My new DIY (kinda) rack/incubator/python center :D

Hi guys! I FINALLY finished my small Ball Python 'Center'. Just wanted to share it with you all :)
I started out with a 'wardrobe' frame from IKEA (saw a rack tutorial on YouTube involving IKEA and thought 'genius'!) and shelves.
I am el crazy paranoid about the heat tape, since I've never used it before (and keep reading all these horror stories), so I put up strips of the foil tape as a buffer between the tape and back board. I do realize this is probably overkill :P
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/26/ynuve2e3.jpg
Heat tape all installed! Yay!
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/26/4a5ane8y.jpg
Shelves all in place!
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/26/u9agegyj.jpg
Tubs all in place! Almost there! Just need to let it get heated up :)
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/26/uhagypy3.jpg
Aaand DONE! Snakes are happy and tubs are juuuust about up to temp :)
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/26/6u4eseje.jpg
If anyone's interested, I'll post the tutorial up for my incubator once it's completely finished (need to install the heat tape I was waiting on) :) thanks for looking, guys!

Why are they all sideways? :( on my phone they aren't... anyone know how I can fix this?

Thats basically what I did, I have three racks made from different Ikea furniture and using the bins from Ikea as well. I personally think its the best way to go. The most expensive part of my big female rack was the heating, I have a heat cable per shelf.

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Originally Posted by nimblykimbly

Why are they all sideways? :( on my phone they aren't... anyone know how I can fix this?

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If it's from an iphone, you can edit the photo, and just rotate =p.

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Originally Posted by h00blah

If it's from an iphone, you can edit the photo, and just rotate =p.

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Thank you :) edit them before I insert them? Bc I tried to edit my post on the forum and saw no option to rotate the photo...?

How much was the "rack"?

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Originally Posted by aldebono

How much was the "rack"?

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It was $90, and each set of 2 shelves were $25... Unknowingly, we went on 'eat free' weekend, and our entire lunch order was taken off our purchase, so we got one set of shelves 'for free' :)

Can you post that tutorial and the item number that the wardrobe is? This is a lot sleeker than the "Frugal herpers rack" which I have. Just more professional looking.

what size tubs are you using? Dimensions/quart size?

I am wondering if the Pax ones are not online. I definitely need to get some of these after our move.

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Originally Posted by iCandiBallPythons

what size tubs are you using? Dimensions/quart size?

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The clear ones are 28q tubs from Walmart, and the smaller black ones I am not sure, since they came from IKEA, but I would guess around 15q. :)

As for the IKEA wardrobe, yes it's the Pax line, in black/brown. I'll look up and post the item numbers for both this double wide and the single wide :) not sure if it's available online or not, but IMHO a road trip to IKEA is always worth it! ;)

Whoops almost forgot - dimensions of the 28q: 23 1/2 x 16 7/8 x 5 7/8
IKEA tub is called Samla and is: 15 1/2 x 11 x 5 1/2.

The sterilite tubs are a bit of a snug fit, if ones could be found that measured either 5 1/2, 6 3/4, or 8, they would have a very nice fit with little gap. :)

What is that!? I want one!

I was so confused for a second when I was first looking at this and thinking "Building horizontal seems like it would be a bit inefficient for a rack" then I saw the shelves and got even more concerned. Then I realized that I'm an idiot. WHOOPS.

Anyway, looks fantastic! If this thread had existed before I ordered my AP rack then I may have gone in a different direction. Maybe I'll borrow your design for when I get around to building some hatchling tubs and make it a baby center. :P

Here is the tutorial on YouTube:
http://youtu.be/BNrAoiPlmUc

The Pax Wardrobe frame:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/pr...560/#/20214566

The shelves:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10146653/

Where I get my heat tape and connectors:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-tape

There ya go! Hope that helps!

How well is it holding heat?

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Originally Posted by MisterKyte

I was so confused for a second when I was first looking at this and thinking "Building horizontal seems like it would be a bit inefficient for a rack" then I saw the shelves and got even more concerned. Then I realized that I'm an idiot. WHOOPS.

Anyway, looks fantastic! If this thread had existed before I ordered my AP rack then I may have gone in a different direction. Maybe I'll borrow your design for when I get around to building some hatchling tubs and make it a baby center. :P

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LOL thanks! :) I know, when I got on here (I posted that from my phone, and all the pics were upright....) and saw it, I thought "What the heck??" :P Now I know I have to rotate all of my pics and make them sideways on my phone, I guess.... haha

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Originally Posted by 3skulls

How well is it holding heat?

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I just checked their hot spot in the back and it's 92.5, heater is about to shut off, as I just adjusted the temp on my thermostat.

I'll have to add it up and see if this would be a cheaper option for a hatchling rack :)

Thanks for posting.

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Originally Posted by 3skulls

I'll have to add it up and see if this would be a cheaper option for a hatchling rack :)

Thanks for posting.

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You're welcome, the links to IKEA are above :)

5 1/2"
6 3/4"
8"

Is the space between the shelves?

I'm I reading that right?

Awesome post! Please post the incubator tutorial when you have a chance, I would love to see it!!

Clean setup. I would like to do something like this eventually. :).

There are also a couple other options for Ikea racks other than the Pax, my large rack, currently has all my females is an ikea PAX rack where I can use either the 1m or 50cm Ikea complement boxes(for the pax system). I routed out slots on the shelves and use heat cable with aluminum tape over the top

Then my male rack is made from the 60x50x128cm stuva korpus, also using the 50cm complement boxes. It also has nice holes in the bottom where the feet would screw in, which happened to be the correct thread and diameter for castors i bought at the hardware store. This rack is headed with a heat mat per shelf.

The hatchling/baby rack I have is from the Ikea Trofast system. Its meant for children's toys. This rack is not complete, but it will have a trofast shelf siliconed above the sliders where the trofast bins fit in. Heating will either be heat cable on the shelves or back heat with two large heat mats.

Picture shows three racks left to right.
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2061ddfa.jpg

With the variety of sizes all these come in, there are a lot of options with the Ikea furniture, just got to get creative, like the OP did, looks great!

I will be finishing the baby rack soon and then building a hatchling rack with shoebox size bins, or likely anyway, when I get around to it I will make writeups. I also wanted to add that if you check the fundgrube, no idea what that is in english, but Im sure Ikea in the states has it, its where they outsell stuff or put all the damaged items. You can often find Pax pieces for REAL cheap, I think I paid 3 euros per shelf and something like 8 euros for each side piece. Worth looking, I just kept checking back everytime I was in Ikea (I live like 5min away so it was quite often) and everytime they had new shelves I bought more. I would say check craigslist or ebay or any local sales sites you have for used ones. New pax systems are quite expensive.

Thanks for the ideas. Looking to eventually build my own.

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Originally Posted by 3skulls

5 1/2"
6 3/4"
8"

Is the space between the shelves?

I'm I reading that right?

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No :) if you can find tubs at those measurements, then you will have about 1/8" gap between the top of your tub and the shelf above.

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Originally Posted by hig

Awesome post! Please post the incubator tutorial when you have a chance, I would love to see it!!

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I just posted the DIY for my incubator :)

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Originally Posted by Herpenthusiast3

Thanks for the ideas. Looking to eventually build my own.

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You're welcome! :) Can't wait to see yours!

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Originally Posted by eatgoodfood

There are also a couple other options for Ikea racks other than the Pax, my large rack, currently has all my females is an ikea PAX rack where I can use either the 1m or 50cm Ikea complement boxes(for the pax system). I routed out slots on the shelves and use heat cable with aluminum tape over the top

Then my male rack is made from the 60x50x128cm stuva korpus, also using the 50cm complement boxes. It also has nice holes in the bottom where the feet would screw in, which happened to be the correct thread and diameter for castors i bought at the hardware store. This rack is headed with a heat mat per shelf.

The hatchling/baby rack I have is from the Ikea Trofast system. Its meant for children's toys. This rack is not complete, but it will have a trofast shelf siliconed above the sliders where the trofast bins fit in. Heating will either be heat cable on the shelves or back heat with two large heat mats.

Picture shows three racks left to right.
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2061ddfa.jpg

With the variety of sizes all these come in, there are a lot of options with the Ikea furniture, just got to get creative, like the OP did, looks great!

I will be finishing the baby rack soon and then building a hatchling rack with shoebox size bins, or likely anyway, when I get around to it I will make writeups. I also wanted to add that if you check the fundgrube, no idea what that is in english, but Im sure Ikea in the states has it, its where they outsell stuff or put all the damaged items. You can often find Pax pieces for REAL cheap, I think I paid 3 euros per shelf and something like 8 euros for each side piece. Worth looking, I just kept checking back everytime I was in Ikea (I live like 5min away so it was quite often) and everytime they had new shelves I bought more. I would say check craigslist or ebay or any local sales sites you have for used ones. New pax systems are quite expensive.

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IKEA is great! :) I didn't think the Pax line was too expensive, though... mine was $90, and I believe the single wide was $80. Of course you also have to add shelves, but again, I think I still saved in the long run vs buying a premade rack, and I have extra space :) Could totally add more shelves and make a mega rack :P Nice set up! I LOVE your trofast hatchling rack! Great idea - I might look into that :)

I was so confused for the first few pictures, ah, sideways....lol. Looks awesome!

Oh another question! How sturdy is this? One of my pet peeves is something that wobbles.