"Free Dumb-Breeder Rack" - PART 5: Piecing Together The Pieces

[Tim_Cranwill]

Once each level is assembled and the heat tape is wired up, it's time to start building the shelf. This is one of the easiest steps to do so the descriptions might be a bit brief. :p

The first thing I did was build my base. I decided to use 2x4's and 2x6's instead of buying a whole extra sheet of OSB. Also, this gives the shelf some extra weight on the bottom. The base needs a strip of heat tape wired to it as well.

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/prep-base01.jpg

I had only planned to use 4 castors but didn't realized how HEAVY this rack would be. So I added 4 more. This also gives it a bit more stability.

After getting the base all set up, it's time to start stacking the levels.

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/building-pieces01.jpg

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/building-pieces02.jpg

In this last pic, I forgot to put all the levels on the base... Doh! :p :D Just use your imagination... :)

Now they are all stacked up...

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/building-pieces03.jpg

And ready for the side supports...

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/building-pieces04.jpg

I used 1x6 lumber. This way, I don't add a bunch of unnecessary width to an already wide load. I screwed through the 1x6 into each level at the bottom of the 2x4 support (the ones the rail are attached to).

And THIS is what it looks like with a few bins slid in...

http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~cranwill/net_pics/rack/building-pieces05.jpg

I am STILL waiting on my new thermostat to arrive before I put the snakes in. Once it arrives, I will post the final part to the series.

Thanks, all! :)

[vanderkm]

Great again! Are the inside supports attached to the shelf underneath them? or just screwed into the one above and sitting on the shelf below?

Looking great,

mary v.

[wyz]

Good job Tim.

You remind me of something.

I also forget that weigh adds up :) 50 light pieces of wood = to a really heavy rack :)

I allmost got caught last time not being able to move it in it's place.


WYZ

[David Kwok]

That rack doesn't seem to "dumb" to me.... :)

[Tim_Cranwill]

Thanks guys. :)

Mary, in the 2nd pic of this post, you can kind of see the levels are just leaning against each other. They are separate pieces. I just stacked them one on top of another and the only thing holding them together is the side support.

Does that make sense?

Edit: Ok, I know what you are asking now. :) The inside supports are only attached to the bottom of the shelves... kind of like legs. :)

[Will]

This may already be somewhere else, but...

What is the total dimesion of the rack, and roughly what is the cost...?

[Tim_Cranwill]

The dimensions are 4'9" wide, 5'9" tall and 2' deep.

The pricing info will be included in detail in the final post. I'll do that one in the next day or two. :)

[Bartman]

Just amazing posts. This has been the most informing ive ever seen. Im going to miniturize your idea into a 2 or possibly 3 stack system for my collection :) Thanks for that..it was great!

[Tim_Cranwill]

No problem, Adam. Let me know how it goes or if you find any improvements. :)

[MouseKilla]

I just read all five in a row and they're all awesome, I didn't quite follow the diagrams but I never do get diagrams... maps either. lol! The pictures made it very clear what you needed to do.

I think I probably would have used melamine instead just because the 18 layers of paint looked like a pain in the nuts, on the other hand melamine would weigh several times more which can't be good. Any chance they'll paint it for you at Home Depot when they get done cutting it? lol!

[crazyboy]

very nice. jusst curious whyyou didn't paint the whole thing?

[Tim_Cranwill]

Crazyboy, I didn't paint the whole thing because I really didn't need to. I don't really care how it looks as much as the functionality of it... and cost I guess.

So basically, to paint the whole things adds one thing; looks. I would like it to look nice but not THAT much! :) lol

Mike, yeah, the painting SUCKED! LOL :D Melamine would be a trade off that just might be justifiable... :)