My Official Rack Build Thread!!! :)

[DeesBalls]

Well, I'm taking the plunge and building a rack. I was hesitant about it for a while, and i was worried bc i am NOT the most "handy man" type... but im going to. Here are my plans:

4 foot high x right around 3 foot long.
made out of 3/4" melamine
pegboard for the back to provide a little ventilation
using 41qt tubs for all 6 shelves ( i will be adding 2 more snakes to my collection after my wedding)
will be using lids as of now
will be room for 6 tubs running long way (35")
4" or 11" heat tape running DOWN THE LEFT WALL providing back heat to the left side of all the tubs. i am doing it this way so when I get my new snakes i can use a 6qt tub for my babies.
all controlled by a Rheostat till i can afford a Herpstat.

I do really want to paint it all black to match my furniture, but i probably wont.

please let me know if this sounds good, or need to change something. i will 99% be doing it this way though..

as i receive my products i will post pics and keep everyone updated...

i also want to do my 1st really good walk-though to help out everyone else thats going through this...

[presspirate]

Will you be mounting the heat tape inside or outside of the pegboard? Will the shelves be dadoed or screwed? If you do paint it, you will want to rough up the melamine with sandpaper, and then primer it before painting. Otherwise it will scratch right off. You could get black melamine, or if you really intend to paint, just use construction grade plywood. It will be cheaper, and......it's a rack. the tubs will contain the moisture. I know about building stuff, not necessarily rack systems. I wish you luck!

[marvelfreak]

Sound good.

[DeesBalls]

Will you be mounting the heat tape inside or outside of the pegboard? Will the shelves be dadoed or screwed? If you do paint it, you will want to rough up the melamine with sandpaper, and then primer it before painting. Otherwise it will scratch right off. You could get black melamine, or if you really intend to paint, just use construction grade plywood. It will be cheaper, and......it's a rack. the tubs will contain the moisture. I know about building stuff, not necessarily rack systems. I wish you luck!

heat tape will be inside the rack.. i am going to put a slight space on the left side of she shelves so the heat tape can run down. they will be screwed in, and i cant find black melamine... i thought about plywood too, but not too sure because i still may go topless.... thanks for the luck!

[DeesBalls]

UPDATE!!! heres an update!!

Nov 30th ordered my heat tape, Dec 2nd received it :)
Dec. 3rd, bought my tubs, (4) 41 qt steralite (on sale for $6 :) )
Dec. 8th, will be buying the wood, not sure if i am getting melamine or just regular wood... ( i am using lids on my tubs so i guess i dont NEED melamine... )

only thing left, is to make my rheostat. cornsnakes.com has a walk through to make on and a member on here also uses them, should do that Dec. 4th.

all in all hope this will be built with in the next week. i wanted to paint it, but not sure if i will.

pics......

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0377.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0387.jpg

[infernalis]

I moved this into one thread for you..

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-discussion/84612-rack-system-few-s.html

any continuation please do so here....

[DeesBalls]

Do you mean here? Or in the other thread... if the other, can you please change the name?

[infernalis]

no, This one. it's the "official one" right. ;)

[DeesBalls]

no, This one. it's the "official one" right. ;)

Lol I thought that right after I posted that... thanks I wanted it all on one :)
Nothing new today though, just feeding day.

[DeesBalls]

So, just got back from lowes... and instead of doing Melamine, i will be using pure aspen wood, and i will be staining it a dark brown color to match our funiture.. i will be USING LIDS for my tubs so humidity wont be a problem. it will be a lil more expensive but look alot nicer imo...

more to come!

[presspirate]

Keep us posted with PICS:yes:

[DeesBalls]

O I will!! Lol getting some wood Thursday...and some screws and lil things.. Prolly build next week.

[DeesBalls]

OKAY here the status...

i went and priced my new wood that im using, it will be around $180 for wood. it will be pure aspen and i will probably stain it, but i like the natural coloring.

the only thing i cant find peg board lol...

other then this, its all i got... sorry guys...

[DeesBalls]

ITS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Few pics...

all my wood:)
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0415.jpg


getting my wood cut :)
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0416.jpg

HOLES!!
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0421.jpg

1st part together!
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0418.jpg

[Ch^4]

Looking good! I can't wait to see the finished piece, good work!

[DeesBalls]

thanks!! im excited about what i did. up close its not too perfect. some shelves are a lil off, and what not, but it works!! just built my rheostat and all set. hope to move everyone over there tonight after work...

[DeesBalls]

here we go...

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0424.jpg

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0428.jpg

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0426.jpg

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0427.jpg

AND... FINALLY!!! DU DU DU DA!!
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0429.jpg

[marvelfreak]

Sweet! That looks really good.:)

[Lankyrob]

Nice one, good job!!

[Reptile_Reptile]

great job now you just need to make one for everybody else :) jk but great job seriously im green with envy

[presspirate]

Hey sweet! Glad to see all of that planning and hard work finally pay off! Very nice work. Hats off to you sir!:yes:

[DeesBalls]

Thank you everyone! It really means alot to me... It took me a lil over 3 months total to plan and everything, its worth it.

All my snakes will be moving in there tomorrow or thursday, i just need to buy some more aspen.

Honestly as this being my 1st thing i EVER built, i have to say i did awesome. everything could be a lil more precise and lined up, BUT the snakes dont care what it looks like! lol

As for making everyone else one... lol ill have to decline, it only took a hour and a half, but it was a p.i.t.a... ( pain in the A$$) if you didnt know.

thanks again for the compliments lol.

[edens]

UPDATE!!! heres an update!!

Nov 30th ordered my heat tape, Dec 2nd received it :)
Dec. 3rd, bought my tubs, (4) 41 qt steralite (on sale for $6 :) )
Dec. 8th, will be buying the wood, not sure if i am getting melamine or just regular wood... ( i am using lids on my tubs so i guess i dont NEED melamine... )

only thing left, is to make my rheostat. cornsnakes.com has a walk through to make on and a member on here also uses them, should do that Dec. 4th.

all in all hope this will be built with in the next week. i wanted to paint it, but not sure if i will.

pics......

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0377.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy336/DGilliland22/IMAG0387.jpg

are those tubs for them to live in permanently? what type of snakes?

[DeesBalls]

why dont my pics show up any more?

[Lankyrob]

Have you "organised" your pics on Photobucket? IF you move them around thier image code changes and you need to repost them on here.

[sickvenom]

why dont my pics show up any more?

uh, it says right on the photobucket image placer!! you must have moved the location of your image files in your photobucket account, or you deleted them by accident.