Another rack idea

Has any one done this, or does anyone think this can be done. use this sterilite http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=241&section=1

Then use a sterilite 41 quart clear tote http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProdu...=179&section=1

My thought is to use flexwatt on the back or side, and stack the tubs two to a shelf. Anyone think of this, or think this is possible?

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Design was shared by Justin Kobylka and is what he is using for his hatchlings and juvenile animals. Thank you Justin for such a wonderful design!

This is actually modified from his original design and yields more shelves.

Here's what you will need:

Tools:

Electric Saw (I did use a hand hack saw last year to cut all the legs by hand - TRUST me - it can be done - but use an electric one if you can - your hands will thank you!!!!)

Electric Drill

Materials:

Two plastic shelving units from Lowe's, Item #43008 is white, they do have it in black as well, but I've only used white. This particular model is only carried at Lowe's for $19 for a set.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5523.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5524.jpg

You know you have the right one if two shelves together in the box have a "diamond" shape:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5525.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5529.jpg

A sheet of Eucaboard from Home Depot, measuring 1/8" x 48" x 96". It's essentially pegboard without the holes. This is about $7.00

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5532.jpg

Ask Home Depot to cut into 9 panels of 13.5" x 30.25". Should take 6 cuts - my Home Depot gave me the first 2 cuts for free, and the other 4 cuts for $0.25 each. So - $1.00 to cut.

They'll look like this:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5530.jpg

While you're at Home Depot, grab you a small box of 1" screws, Justin uses Drywall, I couldn't find them, so I grabbed these for about $5:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5535.jpg

Also get some Goop glue (about $3)
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5537.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5533.jpg

Now decide if you're going to make a juvenile rack, a hatchling rack, or a combo rack. I did a combo rack.

Small kitty litter pans from Walmart and 6 quart Sterilite shoebox tubs also from Walmart. Out of 2 shelving units, I'm getting 7 shelves - 15 kitty litter pans, 8 shoebox tubs. Van Ness small kitty litter pans are about $2 each, and the shoebox tubs are about $1 each.

Total expenditure (minus the heat tape and thermostat) for this rack is $94 and I can house 23 animals in it.

Next post - Assembly

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Edit: 771subliminal beat me to it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

When you open the shelving unit boxes, you'll get this:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5541.jpg

Two sides and the back of the shelving unit has a lip to it - you want to make sure as you put this rack together, that the lip is at the back - it's a stopper for your tubs, and one reason why this particular shelving unit was chosen for this design:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5539.jpg

Top of a shelf:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5542.jpg

Bottom of a shelf:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5543.jpg

On bottom of shelf - apply a thin layer of Goop along the long edges:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5547.jpg

Place a panel of the cut Eucaboard on top and set aside to dry (I dried for about 24 hours)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5548.jpg

Repeat on six more shelves (if you are using the 2 storage unit design). I did not put any on the last shelf, because that last shelf was the base, and the top was what the bottom tubs sat on, and the bottom of the shelf is on the floor.

After 24 hours comes the fun part!

For the kitty litter pans, we cut the legs to six inches (a little short, so that you can adjust the top shelf on each level, then use the screws as stoppers). A note here - you want to cut about 1/4" short on the very first (or bottom) level, because it's not using the Eucaboard, and therfore, needs to be a little shorter to account for that height difference between shelves.

Here's my father measuring a six inch cut with one that we used as the "master" cut:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5586.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5587.jpg

And Dad cutting with the electric saw:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5588.jpg

One shelf done!!!

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5581.jpg

We drilled a hole big enough to use the screw as a stopper, once we were happy with the "seating" of the shelf on top of the tubs:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5582.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5583.jpg

Two shelves done:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5589.jpg

And for the six quart tubs, the legs need to be cut to 7". The final rack, just needs heat tape and a thermostat and it's ready to go:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/IMG_5594.jpg

You'll notice that my bottom shelf doesn't have any kitty litter pans - my two Walmarts ran out of blue, so I need to wait for them to get some more in - so my rack can be uniform - but it's 5 layers of juvie tubs and 2 layers of baby tubs!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buttons

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Edit: 771subliminal beat me to it!

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i hear great minds think alike, id be worried if i were you LOL :rolleye2:

I saw that rack and loved it. My main problem is that I don't really have a lot of tools for the job. So thats why I was wondering if I didn't modify it, would it work having two tubs on top of each other on each shelf?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Theluciddreamers

I saw that rack and loved it. My main problem is that I don't really have a lot of tools for the job. So thats why I was wondering if I didn't modify it, would it work having two tubs on top of each other on each shelf?

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How would you heat the tub that sits on the other one? you can buy a "saw" for like $6 IN HD and cut the legs to size.

I've seen people heat there snake from the backs of there racks. One guy did it because he didn't want the tub to be directly on the rack. The other one I saw the guy just wanted one full sheet on the back (1-2 ft X height of rack).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Theluciddreamers

I've seen people heat there snake from the backs of there racks. One guy did it because he didn't want the tub to be directly on the rack. The other one I saw the guy just wanted one full sheet on the back (1-2 ft X height of rack).

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you can stack them
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ighlight=stack

but if you going to use back heat your gonna have to close in all the sides in order to keep the heat in