How to Build a Rat Rack System

Cutting Frame Materials

• 1

  Using the table saw, rip the nine 93-inch lengths of 2x4 wood in half so that you get 18 2x2 93-inch lengths of wood.

• 2

  Mark six of the 93-inch 2x2 lengths at 24 inches, 48 inches, 69 1/2 inches and 91 inches with the tape measure and pencil. Cut the wood at the marks with the 10-inch miter saw to get 12 24-inch lengths of 2x2 wood and 12 21 1/2-inch lengths of 2x2 wood.

• 3

  Mark four of the 93-inch 2x2 lengths at 27 inches, 54 inches and 81 inches. Cut the wood to get 12 27-inch lengths of 2x2 material.

• 4

  Mark four of the 93-inch 2x2 lengths at 66 inches. Cut the wood to get four 66-inch lengths of 2x2 material.

• 5

  Mark two of the 93-inch lengths of 2x2 wood at 24 inches, 48 inches and 72 inches. Cut the wood to get six 24-inch lengths of 2x2 material.

• 6

  Mark four of the leftover scraps at 10 inches. Cut the wood to get four 10-inch lengths of 2x2 material. Mark two pieces at 7/8 inches. Cut the wood to get two 7/8-inch lengths of the 2x2 material.

• 7

  Cut the wire mesh into six 21 1/2-inch-by-26-inch squares using the wire snips.

Assembly

• 8

  Lay two of the 21 1/2-inch lengths of wood on the top and bottom of two of the 24-inch lengths of wood so that the ends of the 24-inch lengths meet at the bottom corners of the 21 1/2-inch lengths. Clamp them together with the 90-degree angle clamps so that they form a 21 1/2-inch-by-26-inch frame.

• 9

  Drill a 1/8-inch hole through the top corners of the 21 1/2-inch lengths into the center of the 24-inch lengths. Use the drill and the Phillips tip to screw in the 2 1/2-inch wood screws.

• 10

  Place a third 24-inch length in the center of the frame and drill through the top and bottom of the frame with the 1/8-inch bit to prep for the screws. Drill one 2 1/2-inch wood screw through the top and bottom into this new length to secure it in place.

• 11

  Repeat Steps 1 through 3 until you have made six frames in total.

• 12

  Place one of your wire mesh squares that you already cut over one of the frames. Line up one end about 1/4 inch from the edges of the frame and staple at one end, then the middle and then the other end. Work your way back and forth from both sides until the entire side is complete. Make sure that the wire mesh lays completely flat. Once you finish one side, repeat the same process for each of the other three sides.

• 13

  Repeat Step 5 for the five remaining frames.

• 14

  Stand two frames on edge and lay two of the 64-inch lengths, the rat rack's legs, on the corners of both frames. Align the tops of the legs so that they are flush with the top of one of the racks. Prep holes in both legs and then secure them with one screw each.

• 15

  Flip the frame over so that the two attached legs are on the floor and attach two more 64-inch legs as in Step 7.

• 16

  Stand your rack up with the frame on the floor and the four legs in the air.

• 17

  Stand the 10-inch spacer lengths in all four corners of the square frame and set another frame on top of the spacers inside the leg.

• 18

  Drill a prep hole through each of the four legs into the second frame at all four corners. Secure the second frame by screwing the screws into the four prep holes.

• 19

  Repeat Steps 10 and 11 to install the remaining three wire-mesh frames.

• 20

  Set the 7/8-inch spacers on top of all four corners of the wire-mesh frames and set two of the 27-inch runners on top of the spacers on opposite sides so that the ends of the runners face the front and back of the rat racks. Drill through the legs into the runners on both ends and secure them with the screws.

• 21

  Repeat Step 13 so that there are runners on the remaining wire mesh frames.

• 22

  Cut the two remaining 93-inch 2x2 lengths so that they make diagonal braces from the top of the back leg to the bottom of the front leg on the sides of the rat rack. Drill through the top and bottom of each diagonal brace into the legs of the rat rack and then secure the braces with screws.

• 23

  Now flip the rat rack over onto the legs and your rat rack is ready.