The Costly Crate

You know what costs a lot of money? 
A dog crate that could hold a medium sized child!
i.e. a crate I and all other Dane owners will have to get at one point. Whether it be for travel or daily crate training, this is a given cost that you will have to accept..............
unless.... You are nifty thrifty!
and if not (or you aren't willing to admit how much you liked that rhyme, because really who doesn't like a good rhyme?) I can shed some light on how I am going to save money on a large crate for my dog by making my own (sort of/ish) for a fraction of the cost! (1/4 to be nearly almost exact assuming a contiguous united states and friction-less surfaces and neglecting wind-resistance and well anyways) 

Here is a commercial giant dog crate. And for those lovely few of you that clicked there I probably should have asked if you were sitting down first! That's right ladies and gents for the free shipping $389.90 gets you one free arm and leg amputation.
Don't get me wrong I shopped till I was fed up looking for a cheaper version of the same crate amazon, ebay, craigslist, but the cheapest I could ever find was $180. Which if you're into that kind of stuff go for it, it is easy and I mean how do you say no to the free shipping?! 
I did but I also had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea! (and if someone else has had it already before me I am upset that they never posted it to the blogs and help sites I scoured!!) 

The pens that breeders and the people at Petsmart use to corral the dogs on adoption day, they are basically just a crate folded out into a circle...

behold the brilliant idea! (if you scrolled down for the link..

you're nearly there..

hahaha oh internet how short your attention--squirrel--)

Note this picture is not the one linked below that amazon picture was low quality but this is the same style

but really. It's just a matter of setting these playpens up as rectangles and using the other panels as the top and bottom!!
And wait for it... they only cost (even the great dane sized one) $50!!!! oh but Jessica the shipping is $25? Well a small price to pay I say to you dear reader (in a British accent of course) because if dear reader notices that is a mere trifle compared to the Big commercial costly crate. 
I will post updates on my personal DIY project the play pen panels are my next purchase! :D

ProTip: This DIY modification is not just for the mechanically inclined all hardware you need is provided with the playpen, just make sure your walls are stable and the pen you choose is coated metal, don't want any rust! 

ProProTip: This link model even has a door already!