DIY Rack... Whoo-Hoo!!!

After a month of searching for pvc sheeting, I had given up and decided I'd just build a rack out of melamine. Today I just thought to myself... Hey, there is a pretty big sign company nearby, let me give them a call. BOOM!!!! They have 1/2" pvc sheeting. Black or white.

Looks like I'll be building in the near future!!!

I was thinking about something maybe 6 or 7 shelves with the option of holding two different sized tubs. The more I think about it though, maybe I should just do a 2 or 3 shelf to hold 15qt tubs and then later on build a rack that is 4 or 5 shelves for just 32 and/or 41qt tubs.


Any suggestions?

I only have one BP now, around 115g, and hope to pick up a few more in the next few months, but expect those to be jouveniles as well.

Hope it was a good price. I just called a local plastics company here and they quoted me $19.00/sq. ft. :weirdface

$120 for a 4'x8' sheet of 1/2"... black or white. They can get other colors in 1/4", but I'm going with 1/2" for the rigidness and extra insulation.

I think that going with a 4-5 level 41 qt tub rack is a good starting point. In my opinion you can make a 41 qt tub work for any age and size of BP, as long as you use appropriate hides and shelter for babies.

are u planning to crate channels/joints to make the shelves? like this:

http://www.ripsdiy.co.za/graphics/woodthroughhoused.jpg

can u use a router or Dremel on PVC to do this? (tho i would imagine a Dremel would be wildly uneven without the proper guides.) outside of a CNC machine, what are the options?

a simple screw build would work, but i would prefer proper joints for stability and the right fit/finish and looks.

That's a cool design Ax, but might be difficult for a first timer. I have built many racks and cages with just screws and they have stood the test of time.

Have you tried Home Depot? A lot of stores in the mid-Atlantic region have started carrying white PVC sheet, a 4x8x1/2" piece is $78.

Don't know how well a dado cut would work on PVC?
I would bet trying to use a router would sling molten plastic too?

I would get a sheet to play with IF I could get it at a reasonable price.

Dado cuts are fine for PVC. I use it on all of mine. Here's the rub though. There's a fine line between getting it right, and having a melted mess on your hands. Aside from that, it's doable and makes for a much stronger design. You can do it with just the screws, but remember that the PVC is a softer material. It will benefit from the joinery and it adds a cool factor, and makes it a lot easier to assemble. Granted I am using a CNC table, but a router will get it done IF you use a guide. That's a must. AND remember that the PVC cuts like butter. Get it right on a piece of wood first. Also, don't make the span of the shelves too long or wide without support. It will sag if you are not careful, even the 12mm or 1/2 inch stuff. BTW, use the 6mm or 1/4 for the backing and save some $$$. It's not structural.

EDIT TO ADD. Don't use the 6mm for anything else besides the backing. It's too thin. The OP is right. Use the 12mm for the strength.

Dave

I just received a quote from another local dealer.

Expanded PVC sheet:

• 3/8” x 48” x 96” white $ 95.80
• 3/8” x 48” x 96” black $ 107.80

• 1/2” x 48” x 96” white $ 119.80
• 1/2” x 48” x 96” black S 131.80

I got mine xpvc from a national plastics company and they cut it to size for free. I am not sure about the channel cut though. Not sure if they would do that. I used screws and it went together fine. I was thinking of glueing it also, but couldn't figure out how I would do it without making a mess. I think I would have had to build it, take it apart and glue one side at a time. Didn't seem worth it. Mine used three sheets and cost me 350 and some change in black. For my first time using this product it turned out decent, only one shelf was way to tight until I figured out the spaces I wanted to use. Would I do it again? Yes, I got an eight high rack with tubs for like 425. I did use solid sides to hold heat, so that was a lot of the cost. If I used strips it would have been way less. Mine is a 41 qt and I do have one 170 gram male that seems to do fine in it.