/diy/ - Do It Yourself

Nice, but good luck with that price. $200 is a bit much, considering nicer, bigger trees can be found for less.

> single support, looks unstable

> 2013 not having a tube

> excessive string on dangle mouse, just more to break

2/10 would stare at with contempt and never use

looks like shit mate

>>467018

I listed at $200 because where I live you cant get any cat towers like this for the price. All cat towers are marked up through the roof, such Petco which sell towers smaller then this and for more.

>>467020

Thats one of the flaws for my first tower. The platforms could be more stable but they are relativity sturdy and will support a cat.

I left excess string because its connected to a hook so the owner can adjust to his preference.

I dont have materials for tubes at this time. Keeping it simple.

Im making the same one but i'll be using 2 small L brackets on the sides and extending the supports.

>>467026

Thanks.

I was thinking of also making more. Maybe get half a dozen towers and go to a street sale or festival. I could only imagine some girl dragging her boyfriend in to buying one for their cat.

I also wanted to put posters in store windows to gain attraction. Theres another guy in my city who makes custom cat towers for customers.

>>467033
look for cat shows in your area, and sell them for even higher markup

I build cat trees every once in awhile for christmas presents. i will upload a picture after i finish running errands.

also, op needs to wrap some string around the post so the cats have something to scratch.

>No tube
>No hide-away/box
>Incredibly short
>Unstable
>No way for the cats to really interact with it
>No sissle or anything for the cats to be interested in clawing/clawing
>Ridiculous price

Wouldn't pay a quarter of the price for it. I'm sure it's been a valuable learning experience though.

The material around the central post will be scratched to hell in no time, and looks difficult to replace.

A cat would be happy as shit for a tall tower covered in sisal, with a platform on top and maybe one halfway up. But then again it's the owners you have to impress, not the cats.

>>467038

>>467046

I plan to do a tower with sisal. I bought 300ft of sisal from home depot for this purpose. But for this model I dont see a reasonable area to wrap it.

Nop OP, but, what do you mean by "tubes"?
Can you post pictures of good tower designs?
What does a good tower must have?

>>467056

Op here. I know what he means, pipe a tube or atleast a half tube to serve the purpose as a resting bed for the cat to sit in.

>>467055
You use it instead of the carpet material, but that design is very impractical because it'll be so difficult to replace. The carpet stuff will also catch a ton of hair and become filthy as fuck. Dunno if it'll be harder to sell to typical suburban moron petowners, but I would suggest making more practical designs that are easy to keep clean and maintain.

>>467058 I just dont have the materials to make them. I'd need to get a large pipe to use. Theres a few by the tracks near my house but I didnt see any with a large enough diameter. And I dont like buy fagging.

>>467043
pretty much this
definately add some sisal rope for scratching, and either a box or tube, better both.
id also make one of the platforms into a hammock kinda thing, where you have no solid ground but instead some fabric suspended on 3-4 sides

>>467055
>But for this model I dont see a reasonable area to wrap it.
you should wrap the entire vertical tube.

Op here. Thinking of doing next one like this.

How much was the investment of money? I think I might possibly buy it if I had 2-3 cats. Maybe if the price was 50- it would be a definite.

>>467081 Finally I get some positive feedback in this thread to restore my optimism. I invested $20 in to the carpet. The wood I had laying around so it was free. I also spent $7 dollars on a roll of Sisal rope but was not used on this tower.

The $20 plus 3 days of my time and labor. Of course I had some setbacks and had to reupholster some of the steps and backtracked a bit but my next tower shall go by much more smoothly. I'd sell it for $180.

do cats even use these things?

my cat would just sit in the box it came in

>>467087

Say what.

Besides, its not if the cat uses it or not. Its convincing the owner. I like to portray a modern look and would look like in a house as another piece of furniture.

I'm a not so handy guy, but sometimes come around this board because it's pretty interesting/inspiring.

Just got a 1 month kitten last Wed and would love to try making something like this when she's a bit older...
>>467058
is something like this fairly easy for a first timer? I assume you just need wood and PVC pipe, plus the outer materials? Also would it make sense to make the stand extra heavy (say a layer of metal on the bottom) to add extra support?

>>467103

The difficult part is upholstering. PVC would only be suitible personally to me is when its used as a tube or a half tube for beds or tunnels. Everything thing else is wood. My tower is two 2 x 4's screwed together. You also need a staple gun and contact cement. And carpet of course.

>>467087
Cats love chilling in high places. Put the tower next to a window and it'll be their favourite hangout spot.

> mf if I could sell cat towers for 200 $

stop filling my head with stupid dreams op

> mf if I could sell cat towers for 200 $

stop filling my head with stupid dreams op

Anyone got any cheap or nifty ways to make a sturdy tube?

>>467248
just use pvc

>>467070
>sisal only half the tower
cover ALL of it with sisal, it's essential. I had to cover my cat's eyes when I saw your OP.
You did however inspire me to build one myself. What kind of carpet did you use?

>>467306

Thanks but I think im only going to do the lower half sisal. Got to keep the aesthetic portion of the tower in mind for the owner. I think half the tower in sisal would suffice.

I bought it from a local carpet and flooring store near my house. I just went in and asked for remnants and he brought me in the back and I picked out a roll. It was 6' x 9' If my memory serves me right and I bought it for $10. I also returned to buy another roll near the same dimensions but a different shade.

I dont know the exact carpet but its a pretty expensive one normally, 2.80$ ft/sq I think. Just make sure its not looped carpet, the cats claws will rip it out.

>>467248
Heavy duty shipping tubes, sonotube, shit like that.

>>467317
I'm the guy that told you to ask for remnants, the flooring store owner.

$10 for a 6x9 is a good price. That carpet looks like a more economic one though, the expensive ones are a lot more dense.

something bugs me about the design, probably the fact that the steps go from right to left. that just seems wrong.

as for tubes, you can usually find some strong HDPE 4-inch wide ones in the scrap after a house is built. they're for drainage.

>>467351

It was actually 4ft x 5.5ft for $10. Wrote it down, just remembered.

Checking out habitat for humanity tommorow see what they got.

>>467248
i used tubes that are used to make concrete pillars.

>>467400
This guy has it. Ive made a few before and I use the cardboard concrete pillars.


Dude this structure looks great, especially if its your first time. Everybody on 4chan no matter the sub section talks shit so no worries. maybe add some sisal rope like others have said and get some of those cardboard concrete pillars and make a tube.

>>467037
You can't buy bread with money from imaginary girls OP, street festivals are a big investment you are not getting back.
You want to harangue store owners for free ad space, and there's already someone in the city with more experience doing your very specific specialized thing.
Terrible idea.

>>467630

Street festivals are not a big investment. They are free if not a small stand fee ( 5-20$ ).

Im not looking for free ad space, they are getting free products to sell and earn 30% if they do. Im cutting my profits for them.

I cant believe how pessimistic and negative /diy/. Stop with the negative vibes.

>>467676
You're trying to sell cat towers for 200$. It's a pretty dumb idea, that's all. If you don't want aadvice, don't ask.

>>468077

I wonder how all these pet stores stay in business selling towers smaller then mine for more.

Meanwhile in my workshop.

>>468082
Probably by selling other things too.

>>467676
>Stop with the negative vibes.
Confirmed for hippy

>>467034

You may think it's stable enough but seriously fill a duffle bag with clothes and toss it onto the top of it a dozen times to be sure. Move it away from the wall too, it won't always have something around it. Be sure to test from multiple angles.

And that price is ridiculous around here, but if you think you can sell it good luck. I would recommend making a few and getting a cute website together to make it clear you're legit. If I saw that for sale on craigslist I'd assume it was used or something.


Try to make your next one with a larger base. A rope-wrapped pole is nice too for extra scratchings, or a place to insert those cardboard boxes. Also you can make a 'cloth tube with crinkly shit in between the fabric so it makes noise when the cats go through' for less than a cardboard tube.


4/10 not creative enough and overpriced (for my area)

>>467248

I work in a frame store btw and I was assuming you'd use a cardboard tube... That or a bucket or something.

Seriously though, when we get cardboard tubes for posters that are 6"+ diameter they're sturdy as fuck. They're just rare. You could probably buy them from somewhere though... obviously poster shops do. Maybe try a packing store?

>>468082

They have a store front, for one, so people accept the quality of theirs and that it's 'new.' Yours could have bed bugs or cat pee on it. Why should I trust you when I could buy one online for less?

http://www.amazon.com/Go-Pet-Club-Tree-Beige/dp/B003WGGWQA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370383052&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+tower

free shipping too.


If you wanna do this you gotta bring quality and really make it special, as well as beat the big chains on price. Sucks but that's how it is. Do you even have a cat?

>>468552
Lol something that big for $170. I guarantee that at that price the carpet will not last a year and probably break a post too.

>>468577

It's 100 from my view, and are you OP? Just because it costs a lot for you to make them doesn't mean a company can't manage to make them cheaper.

Not to mention there are these things called reviews stating otherwise.

That was just meant to be an example of pricepoint so, idk, if you're OP maybe quit being so sensitive? People are trying to help you, and it sounds like you're pretty damn sure of how the world works, with the attitude throughout the thread.. maybe just go do what you do and see how it goes then.

>>467009

>>467087
Exactly this. Brought one home for my cats and they played with it for all of 5 minutes. They cared a lot more about hiding in the box it came in and playing soccer with their toys inside of it.

Pretty sure my cat tower will be firewood soon.

>>467009
Would totally buy _if_ :
Customisable colours, a little taller, less expensive. That said, brilliant work :D

>>467062
>I dont like buy fagging.
Fuck, bro. There's buy-fagging, and there's admitting that you can't /diy/ a plastic pipe from scratch.

>>467046
>But then again it's the owners you have to impress, not the cats
>>467090
>its not if the cat uses it or not. Its convincing the owner
So much truth in this. Kinda makes me sad, the way the world works.

Nice OP.
I would lower the price, at least at first. Compared to pet smart, $200 is reasonable but I don't think people would be willing to pay as much from someone who is not as "reputable". Unfortunately, perception seems to be at least as important as quality to most people. There's also the assurance that they will be in business tomorrow and have a reputation to maintain, so you have some "insurance" against getting screwed that you don't have buying from an individual.

Definitely add some sisal or make it an optional extra. Cats love that shit and won't get tired of it like they do most things. At least a short run between the 1st and second platform(about 18" high so they can stand and claw at it). It's a lot of work and not cheap.

>Would you buy it?
fuck no, I might use your design to make one though. hehe
I really can't see anyone spending that much for a cat platform, but they must or petsmart wouldn't have dedicated so much space to display them.

I made this post for my cats recently and all four use it. The old one was completely clawed in half.

OP here. Im making a new tower like the one I posted a few days ago of what I envisioned. I called a local pet store and offered to bring in a few for him to sell and he liked the idea and started going on about how his last guy went to Toronto and if I was a guy that brought in catalogs. Either way he was enthusiastic about it.

Heres how far I am so far. I learned a lot from the first tower. This should be done by tommorow. Just need more carpet. I could make a couple of these a week.

>>468834

I was listening to True Capitalist Radio for a few hours while I made it and drinking Kozel. It was fun, laughing my ass off too while listening to his podcasts.

>>468710

Fuck you cat. You dont have a wallet, your owner does!

>>468821

Dont pity. The world is indifferent. Blame the people who buy the garbage.

>>468768

Thank you. I'll keep you updated. I have a new one coming off the production line shortly.

>>467009
I'll give you 30 meows

>>467009
From a owners' perspective it looks good, but that material has a tendency to shed, personally I'd use common as fuck industrial rug for durability, grip for the cat and no shedding of fibers.

As an alternative to tubes, maybe consider a sharper angled pyramid, cats fucking love to climb slopes.
Also an easy way to do a solid base and a second hidey-hole

Easy to add ties on the sides if that tickles your fancy, the top tier can be as simple as a plate with a slim hole along the slope the cat has to squeeze though to get op top, that's a bonus, cats fucking love to squeeze through, that means larger "predators" can't follow them.

$50

I've done street festivals. And as a matter of fact I've paid $250 several years ago for a two day festival. So if you do go to a $20 festival expect to be there with people selling keychains or weird trinkets that you dont want to look at. There are street festivals that are like $1500. It all depends on price points or volume. I once was in one where the kettle corn guy probably smoked everybody there profit wise. Having sold stuff in this price range what you will get at the right festival is; Can you make me one with plaid carpet? Pink carpet? How about a blue paisley? How about a green carpet on one shelf and a taupe color on the top shelf? Honestly price still doesnt bother alot of people. What does bother people. What you dont take credit card? What you cant make one 12 feet tall and have it by next week. So the more you sell it for the more one of a kind you have to deliver. Some artist handle these people very well. I dont. Why do you not want to buy what I loaded up and brought here and put alot of thought into.

>>467009
>What does /diy/ think of my cat tower?
It's great. 200 smackers is too much for it, but whatever the market will bear.

Unless it's bottom-heavy, would advise a slightly larger baseboard.

> would advise a slightly larger baseboard.

dunno why people keep griping about the base. i made a taller one with a base that was 24x24, and it was rock solid. then i put wheels on it, so the base was made effectively smaller, and it was still rock solid; no house cat could possibly knock that over.

>>470620
Someone already suggested stuffing a duffel bag full of clothes and throwing it at the platforms. It's not like a cat will always just walk up to the tower and climb straight up.

weight the bottom bb

>>470620
My cat tree is 4 feet tall and the base is 20x24 and my 10 pound cat has been flying around on the top of it and got the base up on like a 20 degree angle. Maybe it wont fall over but its dangerous for the cat because they can fall off at weird angles because they don't expect it. Also it could bang into things or knock other shit over.

ITT snooty cat owners

>>470682
Yes, having experience is real snooty.

>>467009
Don't take this personally but as a cat owner that price is bullshit

EX - http://www.amazon.com/Armarkat-B5701-57-Inch-Tree-Ivory/dp/B003BYQ100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370710129&sr=8-1&keywords=armarkat

Cat trees wear out. With two cats a tree like the one I linked to/posted lasts 1.5 years TOPS. It can be cleaned and such but it just starts to look SUPER shity, so much so that unless it's away where no one can see it you don't want it around.

Consider lowering the price a lot. Yes, it SEEMS reasonable compared to shit at petsmart but I don't think it is in the grand scheme of things. Especially, considering your design is pretty simple.

200bucks, fuck you op

>>470731
Yup.
they are disposable. Even if the workmanship and materials are top notch, the cats going to scratch the shit out of it within 6 months and they'll be loose strands of carpet hanging off it making it a huge eyesore... So why spend $200 on a premium carpet, teak wood cat tree when it'll lost just as long as the POS pine, shag $40 one?

I have a limit of $50 on my cat furniture, and $5 on toys... The fucking cunt destroys things too quickly to justify my spending money on nice things for her.