[NoahH]

Ok - the tinker toys were awesome and showed me that others have done clever hacks for risers. So I suggest show and tell. I could not bring myself to pay a lot on risers while I experimented, so check out my solution.




I took some of the denser styrofoam from packaging I received, cut it with a melting rod into the rough shape I wanted and cut an arch in the top.

I have fishing line tied in a loop around the sides of the arch to create bridge between the sides. The cables rest on that line, so they have almost no contact.

The happy accident that is really worth sharing is the paint. I wanted a stone-ish finish and got the pictured spray paint. But it happens to also melt styrofoam a bit. But that actually just enhances the stone-like finish since the result looks rough like stone. Everyone thinks they are real stone until they get close.

Anyone else have fun riser solutions?

[nlitworld]

I took a Sawzall to some chunks of 2x6 to create some riser blocks. First it mostly just helped cleaning the pet hair around the cables, but also made me focus on where my cabling was in relation to ethernet and power cables. That did make a notable lowering of noise floor. The wood pieces themselves likely suck as actual risers, but proper cable routing wins the day.

[Cheytak.408]

Ok - the tinker toys were awesome and showed me that others have done clever hacks for risers. So I suggest show and tell. I could not bring myself to pay a lot on risers while I experimented, so check out my solution.




I took some of the denser styrofoam from packaging I received, cut it with a melting rod into the rough shape I wanted and cut an arch in the top.

I have fishing line tied in a loop around the sides of the arch to create bridge between the sides. The cables rest on that line, so they have almost no contact.

The happy accident that is really worth sharing is the paint. I wanted a stone-ish finish and got the pictured spray paint. But it happens to also melt styrofoam a bit. But that actually just enhances the stone-like finish since the result looks rough like stone. Everyone thinks they are real stone until they get close.

Anyone else have fun riser solutions?

Man, last thing I want to do is rain on someone's parade, but one of the biggest reasons for using cable risers is to eliminate static electricity that can be a source of noise.  Styrofoam is an inherently chargeable medium.  Saw a piece of styrofoam and watch it cling to your clothing like a pit bull.

The remedy:  spray it down occasionally with Static Guard spray or a very dilute mixture of laundry clothes softener and water.  You can have your stone look and zero static, too 

[Bendingwave]

Expanded polystyrene is very susceptible to corrosive chemicals.  EPS is also very light so even a small gust of wind can tip it over.

[BadDNA]

Once I used bamboo chopsticks. Hold 3 together and roll a small enough O-ring (available at Home Depot/Lowes/Hardware store) over them near the fat end of the chopsticks. spread the 3 sticks out like a tripod and run your cable on top.

[E-Zee]

I like wood, and find it very low cost for something like this.

The bottoms can easily be drilled to add some lead shot or similar as ballast.







Square, rectangle, round, almost any shape could work as a starting point.  I could see 2" square stock, wooden closet rods, contoured furniture feet, thick spindle legs, all used as stock material for someone who didn't have many tools for shaping something from rough stock.

Heck 2x4 lumber would work if someone wanted to try it on the cheap.   Drill your holes first, every 7".  Then cut through center of holes, and again in half between the holes and you have 3" risers even cheaper than generic tinker toys.

[E-Zee]

After thinking about it a bit, I think for me, if the goal was something with a nice appearance, but also easy to produce in small quantities in my garage, I'd start with 2" thick stock in whatever hardwood species is readily available, or meets your fancy. 


2" thick purpleheart $8.95 bf


2" thick cherry $7.95 bf


2" thick Sapele $7.95 bf

Those are the cheaper options in my area.  Walnut, tigerstripe, and lots of other options available at higher price.

If 2" thick stock is not available in someone's area than Instead laminate together 3 pieces of 3/4" stock for 2 1/4" thickness.   The 3/4" stock will be cheaper but laminating the pieces adds more work. For a little additional stability 4 pieces laminated together at 3" thick would be a good option. If someone wanted some color variation, laminating species of contrasting colors would be just as easy.  In my area, light hard maple and cherry are the cheaper options at $4.95 bf and they would look very good laminated together if you wanted striped risers. 

Starting with something around 6" to 7" width would allow for 2 pieces side by side.  Measure and drill holes throughout entire piece, then rip cut and cross cut into individual risers. 
If the square shape is too boring than any type of additional contour or shaping can still be added.

As cost estimate, starting with 2" thick cherry at $7.95 bf, 7" wide by 6' tall is 7 board feet and $56 dollars. Cutting that into 3.5" wide by 4" tall pieces, nets you 42 risers, under $1.50 each.    Even choosing more expensive material like tigerstripe at $20 bf or dark walnut at $18 bf only raises the cost to still under $3.50 each riser.

If someone was only making a few risers for themself than a single 8' long piece of 3/4" cherry, 7" wide, is 3.5 board feet and $18. Cut that into four 2feet lengths, each laminated together (3" thick), then gives 12 risers (3"thick x3.5"wide x4"tall) right at $1.50 each.

[jmc207]

A lot of really good ideas. Appreciate the info given so far in this thread.

Thanks, John

[JLM]

I experimented with styrofoam cups, but found elevating the wires off the floor made no difference.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

There seems to be a lot of factors that will determine if a difference is heard or not.
Generally the cause comes from a build up of static charge in the carpet around the cables.
Less of an issue on wood or concrete flooring.

I know that polystyrene/styrofoam tends to hold a rather strong static charge, especially when dry.
I've had them stick to my hand upside down before. Much like a statically charged balloon can. So I can see that as being less than ideal option for cable risers unless coated in a non-conductive coating.

[mkane]

My wife already thinks I'm nuts

[mlundy57]

My wife already thinks I'm nuts

As far as my wife is concerned, that ship sailed a long time ago 

[dnhs-trey74]

My wife already thinks I'm nuts

That is universal and world wide!

[NoahH]

I know that polystyrene/styrofoam tends to hold a rather strong static charge, especially when dry.
I've had them stick to my hand upside down before. Much like a statically charged balloon can. So I can see that as being less than ideal option for cable risers unless coated in a non-conductive coating.

I had wondered on that too and could not build up a charge on the stuff I used. The fishing line was part of the strategy on that too, but I think an escalation to the same idea but wood blocks is next.

I was thinking about actual stone too (small pieces are cheap) but can't find any friends with the gear for working it efficiently.

[Elizabeth]

I use exotic wood. I have Pen blanks, (precut 3/4" x 3/4" by 5" bits) of All sorts of exotic wood.
I use a lot of exotic wood under all my equipment 'tuning'.

[Don_S]

Warning on cost. I spent more money on router bits than I did on the wood for the cable risers. The platforms are walnut butcher block stained and oiled to match my speakers. Yung Tiptoes underneath. I use isolation devices between the platforms and components.

[tull skull]

Once I used bamboo chopsticks. Hold 3 together and roll a small enough O-ring (available at Home Depot/Lowes/Hardware store) over them near the fat end of the chopsticks. spread the 3 sticks out like a tripod and run your cable on top.

Man that would give me some nightmares. Looks like something lurking in that "backrooms" video if the cable were included.   Good solution though.

[JCarney]

I found one inch by one inch wooden blocks in a dollar tree. I bought two 6 block packs. The only cables that were on the floor were speaker cables. I put the blocks under the cables, took about four per cable for the runs I had, and cost a total of $2.19. I was just looking to get the cables off the carpet to avoid static. Simple, cheap, effective.

JCarney

[Delta77]

My first shot at making some riser/organizers ..
Just made some Very rough V cuts and wire wheeled them..

Drilling the holes and cutting them in half looks much easier and cleaner..

[Danny Richie]

My first shot at making some riser/organizers ..
Just made some Very rough V cuts and wire wheeled them..

Drilling the holes and cutting them in half looks much easier and cleaner..

That Techflex that your cables are in may be causing a similar effect to the carpet that you are trying to get them off of.