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Some History,
Comments, and Suggestions.
We started in 1998 and our history has been
interesting and exciting. We sold our 1000th cage in
July 2002, our 2000th cage in April 2004, our 3000th
cage in June 2006, and our 4000th cage in May of
2008. We have sold cages in 49 states and
Washington, DC. The only state we haven't sold a
cage in, yet, is Wyoming. We have sold
internationally as well. We have cages in Canada,
Curacao, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, and
Puerto Rico.
More and more companies are copying our idea, some
are making subtle changes. You, as the consumer,
should be aware of what you are getting. For
example, I got a call from a prospect, who became a
client, saying that one of my competitors was
offering a cage similar to mine and at a cheaper
price. They were even going to throw in the
L-screen. When I investigated further, I found out
they were offering poly net rather than knotted
nylon. Poly net is quite a bit less expensive than
knotted nylon. In my opinion, knotted nylon is a lot
more durable than poly net. Knotted nylon is easy to
repair, poly net is not. So when shopping make sure
to compare what you are getting. Ask a lot of
questions.
I get calls about accessories for our cages. Some of
my competition provides leaded rope, others sell
backdrops, still others offer other things for sale.
I'm cheap, sorry frugal, I try to find inexpensive
alternatives. Here are some. Leaded rope is
expensive and heavy to ship. I used to offer it, but
now I make my net wider. It is 36' wide and the
perimeter of my frame is only 30', so there is 3' of
overhang all the way around. But if you still feel
you need something, try a simple garden hose. It is
much cheaper than leaded rope and will do the same
thing - provide a little extra weight on the net so
it won't blow around as much in wind. Some companies
offer expensive backdrops. I suggest an inexpensive
piece of carpet. Hang it from the roof corner
connectors.
Wind is the one weakness of our system. Strong cross
winds can actually tip over the cage. Our system is
a free standing light weight system. If you are in a
windy climate and your cage is in the open, that is,
you don't have a barrier like a house, fence, or
trees, you should anchor down the cage in some
fashion. Here are a few suggestions. Tie rope to the
roof corner connectors then anchor the other end of
the rope in the ground with a tent peg or stake.
This method will handle most reasonable winds. A few
of my clients have offered some other suggestions.
One used "ree-bar" and pounded it next to some of
the leg poles and then wrapped wire around the leg
pole and the ree-bar. Another bought some 1" conduit
and put some of them into the ground at the same
angle as the leg pole and then inserted the leg pole
inside the 1" conduit. He then drilled a hole
through the poles and inserted a bolt or wire to
secure the two together.
My cage is not perfect and may not be for everyone.
However I think we have made a good product and
people feel they are getting very good value for the
dollar they spend. We also provide excellent
customer service and support.
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