My homemade rack!

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Originally Posted by WtGreg

I have larger racks of melamine, so things like weight pop out to me as it can become a concern the larger they are. If it is for heat and stopping, Iwould suggest a lighter material. For a small rack like this I am sure will make no difference, but when you get into larger melalmine racks, one panel can be significant.



On the subject of heat, if I may make a suggestion/observation: keep an eye on the temps in that bottom slot. I have had problems before with the bottom levels until I started raising on casters and insulating below the bottom level. This wasn't a problem when I built my first racks which sat close to the floor, but when Imoved them to a new locations, the floor was colder and called for a change in design on my racks. Hopefully you will not find this happening, but if you do it is a easy fix.

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Yeah I decided on melamine just cause its sturdy, and I've heard people not having any problems with it. I want to build one out of the PVC animal plastics uses, but for the life of me I can't find it ANYWHERE!

Temp wise,thanks for the head up, I was wondering how the bottom shelf would hold heat. I'm in an apartment so it's going to be sitting straight on the carpet next to my bed. I guess we will see how it holds and if it doesn't hold heat well ill add some insulation.

How would you go about adding insulation? I was just going to add casters to mine to give it a gap between the ground and the base hopefully the dead air under it will help keep the lowest shelf of the rack heated as well as the uppershelves so it's not sitting on the cold floor.

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Originally Posted by Adin

How would you go about adding insulation? I was just going to add casters to mine to give it a gap between the ground and the base hopefully the dead air under it will help keep the lowest shelf of the rack heated as well as the uppershelves so it's not sitting on the cold floor.

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Haven't thought about insulation yet. I'm not adding my snakes in the rack for about another three weeks. When I hook up my heat tape and everything if I can't keep the bottom shelf warm I will add insulation and casters.
I would probably just add a thick piece of insulation under the bottom shelf.

Gotcha I was just curious just I case I couldn't keep my bottom shelf well heated but I guess I'll see when I get there. Gotta get finished building it gotta order heat tape to put on it also ha.

i am a finish carpenter and i am building cabinets for living,but i can tell you,you did a great job,look nice:gj:

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Originally Posted by Adin

How would you go about adding insulation? I was just going to add casters to mine to give it a gap between the ground and the base hopefully the dead air under it will help keep the lowest shelf of the rack heated as well as the uppershelves so it's not sitting on the cold floor.

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There is pink foam that can be simply glued in place, but I don't know how well that works. For me, the bottom level is built as a box and it contains the fiberglass insulation like you use on walls. It is sealed off, then attached as the floor to the bottom level. The casters then go on that. (the corners of the box are reinforced to support cage on casters.... I can try to get pics for you later to see what I mean. Someday I may write a tutorial on how I do mine because I have a few other differences in my method.

Lovely rack! I am not very skilled at building things, so I enjoy seeing the racks and such that others can make. :) Great job!

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Originally Posted by missriss2012

Lovely rack! I am not very skilled at building things, so I enjoy seeing the racks and such that others can make. :) Great job!

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This was my first time building ANYTHING lol it was pretty simple. You learn from your mistakes. :rolleyes:

I'm actually building a six high rack the same way for my buddy and he's trading me a female hatchling mojave :gj: