Equipment rack. What am I aiming for

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Having seen the ridiculous price of hifi racks I am considering building my own. Problem is I'm not really sure what the end result should achieve in terms of 'holding' the various pieces of kit.

I'm thinking that it needs to be something really solid. Is that the case? Is it that simple? My idea is to construct a rack made from solid Oak side panels (8x2 beams) with the shelves made from 1 inch granite. Obviously it will be very heavy and very solid but is that what I need to achieve. Hope I've explained this well and hope someone can offer advice.

Cheers, Harry.

[alan47]

You could always go the other way and make a TNT Flexy table.I made mine because my wife bet me i couldn't make a stand for less than £50.I made it with 30pence change .And have been very happy with it and she can't complain.:lol:6411

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Looks good Alan. But Im after something that will look more like a piece of furniture/sculpture. Think I'm going a bit mental

[Ali Tait]

Join the rest of us then!

[alan47]

Don't worry about it ,they can't touch you for it.I look forward to a pic of your solid oak and granite creation.Should be interesting.Bet you can't make it for £50...:)

[Reid Malenfant]

What you need is a fridge like mine :rfl:

[alan47]

Join the rest of us then!

Come on we can't all be mental,can we??:mental:

[Mark Grant]

My idea is to construct a rack made from solid Oak side panels .

Oak kitchen worktops can be really useful for making racks if you have some good woodworking tools.

An example on another forum.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-building-diy/1454981-3-tier-oak-av-rack.html

One of my friends made a rack with solid sides and shelves made from oak worktop, looks great and is really solid and heavy.

Another friend has a rack made from slabs of kitchen worktop granite that have been cut to size and bonded together with glue, it weighs a ton... :eek:

[Ali Tait]

Come on we can't all be mental,can we??:mental:

You sure about that??

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Oak kitchen worktops can be really useful for making racks if you have some good woodworking tools.

An example on another forum.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-building-diy/1454981-3-tier-oak-av-rack.html

One of my friends made a rack with solid sides and shelves made from oak worktop, looks great and is really solid and heavy.

Another friend has a rack made from slabs of kitchen worktop granite that have been cut to size and bonded together with glue, it weighs a ton... :eek:

Hi Mark, great example, that fella is obviously good at woodwork. Not sure if my O Level woodwork skills will cut the mustard but I did do a loft conversion in my house and built a pitch pine open staircase so I can't be totally crap.

My idea is solid oak sides with granite shelves for the equipment to sit on. The shelves will be rebated into the side panels but I'm not sure if that is right. Maybe each shelve should 'float' in some way from the main frame.

I want it to look 'rustic/industrial' so I don't need slick skills. Once I get my head round what I'm trying to achieve in terms of isolation/support/spiking etc I know I can build it and it will be 'interesting' to look at.

PS The woodwork O Level was Grade 1 as well.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I made an amazing discovery via eBay. A local company who sell recycled timber. It cones from all over. Lots of incredible oak and other hardwoods. Bought a stack of stunning piranha pine or cedar (not quite sure) and some beautiful very dark grey hardwood. Add eight granite blocks, some heavy duty coach screws, metal rods and we're on the way. It's going to look brilliant or crap. Can anyone recommend some spiked feet that will screw into bottom of unit?

[Reid Malenfant]

Well I guess you'll need something pretty strong & rigid, so how about these? (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M8-Hifi-speaker-spikes-CLEARANCE-SURPLUS-Black-Nuts-/150770541366?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_EquipmentSt ands_SM&hash=item231a9fe336)

If I remember correctly I bought a good few of the silver versions. A heck of a lot stronger than the usual M6 spikes :)

[Mark Grant]

Share the wood link Harry :)

some spiked feet:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cabinet-MONACOR-Quality-Product-Monacor/dp/B002HD30GY

http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=MON122210

http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=MON127300

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Thanks fellas.

I'll dig link out for you Mark. Anyway, I bought 50ft of the beautiful cedar (8 inch x 2 inch) and about 70ft of the incredible hardwood (2 inch x 1 inch). Anyone care to guess how much?

[jon1]

Thanks fellas.

I'll dig link out for you Mark. Anyway, I bought 50ft of the beautiful cedar (8 inch x 2 inch) and about 70ft of the incredible hardwood (2 inch x 1 inch). Anyone care to guess how much?





Go on harry give us a clue?:D


jon

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Ok Jon. Here's the clue. Ordinary bog standard rough sawn timber in 8x2 (sort they use for big joists) is, Id guess, about £1.50 - £2 per foot.

[jon1]

Ok Jon. Here's the clue. Ordinary bog standard rough sawn timber in 8x2 (sort they use for big joists) is, Id guess, about £1.50 - £2 per foot.






£150 harry


jon

[alan47]

You've already broken my £50 rule.Still you can make a new kitchen out of the left overs.:lol:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Nah. £50 rule defo not broken. The whole lot was an unbelievable £30. About two grands worth of granite mind.

[alan47]

Are you sure you are not making a new kitchen:)

[Disles1]

He will be when the wife sees the handi-work ;+)

[Ali Tait]

Not sure about using granite, it's crystalline structure could ring too much. Maybe see if you can source some slate, perhaps from a defunct pool table or the like.

[alan47]

A bit late Ali,looks like 2 grand has already been parted with for the granite.
Maybe try some bitumen sheets stuck underneath,the stuff the car boys use for damping panels.It made all the difference to my wooden shelves,not sure if it would work on granite..

[Ali Tait]

Aye, might do the job.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Granite works fine in the right place. I've always hated it under speakers when I've tried it, but it's great under some other components. I have two HNE beech and granite racks and they're excellent (although one is in pieces awaiting some attention).

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I've already got the granite slabs under my kit at moment and it sounds superb. Before I start the little project I'll do listening tests with and without the slabs. I can easy put wooden shelves instead of granite.

My views haven't changed. It will look brilliant or shite. How it will sound is anyone's guess.

[Puffin]

Shite.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Shite.

Thanks for your confidence in my abilities. Care to have a nice cash wager on the outcome? Forum members to vote on completed unit as shite or class. I'm more than happy to put my money where my mouth and De Walt router
is.;)

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I've now made my mind up. It's going to be brilliant.

[Disles1]

I'm also building myself a hardwood audio equipment rack for its beauty, ease of workmanship and fit within my home's decor. I know the drawbacks of wood - am willing to live with them - but will be trying to reduce major effects.

The shelves will be isolated from the strong, rigid structure. I MAY use hardwood for its beauty and had an idea after looking at my present purchased rack. The manufacturer says that "simple rectangular shelves have internal standing waves between the top and bottom faces of the shelf, as well as the side-to-side and front-to-back faces." Their rack has channeled grooves cut into the bottom of the shelves to "reduce the ability of standing waves to ‘bounce’ back and forth between the top and bottom surfaces of each shelf."

My idea is to create a shelf by gluing, say 3" wide, boards together but every other board would be a different thickness (e.g., 5/8" versus 3/4") than its neighbor. The top of the shelf would be flat, only the underneath would vary. Do you think this would reduce standing waves (if there are any)? Does it make sense?

[nat8808]

Take a welding evening class and make a nice frame as part of the learning process..

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Take a welding evening class and make a nice frame as part of the learning process..

Nah. Wood is my passion. I got wood.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Thanks for your confidence in my abilities. Care to have a nice cash wager on the outcome? Forum members to vote on completed unit as shite or class. I'm more than happy to put my money where my mouth and De Walt router
is.;)

Thought I'd better resurrect this thread and get ready to collect my cash or whatever it was. Anyway shite or class, you decide once I work out how to post a pic.

That's right I can make a rack but can't post a pic.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

7115


Here you go. Pic done with Photoshop coming in a sec

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

7116

My youngest lad (18) made the rack. My eldest lad (21) took the pics. I sat on my arse and admired it whilst listening to music

[synsei]

Very nice. I'm sure you're supervisory skills were much appreciated Harry :D

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

If piss off out of the way you interfering old git is my supervisory skills being appreciated then yes.

I still find it hard to believe it was made by an 18-year-old with no training. And my profession is as far away from joinering as you could get.

[MCRU]

You could always go the other way and make a TNT Flexy table.I made mine because my wife bet me i couldn't make a stand for less than £50.I made it with 30pence change .And have been very happy with it and she can't complain.:lol:6411

My flexi is built and installed, will take some pics tomorrow, weighs a ton and rock solid.

[awkwardbydesign]

If piss off out of the way you interfering old git is my supervisory skills being appreciated then yes.

I still find it hard to believe it was made by an 18-year-old with no training. And my profession is as far away from joinering as you could get.
How far's that? And wotcha gonna do when you buy more CDs? Huh?

[alan47]

Looks great,i didn't realise you needed quite so many cyrus box's to make up a system thou':whistle:,no wonder you didn't go for a TNT table..

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Looks great,i didn't realise you needed quite so many cyrus box's to make up a system thou':whistle:,no wonder you didn't go for a TNT table..

Alan, thanks. I could take away two boxes and it would still be brilliant (but not so) and I could take four away and it would still be a cracking system. I was very cynical about Cyrus stuff but I'm a total convert now.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

How far's that? And wotcha gonna do when you buy more CDs? Huh?

More CDs? Jesus H I bought 36 last week. Anyway I have a cunning plan. Well, Ben has.

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

7117

Plan A

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

7118
plan b

[alan47]

I presume that plan c will be a matching oak step ladder..:lol:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Just the angle Alan. It's only 6ft 6ins high.

[awkwardbydesign]

Just the angle Alan. It's only 6ft 6ins high.
That makes you about 2'6" then.
And which one's Ben? The one who has to make it, or the one who just takes the pictures?

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

Ah, I was standing halfway down a staircase looking up at it. Ben's the maker. He's 6ft 4ins since you're a stickler for detail :-)