Raybo's Removable, Self-supporting, Collapsible, Tall Cage for the EarthTainer (pics)

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by brian1269

The black connectors? Do you mean the cable mounts? I thought those were bolted on.

Yes the cable mounts are bolted on, but the adhesive from the cable mount loses it's sticky strength and then swivels around. You can't tighten the nut and bolt too tight on the box, just snug enough!

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by rnewste

You could just drill a small hole under the lip of the EarthBox to feed the cable tie through. This should not affect the structural integrity of the EarthBox, in my opinion.

Raybo

I wanted to do the same thing but my experience with tying cable ties to homemade boxes gave me experience that there wasn't any support around the hole when the cable tie was tightened extremely tight resulting in broken plastic. I do understand the Earthbox is much stronger than a plastic storage container but I didn't want to risk damaging the box and causing a crack in the edge of it.

[brian1269]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

Yes the cable mounts are bolted on, but the adhesive from the cable mount loses it's sticky strength and then swivels around. You can't tighten the nut and bolt too tight on the box, just snug enough!

OK got it. I thought the mount was one solid piece.

[hl2601]

Bumping this. Ray's original pics are no longer available to see the finished products. Has anyone got pictures they would be willing to share? Also, did the Gurney's or Burpees pea cages work best? Since this is an old thread not all the links are currently carried products. Wondering if anyone has built these recently for their new Earth boxes?

[Rockporter]

I don't see why the pea cages wouldn't work, mine are still in great shape even though I used them on earthboxes, not raybo's earthtainers.

What links are you interested in?

[hl2601]

No,maybe my writing was unclear. I am sure these cages work really well! Great ideas... I would like to amass the components now to start making them even though I don't need them until May. I was talking about some of the links not working in the thread kind people posted to purchase their components. The Gurneys link leads to a mole product and the link for the clamps didn't work because the thread was from so long ago. I just wondered if anyone had pictures or more current links they had used.
Heide

[Rockporter]

Here you go. Got your wire rope clips link by looking at my old order confirmation. They are still the same price as when I bought them so long ago. If you order the pea cages today you can get $25 off any $50 order. Through today only, though the coupon comes back often. I think I made separate orders a couple of times to get my pea cages at a great price.

Wire Rope Clips-Malleable
http://www.pambinaimpex.com/malleabl...rope-clip-1-8/

Gurney's Pea Fence
https://www.gurneys.com/product/pea_fence

[hl2601]

Thank you Rockporter!

[Rockporter]

You are very welcome!

[hl2601]

Hi Rockporter! I am wondering how many of the wire clamps I need to order for each earth box? Thanks in advance!
Heide

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by hl2601

Hi Rockporter! I am wondering how many of the wire clamps I need to order for each earth box? Thanks in advance!
Heide

I took a look at my cages, they are all folded down and zip tied together from our hurricane prep last year. I couldn't open them up but I counted how many I saw. I counted 18 total wire clamps to hold them together. I know I ordered clamps twice in the 100 pack, but I made a lot of tall cages.

You will need a set of two pea fence to make one tall cage, one single to make a short cage. If you are making tall cages you will fold them into an oblong shape and stack one on top of the other one. You need to add clamps where the two cages meet to hold them together. You will then add clamps all the way down the side of the pea cages.

I hope this makes sense if not just ask again. Basically you are putting a clamp where each section of the cage has a wire meet another wire from one cage to the next. I wouldn't try to skip on these clamps, you don't want your plants growing between the cages and causing damage to the plants. You also want a strong cage to keep it's shape with a heavy laden plant growing out the sides and using the cage for support.

[Barb_FL]

Another EB user here. I bought a pair of Pea Fences but never could figure out how to use them stacked in an EB.

Any pictures of how they clamp to the EB and what to buy?

I have spent a fortune on cages for the EB and Root Pouches. For the EB, I've been using the 14" cage and bend the bottom posts so they all fit into the EB. If I clamp at all, I use the T-POST Clamp (like $.44 for 50) and bend it with pliers so they loop around the cage and under the EB rim. I live in a wind tunnel and have had many EB tip over, but never had the cage come out.

[rnewste]

Unfortunately, the bozos at Photobucket deleted hundreds of my photos from their Hosting site so all of my old photos are gone. Here are 2 photos that should show you the technique I used to "clamp" the cages between the EarthBox and its metal stand:





I bent the tip 1/2 inch of each leg inwards toward the EarthBox to tuck-in between the 'Box and the stand. You could fashion something similar for an EarthBox sitting on the ground (think of using concrete blocks around the outer edges to sit the EB on).

Raybo

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Another EB user here. I bought a pair of Pea Fences but never could figure out how to use them stacked in an EB.

Any pictures of how they clamp to the EB and what to buy?

I have spent a fortune on cages for the EB and Root Pouches. For the EB, I've been using the 14" cage and bend the bottom posts so they all fit into the EB. If I clamp at all, I use the T-POST Clamp (like $.44 for 50) and bend it with pliers so they loop around the cage and under the EB rim. I live in a wind tunnel and have had many EB tip over, but never had the cage come out.

Barb, post #31 is my instruction on how I used zip ties the first time to attach the pea cages to my earthboxes. I also use cider blocks in front and back of the EB for winds to keep them upright. Now I use the method outlined in the post #63, it works far better than the orginal way I did it. I have no problems with the holes hubby drilled into the sides of my earthboxes. They are as if I did it today.

Edit: Take a look at post #69 because there is a part of this design I had forgotten to add to it. It's mentioned in post #69.

[hl2601]

Thanks Raybo for the new pics and all your great posts about earth boxes.!
Rockporter I ordered 100 of the clamps as well as 2 sets of pea fences from Gurneys. Just for others who may want to do this- after you place your first order, they immediately send you a second coupon for another 25, 50 or 100 off...breaking your orders up as you suggested to take advantage of these discounts is the plan!
I will go back to post 63 to see what else my hubby will need to make these for Mothers Day. Yay!