Build or Purchase: Rack System?

I cant argue that the purchased racks aren't nice, or that the pros don't all use ARS or Freedom Breeder type steel frame suspended racks. However, if money is tight nice racks can be built for less. I built a rack recently using 1/4" XPVC and wood combined. I got the design and DIY build instructions from this site.
http://northeastsnakes.com/racks.html
The one I made ended up having 7 Rubbermaid 15 quart tubs in the top section and 7 Sterilite 28 quart tubs in the loser section. Can be heated with back heat or belly heat. I used boards that came pre primed in white for a nice all white finished look. You could paint the wood black and use black XPVC just as easily. All in with heat and casters was less than $200.

IMO the only drawback of building your own out of melamine is the weight. They get real heavy especially when you start building anything with 10+ tubs.

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Originally Posted by francisco_24

IMO the only drawback of building your own out of melamine is the weight. They get real heavy especially when you start building anything with 10+ tubs.

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I agree 100%. I built my 7 layer one and it took alot of huffin and puffin from me and my stepdad to get it inside. If i had done 8 layers idk if we would have been able to get it inside lol.

In addition, after a few years melamine sags making the tubs stick.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

If you have money to burn, buy. If not, build. They are easy to build, and much cheaper.

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THIS. If you're handy then build it to your specs. If you have $ to blow, then buy one. You can even have one custom made.

It's about half the cost to build your own. Home Depot is also a lot of help they will cut the melamine to size for you. I just built a 12 tub sub-adult rack. When I am all done with tubs and heat tape its going to cost me around $300.

Josh

Build them out of expanded pvc best thing going right now for DIY as far as durability and cost. I just built 2 out of xpvc and love them i got the plans from SSScales one 41 qt and 1 12/28 qt cost about 400 or so and they cut it just put it together. Look at www.lairdplastics.com they are a big help.

I built this one for only about $60 before flexwatt and thermostat. Only drawback is the weight (i used 3/4" of the really high density MDF) and it would have a little less of a lifespan of melamine.

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/...313_135353.jpg

I built my own from melamine. It's SO heavy. Since I didn't follow plans word for word, I ended up spending about 300 without heat and definitely could have lowered that # a ton with better planning. I never thought of it in terms of a "per snake" cost, but after considering that I don't see myself ever building my own enclosure again. You're going to house some potentially very expensive animals in the rack. It might as well look nice, be professionally constructed, and last forever.

Oh, and melamine is RIDICULOUSLY HEAVY... and if you ever move there's a good chance it will lose a huge amount of structural integrity in the process because of the way the screws hold in the wood.

Get a pro rack and wait till you have more money to get the lesser.

/2cents

I see alot of peoe saying its cheaper to build, home depot wil make your cuts so they build.

The only problem with that is home depot cant make dato cuts into the melamine. This is where the majority of the strength of the rack comes from. Luckily my father is the shop teacher at a high school and I had full access to tools. I built my first rack with the thought in mind it will only last me 5 years. Each season I will put money away from every clutch. This will let me buy a new rack or buy the pvc sheet so I can build my own.

Up here its about $1000 for a cb70 8 bin rack. I priced it out and it would be about $1000 for me to build a 10 high CB70 and a 28qt 10 bin rack with the tubs, heat tape, and screws.

Oh and yes Melamine is heavy but I dont move my racks every day, week, or month. If I was I would put castors on the bottom.