New Hatchling/Sideways rack

Ok folks, I am expanding my collection and quickly...so I have to build another rack. Im going to be better about this one as far as pics and it being more of a step by step thing for all to see, even if you dont like the rack. It's designed to house 9 15qt Sterilite or 3 34qt sterilite and 6 15qt or just 3 sideways 34-41qt tubs. I need it to accomadate 3hatchlings(Jul 4th) and 2 females(Wednesday) until my current rack is expanded (pics and thread to follow for that one), and then Im just going to move all my big females into it.
Here is the drawing...

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...1/dscf1307.jpg

Here are the parts required:

1 4'x8' Sheet melamine to be cut into-
4pc 42x18
1pc 18x22
2 pc 8x22
1 pc 42x22 Pegboard
9' 4" Flexwatt(for hatchlings, Im using 11" for the adults, and that's just a foot sheet on each level)
Screws
Drill

Id say chalk lines and all that, but its pretty basic. I get the wood tomorrrrrow. The black line through the left side is where the wires run through. I might do it on both sides in case I move and the outlets onthe other side. So yeah, it's only just beguuuunn..

cool keep pics coming on the process

Looks like your off to a good start. Cant wait to see it finished

looks like a plan,my only concern is the 42" span is going to sag in time.i have built several sideway racks that fit the 41qt. tubs and the shelf has a 35" span using cabinet grade melamine and it still sags a bit.

also the sterilite tubs are somewhat flimsy and tend to bow a bit on the heat side causing them to become slightly taller,to compenstate you need to leave as big of space as possible between the tubs and shelf.hope this helps,have fun!

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Originally Posted by dmaricle

cool keep pics coming on the process

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Originally Posted by likebull1

Looks like your off to a good start. Cant wait to see it finished

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Oh for sure. And thank you.

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Originally Posted by twh

looks like a plan,my only concern is the 42" span is going to sag in time.i have built several sideway racks that fit the 41qt. tubs and the shelf has a 35" span using cabinet grade melamine and it still sags a bit.

also the sterilite tubs are somewhat flimsy and tend to bow a bit on the heat side causing them to become slightly taller,to compenstate you need to leave as big of space as possible between the tubs and shelf.hope this helps,have fun!

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I hope it doesnt sag. If anything it's gonna rest on the tubs, and if not I'll just put divider pieces up inside of it. Change the aesthetics of it a little lol. The measurements are for about 39" worth of tubs side by side for the hatchlings, with 3 extra inches for whatever, so if need be Ill have plenty of room to put 3 3/4" dividers in there. The Sterilities Im using are the 34qts with the locking lids, minus the lids and they seem pretty sturdy. I use them in my other racks and they've been fine so far. I do appreciate your input though.

Ok I bought the wood today. 1 49x97 sheet of 3/4" melamine. I decided to just spend the little bit of extra money because buying particle board and then sealing it with polyurethane brings the cost up to the same anyway, and it sucks waiting days on end to cure each side of the shelves. I decided to use a 2inch opening on both sides so the wiring can be done on either side. Assembling it tomorrow, pics should be up in the evening. Waiting on the FW and my co-workers bringing the pegboard for the back.

Pieces cut-
4 42"x18"
4 8"x22"
4 7"x18"...these pieces are not required yet but are there as spares to use for spacing and to prevent sagging if necessary

looking forward to see the finished product :)

Final piece is here. 42x22 pegboard was just put in my trunk my a coworker. Construction begins tomorrow. w00t! Flexwatt will be here on Mondy.

Just curious, how much did the materials cost you in the end? I'm thinking about building a hatchling rack myself sometime soonish.

Nice plans, but like Tim said, 42" wide is guaranteed to sag. I'd definitely add 1-2 support columns from top to bottom.

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Originally Posted by Purrrfect9

Just curious, how much did the materials cost you in the end? I'm thinking about building a hatchling rack myself sometime soonish.

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Sheet of 4'x8' melamine cut to specs- 35
100 Wood Screws- 5
Tubs- 34qt@6.50, 15qt @ 3.50

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Originally Posted by PythonWallace

Nice plans, but like Tim said, 42" wide is guaranteed to sag. I'd definitely add 1-2 support columns from top to bottom.

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For sure. Im going to look into how Im going to incorporate them into the plan. If I use it as a sideways rack I really cant use the support columns because the 34qts are 26" and the 41s are 34"

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

For sure. Im going to look into how Im going to incorporate them into the plan. If I use it as a sideways rack I really cant use the support columns because the 34qts are 26" and the 41s are 34"

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I haven't studied your design completely however you can use a support allong the long dimention. a 1 x 2 will work. this will eliminate sag.

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Originally Posted by tonkatoyman

I haven't studied your design completely however you can use a support allong the long dimention. a 1 x 2 will work. this will eliminate sag.

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Holy crap youre the man. Youre right, I just checked it out and Ill be fine with my 34qt and my 16qt tubs. :gj:I have 3 7"x18"x3/4" pieces to use as the support.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Holy crap youre the man. Youre right, I just checked it out and Ill be fine with my 34qt and my 16qt tubs. :gj:I have 3 7"x18"x3/4" pieces to use as the support.

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Glad I could help:D

Well finally had some time to start and finish the rack. It's about 80% done, only thing Im waiting on is the Flexwatt from RB which comes Monday, at the same time as my two nomal big girls that were originally Snakekeeper breeders. The supports will get put in, but I have to get them cut first. Theyre .5" too tall. Im puttiing the pegboard back on it after I install the Flexwatt.


This is a pic with it already on the second shelf. I wouldve had pics from the start but my wife had the camera with her at work, and my phone came was not cuttin it.

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7073896_n.jpg


This piece was a lifesaver for me. Width wise had the exact points at whice to drill. Length side had the markings for the tallest tub going in(6.5") and the halfway point of the shelves.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5137314_n.jpg
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6370984_n.jpg


Completed rack with a 34qt Sterilite tub. The rack is going to use 41qt but Im getting those Monday. I built this rack more for future hatchlings, so the bottom two shelves are measured 6'5" Tall and the top shelf is 6 1/8" to house a 41qt. On the fly measurements as this is only my second time doing something like this, but it came out so much better than I expected.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3789722_n.jpg

Side view showing off the 2 inch gap on both sides for running your FW. In the original plans I drew it as only one side but decided two would be better and more convenient.

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6678679_n.jpg

:banana:

Bought a new thermostat today locally. I asked around here and currently use a Herpstat for my one rack, but I wanted to use 4" FW with this rack so I bought a new t stat. I bought a Big Apple Herp Herp Power 300W Tstat for 60 bucks locally. Had a spare piece of 11" x 12" FW laying around so I wired it up to test this thing out and I must say, its pretty damn good. I set it for 91 on the dial (only negative I see so far) and my FW ran within .2 the whole time (acurite hooked up to the FW to test). The thing has night drop so Im excited to use it later on down the line on my adult rack for breeding season. The night drop is a rotary knob so it kinda functions as a dimmer, so that might be a PITA to program but hey, it was 60 bucks...why not. Im really antsy to finish it but patience is a virtue.

Flexwatt came today...and not at 9 am like usual but 3 pm...same time that I had to go pick up my two new girls. I pretty much had to rush and get everything set up because of the delayed delivery so there are not a lot of pics, the ones I have will get put up tomorrow and that'll be the end of this thread.