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Audio component rack building...


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Hi all. It been a month or so since I have been able to spend some quality time on the board. I have been working crazy hours for my in-laws. Which brings me to my point; I have been running a smaller plant that does metal stamping and some welding. I am thinking about building a very nice heavy steel audio component rack. My idea so far is to make the shelves 22" x 22" and use 1/8" (maybe .177") steel sheet for shelving material. I am thinking about using oblong or oval tubing for either a three leg or four leg set up. Three legs would enable some nice wire management with a single leg in the rear center of the rack. I can also have the rack professionally E-coated or wet sprayed.

My questions are but definitely not limited to:

How many shelves?

Dementions of the shelves and height in between?

Material?

Bottom of the legs, points?

If this works out I may even make a couple of dozen when things are slow and sell them cheap just to keep a couple of guys busy. It is better than laying laying off a father or husband.

Gear going on the rack:

Receiver (HK7000, very heavy and very deep), DVD player, CD Player, Cable receiver, and VCR.

Also our bigger plant has a laser cutter, so any cut patter should be easy on the flat material. Depending on material, the empty rack should weigh in around 110 to 150 pounds. Any help would be great.

JT

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Enjoy and Happy Listening!

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I built a rack out of MDF and threaded rod. The shelves are 24"w by 20"d, and they accomodate just about anything. The best part is that the threaded rod allows me to adjust the height between the shelves as I change components (which I've done a few times). I have eight shelves in mine, and that is barely enough.

Doug

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My System

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I built one just like dougdrake except I used 3/4" Oak plywood stained and finished to match my furniture. I have about $100 in material in it. and it works great.

Greg

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HK AVR20 II

Toshiba DVD

32" Toshiba TV

Odyssey Stratos

1976 LaScala's Front L&R

KV-1 Center

KG 1.5 Rear L&R

KSW-12 Sub

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Thanks for the input. My concern on the size is that my HK7000 is 20.5" deep. I may have to go 24" deep if I plan on using wire management. I am thinking I can stack the cable box on top of the VCR. So for now I would only need four shelves, but I am starting to think that 6 or 8 is a good idea. Down the road I see a SVS or two and maybe a bass management system. I am concerned about the feet. I was thinking of spot welding a large nut to a plate and use that as an end cap for the tubing. I could then make the feet adjustable. Do you think I need spikes? I know it helps a bunch with speakers and stands, but you don't have to worry about your component rack "walking" like you do speakers. I have a modest wood workshop in my garage, but I think I am going to go with the super steel. Not to mention, I probably won't have to do to much of the actual work.

JT

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Enjoy and Happy Listening!

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If I did it again, I'd build even more shelves. I don't like having components stacked on each other, personally, and I'm running out of space (must...stop...buying...amps....).

My friend Ross Taylor (famous on this board) actually did most of the building of the shelves. We biscount-joined maple lips to the front of the shelves, which were just urethaned their natural color, and the shelves were painted semi-gloss black. Used 3/4" threaded rod with rubber feet on the bottoms (like on the end of canes).

Doug

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My System

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That sounds very nice. I think I remember seeing the thread that had pictures, it looked great. I thought about doing a dado cut and trim the ends of some oak trim for the shelves. I kind of like the mixed steel and wood look. As far as the feet go, is there a need for leveling with most applications? I thinking adjustable spikes or rubber feet. I even thought about putting several outlets in the rear trunk, but that was looking a bit more compicated. Most of the professional racks I see are 5 and 6 self, some even less. The more I think about it the less I would want to make any of these for resale (maybe for a few fellow audio geeks).

JT

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Enjoy and Happy Listening!

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Dougdrake wrote:

quote:

I don't like having components stacked on each other, personally, and I'm running out of space (must...stop...buying...amps....).


Can't you just hear William Shatner uttering those last four words in parentheses??

Don't ask me why...

C

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My System

This message has been edited by chickey on 07-01-2002 at 09:41 PM

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Metal Shelves? I'd be real worried about static electricity.

Also-I think this would also get a rather low WAF/G-FAF rating. IMO, Too much metal is cold/sterile/industrial.

This message has been edited by cluless on 07-02-2002 at 06:29 AM

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quote:

Originally posted by decibel man:

I am thinking about using oblong or oval tubing for either a three leg or four leg set up. Three legs would enable some nice wire management with a single leg in the rear center of the rack.


I was thinking you may want to consider four legs (if I'm catching your drift: you want to run cords and interconnects inside the rear tube). You should separate power cords from signal wires, and two tubes in the rear (ouch!), maybe fairly close together, would provide this. How big are the tubes?

I'd probably put in some type of leveling system, too.

fini

P.S. Doug- We haven't heard from Ross around here lately. Did one of those suspended Heresys fall on him?

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Cluless - Metal racks are pretty common in these environments, as you probably know - think of computer/electronics 19" racks. Also, most of the racks that the "fancy" high-end HTs put in the wall to hold all that beautiful Krell equipment are metal Smile.gif

Fini- Our friend Ross is very much alive and well. He's been hanging out at the AV Sciences forum mostly, since he's upgrading his equipment to a front projector. Plus, he's finishing his dedicated HT room -- big push to get it insulated and air conditioned now that it's 110 out every day!! Talk about WAF factor!

Also, he's been retying his knots on his Heresy slings, trying to coax that last bit of airiness out of them, since the Rollerballs won't work in a speaker-suspension application. (BTW, I think Rebecca Romijn-Stamos did a great job with Rollerballs, don't you?).

Doug

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My System

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Actually, I didn't know that. Usually when I see electronics sitting on a bare metal table there is an electro-static mat in-between. I guess it makes a difference if the guts are all yanked out of the box and exposed or not. Learn something new every day.

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Fini, I like your thinking. I could use the oval tubes at the corners and a round 5th tube in the rear center, but not touching the ground. Then I could use one leg for power and the other leg for speaker cable. The rear center tube could serve the interconnects. Do you guys think this is need or even benificial? Would the four leg solution be the same?

Does anyone have any suggestions on the feet? Do I need leveling adjustments? Do I need spikes or rubber feet?

Thanks for the info,

JT

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Enjoy and Happy Listening!

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I too am currently building an E.T. center. Mine is out of oak and oak ply wood. 69"tall by 76" wide about 20"deep. I am putting lights in the top shelfs for effects. the whole thing will cost me about $150, (dad gave me some free oak trim) store cost was $640. All adjustable shelves. I would definately recommend ajustable shelfts. Also I like the ones made out of metal with glass shelfs. They look awesome. I saw one with glass shelves and lights drilled in the back of the shelves, then the whole shelf glowed (green or blue looks awesome). Also any flat bottom I think would work. Its not going to move on you if it wieghs 100-150 lbs, plus the weight of the components. If that was the case most of the stuff in the average home would be constantly moving. And yes, at least 6 shelves.

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The 17th school is done, no more forum for me. :(

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quote:

Originally posted by zandern:

I too am currently building an E.T. center.


Remember to add a phone (to call home).cwm1.gif

JT- Wouldn't it be slick to have plugs built in to the power column? Think of something like a long power strip (I'm not recommending using one, rather building one, with audio-grade components). Maybe that column is a partial cylinder, with the back removed (the rack's against the wall?), and the plugs are tack-welded to the column, fitting into slickly-cut holes. Or they could be thru-bolted. C'mon, you can do it!

Doug- Good to hear Ross is o.k.

fini

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I like the power tower idea, but I would some how have incorporate my power conditioner. Unless I took a line conditioner apart and retro'd it in the the column. Just use a Monster HTS1500.

I thought about the steel rack issue, but I don't think it will be an issue. The rack will probably get e-coated semi-gloss black. That should help to eliminate conductive surface from touching. Although, the RFI factor I am not sure about.

Any suggestions on the feet?

JT

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Enjoy and Happy Listening!

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