Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I did a search and seen different things. Home depot has no more malemine at this time so is malemine the only wood that can be used for a rack? I plan to build a ten tub sigle rack I wanted to use back heat because it seems easy to do but I dont know if its better then belly heat. Now if I do belly heat how is this done I seen strips of heat tape just woven through each shelf then I seen each shelf wired seperatly and connected to one cord, what is best and where can I find instructions on doing this? Also I have no experience with electric so I dont dont know if its safe for me to do, some have told me that you need a crimp tool and some say you dont but I want to be safe. Thanks to all that respond

First melamine isn't the only item that can be used to build a rack but it is easier to use than some of the others. Also Home Depot isn't the only seller of melamine but you can use other items. 3/4 ACX ply can be used as well as 1/2 ACX I recomend the larger less likely to sag or bow. You also can use MDF in the same sizes the larger will be less likly to sag as well. Either the ply or MDF can be sealed, painted or for best results covered in contact paper.

"I plan to build a ten tub sigle rack I wanted to use back heat because it seems easy to do but I dont know if its better then belly heat."

There is a lot of traffic covering both of these and you don't have to go back that far to find good comments. Because of this and to avoid controversy I will let you make your own opinion. Just take note that heat tape is radient heat and will be distributed away from its self most likely away from dense objects. So if using back heat I recommend a back panel to radiate heat into the tubs. If not you're just heating the wall. IOW no open back racks.

"Now if I do belly heat how is this done I seen strips of heat tape just woven through each shelf then I seen each shelf wired seperatly and connected to one cord, what is best and where can I find instructions on doing this?"

Bean farm, I find its easier to wire one long piece than 10 seperate pieces. If you do belly heat and weave the tape it will take a lot of routing and other fancy woodwork to make it work well.

"Also I have no experience with electric so I dont dont know if its safe for me to do, some have told me that you need a crimp tool and some say you dont but I want to be safe."

Electrical work is easy but requires patience and practice. Easest would to crimp the connectors to the tape pliers work just as well. The other method that I use but requires more talent is to solder the wire directly to the tape. Just remember what is hot and what is nuetral and turn of the circuit before working on it it can bite when its not on.
Hope this helped
Jeremy

Figure that back heat only raises the temp at the back of the box say 10 deg F for example above ambient temps. So, if your room is 70 deg, a boa constrictor won't do well in your back-heated rack. But, if your room is 78 deg, then it would be fine.

So if the room is cooler, then belly heat is the way to go. But, belly heat can be dangerous unless you use a thermostat. So, use a controller if using belly heat. Buy it first before you buy snakes.

I suggest buying some Flexwatt and learning how to wire it. Experiment. That is the only way to learn. Some people can't wire it to save their lives. It is just one of those things that some people can do and some can't (or really don't want to). It really is easy if you pay attention to detail and make your crimps well.

You can run one long length of Flexwatt inside the rack and cut slots on the sides of the shelves to pass it through. Or you can wire individual pieces (alot of connectors to buy, alot of work, etc.) I am a fan of the one-long-length method.

Rack building takes planning and skill and a good table or circular saw with a good blade (or a friend that can provide that). If you don't have that stuff, then buy a ready-made rack.

Plywood can make a fine rack. Cover the interior ceilings of each slot with water-resistant contact paper for better results.
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Mark G

>>I did a search and seen different things. Home depot has no more malemine at this time so is malemine the only wood that can be used for a rack?

Other materials can be used, I believe this has already been covered by the other posters.

But don't overlook melamine shelving. Many people have been able to build racks without making a single cut, all because of precut shelving panels. But it depends on the size of the box you'll use.

Also, don't underestimate calling cabinet shops to have melamine cut for you. The melamine they sell is of noticably higher quality and their cuts will be VERY GOOD. I can't tell you how much easier this makes rack assembly.

>>I plan to build a ten tub sigle rack I wanted to use back heat because it seems easy to do but I dont know if its better then belly heat.

I agree that back heat is probably not best with cool rooms. I'm experimenting with back-less racks and just stapeling foil insulation to the back. I'm heating two racks with low-wattage rope light this way and have been impressed. But I need to do more testing.

I'll leave the heat tape and wiring questions to others. I have to say with my initial testing of rope light I can't see ever using heat tape again.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

>>I did a search and seen different things. Home depot has no more malemine at this time so is malemine the only wood that can be used for a rack? I plan to build a ten tub sigle rack I wanted to use back heat because it seems easy to do but I dont know if its better then belly heat. Now if I do belly heat how is this done I seen strips of heat tape just woven through each shelf then I seen each shelf wired seperatly and connected to one cord, what is best and where can I find instructions on doing this? Also I have no experience with electric so I dont dont know if its safe for me to do, some have told me that you need a crimp tool and some say you dont but I want to be safe.
Thanks to all that respond

All points have been covered well. For my rack i used 3/4" melamine for both sides and all shelves. Its 6'h 3'w 2'd and it is heavy. I used casters and Bubble foil insulation double thickness for the back. It reflects heat and saves some weight. For my tubs, which are nearly 3'lx2'd and due to the winter night time temps in my room. I used an 11" piece of h-tape down the rear of the rack as well as 2'x11" piece under each tub.My thought was the belly haet was important for my setup, but also decided to go with the strip down the back to help supplement the ambients in my tubs. For me mine works well. Alot depends on the baseline temps in the room to begin with as others have already mention. Goodluck with your project, Clint
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0.1 Colombian Boa-(Boa Constrictor Imperator) "Honey"
1.0 Hogg Isle Boa-(Boa Constrictor Imperator) "un-named"
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-(Epicrates Cenchria) "Houdini"
0.1 Argentine Boa-(Boa Constrictor Occidentalis) "Lacie"
0.0.2 Green Tree Python-(Morelia Viridis)Biak type-"Smog" & Sorong type- "un-named"

Thanks for all the info guys. It looks like I will have to use belly heat because my room is cool during winter, I actually had to section off part of the room with a drop cloth and just heat that area. I want to use a foot or 2 of 11" on each shelf so I will need to know how to wire this the one strip down the back is so much easier but 10 deg warmer is not going to work. Im also interested in this ACX and MDF stuff for the shelf and shower board for the sides im really trying to avoid the malemine because I will be building this myself and also may have to carry this wood on the bus because I have no ride and my freinds van is not working but if I really have to I will get his car. I also would like to use this bubble foil but could not find any at home depot and the employess did not know what it was, they only had the foam and the thick cotton stuff. As far as cutting I will have them cut everything at home depot. Home depot is the only place i can get this kind of stuff around here the're building a loews but it will be a little while before its done. The rack will be just like the one in HTDesigns post which is 67.5" high and 17" wide and 24" deep.

>>Thanks for all the info guys. It looks like I will have to use belly heat because my room is cool during winter, I actually had to section off part of the room with a drop cloth and just heat that area.

If you're heating that area with a radiant space heater you might consider replacing the drop cloth with more of the his foil/bubble insulation. It works very well in that regard. You might scroll down and read some of my replies to a recent thread re. material safety. In one of my posts I talk about my experiences using this stuff to insulate an unisulated snake room in a South Dakota garage.

>>Im also interested in this ACX and MDF stuff for the shelf and shower board for the sides im really trying to avoid the malemine because I will be building this myself and also may have to carry this wood on the bus.

The MDF and ACX are still both very heavy. The MDF is actually heaver than melamine, the ACX just a bit lighter. Since both are more prone to warp than melamine I'd encourage you to find some melamine in the shelving section that will work for your box. But do use the showerboard for the sides and back.

>>I also would like to use this bubble foil but could not find any at home depot and the employess did not know what it was...

It can be hard to find. It's fairly common in my area since so many homes are heated with radiant heat only.

Do you have ACE Hardware? Call around and see if they have it. The stores in my area carry it in bulk.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

My company actually sells a material like that. It's brand name is reflectix I believe. That might help in your search. It's used alot as a duct wrap so hvac places might have it or the hvac area in home depot may have something similar. Regular insulation guys might not be familiar with it.

That's the exact product I use. It is the most common so asking for it might result in more help, even if the store carries another brand.

It is remarkable stuff.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

Fi-foil makes the same thing as well. It may help find a source.

If you would like to get better dimmensions send me an email and I will give you my phone I can explian how I wired it as well as exact construction.

Good Luck

Paul
HTDesigns

Yes i searched for the malemine shelving but nothing was wide enough (17" wide)I dont know if they didnt have it or if the shelves dont come this wide. Im also really lost with this heat tape thing I read a post a while ago about it burning up after some say its only when people wire it wrong that this happens so I figured if I do it properly im ok. Well as you all may see its a post above about someone else just experiencing the heat tape burning and I do not want to go through this. Now the thing with the light rope is I figure since it needs to stay on then that would stress the snakes but im wondering about this heat cable one thing is I believe its more expensive. I had my mind on the heat tape but I think I may constantly have it on my mind about it burning up. Im really wishing I can just afford to buy a rack. Do you guys have pics of your racks? HT I was wondering how your rack was working with the dimmers and all but I realize this other guy was using 2 thermostats on his rack when the heat tape burned