Finalising

After completing the front and the top we could actually see what the finished article was going to look like.

The final thing was to decorate the box to match the lounge.
Sadly because I wanted to retain all serviceable functions this meant no sooner was it finished, I had to dismantle it all in order to not paint over the nuts and bolts.

Having thrown half the magnolia over the shed and garden in what can only be described as an act of divine hubris I had to double coat the box in white before giving it one thick covering of Magnolia.

After that we bought a chew proof water bottle from a well known pet chain and I attached it to the inside using a combination of it's own fixings and some eye hooks.

As you can see I glued some ceramic tiles under it.
The idea behind this is that it will help the Goos keep their claws down.

Once the structure was ready the last thing I needed to do was make sure the wood I had gathered for them would be safe from infection/pests/etc.

Firstly I soaked them in boiling water mixed with Pet Safe disinfectant (the tall plum branch was a challenge!).

Then I baked them in the oven for 20 minutes until the big bit was near point of ignition!

With all the work I could realistically do until moving day I assembled all the pieces ready.

The actual day of moving will be quite involved as the main job will be to secure the wheel to the box.
I have come up with a cunning plan for this in order to brace the wheel and protect the box from the tiny shock vibrations... but that is a tale for another day.