Heavy Duty, Adjustable/Flexible DIY Snake Rack!

[pretends2bnormal]

Washers can help distribute the weight over a wider area and help prevent unnecessary wear between surfaces. It would also help eliminate fiction between the nut and the surface. There is reason they are used, and cost is literally less then a couple bucks, it’s sincere advice. It’s kinda the reason you come to a form (help, advice).

Advice is fine, but until your post I haven't seen much explanation for why it would be beneficial.

Below here is my $0.02. I debated not responding at all to any comments about washers, but feel that continuing replies on the topic is detracting from the purpose of this post as an alternative rack design folks can customize for themselves. I hope that we can all agree to disagree on this point and of course the prior comments will remain as a suggestion to any future viewers for something they can do differently than I have done.

I hope I am not coming off as defensive or rude as that is not my intention at all.

I posted this for the purposes of someone looking for an alternative to the fixed frugal herpers rack in the sticky to be able to see another method they could implement. (which I found to be difficult to assemble with precision for small snakes with higher escape risks than a BP when you have minimal tools) And they can certainly modify it to have washers if they choose.

I did some research re: washers, but have come to the conclusion that it is not necessary for this application. If stationary nuts cause sufficient damage to the surface in under 20 years to even be noticeable when assembled, I would be shocked. And if there is non-visible scratching or whatever on 3/4" melamine, I can't believe that is sufficient to make it unusable or risky for the animals.

This rack is going to be moved at most feet at a time every few months perhaps for adjusting thermostat probes or maybe if required to mop/clean beneath it. Maybe a handful of instances through its lifetime where it will be rolled more than that due to moving houses or rooms in the house.

I found a relatively recent article with a video (geared somewhat to advertise a particular type of washer) that demonstrates the Junker test on a variety of washer types and displays the results.
Link here:
https://hackaday.com/2017/06/08/nuts...ping-it-tight/

This rack will not be subject to nearly this sort of motion and force, but is the most probable cause of slippage of the nuts as far as I am aware. However, for this application, the clamp load is not important. It is OK if the shelves aren't clamped so tightly in place. All that is needed is that the rack shelves not raise up or lower by much. Raising up would be an escape risk and gravity dictates this is not a concern. And if it lowers slightly that can be fixed easily with a wrench and would only make the tubs sit tighter.

[pretends2bnormal]

Managed to lose part of my post when I fixed a typo. Re-summarizing the rest here:

The video clearly shows further rotation of the nut when a washer is in place even if it is maintaining a higher clamp load. Since we do not care about clamp load for this application and do care about the rotation, it would appear to be better to have no washer with regards to reducing the amount of turning done by the nut which would allow the shelf to lower.

Further, the tests are done against metal, with metal nuts, bolts, and washers. Melamine is more textured than metal and should allow for more friction than metal on metal as between nuts and washers. Which should reduce amount of turn for with or without washers.

If a nut/washer combo slipped between them, then the nut lowers and there is nothing stopping the washer from dropping (not attached to the threads) and the shelf following. Single point of failure with no washer and 2 points of failure with equitable chances of failing (nut to washer, washer&nut to shelf) if you assume friction is similar across the two types of materials. (Which I am assuming for discussion purposes since a quick Google search does not give a concrete coefficient of friction for melanine)

That becomes simple probability. If there is 2 places with a 0.1% chance each day of turning a 1/4 turn vs 1 place, then probability states the 2 places will fail twice as much. (This is generalized of course)


TL;DR - my research and education (engineering degree from a top US university with in depth calculus-based physics courses) leads me to the conclusion that there is negligible benefit and an argument may even be made that there is a detriment to including washers in this design when used as described in my prior post.

(Note - since I mention in my guide possibly using a larger drill bit to allow easier shelf assemble, those using that bit may want a washer to ensure the nut has good contact with the shelf. In my case, with the 1/2" bit, I have 0 gap around the rod and no need for washers for that purpose)

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Sonny1318]

Managed to lose part of my post when I fixed a typo. Re-summarizing the rest here:

The video clearly shows further rotation of the nut when a washer is in place even if it is maintaining a higher clamp load. Since we do not care about clamp load for this application and do care about the rotation, it would appear to be better to have no washer with regards to reducing the amount of turning done by the nut which would allow the shelf to lower.

Further, the tests are done against metal, with metal nuts, bolts, and washers. Melamine is more textured than metal and should allow for more friction than metal on metal as between nuts and washers. Which should reduce amount of turn for with or without washers.

If a nut/washer combo slipped between them, then the nut lowers and there is nothing stopping the washer from dropping (not attached to the threads) and the shelf following. Single point of failure with no washer and 2 points of failure with equitable chances of failing (nut to washer, washer&nut to shelf) if you assume friction is similar across the two types of materials. (Which I am assuming for discussion purposes since a quick Google search does not give a concrete coefficient of friction for melanine)

That becomes simple probability. If there is 2 places with a 0.1% chance each day of turning a 1/4 turn vs 1 place, then probability states the 2 places will fail twice as much. (This is generalized of course)


TL;DR - my research and education (engineering degree from a top US university with in depth calculus-based physics courses) leads me to the conclusion that there is negligible benefit and an argument may even be made that there is a detriment to including washers in this design when used as described in my prior post.

(Note - since I mention in my guide possibly using a larger drill bit to allow easier shelf assemble, those using that bit may want a washer to ensure the nut has good contact with the shelf. In my case, with the 1/2" bit, I have 0 gap around the rod and no need for washers for that purpose)

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Great