Living in the Hudson Valley of New York, my family and I are surrounded by the beauty of mother nature. We love the four seasons, and, of course, the local wildlife that visits us year-round. We are frequently visited by hungry black bears! They’re impressive, majestic, and… they seriously love our garbage. They are especially good at spreading trash all over our yard. 

🎬 The build video is at the end of post 🎬

After too many mornings spent picking up bits of trash from our lawn, I decided it was time to make a serious upgrade: a bear-proof steel garbage cage should do the trick!

My first attempts at deterring these hungry visitors included bolting down the trash lids with 3/8” stainless hardware. 

The stainless steel bolts with nuts and washers held up for a bit—until a BIGGER bear showed up and smashed the plastic bin, popping it like a piñata at a kids birthday party!  Most of my neighbors store their garbage inside their homes, sheds, or garages. Since I work remotely from inside my garage that is not an option for me.  So I was forced to get creative and develop a better solution.

As with most of my projects, I like to get started inside 3D Whiteboard and create an Artboard. This really helps with my brainstorming sessions and keeps me organized.  Here, I can see all my: sketches, inspiration, materials, and even links to supplies I might need.

At first, I thought about modifying the existing trash can—maybe reinforce the lid with metal and just use larger custom bolts. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the plastic lid is no match for the bears shear power. I needed something a bit more serious. Something that wouldn’t bend or break. Something… made of STEEL!  (insert evil laughter here)

Right about then is when inspiration struck me: I had a flashback to my short time on the Bering Sea in Alaska as a deck hand on the Time Bandit.  While there I got a first hand tour of how crab fishing boats work.  They use these massive steel traps—essentially giant cages called PODS—I thought if I modified a structure like this out of steel certainly that would secure my garbage from those thieving bears. 

Above are a couple of quick sketches I cranked out.  Sketching helps my mind better process a solution. It helps that I also enjoy sketching, sometimes I do it just for FUN!   (Please don't tell anyone) 

I hopped into SolidWorks and got to work designing a box!  I started with a garbage can I found online and then I sketched a box around it. I used a 3D Sketch for the corners connecting the closed sketches on the bottom and top. 

I was recently introduced to WELDMENTS Thanks @JB  This was a real game changer for me.  Using WELDMENTS was a great way for me to speed up my modeling process and become more accurate.  I cranked out a cut list for this project so no more guessing the amount of material I will need. 

This is my final design, simple but effective.  I went with heavy-duty 2” steel tubing in all the corner posts, connected with 2” steel angle iron, and everything is closed off with expanded steel. I added sturdy hinges, a couple of carabiners, and a handle for the door. This beast of a cage is ready to take on the most persistent of our bear neighbors!

My son Kipton jumped in and helped me out with the fabrication.  His main objective was to keep me focused and provide that second set of hands I always seem to need.  After I got the sides tacked into place I decided it was a good idea to let Kip give MIG welding a try.  HE LOVED IT!

Maxton used a spray primer to cover all the steel and this NO BEARS ALLOWED sign was our final touch!  I am not sure if bears can read or not but I thought it wouldn't hurt. 

Bigfoot (Cashton) and his assistants help test the strength of the steel cage. Sure, this project might be a little overkill, but when it comes to keeping the trash in and the bears out, sometimes you just need to build a steel fortress. I’m thrilled with how it turned out—and I am pretty sure I’ll be sparing myself from a few messy mornings. Sometimes, a good story just waltzes up your driveway in the form of a giant black bear.  

Jason

 🎬 Check out the video below! 🎬