Building a Rack?

[Theluciddreamers]

Has anyone built a snake rack that could hold 8, 28/32 quart sterilite tubs. I keep seeing all these racks that have 10-20 rack holes in them, and I wanted to build one that could fit 8 adult corns/ball pythons. The way I thought of it was two tubs next to each other making only four racks. So my question is..... Has anyone made a rack system like this?

[Andrew Larson]

All the rack systems are ulimately the same. Just different dimensions. I know they have 48 inch pieces of melamin at home depot. That is what I used and I just made my raack 48 inches high so I would have to cut less. It is just two sides and shelves that you screw in.

[Theluciddreamers]

Do you have a picture of the rack?

[mechnut450]

currently building a 14-16 tub rack I got most the plywood cut yesterday. Heck you can build a rac k to fit anywere. I know given some basic details I can design on paper a rack tofit anywere. I even though of building one that would sit around my PC and on topof my desk in my room ( make a cool QT rack as i can use the heat the pc tosses off to warm the rack some lol)
when you build it yourself your only limit is the lack of skill anda budget.

[Theluciddreamers]

Creativity is not a concern of mine. It's the lack of building things from wood that makes me kinda nervous. I just don't want to waste money on building materials, and not have it work out. It's money that could go to buying more snakes.....

[mechnut450]

a rack is not that hard to build, I spent 135 in supplies to build the rack I still meed to order my tubs, tstat, my flexwatt, and water bowels by the time I am done I will have invested about 500 bucks roughly into everything and that will allow me to house at least 14 more snakes at this time. bringing my total caging count to about 46 snakes if I need it lol.. My problem been getting those dang asf to breed, and the rat colony to breed and not kill the young every time ( need to start a fresh group I guess).
I actually have enough scrap lumber left to attempt a rodent rack that will hold my 4 rodent cages.( also allowing me 2 more snake tub openings since the rodent racks are sitting on the top were I could house 2 more.)

like a isaid send me measurements of were you like ot put this rackand I can have planns drawed up for you by Monday evening. ( nothing supper fancy since i only got paint to draw in) But I can break it all down so that between you an a friend can have everything done and built in a day 2 max( depends on how fast you work and if you wait until you get the flexwatt in ( which makes it easier to install as you build it ) I do all my assembly in the room it will sit.

here a list of what I got when I got the lumber for mine Thursday.
2 sheets of 23/32 plywood
2 sheets of 19/32 plywood
1 sheet of 1/4 plywood
15 strips of 1x2x8
1 piece 2x4x8
1 piece 1x4x8

this has been cut to give me
2 sides of 5ftx 27 inch (23/32) thick
2 shelves at 27x4ft (23/32) ( these will be my bottom and mid way shelves to add some extra strenght against bowing.)
6 shelves at 27x4ft (19/32)
1 back piece that 5ft x 4ft (1/4 )
I got to cut the 2x4 so it can form my main foot base so bottom sits at least the 4 inches off the bottom.( this will be 2 2x4x4 pieces)
1 1x4x4 piece on the bottom as a nice piece if I stain /kick guard for my feet lol)
the 1x2 will be cut into either 4ft long pieces or about a 26 inch piece and used to attach the shelves to the side/back( to prevent bowing/sagging)


a nice trick for when you assemble is to have 2 tubs at least on hand I found all the tubs easiest since I could leave the tubs in below when I started the next level. I build my racks ot have the tub with the lids on.
I do cheat some by setting the shelve on upside down so there a gap betweent he actaully framing for the next shelf and the rack top ( prevent tight fits and risking of bunching up/damageing the flexwatt.)
I will aly the shelve on top the tubs then I screw the 2 side fram pieces in place. thenslide the shelve out set on the frame peices and tighten it down. and then I repeat until done.

I will say don't use the 1/4 wood for th shelves it bows really easy and fast when used. ( my first rack looks liek it is drunk ( or build by one) the secodn rack not as bad but I didn't check the wood I grabbed for the shelves and these bowed too as a result I had to make a front brace type piece and to mee it made it ugly. I wil lget new pics tomorrow( I seem to have erased the old ones off photobucket)