Anyone have good plans for a DIY audio rack?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #120 on:** 19 Nov 2009, 04:51 am »

Nice work Pete....

werd · « **Reply #121 on:** 21 Nov 2009, 09:43 pm »

Hello folks

Try using granite slabs, go down to any kitchen and bath retailer that deals in granite and ask for a disposable slab. They will probably have one and wont charge. Take it home and just place it on your old rack. It will sound better. At this point you can decide if a nicely polished and sized granitite platform is worth considering. they come in 1.5 and 2 in slabs... great for audio.

satfrat · « **Reply #122 on:** 22 Nov 2009, 12:06 am »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 18 Nov 2009, 01:06 pm

There was an email blast that came out in October searching for someone to make a rack for a SMAC member like one of these:

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

I volunteered to take that on and built these for the audiophile requesting them. Just under $200 in materials: 5 threaded rods of 5/8-11, nuts, washers, stain, poly, brushes, and one sheet of Oak plywood cut just right allowed me to mitre all the edges and make them look 1.5" thick. So an economical set of racks. The lower unit gets a 22" tall Reel to reel on top.

It was a fun little project. Delivery is Saturday. With a smile.

I don't see much in the way of vibration control or shelf isolation in a rack like this. Have you considered using some type of a rubber grommet/washer on both sides of metal washers bordering the shelves? It would seem any type of vibration obsorbing material could work, Herbie's Big Fat Black Dots were the 1st to come to my mind. Just a thought,,,

Cheers,
Robin

JoshK · « **Reply #123 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 05:00 pm »

So I fabricated an 80/20 stand over the weekend. I used butcher blocks from lumber liquidators. The price was right and the shipping very reasonable since they are near me. The only nitpick is the drip ring, but I faced it down so it is hidden.

I assembled the rack, well actually only half since I ran out of threaded inserts. The results are quite sturdy suprisingly. However, I think I overbuilt it some.

Here is the fastening method I used.

I used the 4 hole corner brackets Part #40-4301

These bolts:
15 Series Black Zinc Economy T- Nut, with 5/16-18 Offset Part # 3278.
15 Series Black Zinc FBHSCS 5/16-18 x 11/16" Part # 3330.

And threaded inserts from McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3237/=4n6ate
HI-Strength Stl Knife-Thread Insert for Wood Hex Drive, 5/16"-18 Internal Thread, 45/64" Length
Part # 90192A127

The shelves have 8 threaded inserts put in the bottom and the corner brackets then bolt to the shelves using the same bolts as to the 80/20 extrusion. This way the shelves are removeable in the future.

Tip: the threaded inserts have a tendency to split out the top of the wood near the hole. I figure out how to lessen this about half way through the shelves. I used a deburring bit (has a conical point with one cutter) to chamfer the hole a bit. This lessened the cracking a great deal.

toobluvr · « **Reply #124 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 05:21 pm »

What is a "drip ring"?

Surprised at it's sturdiness? Why?
This 80-20 stuff is used in many heavy duty applications. My brother is an engineer and he built an entire workshop and light manufacturing plant from it.

I attached my butcher block shelves to 80-20 uprights with corner brackets. I screwed the brackets right into the BB shelf underside with lag screws.

Had I thought of threaded inserts I probably would have used them.

Be sure to post some pics when you get the chance Josh. I'm sure it will turn out great!

~John

JoshK · « **Reply #125 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 05:42 pm »

What I mean by sturdiness, is that if you push it laterally it doesn't budge. Its not a "flexy rack". With two bolts per point of connection, it is pretty darn stable.

toobluvr · « **Reply #126 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 06:01 pm »

Quote from: JoshK on 24 Nov 2009, 05:42 pm

What I mean by sturdiness, is that if you push it laterally it doesn't budge. Its not a "flexy rack". With two bolts per point of connection, it is pretty darn stable.

This is because you are using horizontal pieces of 80-20 to tie it all together...I assume.

I don't use any cross members on mine. The rack is solid and stable (ie will not topple over) but not 100% rigid. That is, there is some slight movement when nudged laterally d/t the lack of cross pieces. I'm no engineer, but I assume this is the reason.

JoshK · « **Reply #127 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 06:05 pm »

Quote from: toobluvr on 24 Nov 2009, 06:01 pm

Quote from: JoshK on 24 Nov 2009, 05:42 pm
What I mean by sturdiness, is that if you push it laterally it doesn't budge. Its not a "flexy rack". With two bolts per point of connection, it is pretty darn stable.

This is because you are using horizontal pieces of 80-20 to tie it all together...I assume.

No I didn't, that is why I was surprised at its lateral sturdiness. I only have uprights on the four corners.

toobluvr · « **Reply #128 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 06:22 pm »

Oh....

In your photo above you show 2 pieces of 80-20 attached at 90 degrees, so I just assumed about the 80-20 cross pieces.

So you used 4-hole corner bracket to attach BB to 80-20 upright?

JoshK · « **Reply #129 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 06:51 pm »

Quote from: toobluvr on 24 Nov 2009, 06:22 pm

Oh....

In your photo above you show 2 pieces of 80-20 attached at 90 degrees, so I just assumed about the 80-20 cross pieces.

So you used 4-hole corner bracket to attach BB to 80-20 upright?

Yeah, that is the ticket.

toobluvr · « **Reply #130 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 07:14 pm »

ahhhh...interesting.

Sounds like it gives more rigidity than my single point attachments.

Makes sense, actually. Probably makes it less prone to the "pivoting effect" that single point attachments are susceptible to when lateral force is applied. I think that is what is happening with my rack.

Time to tweak the rack!

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #131 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 07:35 pm »

Josh, where did you get those extrusions?

JoshK · « **Reply #132 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 08:36 pm »

80/20 on ebay. I bought 8' lengths and cut them to length. It was the most convenient choice as well as most cost effective. I bought a non-ferrous blade (60 teet iirc) for my miter saw. Cuts like butter. You really can't tell my cut from the factory's.

TomS · « **Reply #133 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 24 Nov 2009, 07:35 pm

Josh, where did you get those extrusions?

Pete,

80/20 is right on US30 in Columbia City IN area. Many of the ebay sales come from their overstock and cutoffs.

Tom

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #134 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 09:23 pm »

Okay. I see. My Adona uprights are 2.25" square and these are much smaller. I've added 3" thick Maple shelves all around and I could use another 6 inches of height.

JoshK · « **Reply #135 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 11:05 pm »

I used the 40 series 80/20 stuff. 40 series is 40mm ~= 1.6" square.

toobluvr · « **Reply #136 on:** 24 Nov 2009, 11:08 pm »

I also used the 40 series stuff.

Visually, it looks pretty balanced to me given the overall rack dimensions and thickness of the butcher block shelving.

JoshK · « **Reply #137 on:** 28 Nov 2009, 11:45 pm »

As promised, the photo. Shelves aren't finished yet but since they bolt on/off, I can take them off to finish them. This is half of the shelf, as this will be a double-wide. I have 8 shelves in all.

toobluvr · « **Reply #138 on:** 28 Nov 2009, 11:53 pm »

Double wide?

You gonna put two single wide racks (like photo) alongside each other?

Or you just gonna use one pair of uprights as common to both sets of shelves?

JoshK · « **Reply #139 on:** 29 Nov 2009, 01:03 am »

Quote from: toobluvr on 28 Nov 2009, 11:53 pm

Double wide?

You gonna put two single wide racks (like photo) alongside each other?

Or you just gonna use one pair of uprights as common to both sets of shelves?

The later. Common uprights in the middle. I figured it would be studier that way. I'll take some photos of the mounting scheme so others can see what I did. Now that I have successfully dyed my speakers, I am thinking of dying the shelves black (have the transtint black) and then shellacing them.