# Our New Snake Rack....



## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

So earlier this week we decided to sell out Viv stacks, in favour of housing our young boas in racks and our adult boas is Rhino Vivs....and within a few hours of them going up on the forum they had sold....leaving us without a Rack :bash:

Jake and Daveyboy (owner of Repti-lisious) went off to B&Q with some roughly drawn up plans and now we have this :2thumb:









Is pretty good.

Each shelf measures 24" x 35" and there are 8, 7 are routered for the heat cable. And then tape was added.









Sides are 24" x 72"

Its built to fit 14 x 50L RUBs and it cost:

£75 for wood...cut to size at B&Q
£10 Tape and silocon
£45 for Heat Cable
+ a Stat

Few more piccys of the boys building it:


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## InternetReptile (Aug 2, 2008)

Looks good! I am still in the process of designing new racks for my leos and boas... still in the process as I can't decide whether to switch from mats to cable.

I notice you are using cable so I thought I would ask how it compares to heatmats? Advantages/disadvantages....

Also, the tape you have put on it, what sort of tape is it and what is its purpose? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question, but I have heard of using tape before but only been confused as to why and how...

Thanks in advance.


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## Jake89 (May 30, 2007)

GeckoMorphs said:


> Looks good! I am still in the process of designing new racks for my leos and boas... still in the process as I can't decide whether to switch from mats to cable.
> 
> I notice you are using cable so I thought I would ask how it compares to heatmats? Advantages/disadvantages....
> 
> ...


 
Hey man, youve got me answering this one and not the beutiful becci :lol2:

Ok advatages: well it all runs of one plug socket and can be run off 1 stat. Its constent in its heat and theres meters of the stuff haha.
Disadvantages: Well if you put a mat ans stat on every shelf its going to be expensive compared to the cable BUT atleast you will be able to set each shelf to a different temprature if you needed too, were as the cable you set you stat too what ever heat and it runs the full rack at that heat. (Personally to me this is not a disadvantage as i only have boas on there and they all require same heat, but if you have different species on same rack it may need seeing to i dont know!)

Ok the tape. That is reflective insulation tape! its used to you dont lose to much of your heat into the wood and it reflects the heat back up in the direction you want it to go (Underside of the RUB)
What you do is router all the shelves (create like a trench on each shelf) then use the tape to line the trench bit and the outer area, then lay your cabe from bottom to top, remove cable, put a dot of silicon every 5 inches and stick the heat cable to it. Wait for it to set and taaa daaaa plug and goo baby, you will be sorted. HOPE THIS HELPS : victory:


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## funky1 (Jun 18, 2008)

Looking really good - only probelm seems to be that those fellas are gonna have a bit of trouble reaching the top shelves haha!!!
And cheers for the explanation about the heat tape - I was gonna ask exactly the same Q as the other fella!!!

Good job you`ve one with the rack!!!!


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## Jake89 (May 30, 2007)

funky1 said:


> Looking really good - only probelm seems to be that those fellas are gonna have a bit of trouble reaching the top shelves haha!!!
> And cheers for the explanation about the heat tape - I was gonna ask exactly the same Q as the other fella!!!
> 
> Good job you`ve one with the rack!!!!


 

Nope my head is above last shelf, i can get any rub down easy and put it back easy.

Jake : victory:


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## jeff pollitt (Oct 29, 2008)

*re:rack*

you can get hold of the tape at most d.i,y, stores or go to a double glazing manufacturer as this tape is actually manufactured for taping the edges of double glazed units:lol2:and comes in a variety of widths, if they have'nt got any in stock ask them to order you some as its readilly available


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

where did you get the RUBs from?


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## ez4pro (Sep 19, 2007)

It looks great , well done guys

Chris


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

funky1 said:


> Looking really good - only probelm seems to be that those fellas are gonna have a bit of trouble reaching the top shelves haha!!!
> And cheers for the explanation about the heat tape - I was gonna ask exactly the same Q as the other fella!!!
> 
> Good job you`ve one with the rack!!!!


Even I can reach the top shelf  And they are only babies at the top!



jeff pollitt said:


> you can get hold of the tape at most d.i,y, stores or go to a double glazing manufacturer as this tape is actually manufactured for taping the edges of double glazed units:lol2:and comes in a variety of widths, if they have'nt got any in stock ask them to order you some as its readilly available


We actually found it in Lidl .... was a few quid a role! 



cubeykc said:


> where did you get the RUBs from?


Staples and argos



ez4pro said:


> It looks great , well done guys
> 
> Chris


Cheers... plenty of room for the ones on order too


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## Daveyboy (Dec 27, 2007)

B******* had me up till 12pm finishing this for them :lol2:

just glad i could help!


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## Tops (Apr 26, 2007)

Isnt the tape supposed to go *under* the cable if its going to reflect the heat?


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

Tops said:


> Isnt the tape supposed to go *under* the cable if its going to reflect the heat?


It does....the tape was added first, then the stack was built, then the heat cable place in and secured with silicon


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## mjp1pink (May 3, 2008)

*Rack Build*

Hi

The rack looks really good. Sorry to continue the endless questions but what type of heating cable did you use and what was the wattage.

Regards

Mark


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

mjp1pink said:


> Hi
> 
> The rack looks really good. Sorry to continue the endless questions but what type of heating cable did you use and what was the wattage.
> 
> ...


It is ZooMed 150W heat cable  and is on a day&night pulse microclimate thermostat :2thumb:


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## 4PY (Mar 13, 2008)

yer how much did it cost for the tubs though aswell? and where did you get thenm from cheers 4PY



BecciBoo said:


> So earlier this week we decided to sell out Viv stacks, in favour of housing our young boas in racks and our adult boas is Rhino Vivs....and within a few hours of them going up on the forum they had sold....leaving us without a Rack :bash:
> 
> Jake and Daveyboy (owner of Repti-lisious) went off to B&Q with some roughly drawn up plans and now we have this :2thumb:
> 
> ...


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

50L RUBs are £11.49 in Argos

9L RUBs are £4.99 in Staples


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## dean04 (Jan 26, 2009)

Thats really cool, well done 

Do you have to sink the cable into the wood or will it work just sat on top of it with the foil underneath it?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

if you sink it into the wood you get better airflow which gives better heat.

i tried to do it on top of the wood, got crap heat and kept knocking the cable when i put the RUBs in. Then i tried to cut channels in to the wood and failed......... so i sold the cable and went back to mats, better to sink it into the wood rather than messing about.


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## dean04 (Jan 26, 2009)

Cheers. Im torn betwen cable and mats. I want to use cable because you only take up one plug and one stat but i cant be bothered to cut all the channels into the wood. Do you think OSB would be okay to build a rack?


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

Cheers everyone for all your comments

We've had it up over a week now and I'm well happy with it, was a bit unsure about getting rid of the vivs for a rack but it holds the temps a lot better, the snakes seem fine, and it makes cleaning out so much easier. :2thumb:


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

what is tape your using i tried to find it in b and q but i must have been being stupid


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

exoticsandtropics said:


> what is tape your using i tried to find it in b and q but i must have been being stupid


I think this is the stuff:
Thermawrap Foil Joint Tape, 5060078160025

Although we got outs from lidl for about £2 a roll :2thumb:


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## 4PY (Mar 13, 2008)

What size tubs did you use for this rack, and how much did all the tubs cost you in the end? Cheer's
4PY


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

BecciBoo said:


> 50L RUBs are £11.49 in Argos
> 
> 9L RUBs are £4.99 in Staples


£11.49 for a 50lrt :bash: damn those scammers...

I get 80ltrs for £8.... and 6lltrs are about 6 quid.... :2thumb:


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

4PY said:


> What size tubs did you use for this rack, and how much did all the tubs cost you in the end? Cheer's
> 4PY


We used 50l RUB and I think they worked out about £9 each in the end, We ordered them online and got free delivery and 5% off our first order.



Reptilover said:


> £11.49 for a 50lrt :bash: damn those scammers...
> 
> I get 80ltrs for £8.... and 6lltrs are about 6 quid.... :2thumb:


#

But are those the 'Really Use Box' brand?


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

Im building one probably identical to that (altho my DIY skills are questionable). I see that it has a backing to it, can you tell me what thickness it is?

I cant decide wether to give it a full sheet of back support or just run a few strips down it.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

BecciBoo said:


> We used 50l RUB and I think they worked out about £9 each in the end, We ordered them online and got free delivery and 5% off our first order.
> 
> #
> 
> But are those the 'Really Use Box' brand?


 
Yep and each one comes with the poster wich shows you every single one avaliable...

: victory:


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

Reptilover said:


> Yep and each one comes with the poster wich shows you every single one avaliable...
> 
> : victory:


84L then? Not a bad price at £8, I find them too deep. 50L's have the same floor space just less hight.
6L's you could get cheaper online - they are a bit small for baby boas.


This place is great for them : Discount Office Products - Office Supplies, Stationery, Paper, Ink and Toner supplies
Cheap and free delivery on orders over £30 :2thumb:


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Any chance we could get a link to somewhere to buy that reflective tape online? I can't find it anywhere and the foil stuff I got won't go in the grooves without tearing


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## steveo1983 (Feb 16, 2011)

*rack*

what wot is the cable


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