here we go building a 4 cage rack

i just picked up 3 sheets of birch plywood 1/2" thick. i have to build 4 cages with hood room between each cage for dome lamps. i measured and i need 7" to 8"s of space between them. now just gonna figure out how tall to make them since the bottom cage will have to fit a 5 to 5 1/2 boa and hes growing like crazy. But buy time to build him another cage ill have 4 BP's.

first step
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00174.jpg

ill be posting every step of this build for those who wanna know how the building process is going and the ones that are happy that i'm building a RACK to separate my BP's

keep the steps coming !

need help on sizes though should i make it 48"x24" or 36"x18" but i also gonna remember i do have a 5 to 5 1/2' boa that needs to be on the bottom cage

Well, when building a snake rack. At least the way it is usually defined for housing snakes, you buy the tubs first. Then you design the rack around the tub size and that is what determines the size of the rack. So are you building a rack system? Or just shelving for different sized cages?

I believe that Z and L is referring to this as a rack, but it is actually a series of stacked custom enclosures.

Bruce

thanks for the correctiong the bottom cages is 48"x24"x18" the other three are only 12" tall

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

I believe that Z and L is referring to this as a rack, but it is actually a series of stacked custom enclosures.

Bruce

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Ahh, gotcha... I like to have at least a 4 foot cage for boas so the 48" X 24" would work best I think. Then you can stack a couple of 24" X 24" cages side by side on top of it which work really well for ball pythons. I Wouldn't go more then 18" high though otherwise the stack can get pretty tall kind of quick so 12" would be perfect.

im doing all of them 4'x2' total hieght of cage will be 81 1/2 " tall mofo

this is it sitting on it side
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00180.jpg

Make sure you seal it well especially inside. I personally like the high gloss urethane spar varnish. It makes for a very strong waterproof finish that's easy to clean and holds up well under heat.

im gonna paint it and use a sealent on the bottom of each cage

I would go 6'x2'x12" for a boa then you can have 3'x2'x12" for Ball Pythons on the top, Would be sick.

more pics
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00181.jpg

heres the top of the bottom cage
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00183.jpg

and heres how i reses the whole 1/4" in
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00184.jpg
i put mesh on the lip so the snake can burn him self by the bulb

Quote:

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Originally Posted by c.nash

I would go 6'x2'x12" for a boa then you can have 3'x2'x12" for Ball Pythons on the top, Would be sick.

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that would be nice but it wont fit in my room for now and ill be here for a while, when i get my own place again im gonna build a 6'x3'x3' cage for my boa

now on to cage #2

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00185.jpg

What are you using to seal it?

Before you get to far I would go ahead and paint or seal the insides so that it will be easier to do so!

as for glue im using liquid nail for wood then im gonna seal it with a water based sealer both are non toxic

i have some more pics

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00186.jpg
if you look you can see where i cut out the wholes where im gonna put the vents at.
if you have any questions why or etc just ask.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00189.jpg

im painting it and using a clear coat sealer paint i have to let dry and ventilate for about a week from vapors. but i seal all the joint with water based adhesive/chaulking/sealer

I would have placed the floor vents a little higher. Snakes love to do their business in the corners.

yeah i forgot about that but oh well the vent holes are very small so im not to worried about it. But thats funny you mentioned that

ok it 4am central time. and im waiting for the sealer to dry where the joints are at. this is what i have so far. One days work

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00190.jpg

lets not for get the rack is laying on it side durrrrrr.............

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00191.jpg

anyone got any comments???? i would like to hear them

Lookin good. Are the top ones for BPs? Are you splitting them at all? They look a little big :/

yeah tops are for my bps but im not gonna use one cause i have a different cage for my baby bp

Your stack looks good! :)

With that much wood, I might suggest using spar varnish to waterproof the entire inside surface. Snakes can make a big mess when they older :P

got some primer down
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00192.jpg


here is the vent
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00194.jpg

any my baby girls cage
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00197.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

Your stack looks good! :)

With that much wood, I might suggest using spar varnish to waterproof the entire inside surface. Snakes can make a big mess when they older :P

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yeah 4 1/4 sheets of 1/2 birch that i have used so far

More pics!!!!!!!! almost done yeah right !!!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00199.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00200.jpg

by the way i can make custom stands I'M A WELDER

Lookin good man. Can't wait to see the end results.... Are you doing your heating with strictly bulbs or are you going to put some UTH on them?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lmartelli77

Lookin good man. Can't wait to see the end results.... Are you doing your heating with strictly bulbs or are you going to put some UTH on them?

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bulbs

for you that wanna know how i cover my holes for my dome lamp this is how

wire mesh that can stand very high heat glued down with hot glue haha it works and the glue doesn't get sticky with all that heat. Cause i just checked the hot glue gun and the temps get around 160+ and, well my domes never ever get over 130ish
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00207.jpg

Why don't you use flexwatt? It is so much easier and you don't have to deal with lamps and bulbs and all that nonsense.

i have all the lamps and bulbs i dont wont to spend more money than i already am

i have to save up for my headlight that cost 2000 dollar (OEM-stock)

new pic im making progress after 3 days later and about 6 hours sleep in those 3 days


http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00208.jpg

I plan to build something just like that come the spring. Is there any way you could make one single post when you're all done just giving the dimensions of all the wood you used.

yeah sure i can do that if i rememeber haha just joking ill have the rack there to measure if i forget

well i got done what i could today. I had to go to welding school. but now im back at it again heres what i got so for

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00216.jpg

comments anyone???

i love to hear comments good or bad or what i could do to make it better

looks great. i wish i was that handy. wanna drive down to florida and make me one? lol... jk cant wait to see the finished product.

I should maybe, i hope ill have it done today. but the doors maybe next week haha
They take a long time to build and are more expensive cause of the plexiglass

Ill most more pics to day. So keep a look out on this thread

new pics comin soon almost there

my latest pic. finally got it standing up.
Now i just have to put the top on, make all
the doors, paint it, and then seal all the insides

but here you go. Comments please

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00225.jpg

still a lot of work to be done

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00225.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00227.jpg

the top is on now to making the doors, any suggestions

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...IMG00232-1.jpg:banana:

yep today i finshed the framing of the rack. it took only 4 or 5 days

check it out

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83923

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zombie&lemons

yep today i finshed the framing of the rack. it took only 4 or 5 days

check it out

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83923

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Merged with already existing thread.

last step before paint i take a router with a 1/4" round off bit and round the edges then sand everything smooth

You can use any size you want depending on the thickness of the wood
like let say you have 5/8" to 3/4" ply/mdf = 1/4" to 3/8" bit - 1/2" ply/mdf = 1/8" to 1/4" bit

heres how it comes out:
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...c/IMG00233.jpg

does any one want me to post all the step i took to building this rack enclosure when i'm done? :banana:

looks pretty sweet to me! might build something like this when my babies get to adult size and I can show them off.

i thought and my rent thought i would be done in just a few days but no im on day 6 i haha!!!! My rent gave me a dead line but i have surpassed that and no they say i have to be done by sunday night. haha!!! yeah right! i still have to make doors so i got a lot more cutting a measureing to do. wow i never get done. i feel bad for my bp's there in small caring cages under a heat lamp