I was wondering if you could help me out, a friend of mine was over who owns a hot rod shop and I was showing him the FB and ARS racks online. He said it would be a piece of cake for him to build something like that.

Now my questions are this.

Is the sheetmetal top section of each level seperate pieces, say if you have the 7030 it looks like a seperate piece of sheet metal over each tub all welded together or just 1 long piece? From pics looks seperate which would save a lot of material if it was. See the line dividing the tubs?
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/eatnpavmnt/7030_3.jpg








What is the height of each level (not including the section that connects each level) for the 1075 and 1030.

Any help would be appreciated.

<---Not rich enough to own One.
Goodluck on recreating a AP rack. Be sure to post pics of the finished product.

If I remember correctly, it is seperate per each tub, and it folded down and in, forming a "[" type shape that supports the tub. The drop and lip inward holds the tub to the lid. They are then attached to the frame.

If I remember correctly, it is seperate per each tub, and it folded down and in, forming a "[" type shape that supports the tub. The drop and lip inward holds the tub to the lid. They are then attached to the frame.

Thanks, makes sense and less welds.

Now all I need is the dimensions for height of a level.

Sounds like an interesting project.

I was wondering if you could help me out, a friend of mine was over who owns a hot rod shop and I was showing him the FB and ARS racks online. He said it would be a piece of cake for him to build something like that.

Now my questions are this.

Is the sheetmetal top section of each level seperate pieces, say if you have the 7030 it looks like a seperate piece of sheet metal over each tub all welded together or just 1 long piece? From pics looks seperate which would save a lot of material if it was. See the line dividing the tubs?

What is the height of each level (not including the section that connects each level) for the 1075 and 1030.

Any help would be appreciated.

Separate pieces. If you remember the pictures of the one I built, it's done the same way. I spent a bit of time at Tinley one year studying them. :D

Are you planning on using ARS tubs for your rack or others? Your best bet would be to buy the tubs and get your measurement that way.

<---Not rich enough to own One.
Goodluck on recreating a AP rack. Be sure to post pics of the finished product.

It's actually pretty easy. Mine took about 15 hours or so to build.

Separate pieces. If you remember the pictures of the one I built, it's done the same way. I spent a bit of time at Tinley one year studying them. :D

Are you planning on using ARS tubs for your rack or others? Your best bet would be to buy the tubs and get your measurement that way.



It's actually pretty easy. Mine took about 15 hours or so to build.

Wish I had the skills to pull that off. Im going into your website to see how they look. I think Ive seen them before and Thought you had normal ARS's.

Wish I had the skills to pull that off. Im going into your website to see how they look. I think Ive seen them before and Thought you had normal ARS's.
I'm sure you have seen them. I know I've posted pictures of a snake or two over here before that someone has asked about the rack they were in. Not sure if I have any actual pictures of it up on my site or not. The only difference really between the one I built and ARS's are that I used 27qt sterilite tubs for mine. And the price of course. ;)

I'm sure you have seen them. I know I've posted pictures of a snake or two over here before that someone has asked about the rack they were in. Not sure if I have any actual pictures of it up on my site or not. The only difference really between the one I built and ARS's are that I used 27qt sterilite tubs for mine. And the price of course. ;)

Yeah Ive only seen one pic and that was on another forum

Here's a quick text representation of how each level is bent... upside down. :lol:

[________][________]

Edit: Actual picture might be better. :p

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/inuyashaslady/rack_closeup.jpg

I spent a bit of time at Tinley one year studying them. :D


call me weird, but I had my wife take a pic of me hugging the ARS racks in Daytona. They are smooth like butter. I just wish I had the dough. For now its just the homemade melamine racks for me, but one day maybe I'll have a wall of ARS's! :cheers:

call me weird, but I had my wife take a pic of me hugging the ARS racks in Daytona. They are smooth like butter. I just wish I had the dough. For now its just the homemade melamine racks for me, but one day maybe I'll have a wall of ARS's! :cheers:
You and me both man. I've had a thing for the ARS racks since I first saw them online. For as much as they cost, it's really not TOO bad of a price -- just a lot to drop at once. I think I figured it out one time and it came out to being less than $100 per cage for the 30 slot rack with 28qt equivalent tubs.

Chris, what kind of paint did you use on that?

Hey let us how this works out.
Sounds like a cool project to work on.....:cheers:

Chris, what kind of paint did you use on that?

It's just semi-gloss black powdercoat. It SHOULD have come out looking a lot nicer than it did, but I let someone else run the parts through the power washer and they told me it was ready for the powder. I didn't even think to check underneath, but it was still wet from the wash.

You and me both man. I've had a thing for the ARS racks since I first saw them online. For as much as they cost, it's really not TOO bad of a price -- just a lot to drop at once. I think I figured it out one time and it came out to being less than $100 per cage for the 30 slot rack with 28qt equivalent tubs.


The ARS 7030 is a stellar unit indeed. ARS are great, I have them. I finished making the final switch-over (I had tons of melamine stuff) to them last year. No heat buildup issues, nothing. Set them and forget them.

By the way, Ed at ReptileInsider is soon going to be distributing aluminum tub racks made by his father who is a professional metal worker. Here is a link to the thread where he talks about them:

http://www.reptileinsider.com/uploads/showthread.php?t=15551

That was actually going to be another project of mine, building an aluminum rack. The steel is just too heavy. I can't see him selling them at half the cost of ARS and FB with shipping included though -- either he's getting one helluva deal on the aluminum, or he's making next to nothing off of them.

Nice, Ill have to watch that...he said his dad is in Florida and so am I.

This is as close as I can afford to get to the ARS racks.
ARS CB 70 tubs in an AP rack. :lol:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/SPJ01/reptiles/rack1.jpg

This is as close as I can afford to get to the ARS racks.
ARS CB 70 tubs in an AP rack. :lol:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/SPJ01/reptiles/rack1.jpg


Swoit. You have the water cup holders?

Swoit. You have the water cup holders?
Yes. They are great. I would never go back to bowls. No spills and just drop a new cup in the holder so no more cleaning bowls. I just wish they made 32 qt ones so I could replace the rest of the tubs here.

Here's a photo showing the holder and disposable bowls.
Best thing ever. :rockon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/SPJ01/reptiles/008-1.jpg

I also use the ARS w/ holders in my RBI racks

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/eatnpavmnt/IMG_0548-1.jpg

OK well moving forward on the metal rack I got a price for a ARS 7030 equivalent, thats 30 tubs of CB-70s.

Metal and labor...........$800
30 Tubs.....................$510
6" heat w/ insulation....$400

Total....$1710

For a total savings of $1000.

Since I already have the tubs I will use those for mock up and take advantage of free shipping to Daytona to receive tubs and heat.

Here are those details you requested. The rear of the lid has the same 90 degree brake configuration as the sides and serves as the tub stop.

I don't like Helix so I used a tech screw to hang the Spyder unit on the holder. The holder is pulled out part ways so you can see what inserts into the upright tube.

THANKS Desert!

Metal and labor...........$800

That's cheep.

Metal and labor...........$800

That's cheep.
Think that's cheap? You should see the cost when you do all the labor yourself. :cheers:

Yeah and welders aren't very expensive either. you can pick up a Lincoln mig welder at home depot for around 300 dollars. I even have one and I'm only 17 but I bought it for things like mini bikes and such. I never have gotten around to making one but if I do it will probably be a rodent one first. :yessir: