footprint planning conundrum

[Kapidolo Farms]

Yeah, so I'm sorting out what size enclosures to build. It starts with space to use, the whole garage is mine for tortoise enclosures. I know bigger is better. I am going to have the first one several inches to a foot off the floor and then stack them up to the rafters (about 9 feet).

Then the foot print for each enclosure, I just assume go 4 x 8 as that's the easy size plywood to get. It's been forever since I saw 4 x 10, so I don't think that's an option.

The conundrum, shelves to place a 4 x 8 bottom on.

I see at Costco they have shelves that would accommodate 3 x 6.

I have made my own shelving from super strut and then any size is okay, but I'm sorta getting lazy to build this to build that for those things I'm going to build, you know?

Any ready made shelves that a 4 x 8 enclosure can sit on?

 

[tortadise]

Same dilemma here. But I had no option due to time constraints with the move, so had to alter the shelves to accept a 4' deep shelve. But I did find a warehouse rack system place that sold used warehouse shelves of all sorts of sizes. I'd imagine being near San Diego you could find one. They pretty much came in 8' sections and you purchased the cross braces per how ever many shelves you wanted. Wasn't too bad either for heavy duty. I got quoted for 3 shelves high and 80' long worth of shelving was around 1300 bucks with plywood.

 

[Anyfoot]

Yeah, so I'm sorting out what size enclosures to build. It starts with space to use, the whole garage is mine for tortoise enclosures. I know bigger is better. I am going to have the first one several inches to a foot off the floor and then stack them up to the rafters (about 9 feet).

Then the foot print for each enclosure, I just assume go 4 x 8 as that's the easy size plywood to get. It's been forever since I saw 4 x 10, so I don't think that's an option.

The conundrum, shelves to place a 4 x 8 bottom on.

I see at Costco they have shelves that would accommodate 3 x 6.

I have made my own shelving from super strut and then any size is okay, but I'm sorta getting lazy to build this to build that for those things I'm going to build, you know?

Any ready made shelves that a 4 x 8 enclosure can sit on?

Maybe pallet racking. You can get all different sizes, put as many shelves as you desire, and each shelf can hold quite a weight. Sample photo below, but some come with grid wire for the actual shelf.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Will, there is a material handling company in San Diego that has a storage yard in Ramona. The sell used pallet racking and shelving. Could be cost effective and very strong. The name of the company is Conveyor and Storage Solutions. I haven’t used them in several years but here is a link to get started: http://www.cssyes.com/

 

[Rue]

Just brainstorming here...is it just for one table? And how high do you want it?

Could you use one of those plastic storage shelving units placed facing down for a stand? You'd just have to make sure it didn't come apart at the joints.

I'm thinking of those mid-heavy duty black ones...they aren't too expensive.

Might not work...but here's a pick of one lying down:

http://m.globalindustrial.com/m/p/s...shelving-40x18x72-industrial-5-shelf-charcoal

 

[tortadise]

http://www.warehousesolutions.com

Here's a cool place.

 

[Tom]

Seems like a job for some 2x4s and plywood to me.

 

[Yvonne G]

This is Will tending to the top habitat in the structure:

Or maybe he would use one of these:

 

[Jacqui]

This is Will tending to the top habitat in the structure:

Or maybe he would use one of these:

Lol I use a ladder to do my top enclosures and have had my feet slip off.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Lots of great ideas here, and Yvonne's depiction is dead on. In Philly I had 12 foot ceiling and enclosure up to within a few inches of the ceiling. I got one of those ladders with a platform at the top for standing, huge better difference.

I have 9 foot ceilings in my garage, and want an air gap at the floor, rafter ensure an air gap above. So that would allow me to stack four high. I want some little bit of space between them vertically so I can put large water pans in the bottom with bulkhead fitting for draining and drip from above for filling. well over half my husbandry time is changing waters.

I know about the plywood and 2 x 4 but would prefer to not use wood as that can be a segway for termites, and they are that bad here. So I was thinking just build with super strut, but frankly that's alot of fussing around.

The racks that Dizisdelife and Kelly show are good, I got stuck on what I could get at Costco. I'll sort those warehouse used shelf places out.

Jacqui, I don't want to read about you being laid up for falling off a ladder, get one with a platform.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

So I finally got some pallet racks. I followed the advice of @Dizisdalife and called around. On Craig's list I found a very modest post from D.C.S. Pallet Rack & Shelving in National City (south San Diego) 619-336-9090. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't get the man's name. Best prices I could find in SD county, and service like the guy might figure I'd like the benefit of his experience and knowledge. He worked his warehouse to get me an even lower price than his phone quote (which was lowest of all contacts I made), delivered for free (he was already coming my way). And further custom altered them once he saw my garage and what I was upto, no extra charge. People like this make you want them to succeed in their business just so if you need them again they will be around. Yeah I'm a happy customer. More work to go, for sure.

 

[leigti]

You should build some scaffolding. It beats balancing on some stupid ladder.

 

[Yvonne G]

I notice nice insulation on the walls, but Will, come on...the heat rises. Why didn't you insulate the ceiling too?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

It is.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

You should build some scaffolding. It beats balancing on some stupid ladder.

Yeah, my wife agrees, she does not like that I use a ladder. The highest enclosure will be accessed from the side, not the top, and they top out at 7 feet, so a elevated walkway is more than needed. Some shelves, not yet erected may require one of those stools with a platform top step at about two feet high, and that will be it. For me the best part will be that I no longer have to climb a latter with a poopy water dish. LOL.

 

[leigti]

Oh yuck, I didn't think of that. Will be interested to see the final project.