Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking to build the "eating machine" rack from ballpython.ca, i was wondering if someone could give me more construction details, and material details. I plan on using melamine and build to to the same specs as the website suggests.
Also is a dimmer switch the best? feedback would be great, I know several people on this forum have built them with success.
Thanks-Eric

>>I am looking to build the "eating machine" rack from ballpython.ca, i was wondering if someone could give me more construction details, and material details. I plan on using melamine and build to to the same specs as the website suggests.
>>Also is a dimmer switch the best? feedback would be great, I know several people on this forum have built them with success.
>>Thanks-Eric

hi.

Looks like the markus Jayn eating machine is a big hit!. As you know (my thread is a few threads down), I built a modified version, so I don't have the exact specs for the Markus Jayne version. However, it seems like you can draw out on a sheet of paper the dimensions and find the most economical way of cutting the wood.

Let's see. . . The Melamine is the oversized ones from Home Depot. It measures 49" by 97". I am sitting here with a pencil and paper, trying to come up with a good way to cut the wood, but I am not able to get clean cuts. No matter how I draw it, I keep on ending up with lots of scrap wood and many many cuts (I count sixteen cuts and six or seven scrap pieces of wood!). So, I can see why you have written this thread to ask for a good way to cut the wood.

My modified version of the Jayne machine only involved one sheet of plywood and 5 cuts and no scrap wood

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Your other question about the dimmer: it depends on what you mean by best. If you have a room where the temp fluctuates a lot, then a thermostat in addition to a dimmer is best. If your room has fairly constand temp, then a dimmer is a nice and economical way to go. You can just find the right setting and leave it alone.

I don't know if this helps at all. Good luck to you. Maybe some other nice folk could help with how best to cut the wood. (perhaps Markus Jayne himself could give some pointers--he comes here sometimes)

cheers.
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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

The specs for everything to do with Mark's rack is found at this link on his website: http://ballpython.ca/The%Rack.htm. Also, Mark Mandic, NOT Markus Jayne is the proprietor of that wonderful site and many, many, gorgeous snakes.

>>The specs for everything to do with Mark's rack is found at this link on his website: http://ballpython.ca/The%Rack.htm. Also, Mark Mandic, NOT Markus Jayne is the proprietor of that wonderful site and many, many, gorgeous snakes.

Who is Markus Jayne? I kind of know what you are saying about Mark Mandic being the proprietor of the site. This is because I have emailed MarkusJayne before and the answers always came back from Mark Mandic. It is not a big deal, but I was just curious who the two people are?

Anyways, the link to the Eating Machine doesn't show How best to get the cuts into the 49"x97" sheets of melamine. I was just trying to draw on paper to come up with the most convinient way to get the right cuts. It is a fun math problem (a few days ago, when I built my own version, I came up with clean cuts and no scrap).

I am curious how Markus or Marc does it.

sicinerely.
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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

You get the 'best cuts' by having the wood cut on a table saw, or at Home Depot where you buy it. Also, Markus Jayne is the name of his BP breeding venture, Mark Mandic, along with his wife, Jayne Mandic are the driving forces behind it. Get it?

Markus Jayne Ball Pythons is, as Mykee explained, run by my wife and I. All my friend call me Markus so I always include my wife in everything I do, so we aptly named it Markus Jayne.

We have another business as well. It is a Pilates and Yoga studio and because it is primarily run by my wife Jayne, it is called Jayne Markus Studios.

We just wanted something different.

I use 3 sheets of oversized melamine to make my racks. They measure 49" X 97".

Thanks for all the positive feedback on the rack.

Mark
Markus Jayne Ball Pythons

Thanks for the help I posted more questions up top.
Eric