New Rack systems !!UPDATE!!

[trinitywolf]

I am getting ready to build some new racks based on the plans given on Rio Bravo Reptiles and wondered if anyone here is also using that design? I took the idea he has posted and took it a little farther in that I plan on building some racks for shoebox size and not just sweater box size rubbermaids. At any rate I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts were on this design...especially if you have built/used it before.

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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

[Ed_r]

While it looks very attractive. I think the materials(hollow doors) would make it quite expensive. I was thinking they were going to put the heat pads inside the doors to hide them in the hallow space. My friend Rich makes racks for his. I have one of his old models. He used Melamine and Flexwatt. Pegboard for the back. Looks desent didnt cost a lot to make. Really don't need to make it out of melamine, but your materials are your choice.
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[Amiechan]

I just made a rack very similar to that one.. Seems to work really well..
It's really easy to move.
Good luck! Our's was a pain in the butt to build, but I didn't have much of a clue as to what I was doing.
I'll have to bookmark that site to make my next rack easier to build!!



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Amy

[trinitywolf]

Hey Ed. I bought 14 hollow core doors tonight for $280 bucks. That sounds like a lot but it's going to make roughly 100 shoebox places and 16 sweaterbox. I checked out melamine and it was $32 per 8 X 4 sheet. The doors I bought are 24" X 80" and 28" X 80" and were 18 something a piece. All in all I didn't think it was bad as far as price goes. I'm keeping a running total though...so I think it will be interesting to see per space how much it cost me.
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[Ed_r]

WOW that is very interesting then. I would have thought doors would have been an awful lot more money.HMMM may have to rethink cage building.
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[Sunn]

I saw that site and bookmarked it also when I was making my rack.

For some reason we went with Melamine and Flex watt.....
the melamine is heavy so we put casters on it reinforcing
it at the bottom....we also added a couple shelves for clean water dishes,
little hides and extra shoeboxes. I've found it handy for feeding other babies
I have too while waiting for the boas and dums.

Good luck whatever you go with...

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[trinitywolf]

Ok...well I am building three of these. The first is, for all intents and purposes done. I have to attach the back and put in the flex-watt. Other than that this one is done. Thought I would show a pic. I'll post more when all three are finished completely.

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[Ed_r]

Dude!!!! That is SWEET!!!! Looks Awesome. Was it a PITA to build?
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[trinitywolf]

Ed...it really wasn't. I did run into some troubles b/c of my own ignorance. I ordered masonite doors and got raw masonite. That sucks b/c it won't stand up to humidity at all. I did seal them with polycrilic though (which took two days to seal two racks). My suggestion is to make sure that your doors come finished with luan. The next time I build these you can bet they will. I would really be done with this project by now if it wasn't for having to seal them.
2nd bit of advice - make sure you have access to a fairly good table saw. The bigger the better. In hindsight, I should have just rented a big one that I could make all my cuts on. That would really have sped the process up. If you have the right tools, this could be a VERY easy, very quick job.
If they perform, I'm sold.
Oh yeah...I put casters on this one...but I'm not sure I'll keep them as it makes the first container above eye level for me. I'm not sure if I like that or not. I will probably just see how that fits.

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