building a 3rd rack with a couple questions

[mechnut450]

ok I am making my 3rd rack. ( each one has gotten better) with this one I am looking at using about 15/32 thick board for the shelves. and having a brace piece between the shelves. but I trying to figure out how to place a grove into the shelves for the flexwatt to sit in ( glue in whatever I do ) and I was wondering if anyone got any tips on making a 11.5 inch wide by 4 ft long recessed grove. that straight( being the key point). I not talking very deep not even an 1/8 I figuring.

My base design is having minium 1/2 thick sides with a 3rd piece of 1/2 used as a divider ( will be like taking you hand and interlock them with 2 fingers on each side of the other hand type deal). Along each section will run a 1x2 strip to support the shelf to the divider and end pieces. I want to prevent as much sagging as possible since I am only placing the tubs shelves about 7-7.5 inches apart.
the last build I only used 1/4 inch thick plywood for shelves and they sagged under their own weight.
tools I have for the build(s) are a table saw with a 10 inch blade.
router ( would need to get bits ) chop saw cordless screw gun. chain saw( but I doubt it be needed). and a full day and a half to build minium lol.. ( with the dry weather I not had much lawn work to do so I got an unwanted week off.

I am thinking of staining and sealing this one as well. I am looking at making these about 5 ft tall 4 ft wide and 27 inches deep. reason I not making single tub rack is cause I don't want to run mutli t stats. One per rack with all 14 tubs being used to house 1 type of snake, the rack will give me 7 levels and 2 tubs per level.

I plan on as with my past racks to assemble in the room and with drywall screws since If iever need to taek them apart this will make it easier. Trying to do this while I have extra funds( if not much) and befeor my eggs are due to hatch in the end of July since i would need at least 6 of these tubs for the hatchlings. I am thinking of using the malpe/birch plywood casue Oak is not in the stores via the web site.

so my questions at this point;
1 would a 15/32 thick shelf be strong enough not to sag under the weight of a ball python with a divider helping to support 1/2 the weight ?
2 how can I make groove that about 11-11.5 wide by 4 ft long and roughly 1/8 or less deep?

[zeke]

15/32 is just a hair under 1/2. I would go with something around 3/8 or even 3/4" for more support.. as for the grooves you can use a router with a fence on it and run your groove, you will have to do a few passes.

Or if you have a Dado blade, to put on your table saw, you can set the hight at what you want and then make a bunch of passes and adjust the fence as you go to make it the 11 1/2" wide you need. I've used both ways when building kitchens to get grooves. Good luck and post pics when you can.

Cheers

[boasandballs]

I use a dado blade on the table saw and make 4 passes for the 3". It sounds like a lot but goes fast with two people.
My favorite material is the PVC, with that said your supports between the tubs should help a lot. My plywood rack is gone now.

[mechnut450]

yeah this imy 3rd rack the 1st rack was done with 1/4 in ch thick stuff and a standard cir saw ( man is it crappy looknig compared to my second rack. second rackI used heavier sides 1/2 inch and works great( made same mistack for the shelves and used 1/4 inch thick shelves. has to place 2x4 pieces in the front to limied the bowing. this time i figure between the 1/2 inch center divider and and with lips for the shelves to sit on I be ok. I want to make the grove for the heat tape to sit in.(I learned that 4 inchs is not enough for the ball python rack as it runs almsot 90% of the time full power) plus it takes 2 rows of it so I not saving any money.

I was told a dado blade on another forum too since i posted on a non reptile forum as well.

Sad part is I builing this 3rd rack to temp hold my hatchlings since I lack enough tub space. Plus I will be most liky tradign these guys off for a couple older combo morphs if lucky.

I already been asked if I would downgrade the total number of snakes I have cause there so little room in the reptile room. lol I guess the ideal of 30 + bps just causes people to panic when they visit mom.

[boasandballs]

Yea your probably right on the heat tape. I have so many in one room the 3" is ok for the cb70 tubs for me. I forget that most peoples rooms don't run 85 as a normal temp.

[mechnut450]

lol close to it I try for about 80 in the room. right now it all off the AC unit died this morning. the compressor kickingon but there no air movement.at the reutn or though the vents. So the room getting warm right now. I only online a few mintues at a time right now to preven my pc from over heating( my luck) I may end up taking a fan in the room and forcing air outside since he sun will beat on the room and bake it in the next hour or so.

It never fails me when I want ot build or do something something else will break befoer I can start.

I think at time it might be smarter to giveu the snakes and just become some a drunk with all my free time cause if it not one thing it mom yelling I got to many snakes and it not like i got them roaming lose like her cats.