Paint

What kind of paint is bird safe?
Thing is, I want to make a cage for a parrot and I'm absolutely not satisfied with factory-made cages. They are all kinda moronic.
And it looks like painting is unavoidable.
I tried googling that shit, information contradicts itself. One say that any paint is safe once it is completely dry. Others recommend one brand of paint that is not available in my country....
I also tried searching for food-safe paint, but apparently there is no such thing.

>use galvanized
weld it yourself, i aint gonna weld that shit ever again. Not mentioning that zinc is toxic to birds. Especially for lick-everything birds like parrots.
>use stainless
Stainless is really expensive. And I have no experience with stainless (so it will double the cost, because either I will have to buy more materials for practice and possibly a tig torch with gas if it will be impossible to stick weld... Or let somebody else do the work).
I can use stainless mesh (or more like oven grill). Attach it with screws to mild steel frame or something. But then, I'd still have to paint steel.
Also, about stainless, do you really need to passivate it after welding, or grinding weld seam and sugar off will do the trick for something that doesn't get wet.
>aluminum
I cant weld it at all. That said, maybe there is a way to join aluminum square tubing somehow without welding. No brazing too, because those alloys contain god knows what, from zinc to lead.
>use wood
Problem is that this feathered fricker likes to chew on wood, especially pine or fir. Not mentioning that wooden cage would not survive being moved indoors and outdoors every day.

250 Piece Survival Gear First Aid Kit

LifeStraw Water Filter for Hiking and Preparedness

250 Piece Survival Gear First Aid Kit

  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Just let the parrot loose in your house. Parrots are smart and you can train them not to frick around

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Just let the parrot loose in your house
      They are lose 90% of the time I am home. But I can't really let him outside alone, because he will chew on electrical wires and become a fried parrot. Or choke on something, i don't know.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >They
        he*
        But to be honest, If i ever get him a female, I better have separate cage, because I know they can be mean.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          If you kept me in a cage I would be mean to you too

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Don't worry about me. I just know there is a chance that female will try killing a male or vice versa.

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              you need to educate them on safe bdsm practices

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    you could use stock metal shapes like angles and square tube for the main structual members, and tube or rod for the bars to create a cage using the same joints and principles used in bamboo cricket/ bird cages like pic related and bolt any main frame connections with the bars captured betwen them or threaded where necessary.

    Think picrel scaled up, where the square sections are made of something like this system...its aluminum but could be done with stainless as well.
    https://www.mcmaster.com/square-tubing-connectors/

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Yes, but I'd probably use BBQ grill or something similar for bars, because my parrot has a strong beak.
      As for structure...
      If I use mild steel - I can weld it, but I don't know what paint should I use.
      If I use stainless - I have to figure out welding (which is challenging, because with mild I can go with 2mm or 1.5mm thick stuff and stick weld it easily, but stainless is expensive and I'd probably use 1.0mm which would be pure masochism to stick weld... maybe with 1/16 electrodes - dunno) and then figure out passivating weld so it doesn't rust.
      If I use aluminium - I'd have to figure connectors out. And mcmaster ones are plastic and they are not particularly strong and will come lose over time when cage is moved from room to room or outside. They are more meant for like displays or something that is not mobile. I'd like to see them made out of aluminium or idk.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Like I said, if you dont want to weld stainless or use commercial connectors use mechanical fasteners to bolt the frame together.
        Also the connectors shown were just for the idea, you can get similar connectors in aluminum and even stainless, railing and ornamental fence supply houses are a good place to source that kind of thing, and there are commercial display type tube connector systems that are far more robust and get moved and beaten up far more than bird cages do, even cages with really big destructive birds.
        Can't help with the prices for fancy stuff but stainless is the preferred material for a reason and cheaper than vet bills and a dead bird.
        Bolts or rivets are plenty strong and can be located where the bird can't get at them.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          I guess I should make something else out of stainless to see if i can actually weld it or not. Don't know what though.
          Pajeets are welding railings with what it seems 1mm thick wall tubes and stick and they get OK results, so it cant be that hard right?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      That's the box john McCain got poked in

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    A parrot will destroy any paint within days, even powder coating.

    A parrot is an expensive and decades long commitment. If you can't afford a safe cage for it, you have no fricking business owning one.

    >I'm absolutely not satisfied with factory-made cages

    Nobody gives a frick what you're "satisified" with. Ask any actual parrot owners, you don't paint their cages. You should not be allowed to own parrot, your autism will kill it. Frick you. Keep the frick away from parrots autismboy.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Nobody gives a frick what you're "satisified" with.
      I give a frick. I aint paying $500 for chinkshit that is powdercoated rust with frickton of cavities to collect bird dust, shit and fruit fragments. Yum.
      I'd rather get that $500, find another $500 and go find a dude that will make me shit out of stainless or aluminium.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      man I saw the picture and the first sentence and for a split second assumed you wanted to paint a bird

      I've had a parrot for a decade and OP is absolutely right the factory made cages are practically made to collect little bits of fruit and shit and I'm willing to bet aerosolised mould spores are worse for your bird than finding out what kind of paint/coating the factories use and doing it yourself

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >man I saw the picture and the first sentence and for a split second assumed you wanted to paint a bird
        lol. Do you really think that PrepHole IQ is that low on average?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          yes

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Yeah me too

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous
  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Welding seems superfluous for such a simple structure. Screw that shit together.

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Make a bird cage with white nylon, FDA approved and can endure a beast like your bird.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >plastic
      You don't seem to understand. If i could use plastic - I could have used wood. But thing is that parrot has strong beak, and there is a good chance he will frick up thin metal mesh even, let alone nylon.
      Not even mentioning that nylon has embitterment problems over time these days, ever seen fricked up zip ties?

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >You don't seem to understand.

        You just don't want to be reasonable. Your options are as follows:

        1. Weld a stainless steel cage or use another comparable metal;
        2. Buy a professionally made bird cage or another animal cage;
        3. Buy a used cage and clean it meticulously.

        There is nowhere for this thread to go. You either must (1.) spend the money on a quality DIY project that won't poison your bird or else fill it up with splinters from cheap materials, or (2.) spend the money on a finished project made by someone who knows what they're doing, (3.) risk it for the biscuit and buy a used bird cage and clean it very, very thoroughly.

        There is no solution to this if you refuse to spend the money or spend the time shopping second hand. If you don't want your parrot to get poisoned by cheap paint or wreck a cheap cage then do not buy or build cheap things. End of story. No-one here is going to magic up a solution that produces a quality bird cage from cheap materials. My advice is for you to hit up the classified ads. You're more likely to find something there at a reasonable price than your DIY fantasy coming through under budget.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >1. Weld a stainless steel cage or use another comparable metal;
          That is an option indeed. But I just don't know if I can do it.
          >2. Buy a professionally made bird cage
          This is a last resort really. Because nobody is gonna work for food, and for some reason factory-made ones are just shit.
          >or another animal cage
          While you can convert dog kennel into a bird cage, it is not ideal. First of all, they are usually powder coated rust. Then I'd have to cut it, get structure going etc, so same thing as making a cage from scratch really.
          >3. Buy a used cage and clean it meticulously.
          I have considered this, but big parrots are kinda rare here, and thus finding a good stainless or nickel plated cage is a challenge. If those were available for sale, I'd buy in no time, but all I can get is shit chinkshit.

          So I guess only real solution is to buy some stainless welding sticks, stainless pipes, pickling and try making something of it. If it is easy enough - get all materials needed for cage.
          Or well, let somebody else do this.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >>That is an option indeed. But I just don't know if I can do it.
            If you don't know jack shit about material sourcing or welding...hire someone. You're diving into the deep end. You are not going to own an exotic pet without paying exotic pet prices to care for them.

            https://i.imgur.com/hs5zUlF.jpg

            I had this same question like 3 years ago.
            I was dating this arty girl.
            She had also a passion for animals and had 5 lil birds, 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 rodents, and 1 bg parrot.
            At some point she wanted a new cage for her big bird.
            She knew I was a PrepHole kind of guy ( we also met at the harware store), so she asked me if I want to make one with her ( mostly me because I had welding tools).
            When the time for the paint job came, she saw what paint I was going to use and asked me if it was safe for her bird.
            The answear was more or less or less yes, but she wasn't satisfied.
            She wanted something 100% parrot safe.
            The only way she could find out what kind of paint that would be was by asking the parrot himself what he used for his feathers.

            and the answer is really
            "is any paint safe to be ingested?" the answer is probably none but high heat enamel (glass) and even then...probably not. They are sensitive creatures. You're better off with no paint.

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              >If you don't know jack shit about material sourcing or welding...hire someone.
              You know, sometimes you have to do shit first time in your life.
              >You are not going to own an exotic pet without paying exotic pet prices to care for them.
              Even if I paid such extreme prices I'd get shit cage that was designed by a moron that have never owned a bird.
              >" the answer is probably none but high heat enamel (glass) and even then...probably not. They are sensitive creatures. You're better off with no paint.
              Well, with black steel - dunno. Mill scale isn't exactly safe too. Enamel is shit btw, because it will chip off. Teflon would actually work OK, but that is prob more expensive than stainless.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                Not talking about the cheap spray can stuff. The real deal enamel where it sets in thousand degrees and multiple coats, you'd have to pay someone to do it - the shit they used to put on old trains, that shit is hard as frick, and inert, the parrot couldn't chew it off, not even a macaw, and I'm familiar with their beaks.
                If I was you, I would be designing it and commissioning it. Only because the tools are going to cost you a lot of money, and even then, you don't have the skill or the practice. Your money would go further to pick and choose someone to fabricate your design and then take it from there.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                >The real deal enamel where it sets in thousand degrees and multiple coats, you'd have to pay someone to do it
                Yes, but it is glass.
                Have ever dropped a cooking tray on floor? Enamel (or ceramic coating as some call it) will chip off and leave glass particles everywhere.
                > that shit is hard as frick, and inert, the parrot couldn't chew it off, not even a macaw,
                Well, they can do smth else, like launch a toy into the cage wall and chip it off.
                >Only because the tools are going to cost you a lot of money, and even then, you don't have the skill or the practice
                This is why I am thinking stainless, because I have stick welder, stainless rods seem to be kinda OK to run. Dunno, in worst case id buy tig torch and gas.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                >>Have ever dropped a cooking tray on floor? Enamel (or ceramic coating as some call it) will chip off and leave glass particles everywhere.

                you're used to the cheap shit. The real good stuff doesn't chip like that after dropping it. Those cooking trays are mass produced garbage, even in the 50s. Staub makes pretty good enamel items. That is more what 'good' enamel should be, not the thin shit.

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    What about copper? Make a frame out of 3/4" plumbing copper - you can easily solder or braze it - then attach a suitably thick wire mesh to it. Copper is reasonably cheap and easy to locate and solders at pretty low temps.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Could also use tees and smaller diameter copper to make the bars too

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >What about copper?
      Copper is somewhat toxic and it will oxidize and cause weird potentially dangerous chemicals when something acidic lands on it, like bird shit or fruit.
      Not ideal for a cage, a thing which parrot interacts with for good part of its life.
      But yes, 3/4 copper pipe would be OK for cage strength-wise. I've made couple things out of it in past.
      > Copper is reasonably cheap
      Well, copper is same price as stainless really.

      Could also use tees and smaller diameter copper to make the bars too

      This would drive price of cage through the roof lol.

      If you're really worried take it powder coater and have it powder coated.

      But is powder-coating food-safe?

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    If you're really worried take it powder coater and have it powder coated.

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    size requirement? budget?
    You're probably gonna wanna use 80/20 tubing with whatever nickle-plated mesh/wiring and stainless fasteners. You can put the stuff together like Lego, no welding required

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >size requirement?
      160x55x80 or smth like that.
      >80/20 extrusion
      That is actually genius. I think you can even slot mesh inside those channels. And connectors for those things are strong.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Very strong Theres many different fasteners, so you could find something that holds the mesh tightly, while hiding the pokey sharp edge inside the slot. Gonna be a bit pricey, but fits all criteria

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Well, I have to try making something out of stainless,and if i fail, it would be a good alternative.
          Not too expensive, considering it is lego.

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Just take the bird out, don't have to be in it while painting

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Let the fricking bird live inside and eat out of your shitter instead of those schizo paint problems

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    my kid licks the matte emulsion on the walls all the frickin time, just use that

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Post pictures of the bird please

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      african grey

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        I said pictures not picture

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        cute birb.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >160x55x80
        thats way small for an african grey
        my cage for a small conure is slightly bigger than that and its still on the small side but acceptable

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Idk, my problem is that cage has to fit in the door, so one side has to be 55 cm. Also it should be able to pass staircase, so 80 cm is other side. Height doesnt really matter much as long as it is bigger than something.
          Maybe It would be smarter to get some wing nuts and make shit somewhat easy to disassemble, dunno.
          He spends most time outside in the room anyway.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            a bird should be able to fully extend his wings in each direction. if the cage will stay in the same spot after you're done with it why not just assemble it on the spot instead of dragging it inside

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              >a bird should be able to fully extend his wings in each direction
              Yes. Actually, I should measure wingspan.
              > if the cage will stay in the same spot after you're done with it why not just assemble it on the spot instead of dragging it inside
              Cage is moved. During summer it is on the first floor because it is cooler there and I can roll it outside easily, and in winter it is on the second floor because it is just warmer there.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                make it collapsible then

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                But how?
                Also, I checked, he doesn't really fit in current cage. So even more reasons to go custom then

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                Birbs are easy to collapse. Fold them like origami then crease where you want a new joint.

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    powder coat it

  14. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    just use mild steel coat it with vegetable oil and heat it. it will form millscale and not rust

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I thought about it, but then i realized I'd need a housefire to do it.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        you can literally make panels and put them in the oven
        where are you planning to weld that a little fire is a problem?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >you can literally make panels and put them in the oven
          Well, in Hitler's oven maybe, but not in my oven. It is too small.
          >where are you planning to weld that a little fire is a problem?
          Fire is hard to control. Dunno. Sounds like getting stainless and like picking gel is better

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Face it, you're just being a difficult c**t.

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              I am a difficult c**t indeed

              But yes. I think I figured it out.
              >buy cutting discs and flap discs, mark them specifically for stainless
              >buy cheap stainless pipe (e.g. curtain rod)
              >buy stainless electrodes (which ones btw, 308L-16 or 316L-16, given that structure is 304, but grills are made out of a mystery metal)
              >buy pickling gel
              >try making smth out of it
              >if shit works - order stainless square tubing and make cage
              >if shit doesnt work - cry and b***h about it on PrepHole

  15. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    What is the difference between pickling gel and passivization gel?
    Passivation gel seems to have only nitric acid, while pickling gel has nitric, hydrofluoric acids... Pickling gel sounds more fun as I can probably go etch glass with it.
    Pickling gel is a tad more expensive. What should I buy in order to passivate bird cage welds so they dont rust?
    Also, where can I find a stainless mesh? I kinda want 1 inch spacing more-less... Because I really don't want to use TIG wire or chinese grills that are from unknown metal.

  16. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Can I weld 430? steel (well, it is a curtain rod, magnetic, but i tried pissing on it, putting in peroxide with salt and got no corrosion, and even after sanding shit don't really have corrosion except steel inclusion from shit sand paper that was used) with 308L-16 electrode?
    308L-16 is meant to weld 304 and 308 I think, but will it hold? After all, we're not going into space nor we're welding a distilling rig for booze.
    Is 430 steel safe-ish for parrots and such? I know that 304 (18/8 and 18/10) and 316 are food safe because everything is made out of it.

  17. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    All the commercial bird cages look like they've been powder coated.

    Anything you spray on will just flake off, especially if your bird is chewing on it.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Here is a thing, birds manage to chew off even powder coating.
      So I just realized that if I gonna make it myself - I will use stainless wire and square pipes, because why DIY something you can buy. Especially after watching pajeet videos, how effortlessly they weld 1mm pipe for hand rails.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Well, you chalk that up to survival of the fittest.

        Anyways a quick search shows powder coat to be nontoxic and completely inert

  18. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Wow 308L-16 rods are fricking awesome.
    3/32 burns at 25A that is fricking amazing. But yeah. not that great for foil-thick pipe.
    Pickling gel btw, is a toxic shit, use gloves kek.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Oxy-acetylene gas welding, torch brazing or TIG needed. Stick is great for stick stuff but not sheet metal as you see.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >torch brazing
        Here is a problem with brazing. Copper isn't great (otherwise i'd just make cage out of copper pipes and solder them), or zinc.
        I am pretty sure something this small can be brazed with propane or mapp torch.
        >oxy-acetylene
        Gas cylinders are expensive. I don't know. Might as well buy a tig torch of some king and scratch start the shit.
        > Stick is great for stick stuff but not sheet metal as you see
        Yeah. But I was planning 1 mm, not 0.5 or whatever this shit is.
        Now I'd go with 1.5 mm thick steel I think, because stainless behaves not that much different than carbon steel. (for some reason i expected less penetration, but 308L-16 behaves kinda like 6013 really, maybe a bit more fluid.)

        Also I found stainless steel mesh supplier, I will go annoy them with dumb questions tomorrow. I think 3/32 wire mesh with 1" spacing would do, and i'd buy it if shit is in stock, but if it is special order, i'd ask if they can make 1x3 inch spacing or smth like that.
        As for stainless pipes - idk, I have just two options. But now I think about it, would it really matter if I get stainless structure instead of cheap and tried carbon shit, just paint it with some good paint and then weld mesh in place, but idk if 308 is a right rod for interracial sex marriage.

  19. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I had this same question like 3 years ago.
    I was dating this arty girl.
    She had also a passion for animals and had 5 lil birds, 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 rodents, and 1 bg parrot.
    At some point she wanted a new cage for her big bird.
    She knew I was a PrepHole kind of guy ( we also met at the harware store), so she asked me if I want to make one with her ( mostly me because I had welding tools).
    When the time for the paint job came, she saw what paint I was going to use and asked me if it was safe for her bird.
    The answear was more or less or less yes, but she wasn't satisfied.
    She wanted something 100% parrot safe.
    The only way she could find out what kind of paint that would be was by asking the parrot himself what he used for his feathers.

  20. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Wow, this is the first time DCEN actually prevented blow holes.

    Also, E308L-16 runs really like 6013, so here is a pro-tip: if you want to save money on burning rods and your stainless is 0.5-0.7 mm - you can use 6013 for practice - same shit. No way you're gonna run continuous bead anyway

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Also, this is not fricking stainless. I thought it was, but it is just chrome plated steel. Lack of copper layer confused me.
      Oh well

  21. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Parrot will eat every kind of paint. Wrap it with hemp cord instead.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      hemp isnt ideal too because some moronic parrots choked themselves with it.

  22. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    First google search shows a number of bird safe paints. Why aren’t any of these options for you?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Others recommend one brand of paint that is not available in my country....

  23. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Are parrots with out taste buds? do you plan to starve this animal? I would think a living thing would avoid eating poison. I do not under stand the issue?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Are parrots with out taste buds?
      Thing is they lick everything, like when they are climbing in cage and such, and this is why zinc is bad because it is toxic, and it accumulates.
      > I would think a living thing would avoid eating poison. I do not under stand the issue?
      there is no pure zinc in the wild.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Parrots are curious animals. Every now and then after discovering something new and asserting it's probably not dangerous you'll notice that they just poke it with that weirdly muscular finger-like tongue they've got.

  24. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    just paint the bird already

  25. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Not really related to the thread, but since thread is my blog, i post here.
    Pickling gel for stainless is 10/10 rust remover. Sure, a bit expensive, but it is really effective.
    I still didnt check if shit etches glass.

  26. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Try some Child safe wood paint. This is cheap and if human infanta can eat a tonne of it and survive, so can a parrot chew some.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      parrots have a much lower body mass and birds are much more sensitive to toxins than humans.
      I wonder, is chemical bluing/black oxide toxic?

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >I wonder, is chemical bluing/black oxide toxic?
        it rusts, and rust collects all sorts of shit in it.

  27. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Post more pictures of the bird you c**t

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *