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Old May 23, 2013   #68
Rockporter
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Texas Coastal Bend
Posts: 3,205
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Originally Posted by Rockporter View Post

I have designed a whole new way to hold the cages on the earthboxes, the old way using multiple zip ties won't be used on my boxes anymore.

Items needed to complete the job.

Drill 1/8"
scrap piece of soft wood
Small Crescent Wrench
Yard Stick
12" ruler
Permanent marker-any color as long as you can see the marks you make on the earthbox
Bolts- Phillips Oval Mach SC 8/32 x 3/8"( otherwise kown as a countersink bolt).
Nut to fit-using 10 of each per earthbox
Washers-#8 using 20 per earthbox
Cable Clamps- 1/4" using 10 per earthbox-I did use some 3/8" cable clamps because there were not enough of the 1/4" cable clamps available in stock.

The photos below show the box using 3/8" cable clamps but I do like the 1/4" cable clamps better.
Zip Ties-8" using 10 per earthbox

The bolt has to sit flush into the base or you won't be able to put the zip ties in.

This design will only work for you if you choose to drill holes into the sides of your earthboxes. I used a washer on the outside base and inside the box to provide support and it is very strong. I don't think there will be any issues with this design but I cannot promise anything either.

This is a much stronger, tighter and nicer looking way to keep the cage on the boxes and if you use releasable zip ties you will not be cutting them off at the end of the season. You would just release and redo your boxes.

Step 1
Using a yard stick held up to the long side of the box make three marks on the rim of the earthbox- I used 4", 14" and 24". These marks allowed a good spacing between all three of the bases I added to the box on each long side.

Follow this same design on the short sides, only use two marks- I used 4" and 8" marks to get a good spacing.

Step 2
using a ruler placed underneath the lip of the box measure about 1.5" down and make a mark. Do this below each mark you made on the lip of the box.

Step 3
Using the drill, drill a hole into the hole of the base piece, drill through the padding and stickiness, do it quick because the sticky can come off and make a mess of your drill bit. This hole will be used to attach the base to the outside of the earthbox using the bolt/nut/washer. I placed the bases top side up on a board to do the drilling and made quick bursts of power to get it done. Cleaned the bit a couple times but you will get the hang of it.


Step 4
After you put the holes in all 10 of your bases using the drill, take one of your bolts and put it through the hole on the top side and hold there. Peel off the paper from the double sided tape attached to the base and place a washer over the bolt and press onto the sticky side. Remove the bolt and repeat with all 10 bases.

Step 5
Now take these parts and place them on the outside of your box at the marks you made, the tape will hold it on. Use your drill to drill a hole right through the middle of the base and the earthbox. I used a piece of wood on the other side of the earthbox to support the plastic while the drill did it's work. It worked well, there was no splitting of the plastic, only nice holes drilled.

Step 6
Now place your bolt from the outside in, add a washer on the inside and then place the nut on the bolt and tighten with a crescent wrench. If you are using the right size bolts you will have a nut that sits flush with the bolt end leaving a smooth surface. I was concerned about a longer bolt scratching me when I was reworking a box, and with the right length of bolt there is no chance of that occurring.

Step 7
Take one of your cable clamps and place it onto your cage, place it with the bent section pointed toward the cage, not away from it. You will understand when you put it on and basically it will look upside down.

Step 8
Take a zip tie and thread it through the bottom and top sections of your base and then thread through your cable clamp holes. Tighten the zip tie just a small bit so you can come back and adjust all of the zip ties and set the cage just how you want it.

This was really easy to do and I don't see any problems in the future with the design. My husband likes it alot, it looks nice and is very stable.


Here are the photos;
Oops, this is missing a key piece on the list of needed items. Cable tie bases can be purchased at Lowe's and are right next to the cable ties. They come in black and white, the black would be better suited for outdoors.
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