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Rack Blue Prints...?

S

Southwick Herps

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I want to make a rack, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.
I want to make a melamine right, with sterilite, or other various plastic tubs. I was wondering if anyone had step by step instructions (with pictures, pictures would help a lot!) on how to go about such a project.
Thanks.
Mike.
 
did you try doing a search for "racks" here? I know that I have seen several discussions, and lots of pictures, on the subject. If I have a chance later, I'll try to dig them up (but don't wait for me, lol)
 
Racks are easy to build. I remember when I finally built my first one many years ago I was absolutely ready to kick myself for not having done it years earlier. They are that easy and that helpful towards husbandry.

Regardless, you're unlikely to find online rack plans that perfectly match what you want to accomplish. Boxes change all the time and designs almost always need to be tweaked.

A few sites that should give you some good ideas:

ARBReptiles.com -- I build my racks upside down like he shows on his hatchling racks. He also has a design for a large tub rack.

FineGTPs.com -- I use the a melamine spacer just like he does to set the spacing on the shelves.

RioBravoReptiles.com -- I love the hollow core door design. If you shop around for scratch and dent HC door blanks you can built a rack that is sturdy, reasonably light, and CHEAP. This is the only way I build racks for large boxes.

BallPython.ca
 
Clay's site was very informative. Not only did they show you how to construct the rack, but how to wire heat tape as well.
Makes the whole process very easy.
 
A note on my plans that you probably saw for the small boxes. Do as Chris said and use a melamine spacer to set the shelves. I do it this way now and it's far easier and more precise.
It's easy to make the spacer. Take the box you are going to use and set it on a table. Lat a ruler across it and measure from the table to the bottom of the ruler. If you want a 1/16th inch gap then add that to the measurement and cut your spacers that size. Write on the spacer what tub they are for and put them up for future use if you build another rack.
Also cut the spacer the length of the tub so it reaches from front to back of the shelf. This will ensure each shelf is spaced evenly for the entire length.

One day I'll change those plans completely with pictures of the spacers and underbox heating which is also my preferred method. Since making that rack though I haven't built any except some temporary ones from bare plywood that I preferred not to post pictures of :)

And if you build a rack for sweater boxes or whatnot that will sit on the floor, add wheels. If your bottom shelf is between the sides, don't attach the wheels to it, the shelf won't support the weight indefinately. Add a brace or something to attach the wheels to for more strength. Believe me, the first time you need to move it you will really appreciate the wheels, melamine is extremely heavy. The weight is the main reason I experimented with the rack design for the Iris boxes.
 
Another comment about the use of a spacer.

It's always best to build a rack with too big of a gap rather than too tight of a gap. My first time builders think tighter is better and shoot for 1/16". 1/16" is fine, and even preferred for some species, but it can lead to problems. First, not every box of a specific model is the exact same height so some boxes may end up fitting too tight.

Another problem is if you use real wood or even plywood for the sides of the rack (instead of melamine). In the typical warm herp room this can lead to a bit of shrinkage as the material dries out, therby making each level tighter. Real wood, especially pine, can shrink a lot. Plywood is not bad but some of the construction grades can shrink a bit. The particle board interior of melamine does not shrink.

Ultimately I shoot for 1/8" or even 3/16" gap. It is always easy to fill in too large of a space than it is to remove material from a space that is too tight. So if I have a 1/8" gap but need 1/16", I just use heavy paper and a layer of vinyl film to shim up that level.

I'll note that it is VERY rare that I need 1/16". If I bred small species of milksnake I would go that tight for a hatchling rack. I have kept several newborn Gonyosoma janseni in racks with 1/8" gaps and have not had escapes. I consider this species to be good at escaping, by the way.

Building a rack with gaps that are too tight is the number one complaint that I hear from first time builders. A close second is trying to build a rack that is too large, especially from those building their first rack.
 
Very good point Chris. I probably shouldn't have even used 1/16th as an example in my post. That's too close of a tolerance for most people to manage and is almost never needed.
I usually go 1/8 in hatchling racks and up to 3/16 in adult colubrid racks. More gap is always preferred, it's highly aggravating to have one or two boxes really tight.
 
Clay,

I learned the hard way. My very first racks were all melamine and I used strips of poster-board over a tub to space each level. Some of the levels were a bit tight.

My second racks used select grade pine 1x4's for the sides to save weight. I built these with 1/8" gaps and they worked perfectly. But after a few weeks in a warm room they shrank a bit and some of the boxes seized.

But the upshot of all this is that all of the mentioned racks are still in use today, some 10 to 12 years later. But it took some modification which was a heck of a lot more difficult than building them right in the first place.

I enjoy your site - I refer people there all the time.
 
I'm going to be using all melamine. I think a decently close gap on my hatchling sized tubs level, or rack would be best though, because some of the babies will be corn snake hatchlings. But, I wont leave it close. When I'm making the rack, when i lay down the tubs to get an appropriate measurement for the wood above the tubs, i can put down something thin, just so there's a bit of elevation, so its not the tub directly against the wood, with a minimal gap...
 
When I assembled my racks (not hatchling), it was done at point of use - due to the size of the pieces. I did all my measurements/calculations and precut the melamine; then brought it, a few tubs, my drill, and a box of screws into room. I used 2 pieces of 2x4 to set the height of the first shelf. Once it was in screwed in place I just put the tubs on the shelf, laid 2 big pieces of corrugated cardboard on top of each one, and placed the next shelf. Screw, set, repeat. The gap is perfect. I will be making a large hatchling rack (I'm one of those guys Chris mentioned that makes the too big racks, lol) as soon as I have an afternoon to myself. It will incorporate a few different sized tubs, and I'm figuring it will hold 100-200 critters (I haven't decided yet if I will be including 12qt boxes in this rack, or building a separate one for those). I'm thinking about using 1/4" tempered hardboard for much of the shelving on the hatchling rack. It will save weight, space, and cost...I'm just not sure how functional it will be
 
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