DIY rat rack

I think this is the best place for this ... if not please feel free to move it.

Seeing as how most rat keepers try to figure out a good, cheap, rack system, I figured Id put up some detailed instructions on how to make them out of the “home depot masonry tubs”.

For the large tubs (36” x 24” x 8”) you will need:
· 4 - tubs
· 12 - 2” x 2” x 8’s
· 1 - 2” x 4” x 8’
· 4 - pieces hardware cloth 36 ½” x 24”
· 1 - staple gun and box of staples (1/2” staples)
· 4 - pieces of cardboard (about ¼” thick)
· A box of 2 ½” screws.

These are the cuts you will need … work with the layout to minimize waste (e.g. you can get 2 36” pieces and one 21 ¼” pieces out of a 2x2x8)
· A 8 – 24 ¼” x 2” x 2”
· B 8 – 33 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· C 4 – 21 ¼” x 2” x 2”
· D 4 – 16” x 2” x 2”
· E 8 – 36” x 2” x 2”
· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”
· G 2 – 36” x 2” x 4”

A, B, C, & D are used to make the shelf.
E makes the slide for the tubs.
F Is the legs.
G goes at the bottom of the legs to prevent sway and act as a base.

These need to be set up as in the picture below, with A on the outside of B. The holes should be pre-drilled to minimize splitting, and recessed so you don’t snag on them.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...p/ratrack3.jpg
Once you have the shelves put together and set aside its time to do the legs.


Mark the legs (F) at 3”, 13 ½”, 24”, and 34 ½”. The top of the sliders (E) will go at these marks, duplicate until both sides are finished.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...p/ratrack2.jpg

Stand both sides up and put a tub on the top slider and bottom slider. This will help to keep the legs standing upright. Place a piece of cardboard on each corner of the tub and place a shelf on top. You will want the divided side facing the front. The cardboard will provide enough spacing so that the tubs will slide easily, but prevent escapees.


I’ve used small pieces of 2” x 2” to act as locks and prevent the tubs from coming out.

The large rack needs to be built in the room, as it is too wide when fully assembled to go through doors. Casters can be added if desired.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...p/ratrack1.jpg

For the small tub rack you will need:
· 4 - tubs
· 10 – 2” x 2” x 8’
· 1 – 2” x 4” x 8’
· 4 – 19 ½” x 28 ½” pieces of hardware cloth
· 1 – staple gun and box of ½” staples
· 4 - pieces cardboard (¼” thick)
· 1- box 2 ½” screws

Cuts needed for small rack:
· A 8 – 19 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· B 8 – 26” x 2” x 2”
· C 4 – 16 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· D 4 – 12” x 2” x 2”
· E 8 – 28” x 2” x 2”
· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”
· G 2 – 28” x 2” x 4”

A, B, C, & D are used to make the shelf.
E makes the slide for the tubs.
F Is the legs.
G goes at the bottom of the legs to prevent sway and act as a base.

The only difference between setup on the large & small rack is where you make the marks on the legs.

Mark the legs at 3”, 12”, 21”, and 30”. Assemble identical to large rack.

If anything is hard to understand please post back and ill see if I can explain it better.


Bryan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bdadawg

For the small tub rack you will need:
· 4 - tubs
· 10 – 2” x 2” x 8’
· 1 – 2” x 4” x 8’
· 4 – 19 ½” x 28 ½” pieces of hardware cloth
· 1 – staple gun and box of ½” staples
· 4 - pieces cardboard (¼” thick)
· 1- box 2 ½” screws

Cuts needed for small rack:
· A 8 – 19 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· B 8 – 26” x 2” x 2”
· C 4 – 16 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· D 4 – 12” x 2” x 2”
· E 8 – 28” x 2” x 2”
· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”
· G 2 – 28” x 2” x 4”

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Sorry this was input wrong (and not able to edit it now). It should read:

For the small tub rack you will need:

· 4 – tubs (27 ½” x 19 ¾” x 6”)

· 8 – 2” x 2” x 8’

· 3 – 1” x 2” x8’

· 1 – 2” x 4” x 8’

· 4 – 19 ½” x 28 ½” pieces of hardware cloth

· 1 – staple gun and box of ½” staples

· 4 - pieces cardboard (¼” thick)

· 1- box 2 ½” screws



Cuts needed for small rack:



· A 8 – 19 ¾” x 2” x 2”

· B 8 – 26” x 2” x 2”

· C 4 – 16 ¾” x 2” x 2”

· D 4 – 12” x 2” x 2”

· E 8 – 28” x 1” x 2”

· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”

· G 2 – 28” x 2” x 4”

Great plans! I was curious if you compiled a price for how much it cost you to build?

How much are the home depot cement tubs (large size?)

Thanks,
Bryan

Also, do you use the top as a "hopper" to put lab blocks on and have them pull it through the mesh? If so is there room to add it from the back? or do you just pile it up around near the water bottles.


Thanks

When I went I bought enough for 3 racks ... 1 large & 2 small

the price for the small tubs was $4.98 each, large tubs were 11.47 each.

31 - 2x2x8 = 67.89
8 small tub = 39.84
4 large tub = 45.88
1 box staples = 3.66
2 - 2x4x8 = 5.94
1 box screws = 4.11
5 - 1x2x8 = 9.45
--------------------
total = 176.77

took about 3 hrs a piece to build em (alone).

In the first picture you can see the top is divided, one side is for lab block, the other for food (thanks "Wild Bill" for the idea), the hardware cloth is 1/2" x 1/2".

Bryan

Great, thanks Bryan.


Do you include a bowl inside just for special food (pasta, etc?). Is the height of the top too high for certain aged ones to get food?

Thanks again

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

Great, thanks Bryan.


Do you include a bowl inside just for special food (pasta, etc?). Is the height of the top too high for certain aged ones to get food?

Thanks again

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No special bowls anymore ... I find that is just something for them to crap in/on. However I do use 6"x6" ceramic tiles under their water spout as a spot to place odd food and to help file down their nails a bit. When they get dirty I just toss them into the dishwasher (not with dishes)

I provide nests in the tubs, cardboard tubes from carpeting cut into 18-24" lengths. They are 4-5" in diameter. Easy to pull out and toss if they get soiled or start to smell. Carpet retailers have tons of these and are usually happy to have someone take them.

Rats are smart ... if they cant reach the food they will pile bedding underneath that spot or climb, upside down, across the hardware cloth. I wouldnt recommend putting any rats under 6 weeks in a large tub though.

Bryan

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bdadawg

In the first picture you can see the top is divided, one side is for lab block, the other for food (thanks "Wild Bill" for the idea), the hardware cloth is 1/2" x 1/2".

Bryan

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I guess I should have gotten a patent!! ;)

One more note: you might want to add cross-bracing to that rack to keep it upright and square. Or it might fold like an card table. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

One more note: you might want to add cross-bracing to that rack to keep it upright and square. Or it might fold like an card table. ;)

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::Grins:: Yeah I found that out ... thats why the 2x4's are at the bottom. It creates the cross bracing needed without blocking airflow. I had thought about the pegboard on the sides but that restricts air movement just a little too much.

On the smaller racks I have added 1x4's vertically in-between the 2x2 legs that is connected to the shelves and sliders ... mostly to prevent the 1x2's from warping and the tubs from moving side to side too much.

Bryan

Could you include a picture of the 1x4 braces you are using on the small racks?

Do you use these are breeding/maternity racks, or just for your feeders? I like the design and will probably add a few for my feeders (smaller ones for 4-6 week olds, and 1 larger one for 6-12 week olds.

Thanks again.

Sorry , another post. Was also wondering how many rats you plan on keeping per tub, based on age/size

The pictures are below ... the first one is a brace across the front, just because I had extra 1x4 laying around the house. The second is the 1x4 run directly center up the side. Anywhere you use bracing you should use 2 screws side by side. Not shown in the second is that the 1x2's are also drilled into it (mostly to prevent warping).


I keep 1:4 adults in the large tubs (there is still one that rotates in each colony for birth etc), the smaller ones are used for litters and/or to grow out ... Im keeping 4 8 weekers in some of the small tubs. I also still have the huge Iris tub setup for same sex juveniles (right now its males ... looks like I accidently froze all the females at 2 weeks).

front bracing
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...p/ratrack5.jpg

Side Bracing
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...p/ratrack6.jpg

Iris grow out
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...idratcage1.jpg

Bryan

d'oh.. I picked up 8 cement tubs from home depot, they had two sizes next to each other


This one measured about 22.5" x 39"

Are these different tubs? This one cost 10.94.... i didnt see any other tubs around other than the much smaller one so i figured these were the guys...

Any suggestions? I can just change your numbers to make it work, but it will throw of the amount of wood i need, and i am better at following instructions than mucking about on my own :)

The numbers you have arent very different from mine. At most it will require 1-2 more 2x2's. The number of cuts will also remain the same ... the only ones youll need to change are the lengths of the boards in the 20" and 30" range.
As long as those dimensions are exact I think this is your cut list. (I usually build one first to make sure of dimensions). The other thing you need to check out is if the tub has a 3/4" lip or 1 1/2" lip ... If it has a 3/4" lip youll need to change E to 1x2's and will need 4 of them and subtract out 3 2x2's.
(this is going from a visual image in my head ... again I prefer to build before posting cutting sizes)

· A 8 – 22 3/4” x 2” x 2”
· B 8 – 36 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· C 4 – 19 3/4” x 2” x 2”
· D 4 – 18” x 2” x 2”
· E 8 – 39” x 2” x 2”
· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”
· G 2 – 36” x 2” x 4”


One thing I should point out is that the 3" first measurement on the legs will actually put the top shelf about 1/2" under the top of the legs ... this is done intentionally, so that a different shelf can be added to the top for an automatic watering system can be added (needed in my instance ... If you dont need that, make top measurement on each leg 2 1/2" instead of 3).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bdadawg

The numbers you have arent very different from mine. At most it will require 1-2 more 2x2's. The number of cuts will also remain the same ... the only ones youll need to change are the lengths of the boards in the 20" and 30" range.
As long as those dimensions are exact I think this is your cut list. (I usually build one first to make sure of dimensions). The other thing you need to check out is if the tub has a 3/4" lip or 1 1/2" lip ... If it has a 3/4" lip youll need to change E to 1x2's and will need 4 of them and subtract out 3 2x2's.
(this is going from a visual image in my head ... again I prefer to build before posting cutting sizes)

· A 8 – 22 3/4” x 2” x 2”
· B 8 – 36 ¾” x 2” x 2”
· C 4 – 19 3/4” x 2” x 2”
· D 4 – 18” x 2” x 2”
· E 8 – 39” x 2” x 2”
· F 4 – 48” x 2” x 2”
· G 2 – 36” x 2” x 4”


One thing I should point out is that the 3" first measurement on the legs will actually put the top shelf about 1/2" under the top of the legs ... this is done intentionally, so that a different shelf can be added to the top for an automatic watering system can be added (needed in my instance ... If you dont need that, make top measurement on each leg 2 1/2" instead of 3).

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How does the water shelf work?

Thanks for the numbers, I had come up with basically the same, but its appreciated when I can double check my work.

Its basically an open frame shelf that holds a 5 gal bucket. Open frame so it isnt blocking air flow to the top tub. The water is then gravity fed. Im not totally happy with the delivery system yet so im sure it will change. I constantly play with and tweak all my equipment until it works like I think it should or optimized for efficiency.


Bryan

C and A are only 3 inches different.

A = C + 2xBoard dimensions

are 2x2 really only 1.5 x 1.5? Going out to measure

Still havnt gone out to measure, but i recall them being less than 2 now that i think about it... stupid naming conventions! :)

Most smooth board have had 1/8" to 1/4" planed off each side ... usually its closer to 1/8" ... my 2X2's were actually 1 5/8" square.

And yes A=C + 2x board dimension.

Bryan