box!

 

Heres a box I made a while ago, its abit scrappy as I stopped half way through and carried on making about a month later and the wood was abit bent Its got a removable mesh section in the middle, which can be changed to solid. Made out of 12mm ply, probably should have made the roof 18mm, Im a tight b*****d and use what I got lol. Its huge, should be able to make 6 or more jills out.

 

Not sure if you can see the way the lids are shut, its a peg that goes through a hole in the side of the box, into the thicker piece of 2x1 I got on the lid, see? Works really well, better than I throught, nice tight fit and looks good too.

 

The dividing section In the middle can also be removed to create one section if that what you need, then slid back in if needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, the box is abit shabby really but was fun making it.

 

Might look paranoid blocking the address and phone number of the collar but you cant be too careful! lol :ph34r:

 

Edit> forgot something

Edited May 30, 2007 by Hob&Jill

[PETEWINN 5]

I would suggest no smaller than L:15 x W:8 x H:8 inches with L:18 x W:9 x H:9 being my ideal size. Have never made a bow backed one so can't help there.

 

9mm marine ply is best with exterior ply ok. Don't touch interior ply. Use 12mm ply for extra strength but it is not necessary. I sometimes use 6mm ply for the base and lids to save on weight.

 

Pin and glue all joints like ditch says.

 

Treat with exterior woodstain. If you want to be a cheapskate then use gloss paint.

 

Car seat belts make good straps or try a luggage tie down strap.

 

Fix the strap using a 6mm bolt with a large washer on each side and 2 nuts tightened against each other.

 

In true Blue Peter fashion, here is one I made earlier.

[Ossie 11]

if you don't want the seatbelt digging into your shoulder, and you're not too bad at sewing, make a moveable padded section for the strap. like a car seatbelt cover pad. or just get down to halfords & buy one

mum used to make them for F1 teams, even Ayrton Senna had one of hers in his car posh ferret poxes we had, ferrari shoulder pads on them (well, a couple she made got "lost" on their way to the teams :whistle: )

like this-

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...tegoryrn_31346#

[beagles 0]

heres mine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hob&Jill 258]

Thats a tidy box does water get in through the gaps in the lid?

[Guest The Big Fish]

Whatever size you decide to make your ferret box, i feel that it definatley deserves to have either dovetail or box joints on it

Remember its not how fast you build it, its the quality of it whence built

[maty j 6]

you dont do things by halfs do you tbf! dovetails and box's on a ferret box. mine are just glued and pinned like the rest. made one a year or two ago now. i bught a big bow backed but it was just a pain in the arse lugging it around when we were only using 2-3 furts. its a 2 section box sav having ferrets spewing out as was happening with the bow box. its divided down themiddle aswell so i could have my monks in one side and mates in other. does me fine and didnt cost much to make.

 

 

 

 

 

 

i fixed the strap on with screws first and they were making the holes in the webbing strap bigger and was coming off. in the end i used cup washers and may of singed the holes quickly just to tuffen up the edges of it. make sure you use plenty of glue on the base to stop the piss running down your leg.

 

 

 

hth, maty.

[Madcowz 0]

guys,

 

this is great,

 

so good to see all of you putting the time and effort in to make your boxes.

 

Starting to get some good ideas now, esp re the dimensions.

 

keep em coming!

 

 

thanks,

 

 

/Mad

[Guest The Big Fish]

you dont do things by halfs do you tbf! dovetails and box's on a ferret box.

 

It realy is no problem and i think it finishes the box nicely. I was always told that if a jobs worth doing, its worth doing well.

 

Heres a littleun that i have just made for Rabbiteer, just needs its catch and strap and a lick of varnish.

 

 

[darren m 1]

look on the back cover of this weeks country man weekly , some good looking boxs and cheap , theres even a realtree cammo design .

[beagles 0]

Thats a tidy box does water get in through the gaps in the lid?

 

 

 

i dont tend to go out in the rain but i put the bag on the box