Homemade X-Pen
 

Ok, got to remember I'm from Alabama and southern AL, lol. This thing was a pia to make too! I wound up finishing in my kitchen, cause its still too hot outside. I will probably do more on it cause the thing still has curves from where the mesh was rolled up. Maybe I'll put more 2x4's on the bottom of it, to make it more square.

I put a pee pee pad in there, and the first thing she did with it was start to chew it up. OMG, that was most of the idea for making this thing.

But at least she's now not confined to her crate when we're not in and out of the house, and at night when I got to sleep.

I used 2 rolls of 24" high, 10 foot long, galvanized "hardware cloth" found in hardware stores by the fences (8.95 roll). I used 1 small box of "double point" tacks (they are like a u shaped nail, 99 Cents a box), and some cutters to cut the wire, which I already had here. And 4-24inch tall 2x4's (untreated lumber) which I already had here. Just a bucket of sweat, and one cut on me, lol.

No, not as pretty as a 50 buck x-pen, but looks so far to be effective, and cheap! And the good thing, I think she really likes it, cause she's no longer whining to get out of her crate all the time!

Now to get her to quit chewing on the peepee pads!

You did great. The only thing I would worry about is the 2x4's falling on her if she jumped up on the wire. I think it would be good to brace the 2x4's from one to the other to prevent that. That's the only thing I thought about.:)

thats a good idea! how much did u end up spending?

Great job!!

Necessity is the mother of invention!
 

Way to go@:) :number1ri :cool88: :interesti :clapsmile :good job: :good job:

Great job, stuff like that makes you so proud isn't it? Maybe if you can connect the logs with long boards running on the top, it'll be more stable?.... just an idea...

When are you coming to NY? Great bob! I also need my yard fenced in!

Great ideas to stablize it! Thanks, any help is much appreciated! I'll need to get a little more wood to do that.

It sure didn't turn out as great as I'd hoped. I've done a lot of projects around my home, that have turned really good. My Dad was a carpenter, and I watched a lot, and when ex's did something, I was the "gofer" (you know, go fer this, go fer that?). You can learn a lot from watching, and fetching tools.

I kinda designed this as I was checking out Lowe's to see what they had, and what I could do for x amont of dollars. I spent about 20 bucks on the whole thing, minus the 2x4's I already had here at the house (which were $2.25 each there).

I just couldn't see spending $50 bucks on an x-pen that she wouldn't be using as she got older and trained. Something else for the attic! Now the crate is another story, I know she'll use it forever, so didn't mind spending on that.

Thanks for the ideas on stabilizing! I'm sure I'll be doing that too.

http://www.wizdog.com/ look at theis site might help with the chewing on the pads. cool ex pin.:)

I just don't want to see her get smashed.

You know how to brace it, don't you? From the top of one board to the bottom of another board...I still think you did great!:D

yea but you may want to brace from the outside so she don't climb out.:)

Well, seems she quit chewing on the pee pee pad. Now she wants to sleep on it, lol. Maybe there is hope after all.

Suppose I'll see in the morning, if she peed in her bed in the crate, or pee pee pad! It always happens overnight!

I LOVE that you did it YOURSELF!:thumbup: :thumbup:
It is a nice size too. After you brace it, here is one more thing you may want to do.....rub clear deoderant on the bottome 12" of the 2x4s so she won't chew on them and get a splinter stuck in her mouth, throat or stomach. You can use the deoderant on other items (like bottoms of kitchen chairs) that you don't want her to chew on either. HAVE fun with your new baby!!!

Thanks for the clear deoderant idea Julz! Looks like I need enough to put all over the pen now.

She climbed out this morning after I went back to sleep! Yea maybe stabilize that thing today, and get a CASE of clear deoderant. :D I wonder if I put it on the pen itself, if that will keep her from climbing?

But did make a lot of progress on the pee pee pad part. She used it for #1 and #2! Now we're on our second pee pee pad!

Progress in very small steps here, and learing from mistakes.

Good for her using the pads! They are little climbers. That's for sure!:D

:good job: :clapsmile :clapsmile And men say we can't do it because we are a woman. Thanks for proving them WRONG!!!

Hey,
I was just looking at it and you know I bet 6 small metal stakes (three going down each side secured with metal clamps (they have a bendable clamp kind for plyers) would hold it up nice and not have any wood. You might have to have the people at the hardware store cut the stakes to right length. Good job on doing something yourself!:thumbup:

The stakes I'm talking about are made for fencing in lots. They have small holes going down them for the clamps to be twisted through to secure to the wire. The stakes we have here for our out door fencing are green if that helps?

Oh, guys, I just got so tickled! I was sitting here reading this thread and I was thinking that if she does all of this to that pen that we've suggested that by the time we're done suggesting things and she's done building it that it'll look like Fort Knox!:lol tears

Its liabale to look like Ft Knox anyway, lol.

I need some help in the stablizer, as the fence needs some serious stretching, while I'm nailing. Only so much one woman can do, lol. A cousin called and said he wanted to come visit me tomorrow, so I'll probably rope him into helping me:D

I did put up the piece of plywood in the doorway, and partially behind the frig, while I was gone to get the clear deoderant, but she didn't climb out this time. I put the deoderant on the 4 post, and will probably use the rest for the Oak kitchen table and 4 chairs, and other furniture in the kitchen, lol.

Suppose I need a pick of what you were talking bout Butterfly yorkie. I know the metal stakes your talking about, the green ones. I saw them in Lowe's yesterday, but haven't a clue about what elese you were talking about. This x-pen is inside my house, in the kitchen and I'm not putting the steaks in my cement slab;)

Now I have enough saws to cut most anything! I also own 2 nail guns, one shoots nails big enough to put up my 8 foot wood fence out back, and build a cover for my patio. Other is a smaller one, for baseboards and stuff like that. I also have a skillsaw, a miter saw, and jigsaw. This woman Has some tools:D

We might be from Alabama, but it dont make us as stupid as some seem to think. I think it was a great idea (of course, being from Bama I would lol). No, I cant see paying a fortune for things you can make yourself when its gonna be just for temporary use. we bought 2 peices of shelving and put them together to make a wide fence to fence off our babies from where we have carpet and just keep them in the kitchen, dining room and my computer room. close the bedroom doors and one of the bathroom doors. they have my whole kitchen, dining room, utility room, computer room and hall to run and play in. Their doing much better on the outside potty training than they did, now they usually only ever pee at the back door I cant get to it in time to let them out. I think carpet just attracts them to want to pee on it. ha. very good job on your expen. I agree with the stabalizer for the fence post. but that wont cost hardly anything either. Your a smart lady.