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Newly Built Rack System
- Thread starter Buschjs
- Start date
Clint Boyer
'Former' Snake slave
Nice work.
The only thing I might add is that a rack system works very well when designed to go lidless. It's so much easier when you don't have to pull them all of the way out and remove the lid to access the cage.
The only thing I might add is that a rack system works very well when designed to go lidless. It's so much easier when you don't have to pull them all of the way out and remove the lid to access the cage.
Jimmy Johnson
Old Timer
rack
Clint is right
It is a lot easier if you don't have to slide them all the way out to remove the lid.
I made two racks for larger tubs and a hatchling rack.
When I first measured the sterilite containers for the adult racks I wasn't thinking and measured a tub with the lid on. When I finished my racks I had no choice but to leave the lids on. They still work but it would have been easier without the lids. My hatchling rack was made to work without lids but I did find that RubberMade 6 quart boxes are a little shorter then Sterilite 6 quart boxes. Now I can't find anything but 6 1/2 quart sterilite boxes instead of 6 quart so I have to use a few of my old rubbermade boxes with lids to complete my hatchling rack.
You can't quite see the last box in the two adult racks but there are ten 28-quart boxes in each of the "adult" racks and thirty six 6-quart boxes in the "hatchling" rack.
I also have a converted book case rack that has six 32-quart boxes. Not to mention 11 aquariums housing 14 snakes, (three are 55-gallon aquariums split to accomodate two snakes each).
By the way..there are two strips of 11 1/2 inch wide flex watt running up the back of each rack.
Clint is right
It is a lot easier if you don't have to slide them all the way out to remove the lid.
I made two racks for larger tubs and a hatchling rack.
When I first measured the sterilite containers for the adult racks I wasn't thinking and measured a tub with the lid on. When I finished my racks I had no choice but to leave the lids on. They still work but it would have been easier without the lids. My hatchling rack was made to work without lids but I did find that RubberMade 6 quart boxes are a little shorter then Sterilite 6 quart boxes. Now I can't find anything but 6 1/2 quart sterilite boxes instead of 6 quart so I have to use a few of my old rubbermade boxes with lids to complete my hatchling rack.
You can't quite see the last box in the two adult racks but there are ten 28-quart boxes in each of the "adult" racks and thirty six 6-quart boxes in the "hatchling" rack.
I also have a converted book case rack that has six 32-quart boxes. Not to mention 11 aquariums housing 14 snakes, (three are 55-gallon aquariums split to accomodate two snakes each).
By the way..there are two strips of 11 1/2 inch wide flex watt running up the back of each rack.
Jimmy Johnson
Old Timer
well
I hate to be ignorant but I am not sure.
What is mdf?
I do not remember what it was called but I would describe it as very fine particle board.
There were a couple of reasons I used it instead of melamine.
When I was looking for an alternative to melamine the first thing that caught my eye was the fact that these sheets laid flat. No waves or bows in them.
It came in 49" x 97" sheets (instead of 4' x 8') which gave me a little extra for working to my own dimensions. It was a lot cheaper. One sheet was $13.00 whereas a length of melamine 16" x 96" was around $16.00.
my racks are actually 16 1/4" deep.
With the width of the circular saw blade (1/8") factored in you get three perfect 16 1/4" boards out of a 49" wide sheet.
That extra 1/4 inch came in handy with my measuring mistake causing me to keep the lids on the 28 quart boxes.
I went with 1/2" thick for the weight factor but the racks aren't quite as sturdy as 3/4 inch melamine would have been. Easily stable enough but you can "sway" them with a push.
I actually built them in my garage and then had to disassemble them to move them upstairs to my den (reptile room) and reassemble them there.
The lesser weight made this much easier...lol
sorry to ramble
I hate to be ignorant but I am not sure.
What is mdf?
I do not remember what it was called but I would describe it as very fine particle board.
There were a couple of reasons I used it instead of melamine.
When I was looking for an alternative to melamine the first thing that caught my eye was the fact that these sheets laid flat. No waves or bows in them.
It came in 49" x 97" sheets (instead of 4' x 8') which gave me a little extra for working to my own dimensions. It was a lot cheaper. One sheet was $13.00 whereas a length of melamine 16" x 96" was around $16.00.
my racks are actually 16 1/4" deep.
With the width of the circular saw blade (1/8") factored in you get three perfect 16 1/4" boards out of a 49" wide sheet.
That extra 1/4 inch came in handy with my measuring mistake causing me to keep the lids on the 28 quart boxes.
I went with 1/2" thick for the weight factor but the racks aren't quite as sturdy as 3/4 inch melamine would have been. Easily stable enough but you can "sway" them with a push.
I actually built them in my garage and then had to disassemble them to move them upstairs to my den (reptile room) and reassemble them there.
The lesser weight made this much easier...lol
sorry to ramble
Jimmy Johnson
Old Timer
no edit
since there is no edit feature any longer I thought I would add this here.
I used peg board for the backs. Even with the flex watt strips it allows for some air circulation to help prevent "hot" spots.
since there is no edit feature any longer I thought I would add this here.
I used peg board for the backs. Even with the flex watt strips it allows for some air circulation to help prevent "hot" spots.
Jimmy Johnson
Old Timer
that's it
medium density fiberboard
worked for me.
medium density fiberboard
worked for me.