The Monkey Cage

[Misson]

Ok, I want to make a cage for my undead monkey...

...like the one in the second POTC movie so I can put him atop my entertainment center in my Pirate-Themed Living Room. Any thoughts on what the cage might be made of?

[michaelsbagley]

It looks like thin willow sapling branches to me...

You could use a thin bamboo as well, but the bamboo would come out much lighter in colour than what the cage in the photo from the movie. But bamboo does actually take stain rather well, or there are other creative ways of darkening bamboo.

Check your local metro area Chinatown for thin bamboo like that (pre-harvested and all). Or I would suggest waiting for the spring thaw to cut willow saplings/branches. I've not heard of them being sold in the way that bamboo is.

[Red-Handed Jill]

Or check your local gardening store - they should have materials like bamboo in the right size.

[Rumba Rue]

Also, if you have stores like Cost Plus, Pier One Imports, they tend to carry that kind of thing.

Me, I would start cruising the Internet.

[Misson]

Also, if you have stores like Cost Plus, Pier One Imports, they tend to carry that kind of thing.

Me, I would start cruising the Internet.

You mean the assembled cage? If so, been there, done that. So far, I've found nothing. The closest I've found is $110 and it's only close, not nearly right. Plus, the one in the movie a hand-made look to it and I figure I should be able to emulate that. That changes a purchase into a creative adventure.

[michaelsbagley]

Another thought that just came to my mind... Years ago I worked in a decor store. My boss did a lot of weddings as well on the side, one thing I saw him use a fair bit was some form of dried/preserved woody vine-like material (grapevine?). It had a really good balance of flex and strength that I think would do well int hat kind of project. If I recall correctly (it has been over 15 years), the stuff came in many thicknesses, included a thickness that would be perfect for the bars, and other thin and pliant enough to use as the binding to tie the bars together....

So maybe checking your local florist or wedding decor store may provide a useful material as well.

[Captain Jim]

Mission, the cage is probably rattan.

From The Free Dictionary

rat·tan (r-tn, r-)

n.

1. Any of various climbing palms of the genera Calamus, Daemonorops, or Plectomia of tropical Asia, having long, tough, slender stems.

2.

a. The stems of any of these palms, used to make wickerwork, canes, and furniture.

b. Work made of the stems of these palms.

3. A switch or cane made from these palms.

I would start there and find a rattan shop in your area and see what they could do for you in terms of supplies and information.

[Mary Diamond]

Agreed, Captain Jim ~

Rattan, wicker and caning would be your search ~ here is a link to one supplier:

http://www.franksupply.com

[Iron Bess]

And grape vining.... Grape vines might be really interesting

[Misson]

And grape vining.... Grape vines might be really interesting

Is that comment given with your Disney hat on?

[Iron Bess]

And grape vining.... Grape vines might be really interesting 

Is that comment given with your Disney hat on?

Nope...

(Run with the bent willow if you can mate )

[Misson]

Ah...convenience. I'm imagining a grape vine cage and it would seem to me to be very flexible. That would be kind of cool in a way and a pain in another. Then again, it's just sitting atop my entertainment center. Having never worked in this realm, I don't really know much about it...but that hasn't stopped me so far in my other projects. (So far I've learned about bead-making, cabinet design, complex angle cutting, tile-laying, proper staining, wire-running, routing and a host of other activities that I'm probably forgetting. I'm considering stained-glass work and now this. Such fun.)