41 quart rack

i recently finished my 41 quart rack and im going to try my best to show you how i built it. im sure im going to leave some stuff out so if you have any questions please feel free to ask and i will try to answer you as best as i can.
i cant really do a materials list because i had most of the stuff i used already but heres a list of what i know i used off the top of my head:

-4 sheets of 3/4" plywood(2 sheets of oak faced ply for the sides and 2 sheets of bc sanded ply for the shelves)
note: you can get one shelf out of each oak faced piece of ply
-one gallon of polycrilic gloss(whichever you prefer satin/gloss)
-one box of drywall screws 1 5/8" x 8g
-small bottle of wood glue(optional)
-5/16" dowels(optional)
-6 2" casters
-24' of heat tape
-i used 11" because it gets colder here and i dont have my room heated past 65ish
-24 heat tape clips and insulators

tools
table saw
drill/impact gun

im not a finish carpenter by any means, but i have built a bunch of cages and racks. i wouldnt say this was difficult, but i wouldnt jump right to something like this unless you have some experience or someone to help you that has some know how.

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these are the plans i went off of. nothing to crazy, just drew them up myself. one thing i would change if i did it over is the width of each shelf. i did 17.5" to be safe, but you dont need that much, it should tighter, 17 at most.


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this is the two side pieces before being cut in half.

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here i got the bottom shelf drilled and screwed in first. i used 90 degree angle clamps to hold the bottom piece in place. they cost about 8 bucks at the hardware store and are worth their weight in gold. the reason i started at the bottom is because i was making it in two different sections so i had to know where to cut the sides in half. so i built it up to a five shelf rack and made a line marking the top shelf. i then broke it down.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...psd2536d17.jpg

after getting the bottom secured i i did the same for a makeshift top just to hold the other side in place. i then stood it up and started building the shelves from the bottom up.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...pscca7910b.jpg

if you look closely i cut two strips out of scrap wood to use as a spacer for the tub. ive tried using cds but i find this works much better. you can see them better in the following pictures. the tub is just there for asthetics. when you insert the spacer, bang the front of the shelf tight and if you have a clamp use it to hold the shelf tight to the sides. drill and screw, then repeat for the back.

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use something with a straight edge to mark the middle. hold one end in the front and one in the back at the midpoint of the shelf. then tap the middle down tight to the spacer and then drill and screw them.

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heres what i used to clamp the sides tight and the t square i used to mark two drill holes in the middle of each shelf. continue until you have six pieces of plywood in which will give you room for 5 tubs. draw a line on the inside of the side pieces to cut. disassemble the shelves and then cut the sides on the other side of the line, the side that didnt have shelves. after they are cut you can begin to do the same process for the top section.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...ps58feb82b.jpg

i secured a shelf at the top once again just to hold it. you dont have to add a bottom piece to this section because the bottom of ths shelf is the top of the bottom section.

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you should have some leftover on the sides. there are a few options for this. i chose to put a piece of heat tape on top. that way every level is heated from the top and the bottom. i put a kickplate in the front out of leftover wood from the oak faced ply to hide it. another option is to put a kickplate on and put insulation in the top to hold more heat in. the last option i had was to cut off the overhang. do what you prefer.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4017c4e1.jpg

i then disassembled the top section and put several layers of polycrilic on both sides of every shelf and side. you can paint it if you want, but i like the natural wood look. if you are going to paint it, i suggest painting it while its broken down.
one other note, pay close attention to what piece is what while breaking it down. i labeled one side 1 and one side 2. i then numbered each shelf starting at the bottom and put a 1 on the side that corresponded to side 1 and 2 for side 2(label the shelves in the back so its hidden. i labeled inside in the back for the sides also so it would be hidden.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...psfc379d79.jpg

one other note, before i started assembling i routered out two areas in the back of the shelf for the wires to pass. i did so 11" apart so the wires would come straight down. this depends on how you are going to setup you heat tape. but this is how i chose to do it.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...ps77d46c15.jpg

it may not show, but the rack really has a nice gloss to it. that it was i prefer for style.


i used dowels to attach the two sections together so that it would be more mobile if i ever want to move it. you can very well build this as one solid piece, just omit the steps to cut it in half. the dowels hold it extremely solid. if you have never used dowels do some research before just trying to wing it.

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make sure to wipe off the excess glue so that the top will sit flush.

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clearly the top hadnt been hit with polycrilic yet, but i just couldnt resist and had to see how it fit.....like a glove. also, those blotches you see are where i hit the screws with woodfiller and sanded it down. i went back and poly'd thos areas after.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...psd83e67c3.jpg

i used two feet of 11" thg heat tape for each shelf. and i wired each one together so that i had only one plug exiting each section(top/bottom)

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before attaching the heat tape to the bottom i added the casters for mobility since im not hercules.

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as you can see this is where i added the kickplate to the top section to hide the heat tape on top. it really doesnt matter since i dont expect shaq to stop my house. the average person will never see that high.

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40cb82f1.jpg

and lastly, the finished product. again, if anyone has any questions ill try to answer as best i can. i hope you all enjoyed it, hope i didnt leave anything out.
-scott

Turned out really nice thanks for the detailed write up.

I had a question about how you wired the heat tape, where the wires are twisted together did you just solder them to the heat tape or were you able the slide the wires in the eyelet clips like what reptile basic sells ? Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by black06gt

I had a question about how you wired the heat tape, where the wires are twisted together did you just solder them to the heat tape or were you able the slide the wires in the eyelet clips like what reptile basic sells ? Thanks

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Yes, I just slid them through the eyelets of the clips. I had no problems footing them both in together.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by black06gt

Turned out really nice thanks for the detailed write up.

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Thanks!



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Ok thanks scooter for the quick reply

These plans will also work with melamine or whatever kind of 3/4"inch ply you prefer

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