Building my rack!

What type of wood should i use that is safe for ball pythons? and please dont say melamine because that is just presboard crap that is used for astethetics.

Well I'm gonna have to burst your bubble. Melamine is best and I'm sure that's the answer you will keep getting on this thread. The only other thing is PVC or plastic which is very expensive and harder to work with.

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Originally Posted by PythonBreeder

Well I'm gonna have to burst your bubble. Melamine is best and I'm sure that's the answer you will keep getting on this thread. The only other thing is PVC or plastic which is very expensive and harder to work with.

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He is correct the melamine cover helps prevent the harbering of germs etc. So unless you want to go to Expanded Poly Melamine is the best

Couldent i just use plywood and cover it with urathane? urathane covers all the holes and would make it smoothe.

Melamine is very cheap wood and will never hold up with the humidity needed. Melamine starts to sag because its not meant to get wet.

if you wanted to you could use Finished (sanded) Stainable/Paintable Plywood and give it a clear coat .

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Originally Posted by TheVipersHouse

if you wanted to you could use Finished (sanded) Stainable/Paintable Plywood and give it a clear coat .

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Thats what i planned on doing. getting plywood with both sides sanded then put clearcoat on it.

i used regular plywood ( not that osb stuff ) but get it thick (about 3/4 inch ) don't get the cheap stuff. it will warp and everything. If you stain/seal it do so befoer assemble it to make it easier. I also suggest unless you have the proper tools( table saw and roller piece for the wood to site on ) get the store to cut it down for you. I made my rack so it will take he tub with the lids on them for extra saftly and ot prevent escapes/tight fits .


I also found it was much easier to assemble it i nthe room after you cut stained,and sealedit all.( I didn't do the last 2 ) I only expect mine it last 5 years. since i am not a pro builder. Tools that came in hand when I build mine ( outside the screw gun(drill) , and the table saw), tape measure, level, a second set of hands ( niece handing me screws as I asked)1x2 ( lots of 1x2s) these were cut to allow the shelf to attact to the sides and when I got ot the backI was able to recut the left overs pieces to make holders/connecter for the pieces I usedot makeafull back ( recut a couple left over pieces to make a larger back piece), which also allowed me to have braces for the rear of the shelves.

I used 3/4" particle board that I coated in Polyurethane. Sorry if that isn't good enough for ya bud but it sure gets the job done and is cost effective.

So your saying that you want to spend more money, to do more work, and get a rack that doesn't look as good as a melamine rack?

If you put veneer strips on the edges it lasts longer

Not sure how long each will last though

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Originally Posted by matt71915

So your saying that you want to spend more money, to do more work, and get a rack that doesn't look as good as a melamine rack?

If you put veneer strips on the edges it lasts longer

Not sure how long each will last though

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LOL sorry i had to laugh at that comment .

my rack is just fine and i made it from Finished Plywood ....
and if done correct,
Plywood will deffinitly outlast any melamine rack made
my rack i think looks a ton better then a melamine rack and i can also add to it just by going off the side of it to make it larger ..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matt71915

So your saying that you want to spend more money, to do more work, and get a rack that doesn't look as good as a melamine rack?

If you put veneer strips on the edges it lasts longer

Not sure how long each will last though

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plywood resists cracking, breaking, shrinkage, twisting and warping. Unlike melamine which is cheap pressboard and if you ever used pressboard and try screwing a nail in it then you know what happens, it strips because all melamine is just wood shavings pressed together and glued with a melamine coating.

Overtime the melamine rack WILL droop and sag if not totaly collapse because melamine is very sensitive to dampness (ball pythons need high humidity).

Hi,

It's also heavy. :P

But the plastic coating it does just as good a job as varnish does on keeping the moisture away from the plywood. As long as you pay attention to any places where there would be an edge possibly exposed that is. A similar problem applies if you treat the plywood before assembly.

Both can be made to work if you try and spot the problems and deal with them.

I used melamine simply because I wanted it to be black and hated the idea of trying to varnish everything.


dr del