Easy Cardboard Cat Tower

I decided to post my first instructable it is of a recent cat tower I made, the cats seem to love it so I thought you might too. Also I'm entering the cardboard contest so if you like this please vote for me.

Step 1: Shopping List

1) Cardboard, soooo much cardboard, on the plus side you can go to liquor stores,grocery stores etc. they will usually give you their old boxes for free.

2) Wooden dowel 1/2 inch thick, I got a standard length dowel from Home Depot and then cut it in half.

3) Wooden board, I got mine in the craft wood section they have 2 foot boards that are 12" x 1" thick, have it cut in half in the lumber area.

4) Cabinet knob, I got mine at you guested it Home Depot you can basically use any knob with a hole in the top.

Optional) Home Depot has free carpet squares samples in the flooring department, cats love to scratch at carpet.

Step 2: Fun With Cardboard

So step two after getting everything together is cutting the squares for the pole. You are going to need cardboard, soooo much cardboard, on the plus side you can go to liquor stores,grocery stores etc. they will usually give you their old boxes for free.

I decided to cut them in 4x4 squares using a paper cutter, you could probably just as easily a utility knife but it probably won't be as exact.

I've been drilled a hole in the middle of square with my drill press. Caution make sure to use all safety measures when using a drill press because the cardboard can catch or get very hot and start to smoke.

Step 3: Drilling the Base and Attach the Pole.

I once again used my drill press to drill through the center of the wooden board, I drilled completely through one board and partially through the other. This will give you a rather rigid base with a good amount of mass so the tower doesn't tip over.

I drilled a small hole in the center of the partially drilled board so that a screw could attached to the bottom of the dowel from the bottom.

Optionally, this is the point where I would fasten your carpet squares to the top of the board you cut all the way through, I used industrial double-sided tape you could probably glue them down as well. I then cut the hole out in the center of the board with my utility knife.

Inserted the dowel through both boards and screwed it in from the bottom I put an extra couple screws just so the boards wouldn't shift.

Step 4: Cardboard the Pole

Now you get to find out if you cut enough squares. Thread the cut out square down the pole, you can then push down a little so that there is a little friction on the cardboard so they don't spin freely. Now simply screw down the knob on top and you are done.

Well hope you liked my first Instructable, and if you did please vote for me in the cardboard contest.