Mouse proof magazine storage.

[Truckguy]

I'm moving my magazine collection out to my shop. I will be building a cabinet to house my very large collection. Is there anyway I can mouse proof it. Or slow down their entrance. The cabinet will be built from OSB, and and have doors on the front.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'd consider buying a metal cabinet if mice are that big a problem, something with very tight gaps around the doors.

 

[AdamH]

How about just a plastic container with some moth balls?

 

[Oldbear]

Mouse traps, rat-bait (away from the area), a cat...

 

[Lippyp]

I second the metal cabinet, unless the little blighters have angle grinders instead of teeth they won't be getting in.

 

[Truckguy]

Thanks for suggestions. I'll try the moth balls, and traps. No cats in the shop, the last one used my welding jacket as it's litter box.

 

[Truckguy]

I second the metal cabinet, unless the little blighters have angle grinders instead of teeth they won't be getting in.

I'm trying to do this on the cheap. I have the OSB from putting a ceiling up. I do have some thin sheetmetal panels I can line it with.

 

[mad57]

This is really simple. go to local pet shop and see if they sell snakes...if they do ask them for the sheddings preferable boa constrictor , take the sheds and put it at the bottom of the rack, in your antique car under seats between sun visors any where you dont want them to go. completely natural and works!!!! i now i figured this out years age while i had my boa for some 25yrs now. good thing is my boa is 9ft long the sheds are about 12 when they shed lots of skin to mouse proof with dont wash it!!!

 

[Will67]

Guess magazines are not important enough to protect? I would put them in plastic bins with snap on type lids at a minimum. I would put out lots of DeCon rat bait too

 

[Truckguy]

This is really simple. go to local pet shop and see if they sell snakes...if they do ask them for the sheddings preferable boa constrictor , take the sheds and put it at the bottom of the rack, in your antique car under seats between sun visors any where you dont want them to go. completely natural and works!!!! i now i figured this out years age while i had my boa for some 25yrs now. good thing is my boa is 9ft long the sheds are about 12 when they shed lots of skin to mouse proof with dont wash it!!!

This will also keep my wife out of the shop, I think I will have to do this.

I'm pretty sure a mouse can and will find it's way in. I'm trying to slow them down. I have only seen evidence of one mouse, but I'm in a rural area with a field behind the shop. I figure I give them a place to stay dry and something to nest in I'll have a problem eventually.

 

[Truckguy]

Guess magazines are not important enough to protect? I would put them in plastic bins with snap on type lids at a minimum. I would put out lots of DeCon rat bait too

These arent the "good" ones. We are about to have a baby and my old magazine room is his room now. I have tried to give them away and what I have left over I cant find a new home for. So short of a big magazine fire, I'll put them away.

 

[MoonRise]

Sealed METAL containers. Of your choice.

Anything else, they can and will (eventually) get into.

Some metal filing/storage cabinets would work. Just seal off the bottom (they are often 'open' underneath). Just weld or have welded some sheetmetal to the bottom. The gaps around the doors/drawers are usually small enough that mice can't get in (bugs are another problem though).

OSB? They can chew through that pretty easily. If you are dead-set on making a storage cabinet out of OSB, to make it mouse-resistant you will have to completely cover it (inside or outside, your choice) with sheetmetal. Skinning the outside would be easier IMHO. Skin/wrap the doors and the seams/joints as well. Unless you want some 'security' as well, sheetmetal is all you pretty much need. 1/4 inch thick plate could be a start for a 'security' cabinet.

By the time you go through all that fab and modification, you could just go find or buy a metal cabinet and be done.

Your call as to how much 'protection' you want to put in place.

 

[SuperSocket]

Put some bait blocks around your shop. It's easy and preventative... plus they wont go after anything else.

 

[Will67]

Call Billy the exterminator!!!!

 

[csp]

If you really don't want them, but can't bear to see them thrown away, get in touch with a local military base. Guys on deployment love to get magazines from home to help pass the time.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

Put some bait blocks around your shop. It's easy and preventative... plus they wont go after anything else.

Mothballs, or crystals in a shallow container on both sides of every entry to the shop/garage. That will help deter the 4-legged critters, and really cut down on the 6- & 8-legged ones, which is usually what the mice and rats are in search of, initially. Then beside those containers, a container of mouse/rat bait. That will help deter whose who are determined to get in. Keep them both topped off.

That's your first two lines of defense. Also make sure you have sealed all the small holes and cracks in any walls.

Also, get rid of as many cardboard boxes as you can. They attract roaches and sliverfish, both yummy food for mice/rats. And as others have said, it's probably best to find some plastic containers with sealable tops to put your mags in. It helps cut down on vermin infestation and molding.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

[5lima30]

+1 on a metal cabinet! Also I have had better luck with glue traps near potential entrance/ exits. Thats what I used to catch mice and chipmunks in my last garage. BTW the chipmunks were more destructive than the mice! YMMV.

 

[Concrete B]

mine are going into a legal file cabinet in my new garage

 

[wolflrv]

I've tried rat poison, traps, spraying, etc. not only for mice, but for spiders and lizards also. What finally worked for me is plugging in an electronic unit called "Pest Offense". Google it. I now have no spiders, mice, lizards, etc. No cobwebs in the shop at all and best of all no "turds" or other damage. Heck even the crickets stay out. I swear by these little units.

 

[5lima30]

How about ammo cans? You could paint them to match your shop. The 20mm cans would be plenty big for most any magazines. BTW I would like to see a mouse try and get into an ammo can!

 

[nehog]

pack a cat in each box?

Air-tight metal cabinet may be the only solution if you have that many mice.

 

[Call me the Breeze]

I have 2 plastic tote bins that have snap lids on them. They only bad thing is when I filled them, I didn't take into account how much they would weigh.