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[Oglokoog]

First, a link: http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2157

As you can see quite clearly in the movie I just linked to, it is fully within the power of a giant cave spider to spit a web or two (or more) through a fortification carved into a wall, provided something is on the other side of the wall to catch their interest (said something can be a kitten if you are so inclined). This, combined with a setup similar to the one in the movie (a small chamber with the GCS neighboring a larger one with a helpless, cute, furry little critter) plus a door to access the created webs, can provide your fortress with an endless, if slightly slow, supply of the highest quality giant cave spider silk, thus avoiding the much feared "shoes frenzy".
You should now totally litter cage traps all around the caverns, because it's going to pay off. Multiple spiders would, of course, be optimal. Also, if you are feeling a little sadistic today, the spider's pit can double as a handy way to dispose of the web-covered, but mostly unharmed kitty later.

[Eric Blank]

-derp-

GCS are building destroyers. Forgot.

Your plan will definitely work, but the webs are right next to the fortifications so you're going to have difficulty collecting the webs unless you tame the spider and give it hostile targets, and then figure out how to get rid of the targets...

[Psychoceramics]

put a bridge up one one side of the fortifications to block LOS so you can collect the webs.

[Eric Blank]

In all likelihood you'll end up killing the spider with the bridge if it's on the spiders side, and definitely destroying the webs on the other.
This is going to require GCS breeding programs.

Why must spiders be so hard to take advantage of :\

[derekiv]

And no more dungeon master to tame them 

[dogstile]

In all likelihood you'll end up killing the spider with the bridge if it's on the spiders side, and definitely destroying the webs on the other.
This is going to require GCS breeding programs.

Why must spiders be so hard to take advantage of :\

just tame them, shove a goblin down there with a room overlooking it. When you want to collect webs, send a marksdwarf in, he kills the goblins, you collect, dump in the next one.

[kierkkadon]

Could you line the floor of the target chamber with upright spike traps? You leave them down, put your target hostile creature in there, let webs build up, and pull the lever to activate the spikes. The only flaw I can see would be if the spikes destroy the webs.

[twwolfe]

http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=44804.0

2nd from the bottom.

and i don't think GCS have building destroyer, since it can't get through doors

[Oglokoog]

http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=44804.0

2nd from the bottom.

and i don't think GCS have building destroyer, since it can't get through doors

Awesome, thanks. As evidenced by the video I linked in the OP, though, the "must be able to path" part isn't really true. Well, that or there is a bug in pathfinding that causes the algorithm to occasionally ignore stuff like walls or fortifications. Either way, well... GCS's, you just wait patiently, you will be turned into contributing members of society very soon!