41qt 6 tub rack in the making

[DeathMetalMax]

Hey everyone I'm new to bp.net but I'm not entirely new to ball pythons. Right now I'm making a rack using my own design, which has probably been done by others because it seems like a good design.

Here are the dimensions of my set up

The sides consist of 2 boards of 35&1/2" x 48" melamine

The shelfs consist of 7 boards of 35&1/2" x 17" melamine

The back is 1 board of 18&1/2" x 48" cork board

I plan on running two 3" wide strips through the entire rack.
The tape will be spaced about 4" apart and will zig zag from the bottom up through all the shelves giving the snakes belly and side heat. I'm sure that's hard to visualize but I'll make sure to post pictures of the finished product.

I have a picture of what it will look like with 5 tubs and no heat tape. My flex watt is on the way and I need to buy more melamine to add the 6th shelf. Btw in this picture the shelves aren't screwed in, only the bottom, sides, and back are screwed in. The extra space will be used for storing snake supplies

Let me know what you think.




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[jcoylesr76]

looking good so far.

[Royal Hijinx]

Lookin good!

[kuppler]

nice..

[shelliebear]

Ew I look awful. Oh well....
The rack looks niiiiiiiice! Way to go us.

[shelliebear]

Also what does everyone think about the zig zag heat tape design? Going up the side of one shelf, to the bottom of the next, then up the side to the next one, with the heat tape plugged into a rheostat and ONE thermostat with one probe? Anyone had issues using a foot of heat tape on multiple shelves with only one probe/thermostat? We're buying a temp gun but the thermostat has only one probe.

[Royal Hijinx]

Snaking the flex watt is a pretty standard way to do it. This way it is continuous and you only use one thermostat.

I posted a video the other day on my YouTube page and on here showing me building a Animal Plastics rack, and that is how the flex watt is put in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerokOwhLdg

[shelliebear]

Thanks! Just what I was wondering. We're so stoked about this rack, we don't want to do a single thing to mess it up!
This is so exciting! Can't wait til it's done. Flexwatt supplies will be here by this next Friday. Woo!

[Royal Hijinx]

If you have access to a router to recess the flexwatt just a touch and make the notches in the sides of the shelf to bring it up from the previous level, you will be golden.

[DeathMetalMax]

Yeah.... I don't have access to a router. Would a jigsaw work? Do think it's even necessary to cut a recess for .01" thick flex watt? This is my first rack so I guess I'll just have to see how she goes. Any advice would definitely be appreciated though.