I love the money I save with my homemade rack but I hate the time and effort that is involved.

I think I'll go with manufactured based on the above..

I've gotta vote homemade, after looking at the price of homemade vs manufactured I can build at least 2 maybe 3 racks including heat and tubs for the price of 1 manufactured. My first rack was nothing to brag about, but my second came out much better. Hopefully my third will be even better. As far as time involved, I just take my time and make sure I don't need it by a certain date. My last one took about a month because I'd start and stop, but taking my time made it exactly like I wanted and I didn't cut any corners.

I like to do home made myself, I'm a cheapskate sometimes :p.

I would always love to have a freedom breeder CB-70 rack, but I could NEVER justify actually buying one. For that price, I literally could build ten of my adult racks including heat and tubs. Hmm, 30 tubs VS 110 tubs, no brainer.

I have to say I will stick with my home made racks. I have been building my own for about 15 years now. I am going to try working with pvc this winter and see how that goes......

because i am a carpenter it saves me money and it dont take me long to put them together so i build my own

When I have the space & equipment to do it , I prefer building my own. Damn spending money on something I can build myself a couple times over AND build it the way I damn well want it instead of comprimising.

Same as everybody else - Home made for me and yes their ugly...I'm not cheap - Just thrifty...:lol:

Where more than a few folks have gone wrong is waiting until they NEED a rack to either buy it or build it. If plans are made far enough in advance , you build a rack to your specs over a few days to a week buy working on it a bit at time or just blowing it out when your caught up on your critters.

I also forgot to mention that I'll hopefully be building my next rack out of ABS, I found a vendor out here, I just gotta find out how much what I want will cost, it'll likely be about $150 but it's still cheaper than buying one premade.

Seeing as I can't make anything for the life of me, I buy manufactured racks, they look way nicer than anything I could construct, and will definitely last longer... I do use a melamine hatchling rack that I make, but it's a bit kitty wompus... and soon being replaced with a manufactured.

I have some I built and some I purchased some animal plastics racks. For me, it comes down to how much I value my own time. I think its important to factor your own time into the decision. Personally, I can't justify the time spent to build racks for the extra money. If you think about paying yourself a good hourly wage to build those racks you will see that manufactured racks aren't so bad.

I have some I built and some I purchased some animal plastics racks. For me, it comes down to how much I value my own time. I think its important to factor your own time into the decision. Personally, I can't justify the time spent to build racks for the extra money. If you think about paying yourself a good hourly wage to build those racks you will see that manufactured racks aren't so bad.

I guess it depends on how long it takes you. Once I have all the materials I can build a MDF rack & Melamine rack in about 3 hours...with me being lazy. I'm hoping to get some ABS next year so I can build a 'professional' rack.

Well I personally am pretty handy when it comes to wood working. So I choose to make my own and invest the savings from making my own into my collection of animals it's self. It seems to work out well and in the end it's a win win situation I get my racks and I can purchase more geckos for my collection.

I built my own racks for years and I have too little precious time and absolutely NO desire to ever build them again!

and the best part about manufactured racks...They ALL match my ocd's cant handle mismatched stuff...

http://www.ghettoherpers.com/gallery/albums/userpics/adultracks.jpg

It also depends if you enjoy building them. While I do have more than a few critters , I don't spend so much time in my snakehouse that I can't enjoy other things. Building racks happens to be a labor of love for me.

I thought I enjoyed building racks but then it turns out that I enjoy drinking and putting together ones that don't require minor adjustments or new pieces all together...but I still only have the one AP rack and the rest are homemade right now so I will be sticking with the homemade for awhile.

Need to work on a hatchling cornsnake rack with the container size like Brian from BHB has in his videos since I played with the sandwich container ones 2 seasons ago and hated it. That is one of my winter projects!

Manufactured all the way. I have Reptile Basics racks and cages, and an adjustable breeder rack, which is a freedom breeder style rack. My next rack is going to be an ARS 30 tub adult rack.

All of my racks are home made but I'm not to handy at making them. Wish I couls find some good manufactored that were afordable.

Manufactured all the way. I have Reptile Basics racks and cages, and an adjustable breeder rack, which is a freedom breeder style rack. My next rack is going to be an ARS 30 tub adult rack.


I agree with you Eddie. As a tool and die maker, I build and repair stuff everyday at work. The last thing I want to do when I get home is build or repair ANYTHING!

I WANT TO PLAY WITH MY SNAKES!

The majority of my racks are Boaphiles with a few Visions and RBIs mixed in, but I just ordered a rack that I've been wanting for a while and it's the one you mentioned in your post. It's supposed to be here next week.

http://www.arscaging.com/images/models/7030vlg.jpg

I build my own racks. I've been using sqare tubing and sheet metal.. I think I'm going to try and build some out of the pvc sheets.. I have a shear at work so I can cut it easy enough.. A 4x8 sheet is 120 bucks.. But it's still cheaper than buying a manufactured rack.. Plus I can build it to my specs.. And as Bryon said I love building them..

Alan

I'm pretty sure I could build a functional melamine rack, but one of the reasons I stick to manufactured is because they seem to be easier to resell if you would ever need to. I don't ever want to get out of snakes, but if something happened and I had no other choice I wouldn't want to just throw my homemade racks away.

The only homemade rack I have is a rodent rack and I'd rather have a manufactured one because it gets real dirty and is not easy to clean at all. And also from a reselling standpoint I'd rather be trying to resell a FB or ARS rack. I see wanted ads for them all the time on KS so I do believe they are in demand. Hell I'd like to find a used one, myself.

i build my own i built an 11 slot adult rack just today total time it took was 3.5 hours, not to damn bad. I dont think i make mine outta hollowcore doors so they are light and easy to move and they look nice to.

I just ordered a rack that I've been wanting for a while and it's the one you mentioned in your post. It's supposed to be here next week.

http://www.arscaging.com/images/models/7030vlg.jpg

Are they shipping the rack to you? I wonder how much shipping would cost for such a heavy rack? When I purchase one, I was thinking of picking it up, but if shipping is not too high I would rather have them ship it.

Are they shipping the rack to you? I wonder how much shipping would cost for such a heavy rack? When I purchase one, I was thinking of picking it up, but if shipping is not too high I would rather have them ship it.

I'm having mine shipped since I live so far from Indianapolis (Mississippi). It's going to run close to $300 for the freight with me picking it up at the local freight terminal. It would cost an extra $70-$80 for them to deliver to my residence.

As close as you are, I would think the freight would be less expensive. It doesn't look like it would be a bad drive from Middletown if you decided to pick it up yourself.

I'm having mine shipped since I live so far from Indianapolis (Mississippi). It's going to run close to $300 for the freight with me picking it up at the local freight terminal. It would cost an extra $70-$80 for them to deliver to my residence.

As close as you are, I would think the freight would be less expensive. It doesn't look like it would be a bad drive from Middletown if you decided to pick it up yourself.

Thanks. I would definitely pick it up then. I thought it would be pretty expensive to ship, since it is extremely heavy and large.

I have made all of mine so far and I'm done.... not making anymore! LOL

Vision all the way for me.
I have 1 CB70 and i'm picking up a V35 tomorrow, you cant beat em -)

I vote Build...

My good friend Gerry builds all of his out of XPVC... he has the material pre cut for him for the dimensions he needs and all he does is put it together!!

Way Cheaper and it still looks extremely professional!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9644Small.jpg


Here is one of the CB70 racks: Holds 9 CB70 tubs and cost $210 w/heat!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9649Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9648Small.jpg

The shorter one next to it holds CB110 tubs and he's going to be adding another 4 levels to it soon for a total of 9 CB110 tubs in that rack as well.


I'm going to do the same in the next couple of months since I will need more racks for all these new purchases and this seasons babies!

I enjoy building them though it's a toss for me which is cheaper. Mainly due to my hourly rate.

I vote Build...

My good friend Gerry builds all of his out of XPVC... he has the material pre cut for him for the dimensions he needs and all he does is put it together!!

Way Cheaper and it still looks extremely professional!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9644Small.jpg


Here is one of the CB70 racks: Holds 9 CB70 tubs and cost $210 w/heat!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9649Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/ssscales/IMG_9648Small.jpg

The shorter one next to it holds CB110 tubs and he's going to be adding another 4 levels to it soon for a total of 9 CB110 tubs in that rack as well.


I'm going to do the same in the next couple of months since I will need more racks for all these new purchases and this seasons babies!

My boyfriend built my rack out of wood but when I find the excuse and the money I want to replace what I have and set up my room with those. I seen his thread on building his racks using xpvc. I emailed him one time and asked about buying some because he lives near where I buy my rats but he does not sell them. He was very helpful and told me the place to buy the materials near my house.