Wire Mesh Distributors?

[Monica]

I've been wanting an aviary for a long time, though never had the materials to do so. PVC piping was an option though didn't care to use it if it was going to be outside, as there is a possibility that it can be toxic if it melts in the sun (or so I read somewhere). We've got lots of 1" PVC pipes that are laying outside that only need cleaning and painting, many of which are 10' long, so I've been thinking (honestly, when DON'T I think? if maybe I thought less, I could get MORE sleep! ) about building one inside which would be 7'L x 4'W x 7'H which would leave some space above it (3-4 inches) and it could be moved.

So that is 196' sq, or 168' sq if I don't include the bottom, so I'd need at least 180' sq of wire mesh (for small birds) in case of any screw-ups. IF this was feasible, how would one go about attaching the wire to the PVC? I've read plenty about making a PVC framed aviary, but it doesn't talk about how to attach the wire so that it stays. Second, does anyone know of any distributors (maybe even on ebay?) who sell wire mess for a cheap cheap cheap price??? It's not feasible to do right now, but am asking for future reference and to chat it out with my mother, as I know she probably wouldn't want to pay more than $30, preferably around $20 (but being in the real world, I know that many sell wire mesh for $70 and up).

Any ideas or other suggestions???

[KellamGuy7603]

I'm not positive but a staple gun might do the trick. if the gun is strong enough to penetrate the pvc it will probably hold the mesh just fine. My mom was thinking about building an outdoor aviary when we get our first bird sometime in December. i will try to find an inexensive mesh seller. if i find anything i'll p.m. you.

[Doubleyolk]

Monica here is a link that might give you some ideas.

http://www.backyardaviary.com/do_it_yourself.htm

[Monica]

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, been thinking about all this, though we don't have a good staple gun to do this in the first place, and staple guns usually use nails, and am not too sure how PVC piping would hold up to it in the first place...

As far as that website, I've seen it before and it really hasn't been helpfull to me. I don't feel like paying the $30 to get those CD's, and the prices for the aviary kits seem too expensive and would probably be able to build a larger aviary for a cheaper amount than what they sell some of their smaller aviary kits for... Anyway....

Haven't really had any luck finding any cheap distributors, but it would still be a while before I may even get an aviary (I'd really rather do college at home, though am not too sure what all college classes in the area are, though will probably at least find something of interest as far as ornithology or maybe even avian interests).

In the least bit, I now have a shed, haven't measured it, but it's about 4' x 5', pretty much hand built (from the looks of it), and if I were able to use it as part of an outside aviary, I'd need to repair two holes on the side and back, put a plywood floor on it, give it a front, and figure out what to do with it's 'window', which has a metal piece in it. The shed belonged to a friend of mine (an older gentlemen) and it was in the friends old neighbors yard. It was a bit of a hassle, as even though they could use the shed, they were not moving it to the new home, though it had to be moved from it's spot so that a car engine could be moved. I just being myself thought out loud that I would like something like that (intending the shed) and was asked if I wanted it, so after figuring out how to get the 2,000lb trailer back out (that the shed and a camper was on - had to get help) it was taken over to my house and dropped off. Now though, since I really can't do much with it at the moment, I don't know what to do with it!