Design - Box Rails

The box rails are the components that make the rack system "work". They provide the channels upon which the cage box slides. Accuracy is more important when making this part than any other part of the rack system. Cut the channels too tall and there will be an excessive gap between the cage box and the rack top. Cut them too narrow or short and the boxes will stick.

The box rails are constructed of 2X2 lumber, routed on one or both sides with a groove. The height and depth of the groove are determined by the cage box lip height and lip width measurements (see lines 10 & 11 of the Measurement worksheet). The length of the box rails is the same as the length of the cage box (see line 8 of your worksheet).

The total number of box rails you will need in each rack level depends on how many boxes you've chosen to use per rack level. Add 1 to the number of cage boxes in your rack level and that will be the total number of box rails needed (see line 7 of your worksheet).

For example, if your rack has six boxes in one level, the number of box rails you must cut will be seven. Regardless of the total number of rails, two rails per level will have a groove cut on on only one side (see below).

Review the diagrams, notes & demonstration videos for the construction of this part.

There are a couple of ways to cut the channels in the box rails. You may use a router & router table or a table saw equipped with a normal blade. A dado head cutter can also be used, but because the work piece is so thin (a 2X2 is only 1 1/2 inches wide) it is difficult to support throughout the entire cut using a dado blade, and it may be prone to falling through the blade opening of the table saw you're using. Regardless of what method you choose to use, be very careful about your measurements. Raise the blade to the correct height calculated in line 10 of your worksheet. Also make sure that the channel is at least 1/8 of an inch wider than the box lip width (it can be wider than that but not any narrower).

If you choose to use a router, use a router installed in a router table. Use a rabbeting bit equipped with a ball bearing guide to help guide the cut. Make sure that you choose a bit that cuts wide enough to make the channel at least 1/8 inch wider than your cage box lip width. Depending on the height of the bit's blade you may have to make more than one pass to get the proper channel height.

You may also make these channels using a standard table saw blade. This can be accomplished by setting the blade to the needed height and moving the fence as you make multiple passes until you get the right width (less preferred method). A better alternative would be to cut the channel by making a pass with the blade set to the needed height and the fence set to the needed width. Then turn the piece 90 degrees and make another pass from the opposite end to remove the material in the channel. This will remove the material whole rather than chipping away at it. Remember that the blade will remove about 1/8 inch of material, so be careful to allow for this in your measurements.

Regardless of which method you choose to cut the box rail channels be as precise as possible in your fence and blade height measurements.