28qt rack build

Norm66 · 12-22-11, 09:15 AM

I'm gearing up to build a 10 space tub for 28 quart Sterilite tubs. I'm stealing from a thread on another forum using melamine shelving.

It's going to be 3'-6" tall x 3' wide x 23 3/4" deep with 5 shelves. The top is going to temporarily hold my 20 gallon tall tank that my JCP lives in but it will be a work area down the line. It'll also hold the thermostat etc.

Heat will be two strips of 3" wide/6 watts per foot Flexwatt belly heat. I keep my house pretty cool so I want to make sure there's enough heating. I had the Flexwatt wired separately so I can unplug one strip in the summer. The thermostat is a Vivarium Electronics VE-100 that will eventually be upgraded to a proportional unit and used as a backup. It's not ideal but it'll be a darn sight better than what I'm doing now.

The tubs are in, the heat is set to arrive today and I'm going by Home Depot on my way home from work today so this might just happen this evening.

Norm66 · 12-22-11, 04:12 PM

Everything is here. Dinner then start building.

I will not go to bed before the rack is built and heated. My wait til tomorrow to put the snakes in.

Norm66 · 12-22-11, 10:08 PM

The rack is done. Four tubs have substrate in them, I'm letting it run overnight so I can troubleshoot anything that needs it and get the thermostat adjusted properly. I also need more substrate. The tubs are bigger than I though.

With luck everything will be OK and we'll get the snakes transferred tomorrow after work. It was an easy project though it cost a bit more than I had anticipated. I'll work up the cost tomorrow and post it so folks can have an idea. It was extremely easy to build, my wife and I did it in about 4 1/2 hours and we are hardly what you would call handy.

Materials:

Starting construction:

Here's a pic of the finished product w/ Jerome's tank on top:

And with a drawer pulled open:

alessia55 · 12-22-11, 10:47 PM

Looks good Norm! Bet you can't wait to fill those all in with snakes

Also, the pic with Jerome's cage on top really put his size into perspective... I thought he was so much bigger!

Norm66 · 12-23-11, 07:01 AM

Thanks Alessia. Yea, Jerome's just a little guy yet. And yes, it's already been noted that we have a lot of empty spaces. LOL Soon enough they'll be filled.

I had the thermostat set at 100 and it produced a temp of 82 on top of the substrate but the plastic of the tub when I cleared the substrate away was 92. I jacked the thermostat up to 108. I'll see what it does when I get home. I wonder if I might have to hang a curtain or something to help insulate...

Terranaut · 12-23-11, 07:16 AM

Nice work. Looks great. Fill 'er up!!!

knox · 12-23-11, 09:07 AM

Well done! Thanks for the pics.

**lady_bug87** · 12-23-11, 09:32 AM

i didnt see any lids on the containers are you worried about escapes?

Just a question I want to build something like that when I move

Norm66 · 12-23-11, 09:37 AM

Lady Bug, no lids. I used the tubs themselves spaced with CDs to locate the shelves so the tolerance is pretty tight. There's no way a snake could worm his way out unlesss we goof and leave one of the tubs pulled out a bit.

Swany · 12-23-11, 09:53 AM

Hi Norm. Can I ask a question that has no relation to this thread.
I'm a newbee here and i dont understand the way peoples signatures work.
1.0 jungle carpet python, 1.0 boa, 3.1 ball python ?

**lady_bug87** · 12-23-11, 09:59 AM

^^^

1.0 = male
0.1 = female
0.0.1 unsexed/ eggs

so if you read it he has 1 male carpet 1 male boa and 3 male ball pythons and 1 female ball python

Norm66 · 12-23-11, 10:13 AM

Bingo. Technically the carpet & boa are mine and the balls are my wife Becky's. But I include them all in my signature. I think it's cute when people do it with their family too. ;^)

Lankyrob · 12-23-11, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm66

Lady Bug, no lids. I used the tubs themselves spaced with CDs to locate the shelves so the tolerance is pretty tight. There's no way a snake could worm his way out unlesss we goof and leave one of the tubs pulled out a bit.

Just a concern from a worrywort - is it possible that one of the snakes can brace itself against the "roof" and force one of the tubs out on its own?

Norm66 · 12-23-11, 10:25 AM

I really don't think so Rob. The snake would have to be sticky or something to get any purchase on the melamine surface. There are dozens of folks using this basic design over at the other forum (not sure if I can mention it here per the rules) where I got the idea and nobody has reported any escapes as I'm sure they would.

All that said I'm actually trying to come up with an idiot proof latching system more to prevent us from doing something stupid than the snake pulling a jailbreak. Something that will click or snap maybe into place when the tub is pushed in all the way but yet isn't a large pain in the rear. I'll come up with something.

Gungirl · 12-23-11, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swany

Hi Norm. Can I ask a question that has no relation to this thread.
I'm a newbee here and i dont understand the way peoples signatures work.
1.0 jungle carpet python, 1.0 boa, 3.1 ball python ?

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...erp-lingo.html
This should help you out..