New Homemade Rack w/ Set Up Pics... (DUW Big Time)

Well it took me long enough but i FINALLY finished my homemade rack. i got the flexwatt from Rich today, and a couple hours later... all done. here is the final product with some snakes, the rest will be arriving aug 8th.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2135.jpg

i took pictures of how i constructed it. this is the website where i got the main idea off of: http://www.dozierstudio.com/hatchrack.html i am not taking any credit for this "plan" or anything, i just want to show off this rack that took a lot of my time. i apologize for any blurry pictures, as i don't have the worlds greatest camera, and it doesn't have the greatest camera man...

this is the beginning... the supplies
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/SANY0031.jpg

started the bottom. i left a 6" kick plate so the bottom tubs wouldn't be on the ground.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/SANY0035.jpg

this is how i determined the shelf height. i placed the tub i wanted on the bottom, with a piece of extra melamine backing that was cut for me. thsi gave me some height for the flexwatt and a little gap on the top of the tub for air flow and to help keep the humidity down.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/SANY0037.jpg

here is it all the shelves made. also the remaining 6" from the kick plate (had 12" board i had to cut) is on top of the rack, so nothing fall down the back and i have some room to hide a power strip.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...SANY0050-1.jpg

i just want to show how i set the shelfs up. the top i have 8 6 qt tubs, with 11" back heat. the middle 4 shelves are 32/15 qt tubs with a strip of 4" belly heat. the bottom 2 shelves are 41 qts, heated by a single piece of 11" belly heat. these will be for my big girls.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2102.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2103.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2104.jpg

then i dropped it down and put some water proofer on the back. i did this to any part of the wood that was not covered. hopefully this gives it a little more years of life.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2109.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2111.jpg

here is some of the flexwatt i got all wired, and ready to go. also i pre cut the aluminum tape so it would be easier to apply.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2121.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2122.jpg

Flexwatt on the rack...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2124.jpg

now to attach the melamine back.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2126.jpg

looking good so far.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2129.jpg

i drilled some holes to put the thermostat probes in and attach to the flexwatt. then i put a piece of aluminum tape over the hole, even on the inside.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2131.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2132.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2134.jpg

finally loaded all the snakes in and put all my stuff on the top shelf. i still have a little work mounting the thermostats, and i plan on making a locking pin for the 41 qt tubs. i also need to find a book shelf for supplies to put next to the rack....
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2135.jpg

SORRY for such a long post. i just hope this can help some other with ideas to make their own rack. if anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Great job Kevin! :rockon:

Great job Kevin. That rack looks great. It always give me a great sense of accomplishment when I build a new one. Should get that feeling this weekend actually. I am in dire need of another 5 racks.
Congrats,

Thanks for the comments.

yea after almost 2 weeks of planning, buying supplies, ordering the flexwatt and thermostat, and all the labor, now that it's all done it feels pretty good. i have given my snakes a very nice place to live. add it really cleared up some of the clutter. before i had tubs and supplies everywhere, and now it's all in one little area. just in time to fill it with more snakes. the top row of hatchling tubs is going to be filled next week. i have a spider, a pastel, a het ghost, and a normal female all coming in from Brock Wagner. he is a A+ breeder and an even better person.


i don't know if i would enjoying building 5 of them though....

how much did you spend?

Hmmm...notes Kevin doesn't live all that far away from me....starts sketching out a plan to kidnap Kevin and feed him beer and pizza until he builds me some of those nice racks (this was my original plan for Jamie Glass but heck once I figured in the beer bill...I would have been cheaper to build the racks from gold!)


Very work Kev! :)

Nice job! I just bought some wood today to get started on one for myself. It doesn't look like you "daisy chained" your flex together (so you could use less plugs). I was thinking about doing that on mine. My rheostat only has two plugs. So the less plugs I have the less rheostats I will need. Or am I missing something here? Any help in this area would be appreciated. I'm looking at having 10 shelves, seven with 4" flex and 3 with 11" flex. Anyway great setup you got there. I bet your excited about the new arrivals. :carrot: Nothing like dragging out Christmas eve.

I like the combination of all the different tub sizes! Looks very nice and professional. :)

i had a budget of $200 and i used all but $4.35... although i am missing some tubs. and that doesn't count the thermostats that i am using. i have 2 JC's and a herpstat (which i love!)

i decided not to daisy chain so that i could just unplug what ever shelf i am not using. and since i have the 3 different types of flex, i needed 3 different thermostats. there maybe more wires and clutter, but it was just simpler for me.

beer and pizza actually helped me get through this one... :)

i really like the rack great job