Ball Cage

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Introduction: Ball Cage

Learn to make a ball cage from a standard wood shelves and a few other materials. A simple Home Improvement project to keep all those sports balls in their place.

Find another Unusual Use for those spare conduit straps you have leftover from your last electrical job.

This is a simple modification to make a secure ball cage with a few materials on existing shelves.

Look at this is a modification to my Garage Shelves Instructable. Prior to this Instructable my intentions were to make some corner shelves in my garage. Well, shelves are simple enough until you decide what you are going to store on the shelves.

After attempting to store my kids inventory off balls, I discovered they were rolling off the shelf and onto the floor and into the driveway. What a mess! Gotta fix that problem.

Well, this Instructable is another Home Improvement lesson on how to keep the balls on the shelf where they belong! You can do this with any set of wood shelves.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Since I always have a surplus of materials after initial projects, there was no additional cost out of pocket for this project. All materials I already had on hand laying around the garage.

The amount of each item will be based on your shelf sizes.

Materials are based on my shelves that were 56 inches wide.

Materials

  • Existing Wood Shelves
  • 18- 1/2 inch conduit straps
  • 18- 1 5/8 inch deck screws
  • Approximately 40 feet of 3/8 inch nylon utility rope

Tools

  • Measuring tape
  • Marking pencil
  • Power Drill
  • Utility Knife
  • Phillips Screw Bit
  • Hammer

Step 2: Measure

With a tape measure in the center of the top and bottom of the rails, I made drill marks every 7 inches. This will give me 9 anchor points for each the top and bottom of the rails.

Step 3: Mount Anchors

With the drill gun I mounted a conduit strap at each of the anchor points for the top rail. I then used the level to carry the mark down to the lower rail. This saved time on measuring a second time.

Step 4: Lace Rope

Next, lace about 20 foot of rope loosely in a zigzag pattern between top and bottom rails.

Step 5: Knot - Cut - Singe

Pretty simple here.

After lacing through the first rope, tie off one end into a knot.

  • Tie it off into a simple not.
  • Cut the excess.
  • Singe the end with a lighter or match to keep it from fraying.

Step 6: Pull Tight

Pull the rope tight through each of the anchors then..

Knot - Cut - Singe

Rope 1 is Done!

Step 7: Repeat

Repeat the process for the second rope to complete the process.

  • Lace it through the anchors.
  • Tie off one end and cut and singe.
  • Pull tight through anchors.
  • Tie, Cut, and Singe!

Step 8: Tight Rope

At this point you are done.

Rope should be tight with no slack

Step 9: Tap the Straps

Give each of the straps a couple taps with a hammer to dig the end into the wood for added strength in the anchoring.

Step 10: Place the Balls

At this point, push all the balls through the ropes to secure them into the shelf.

No more balls rolling off the shelf.

Overall, a simple DIY Home Improvement Project!

Another Instructable by the DiyWaterDog.

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    5 Comments

    0
    mrsmerwin
    mrsmerwin

    5 years ago

    I love the way it looks. That it is so functional is a bonus.

    0
    DiyWaterDog
    DiyWaterDog

    Reply 5 years ago

    thanks... wife likes the look too. :-)

    0
    mrsmerwin
    mrsmerwin

    Reply 5 years ago

    would make a great jail for stuffed animals in a kids room.

    0
    susiefreckleface
    susiefreckleface

    5 years ago

    very cool looking and practical project. nicely done.

    0
    DiyWaterDog
    DiyWaterDog

    Reply 5 years ago

    Thanks! It does have a cool look to it. That just came along with the practicality. Love it when I can make something better at no additional cost.