Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been messing with rack ideas for what now umm almost a year. I was going to use melamine but found it hard to cut (with my circular saw atleast, maybe I will use the other one) the saw pulled to one side and didn't cut close to staight. luckily the shelves were premade and it was the just the sides which I got extra large of. I decided for this next rack using 31 quart rubbermaid revelations. 6.5 inches tall, 15.4 inches wide, and 26.1 inches deep. I will be making this rack lidless. I will be doing a open rack using either 2x4s or 2x6s for the sides. Probably three on each side. I think I want to pain the whole thing with bulls eye 123 primer sealer stainkiller, is this a good paint, will it harm my snakes? I think the shelves will be mdf. This is for price as I am completely broke(literally I spent all my money on my savu python). I will paint this (does it need to be painted?). I will heat it with some flexwatt I have that is 11 inch, from the back. The flex watt will be on a thermostat which I also have. The thermostat is a ESU reptile one I don't know how much power it can handle, or how much power flexwatt uses. How many feet of flexwatt could I put through this baby? I only need like 5 feet tops. This rack will be 6 boxes tall, one box wide. If you have any questions ask I have trouble explaining stuff with words.
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thanks Josh

0.0.2 sandfish skinks,
0.0.1 texas long nose luckily eating mice
0.0.1 vine snake
1.1.0 turtles
0.1.0 greek tortoise
1.0.0 ball python
2.0.0 corn snake
1.0.0 childrens python
1.0.0 possibly het for albino san diego gopher snake
0.0.1 rosehair tarantula
0.1.0 black and white kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 hooknose snake
mice colony almost able to keep up with snakes.
and what ever lizards my vine snake hasn't eaten yet

Don't use any solid wood for the sides, especially 2x4's or 2x6's. The expansion, contraction and warping don't work well with a rack.

Use strips of plywood or leftover MDF or melamine from the rack instead.

I don't know much about the paint you mentioned. Is it oil-based? You really don't need an oil-based paint for the underside of racks shelves, IMO.

I'm not a big fan of MDF, especially now that the price difference compared to melamine is not as great as it used to be. But if you're more comfortable using it it will work.

>>I have been messing with rack ideas for what now umm almost a year. I was going to use melamine but found it hard to cut (with my circular saw atleast, maybe I will use the other one) the saw pulled to one side and didn't cut close to staight. luckily the shelves were premade and it was the just the sides which I got extra large of. I decided for this next rack using 31 quart rubbermaid revelations. 6.5 inches tall, 15.4 inches wide, and 26.1 inches deep. I will be making this rack lidless. I will be doing a open rack using either 2x4s or 2x6s for the sides. Probably three on each side. I think I want to pain the whole thing with bulls eye 123 primer sealer stainkiller, is this a good paint, will it harm my snakes? I think the shelves will be mdf. This is for price as I am completely broke(literally I spent all my money on my savu python). I will paint this (does it need to be painted?). I will heat it with some flexwatt I have that is 11 inch, from the back. The flex watt will be on a thermostat which I also have. The thermostat is a ESU reptile one I don't know how much power it can handle, or how much power flexwatt uses. How many feet of flexwatt could I put through this baby? I only need like 5 feet tops. This rack will be 6 boxes tall, one box wide. If you have any questions ask I have trouble explaining stuff with words.
>>-----
>>thanks Josh
>>
>>0.0.2 sandfish skinks,
>>0.0.1 texas long nose luckily eating mice
>>0.0.1 vine snake
>>1.1.0 turtles
>>0.1.0 greek tortoise
>>1.0.0 ball python
>>2.0.0 corn snake
>>1.0.0 childrens python
>>1.0.0 possibly het for albino san diego gopher snake
>>0.0.1 rosehair tarantula
>>0.1.0 black and white kenyan sand boa
>>0.0.1 hooknose snake
>>mice colony almost able to keep up with snakes.
>>and what ever lizards my vine snake hasn't eaten yet
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

wait even if I paint the sides (2x4s or whatever) they will stil expand and contract. I know they won't warp they have been outside in the rain and winter and haven't yet. I am thinking of using studs. Wait I just checked the price and it says it is 20 for a sheet of mdf I thought it was only 10 bucks. I am confused.
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thanks Josh

0.0.2 sandfish skinks,
0.0.1 texas long nose luckily eating mice
0.0.1 vine snake
1.1.0 turtles
0.1.0 greek tortoise
1.0.0 ball python
2.0.0 corn snake
1.0.0 childrens python
1.0.0 possibly het for albino san diego gopher snake
0.0.1 rosehair tarantula
0.1.0 black and white kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 hooknose snake
mice colony almost able to keep up with snakes.
and what ever lizards my vine snake hasn't eaten yet

I agree with Chris Numbered construction lumber is a bad idea. It's a better idea to use ply one 3/4 thick 3 " wide strip of ply is stronger than a single 2x4.

Trust us numbered ply is bad.

Here's my rack ply strips on the side.

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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

to buy any size sheet big enough to fit the sides would be a ridiculous price. Do you nkow how expensive a sheet of pegboard is at lowes or home depot?
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thanks Josh

0.0.2 sandfish skinks,
0.0.1 texas long nose luckily eating mice
0.0.1 vine snake
1.1.0 turtles
0.1.0 greek tortoise
1.0.0 ball python
2.0.0 corn snake
1.0.0 childrens python
1.0.0 possibly het for albino san diego gopher snake
0.0.1 rosehair tarantula
0.1.0 black and white kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 hooknose snake
mice colony almost able to keep up with snakes.
and what ever lizards my vine snake hasn't eaten yet

Don't buy a whole sheet. Do they sell half sheets I got a Half sheet of sanded ACX for $17.

Home Depot and Lowes are not your only choicies are they?
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

no they aren't my only choices. But you see for 17 dollars I expected to get all the wood. One 10 dollar sheet of like particleboard and then a few 2x4s or something like that. I don't currently have the 17 dollars. Will it expand and contract that much? I mean if you paint it, it won't be able to absorb and release water, and the temps should stay even with my termostat. I just want to know if it really would expand and contract that much. How much is it for a sheet of 4x8 regboard, do you know? I know people use boards for the shelves on some racks so wouldn't that expand and contract too? I am not saying you are wrong just don't understand. You guys know more than me but I am just confused. Thanks for the help Josh.
-----
thanks Josh

0.0.2 sandfish skinks,
0.0.1 texas long nose luckily eating mice
0.0.1 vine snake
1.1.0 turtles
0.1.0 greek tortoise
1.0.0 ball python
2.0.0 corn snake
1.0.0 childrens python
1.0.0 possibly het for albino san diego gopher snake
0.0.1 rosehair tarantula
0.1.0 black and white kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 hooknose snake
mice colony almost able to keep up with snakes.
and what ever lizards my vine snake hasn't eaten yet

>>no they aren't my only choices. But you see for 17 dollars I expected to get all the wood.

Would you rather spend 17 now and again in a year or spend a little more now and have a good cage/rack for a few years.

>>Will it expand and contract that much?

Have you ever heard a house creak, sweak, or groan?

Why because the wood is swealing, contracting, and shifting.

Why?

Because seasonal effects, no matter how mild effect wood at heart. Number construction lumber is solid wood cut from the tree. It is not the best chunk of wood it has inperfections not always cut with the grain. This all has to do with the wood and ageing.

As wood ages it moves, adjusts, and conforms. This is why construction grade lumber even when kiln dried will warp, bend and twist with age. Even some firs will begin to show the same effects as the pine we use today.

Plywood and engineered lumber is made of wood, but the lamination and glueng process strengthens the piece. It is not resistant to the same effects as numbered boards just more stable.

Its this stability or ability to resist change you want in a piece of lumber specially for a rack where tight tolerences are a must and hard to maintain in a world of changing lumber shapes.

Another deal is the numbered borads are probally the same price per linear foot as the cut ply. If you make ply strips 8' long 3" wide you get about 15 boards equal in strength to a standard 2x4. 3/4 BC ply is about $25 a full sheet making each piece a $1.67 even plain studs on sale are a doller more than that.

Sure you get more than you need but what about a half sheet or a cabinent place cutting the wood for you? Chris and I are not trying to get you to break you wallet, allowence, paycheck, etc. We just want you to get a quality cage you will be happy with for a longer period of time. Trust us we try and cut corners on cost everywhere. In fact we probally spend to much time on the matter. Just ask my wife!

Were not saying you can't do the cage they way you want, just how it can be done better.

>I mean if you paint it, it won't be able to absorb and release water, and the temps should stay even with my termostat.

The wood absorbs the paint, how does the paint effect the internal make up of the solid piece of wood? Who knows but Sap, moisture and age all play a factor. So even sealing the wood will not be a cure all. With engineered lumber you get more stabilty not a garentee.

>How much is it for a sheet of 4x8 regboard, do you know?

Pegboard I would say between $10-$15 depending on sale or not.

Hope this helps.
Feel free to send an email if you need more assistance.
Jeremy

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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

Jeremy covered everything and I have little to add. The only way I would use a 2x4 or 2x6 for the sides of a rack would be if I could acclimate them in my herp room for at least a year. And I'd only do that if I need the strength. Painting just won't help, sorry.

Why don't you just keep the snakes in stacked rubbermaids for a while until you can build the rack you really want?

Racks can be made very cheaply. I have built racks that hold seven 28 qt. boxes for less than $30. Just used strips of plywood for the sides and cheap melamine for the shelves. Screws, glue, etc, were things I had laying around.

But there is a limit to how cheap you can go, I'm afraid.

Also, don't overlook scratch and dent sheet goods. I just picked up a piece of damaged melamine for $10. It was missing a huge corner, but I'm pretty sure I could have cut nine shelves for the typical sweater box rack from it.

They also had piles of damaged plywood. No doubt I could have cut some 60" strips from a damaged piece of ply for another $15 to make up the sides.

So for $25 I could have built a rack capable of hold nine 28 qt. boxes or eighteen 12 qt. boxes.

And, quite honestly, I think I could do even better if I really dug through the damaged pile at that place.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

When I lived in the dorms I used stacked rubermaid tubs, in fact I still have the tubs although I don't still house snakes in them.

I simply taped the heat tape to the buttom of each tub and stacked them up.

One note of caution avoid sitting the tub feet on the tape!
Jeremy
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
0.1 Albino RTB -Coming Soon-
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's -Coming Soon-
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
0.0.1 Youth -coming soon-

>>to buy any size sheet big enough to fit the sides would be a ridiculous price.

You don't need to fit the entire sides, you only need to use strips of ripped plywood like Jeremy alread mentioned. His picture shows that pretty well.

Here's another picture. This was a temporary rack I threw together to quarantine some imports. You can see it only has a couple of strips of ply that don't even support the ends of each shelf.

Now I don't recommend you build a rack this way. Mine was temporary and built from scrap I had laying around. But it held snakes securely for a long time.

.......get great prices on building materials is the local habitat for humanity restore,they sell donated items (no clothes) to fund building homes,it's a win win situation.have fun!

"pine boards are bad" club members. Now hear from the 3rd. Pine boards used for support is bad practice in comparison to using other materials for a lidless rack. I've used pine boards in the way past and learned the valuable lesson. There are better ways.

Ripped plywood or strips of melamine is a better choice for what you are describing (the vertical side supports).