[Castanza]

It seems like it is difficult to find a rack or stand at least 4 shelves for under $150.00. The local Hi end store had a 4 rack for $140, and the 5 rack for $160, I can't think of the manufacturer. Anyway the shelves were made of particle board, and it was supported by metal tubing on the sides.  I was thinking when I bought my new receiver, which at this time I  like the denon avr-1803, I would like to get a rack instead of having it under the TV. Right now, I have a digital cable box, cd player, dvd player, and the receiver. Of course it is a tight fit length wise, and depth, but height no problem, so it gets air. When I get my new receiver I would like to have the option to hook up my turntable, which has been in storage for the last 8 yrs or so. I just would like to find a decent rack, but if it costs 150 it seems like it should be made of more than particle board.

[nathanm]

Make your own with stuff you can find for cheap at the hardware store.  (threaded rod, some nuts, washers and shelving) If you are crafty with wood you can cut your own, or I'm sure you could snag some pre-made laminated particle press board.  It's fun to do, and you'll have the satisfaction of making it yourself.

I'm not positive how much I spent on mine, but I'm sure it wasn't over 150 bucks.  The cool thing is that it's adjustable and expandable.

[bob82274]

Search around for something called Flexirack.  Its what Nathan had described and it uses MDF (medium density fiberboard).  Its much denser than partical board and can be coated without a laminate.  People have made some really niceones.  I might make one this summer as I may be spliting up my system so that I have a two channel and a HT setup.

[Ferdi]

Try this link for info on the Flexi rack:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/diyracks.html

[Castanza]

This is interesting, although I am all thumbs. I am considering it right now. Has anyone on this board built a flexi rack, and was as easy as they make it sound?

[nathanm]

The hardest part for me was mounting some brass cones on the bottom of the legs, (drilling and tapping steel is rather laborious)  but I honestly think that you don't really NEED to do that.  You could probably put rubber feet on there and still be OK.  Well, I shouldn't say it was hard, but it was time consuming.

Otherwise the trickiest part is making sure each shelf's holes line up.  On mine I cut one master shelf, marked and drilled the holes with a bit big enough to fit a metal punch through snugly.  Then I took the other shelves and lined them up with the master, clamped it and hammered the punch to mark the bottom piece.  Then carefully drilled the holes.  Remarkably, they all lined up.  Just make sure they have enough slack, if the holes are too tight the shelf will bind when you try to level it.

I bought a set of rather pricey forstner bits to make these, mainly because I laminated the tops and I didn't wanna chip that up.  I also bought a drill press for this project, but I bet you could get away with a good hand drill.  Even if the holes aren't pretty they will be covered up with the washers.

The TNT article makes it sound cheaper than it turned out to be for me.  For one, the threaded rod was much more expensive than they say.  But luckily the hardware store goofed and charged me less than what they actually were! Hee hee!  Finding rubber washers at the size I needed was also, well...impossible.  I had to enlarge the inner hole of ones that had the correct outer diameter I needed.   I am sure there's some company out there that makes something that works right, but at least it wasn't sold at my local store.

This may sound discouraging overall, but really; it is not a hard project.  Who knows, you might lose a 'thumb' or two if you pull this one off!  

[MediaSeth]

You might be familiar with the black and/or chrome poles and adjustable metal shelves kits at your local hardware store.  They're popular now for use in kitchens, and you have buy different kinds of surfaces to put on the shelves or the shelves with surfaces built in.   I noticed that the poles are hollow, the plastic caps on the top can pop off, and there's height adjustable hard rubber/plastic feet on the bottom.  The shelves use plastic clasps that fit into notches on the poles.
I figured I could put sand in the poles and buy the thick butcher-block shelving tops and it would be cheaper than the $150 option.  It was cheaper, but maybe not as cheaper as I initially thought...maybe 80 bux? I don't really remember.
Anyway, It kinda-sorta works.  It's for my bedroom system, which isn't so great to begin with.  The sand hasn't leaked out, but then again I don't really move it.  Without the sand, it rings like a bell.  Between the sand and butcher blocks, it's silent enough.  It's also quite solid.
My living room system uses pine shelving but is very sturdy.  One day I'll replace it.

[John Bauder]

I bought a 4 X 8 sheet of MDF at Home Depot.  They cut out all the pieces for me to build my Titan II subwoofer and a 3 shelf flexirack.  They are supposed to charge $0.25 for each cut after the first 2 or 3 but they did all 18 cuts for me at no charge.  

The MDF cost about $23.  The three 5/8" by 36" threaded rods were about $3 or 4 per rod.  18 nuts for $0.20 each, 3 cap nuts about $3.50 each, 20 black annodized washers $?? and 3 5/8" X 2 1/2" rod couplers that I plan to use as leg levelers $??

This is a cheap project and I have enought MDF to make a 4th shelf if I decide I need one.  I would say I have about $50 in it.

[Castanza]

So John what were your measurements for your shelves. You didn't mention anything about the damping or painting, would you consider it a easy project?

[Sounding_Board_Audio]

I built a computer desk which may be germane here.

You can get plumbing supply or Home Depot pipe in the diameter of your choosing cut to length, and then fashion a structure using SpeedRail type connectors. (These are metal three or four way sleeve joints with screws to gouge into the pipe and thus hold them. Come to think of it, four ways for middle shelves might be hard to find; I am not sure.)

Any lumber place has wood for shelves and will cut it for a fee. A local place charges $50 for a 24 ft2 piece of nice 3/4" Baltic Birch. Home Depot has planks of pricey Red Oak, but also various woods in smaller, pre cut sizes for less money.

With my desk, the wood can just sit on the frame by gravity. For an audio rack, you could use rubber grommets or somethings to cushion the wood on the pipe if you wanted, and then drill four screws into the underside of each shelf corner against the intersection of the pipes to keep the wood fixed laterally.

Getting the stand sand fillable or spikeable would require more effort and expense, but they're heavy and fairly rigid as is. While anyone can fashion something like this, it is not the cheapest diy, although cheaper than most commercial racks. It's convenient, assuming you can get those four way connectors.

[John Bauder]

So John what were your measurements for your shelves. You didn't mention anything about the damping or painting, would you consider it a easy project?

I have done nothing about damping.  I think I will spike it to the floor which is carpet over concrete.  And I will continue to use spikes, squash balls, etc between equip and the shelves.  I may build a wall shelf for the TT depending upon how it sounds.  I am priming it with Kilz and painting with the same paint I painted the walls which is a semi-gloss latex.  

The MDF is 3/4 inch.  The size of the shelves is 14" X 33.5"   I chose the depth because of how big my CD player and TT are and the width by what size was left after cutting out the Titans.   If I did not need 3/4 MDF for the sub I would have used 2 layers of 1/2 in with dampening material in between.

This was very easy to make.

[djklmnop]

Here's a link to mines:

http://djklmnop.tripod.com/flexy/

I didn't spend too much time finishing the woodwork, which I totally regret.   I'm certain there are better samples out there.

I was really surprised to find out how sturdy the construction came out to be.  it can handle a lot of weight!!!

Andy

[JoshK]

Nice job!  I have the prefab kind of flexy rack (Salamander Archetype) but they aren't the sturdiest of racks with the stock bolts.  I was wondering where you sourced your bolts/nuts from?   What diameter did you use?  I was thinking of drilling the holes in my shelfs I have now a little bigger and adding thicker bolts to sturdy up a bit.

[Castanza]

djklmnop that thread showing the picture was impressive, nice job. I went to Home Depo last night, and noticed they only had zinc plated rods 3/4 inch by 36 inch. The smaller diameter 1/2 & below they had in stainless, as well as zinc. One of the problems was trying to find something to attach to the legs as spikes. My anal nature causes me to search for maybe a speciality hdwe store if we have one that can possibly turn the rods for me. The home depo guy look at the picture & said he didn't see why you couldn't use furniture caps.  That may not look as good. Also the washers were not uniform, everyone was a different thickness, and the diameter was a little large, which i guess this is par for the course. I have carpet on concrete, does anyone have any suggestions for the legs. Rather than what the article suggested, has anyone tried something different, or would you recommend trying to find someone to turn the rods for spiked edge?

[Bryan]

Mine ended up costing $125 or so, $150 max. One thing about MDF is it sucks up paint like there is no tomorrow and that alone was over 30% of the cost. Going with brass casters tacked on an additional $25 to the cost. The only thing I bought and did not use for the material was a 13/16" drill holer (for lack of knowing the proper term. Other than that, the cost was in the materials. I now am the proud owner of a gloss black 5 shelf 36" high flexy that is easy to move.  

[Castanza]

Just about when I was about to give up the idea, Nathan sent an email, and he suggested trying acorn nuts. I had just gotten back from my lunch break, & had gone to a speciality hdwe store, and ask them if they had anything like this, no luck. So this am I made a few calls, and found some acorn nuts that a fastener co ordered 3 yrs ago that was left over. Than as luck would have it, the neoprene washers aren't a regular stocked item, and found a rubber co that will stamp them out for .35 cents. So now I am wondering if it is really necessary to use a damping compound. I haven't started to search for a damping compound as of yet, and I am trying to keep this project as low budget as I can, as well, as not to time demanding. Some of you guys built some awesome pieces, but I don't have the tools, patience, and time available. I am kinda wondering if I just use some kilz as a primer, and than go over it with some flat or matte black finish, if that would be enough to dampen it. Right now my system is in a inexpensive I guess bush or the equivalent from Best Buy, a corner tv stand, and it all fits but snugly, and I keep the doors open for it to breathe. It sounds fine, but what I am wondering do they use some kind of damping on the ready made furniture they sell?

[nathanm]

Just as I sensed Castanza was about to give up on the idea, I sent him an e-mail suggesting he try acorn nuts.  They are crunchy, tasty and make a great snack when doing carpentry projects.  Squirrels are rather fond of them as well.  That's why you see so many squirrels with Flexy racks.

Lucky you with the stamped-out washers!  Where were you five months ago!?     I could've saved myself hours of jury-rigging and blisters! *sigh* But 35 cents!?  Tell that rubber company these washers are for AUDIOPHILES and they should raise the price 1500%!

The MDF is pretty dead as is, personally I think the fancy paint is optional.  Remember that TNT article was written by obsessive nerds who could hear what color the walls of the recording studio are painted.  But certainly you'll want to cover the MDF with something, be it paint, laminate, contact paper or BMG music service stamps.

[Castanza]

Yeh everything is starting to go forward, I still have to go and get the neoprene washers stamped out. So I am leaving work earlier, & I hope they can do what we talked about on the phone. The Home Depot fellow did the best he could on the cuts. They weren't jagged just a bit off. I had a friend who had a drill press, it was so old, you could only do one board at a time. I remember reading everyone's threads, so we made the holes around 7/8. I was planning on knocking out the painting with the 3 day weekend, but we are expecting the temp's to stay in the 20-40's all weekend. Nothing like painting in the winter. I hope everyone has a great weekend!  

[Psychicanimal]

WAIT!

Before you guys get all wrapped up wasting money on the TNT racks/Salamander clones please read the following:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1001889380&openflup&11&4#11

This should help you understand how to build a *much* better & still relatively inexpensive audio/video rack.

[mrtlaf]

WAIT!

Before you guys get all wrapped up wasting money on the TNT racks/Salamander clones please read the following:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1001889380&openflup&11&4#11

This should help you understand how to build a *much* better & still relatively inexpensive audio/video rack.