Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm trying to build a rack that is similar to the one in the following link.

http://www.dozierstudio.com/ladderrack.html

My local Walmart doesn't carry the Sterilites listed, so the closest ones I found are located at Target which are 41 quarts and the dimensions are 34 7/8" X 16 7/8" X 6". Since I can't find anything better and cheaper I'm forced to use those.

I'm having the most difficult time finding the 16" X 36" shelves. Every where I look, instead of the 16" that I need, I can only find 12" ones. I even thought of cutting them individually but the 97" long melamine would only give me 2 shelves, at a price of $20 a 97" the cost would be too high and the rack would be unattractive.

Can someone please help me out, or perhaps give me better plans on another rack.

Thanks,
David.
Plans for a rack.

have you considered drawing up your plans and then have a cabinet shop cut the pieces? you could assemble and wire the rack yourself.i did this for my last rack and used 41qt. tubs length ways.i have 10 levels and with each level i have three choicesne 41qt. tub,one 27 and one 12qt. tub or three 12qt. tubs.there all the same approx. height.i think you could house BP'S from birth till death in the same rack.

I don't think it matters if you find the 16"x36" shelves. The boxes you are using are wider than 16" so the shelves won't be wide enough.

The plan for the rack is fine. You just need to find a lumber yard, cabinet shop, or home improvement store that will cut the shelves for you from a full sheet.

Understand, though, that you'll likely only get 5 shelves per sheet of melamine.

If you've got a large door to your herp room you could use hollow-core doors to build a rack.

Here's a picture of one I threw together recently. It's not my favorite design but it was cheap for the large boxes I use... each are 32"x17"x12"

It would not be very difficult to build such a rack with individual levels that were "stackable". That way the size of the rack would not matter.

Looking at the rack from where I got the plans, he too is using a Sterilite where the dimentions are a bit wider than 16 3/4". I think that this sterilite bends and gives a bit.
Dimentions of the Sterilite

You should e-mail him and specifically ask if the shelves are as wide as the boxes (without lids, of course).

I'd be very surprised if he was relying on the flexibility of the box. Regardless, I'm sure you can get something to work for the 41 qt. boxes.

I've wanted to build a rack for a while, and this issue has been my only obstacle. I've considered just building one made, but its hard to part with so much money on something that I could potentially build myself. On the other hand, i'm not a handy person and don't want to screw it up. One of my main concerns is how it will look and the reliablity.

Sorry to hear building this rack has been a downer. Don't get too obsessed over the saving money part. I personally feel building your own cages should be done in part for the personal satisfaction and so one can get exactly what they want.

And by all means don't rule out having the melamine cut for you by a pro. The first racks I built I did this way and they're still usable 10 years later.

Go and measure the box without the lid on and let me know what the measurments are.

I buy the 16"x3' shelves at Lowe's. Home depot sometimes has some in that width, but rarely. Also, Chris is correct, you may need wider shelves for those size boxes.

of having having the 16" X 36" shelves, I could buy the 8" x 36" and some how rearange them to fit. This is such a head ache.

using those same tubs from target. the size was fine for the 16 inch shelves. i found the shelves at lowe's. hope this helps. Rin

Could you meaure the width of one of the boxes for us?

Or can you just tell us approximately how much of a gap there is between the sides of the box and the sides of the rack?

Thanks.

I called my local Lowes, the closest width to 16" that they carry is 15 3/4". I also called the manufacturer, they told me that lowes, Ace, and True Value should also carry that particular size. So I'm doing my best to research this part.