28qt rack help

I'm hoping to build a 10-bin 28qt rack ASAP.

It works out so that I should be able to get all 10 shelves out of one sheet of melamine. So HOPEFULLY that part will only cost me $30 + taxes. So a couple questions:

1) For the sides I was either going to use (4) 2" x 4"s. BUT they're pretty bulky and ugly. Would it be an alright idea to use (4) 1" x 3"s? Would that be able to support the weight of (10) 24" x 17" melamine shelves or would it be too flimsy?

2) Should I use 1/2" melamine or is 5/8"s better?

3) Do I need to worry about any bowing with a shelf of only 17" x 24"?

I am not going to be enclosing the sides of the rack to a) cut down on weight, and b) cut down on costs. If i can get this done with 1 sheet of melamine I'll be happier than a pig in...you know.

I'm also going to use a separate piece of 4" flexwatt on each shelf and wire them in parallel. I don't want to weave 1 long piece of flexwatt between the shelves as that would just waste $ on heating the flexwatt that's touching open air. Sooo more questions:

4) What increments can I cut the 4" flexwatt in? I've heard that you can cut on the black lines, but you need to insulate it. What do I do this with? Does the silver foil tape work as insulation or do I need to insulate it and then secure it down with the foil tape?

5) Do racks without enclosed sides waste $ on heating? Like I said I'm going to have the flexwatt in such a way that all pieces of it are covered by the tub being heated, so I hope that is as effective as having closed sides.

Hmmm I think that's all my questions, thanks for anybody that can help! I will post photos once this is done. (Hopefully early November)

I can help with 1, 2, and 3.

Use 1x4's, they'll cost you maybe $10 and with 2 screws in each your front to back stability will be fine. Better yet, make your shelves 18.5x24 and use 8 1x4's - 4 solid and the other four cut to the height of the tubs and used as spacers nailed and glued to the solid uprights. This is a cheap and easy way to make dadoes. Your rack will be much more solid this way.

BTW, you're only going to have a 9 tub rack with 1 sheet. You always need one extra shelf to cover the top bin.

3/4 melamine would be best, but 5/8 would work. 1/2 would be too thin imo.

If you use 3/4, bowing wont be a problem. 1/2 will, and 5/8 might.

Don't forget to add a back (1/8 hardboard would be good.)

Can't help on the flexwatt. I always had RBI cut and wire mine.

foil tape will not insulate....it is metal and will conduct.
electric tape is what you would use to insulate;)
you cut flex watt between the lines in the clear part

On the flexwatt if you use one continuous piece you have only 2 connections to worry about instead of 18. Just a thought.

Thanks everyone!

Strick the reason I don't want to do a continuous piece of flex watt is that there would be about 6" between tubs that just wouldn't be heating anything but the air.

I did find some flex watt soldering videos on YouTube this morn so I think I've got that part covered. We have some old stuff here that I'm going to practice on.

And I did realize I can only fit 9 bins this way but I'm just going to set a bin w/ lid on the top shelf. That way I can even keep a few (corn snake) hatchling bins up top if I need to.

Was hoping to get this done soon but now my boyfriend dislocated his shoulder so I don't know who will help me. I'll still post pics when it's done, just might take awhile

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zn394

I can help with 1, 2, and 3.

Use 1x4's, they'll cost you maybe $10 and with 2 screws in each your front to back stability will be fine. Better yet, make your shelves 18.5x24 and use 8 1x4's - 4 solid and the other four cut to the height of the tubs and used as spacers nailed and glued to the solid uprights. This is a cheap and easy way to make dadoes. Your rack will be much more solid this way.

BTW, you're only going to have a 9 tub rack with 1 sheet. You always need one extra shelf to cover the top bin.

3/4 melamine would be best, but 5/8 would work. 1/2 would be too thin imo.

If you use 3/4, bowing wont be a problem. 1/2 will, and 5/8 might.

Don't forget to add a back (1/8 hardboard would be good.)

Can't help on the flexwatt. I always had RBI cut and wire mine.

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is it necessary to add a back? i was planning on using a 1" x 2" running down the back to stop the tubs from sliding right through.

That would work, but run it at an angle - say top left to bottom right. Otherwise you will have no side to side stability.

5/8 melamine shelves will not bow under the weight of the snake. I am currently building two 28qt racks using 5/8 black melamine. I actually got 12 shelf pieces out of one sheet. If you are careful with your cuts and cut the right way its a breeze. Remember melamine sheets are 97" x 49". That extra inch goes a long way. My racks will be 1166%3 shelves and of course the top.

That should read 11 shelves. Darn phone adds what it wants when it wants.

You sure your getting 11 and not 10.

When i cut shelves out of melamine for 28qt rack their cut 23x17 and i can only get 10 pieces with only 1" strip in middle and 11" left over on end

Yeah how do you get 11 shelves out of 1 sheet? Tell me! lol

are ALL Melamine sheets 97" x 49"? I went to HD today to scope things out and the labels said 96" x 48."

also, when you guys rip your melamine with a table saw, does the saw damage the finish horribly? do you cover it with painters tape or something to prevent this?

Be glad to post a photo of the two stacks of 12 shelves each. I have taken pics of each step up to where I currently am so far. I am currently edgebanding the shelves and side pieces.

When you cut with a table saw make sure your blade is very sharp. If the edges do chip it will be on the back side. Just put this side down for shelves or inside for side pieces. I had very little chipping, but then I have a Delta unisaw table saw. I used to do custom cabinets and counter tops so this saw came in very handy.

Its Impossible to get 11 boards for 28qt tub in one sheet. Just cant happen

http://i41.tinypic.com/30m4avo.png

As for the chipping its going ot happen. Need to use a good quality DeWalt Blade. Cuts melamine like butter, and when i to get chips i touch up with liquid white out.

yeah, it just isn't possible!

unless you somehow glue the 11" leftovers together and make them into a 22" X 23" shelf

So it is not possible huh?? Oh how I love proving people wrong!! You both should have really waited for me to post how I did it before basically stating I did not do what I said I did.

OK let's get started...

1st. When did I ever say my shelves were 17" wide?? Please show me where I said that. Assumption number 1!!

2nd. Rich nice cutting diagram if I was going for that number of shelves, but as I stated earlier I was going for maximum material usage and therefore maximum number of shelves possible.

First let's look at the tub. It is a Sterilite 1655 28qt tub. Let's break down the dimensions...

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-27-35_945.jpg

According to the label they are as follows:

23" long x 161/4 wide x 6" tall. I of course do not refute this, but remember this is with the top on. The measurements are taken by way of the top.

Now let's look at the dimensions without the top as I am not going to use the tops:

22 3/16 long x 16" wide x 5 1/2" tall. bit of a difference.

Since I am only concerned with the width as the shelf dimensions given that state I can't get 12 shelves from one sheet were stated as 23x17, let's key in on that.

Where is it written that the shelves must be 17" wide for the Sterilite 1655 tub to work??

With that said let me tell how it "DID HAPPEN"

My shelves are 16 3/16" wide!!!!!!!!!!! If I did my math right that gives an excess of 3/16" split between the two sides of the tub. Plenty of space for the tub to slide in and out of the rack nicely. How did I arrive at this conclusion?? I will tell and show you...

The tub is very flexible at the center so I did not want to go off of this area. I then determined where the tub was it's strongest with no flexing and I found that to be at the last rib prior to the radius (start of the corner rounding). I then measured across the width from rib to rib and found this to be 16". he is a pic to better demonstrate where I am talking about. The rib is in front of my thumb.

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-27-56_608.jpg

Now for the cutting pattern...

We start with a sheet of melamine that is 97 x 49.

1. Set your table saw fence to rip pieces 16 3/16".
2. You will have to make two cuts thus ending up with three pieces 16 3/16" wide.

OK now let's do the math...

3 pieces at 16 3/16" wide = 48 9/16"

2 saw cuts using a blade that is 1/8" wide = 1/4" ( This is the amount of material lost due to the two cuts )

Add 48 9/16" + 1/4" = 48 13/16". This leaves 1/8" waste.

Take the three pieces that are 97 x 16 3/16 and now make cross cuts to cut your shelves. I made my shelves 24" long. I did this for a reason that is not important for this reply.

So out of each 97 x 16 3/16" piece with shelves at 24" long you get four shelves from each piece.

4 shelves per piece x 3 pieces = 12 pieces = 11 shelves and one top!!!

Pretty good huh. I guess I did do it after all!!! Remember I did say in an earlier reply that the extra inch both ways made a big difference!!

Now for a few pictures cause as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words...

First pic is of one of the finished shelves. I used PVC edgebanding that has to be glued on. No heat activated garbage for me.

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-38-28_624.jpg

Next two pics are of each side of the shelf with the Sterilite on top of it. If you look closely you can see the edge of the shelf sticking out from the tub...

Right side first...
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-30-36_152.jpg

Now left side...
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-30-51_335.jpg

Next is a front shot...
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...-31-52_766.jpg

I must add that there is plenty of space under the tub for heat tape. I even have enough room for the connections to sit without the tub resting on them as I solder all my connections.

I Must admit I am a little perplexed that I would be called out prior to being given a chance to make this post. When I made my earlier replies I had just gotten home from work and made them using my phone. I was extremely tired and figured I would post the information in the morning. Imagine my surprise to find my credibility questioned, quite adamently I might add, that I could not do what I claimed to have done when all I was simply trying to do was help a fellow member work out the best way possible to maximize the material and thus get a few more shelves. I guess I will have to think long and hard next time before I post trying to help someone without having the time right then to explain how I did something!!

Well I hope this explaination helps you to maximize your one sheet of melamine anyway.

One more point...

IMHO having a full inch of space to split between the sides of the tub is not necessary. It is a waste of material.

Case in point...Animal Plastics 1755 series rack for the Sterilite 32qt tub specs are as follows:

Rack - 18 wide x 24 long
Sterilite 1755 32 qt tub - 17 wide x 23 1/2 long

Given that AP uses 1/2 thick material this would mean that the tub fits snuggly against the sides of the rack!!

I used this rack and tub as an example only and that the space betwen the sides of the tub are not etched in stone.

Nuff said.

Peace

Larry

I will post up some pictures tonight of the 28q rack that I built with the pre-cut pieces that you can buy at HD. You can build it with a maximum capacity of 21 bins or any other increment of 3 that you choose. It was very simple and didn't require a single cut except for the one piece of peg board that i attached as a backing. FWIW I wire each lever of heat tape independantly and plug them into a powerstrip and then plug the powerstrip into my thermostat. This way if you are not using a level you can just unplug that level.

Larrys got it going on:gj::gj:

Your Sterilite 28qts are different than my Sterilite 28qts

and now that i see your excellent explanation (thanks for that, it's really awesome!) i really, really wish I could get those 28qt bins here. it's impossible to find bins where I live, when i bought 41qts I had to ship them in from the US.

Post a pic up of your tub. I just bought my tubs about a month ago from Targets.

Should have included this...measure the width of yourthe tub without the top on and post this too! Guess I should ask are you planning on using the tops with your tubs?