antsterr
Always mostly awesome
Like any snake addict with an ever growing collection I run in to that problem of where to put all them guys. Two weeks from now is the local spring reptile show and with a big of a shopping list made up I figured it was time to build a rack unit.
I found design over at http://www.exoticsbynature.com/boarack.html
I based my own design off of it with a few differences.
My first problem was that I just couldn't find any good bin for it. It took a lot of looking and in the end the ones I got were less than perfect, I'll go in to that later.
The project starts with a bunch of wood and some power tools. I guess a miter saw would have been idea but you make due with what you have.
Because the frame was made of 2x2 and can crack from screws I pre drilled the holes.
I made 8 shelf frames in order to hold the 7 bins all measured to fit the top of the bins (33 1/2" by 16 1/2").
The I used aluminum screen to make what would be the lid for each bin, this will allow airflow but hopefully keep the snake in. Because screen can rip easy I didn't just staple it on but glued it and nailed it to the frame with 1x2s
After this I found I needed to add an extra support at each end because I made the shelves to the top of the bins size, leaving the bottom to overhang. I wanted to make sure the ends would be held up.
Next I attacked the flexwatt heating panels I purchased from the beenfarm. I stapled it to the wood making sure to only put staples though the plastic edge and not the heating elements.
Now I assemble the shelf with 1x4s. This is the real tricky part, to make a lidless rack you need to be very precise in your measuring. 8 3/16th inches it had to be to fit these bins, let them slide but not leave too big of a gap for snakes to get out.
Next I installed the wiring, each flexwatt heater is controlled by a dimmer switch, since this isn't grounded I cut the green grounding wires off.
I found design over at http://www.exoticsbynature.com/boarack.html
I based my own design off of it with a few differences.
My first problem was that I just couldn't find any good bin for it. It took a lot of looking and in the end the ones I got were less than perfect, I'll go in to that later.
The project starts with a bunch of wood and some power tools. I guess a miter saw would have been idea but you make due with what you have.
Because the frame was made of 2x2 and can crack from screws I pre drilled the holes.
I made 8 shelf frames in order to hold the 7 bins all measured to fit the top of the bins (33 1/2" by 16 1/2").
The I used aluminum screen to make what would be the lid for each bin, this will allow airflow but hopefully keep the snake in. Because screen can rip easy I didn't just staple it on but glued it and nailed it to the frame with 1x2s
After this I found I needed to add an extra support at each end because I made the shelves to the top of the bins size, leaving the bottom to overhang. I wanted to make sure the ends would be held up.
Next I attacked the flexwatt heating panels I purchased from the beenfarm. I stapled it to the wood making sure to only put staples though the plastic edge and not the heating elements.
Now I assemble the shelf with 1x4s. This is the real tricky part, to make a lidless rack you need to be very precise in your measuring. 8 3/16th inches it had to be to fit these bins, let them slide but not leave too big of a gap for snakes to get out.
Next I installed the wiring, each flexwatt heater is controlled by a dimmer switch, since this isn't grounded I cut the green grounding wires off.
