Hi all,
need some advice on material for building some 15ru+ racks. Pre-built stuff looks cheap or is prohibitively expensive when you add the bass strait tax.
I am thinking 9mm marine ply or similar is the go for the boxes but (being down here at the end of the world) have been thinking about using wood for the mounting rails - rather than rack strips.
I could use the same 9mm ply but think I need hardwood and maybe something a bit thicker for the rails.
Any advice?
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Advice on Building Studio Racks
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Advice on Building Studio Racks
Dave Carter
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- Text_Edifice
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- The Tasmanian
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
That's always good advice - I'll give you a call later in the week.
Dave Carter
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- Text_Edifice
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
If you decide to go for proper rack rail (which I would highly recommend over using timber) these guys are good and cheap.
http://www.proaudiostash.com.au/racking/rack-rail/
http://www.proaudiostash.com.au/racking/rack-rail/
Nick Franklin
Record Producer: http://www.nickfranklin.net
Custom Built Audio Electronics: http://www.nfaudio.com
Record Producer: http://www.nickfranklin.net
Custom Built Audio Electronics: http://www.nfaudio.com
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waitup - Frequent Contributor
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
Good tip, thanks Nick. Cheaper than Penn-Elcom.
Bob Charman - Stockport Sound, SA
The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends..........
The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends..........
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stosostu - Regular Contributor
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
Yeah, I would strongly recommend proper rack rails as well. I would probably suggest going with something a bit chunkier than 9mm ply as well. You can buy 18mm x 600mm x 1800mm laminated pine boards at bunnings for $42 a pop. I have used them a few times for racks and they work great and are thick enough to screw the rack rails straight in to.
- Sammas
Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
A lot of guys I knew years ago that had home studios (ssshhh,don't say anything), used to use these from Ikea.
Cheap, made well and light..
Probably not what you're after, but for small stackable systems, might be able to be stacked..
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/00181977/
Width: 30 cm
Height: 6 cm
Length: 48 cm
Weight: 4.08 kg
Cheap, made well and light..
Probably not what you're after, but for small stackable systems, might be able to be stacked..
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/00181977/
Width: 30 cm
Height: 6 cm
Length: 48 cm
Weight: 4.08 kg
Tim Spencer
Pressurepoint Studios
Pressurepoint Studios
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TimS - Valued Contributor
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
The Samson SRK units are good for the money, really solid once you grind you knuckles off putting them together. They come flat packed. 12 or 16 RU. Black metal but you could screw a veneer on the sides if you wanted. Or fur or whatever floats your boat.
I sit a couple of old analog synths on top of mine, but I can stand on them no worries and they have really good chunky castors that also lock. Rack rails front and back.
I have no affiliation with Samson. Or Delilah.
I sit a couple of old analog synths on top of mine, but I can stand on them no worries and they have really good chunky castors that also lock. Rack rails front and back.
I have no affiliation with Samson. Or Delilah.
Andy Evans
http://www.mud.net.au
http://www.mud.net.au
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Chinagraf - Valued Contributor
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
http://blog.dubspot.com/ikea-studio-hacks-build-creative-space-budget/
Mentions fitting rack rails to a RAST.
David Rodger
- audioio
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
All of the ply racks we have used for touring is ¾" (17mm) ply. I actually had the thought the other week to maybe get server racks with the steel chassis and then screw a 6-9mm plywood veneer on the sides.
Regards Simon
- simonstav
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
We had a cabinet maker build these out of 25mm birch plywood for our studio control room.
These are obviously not designed to be portable.
Pic here...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/74kpowo3rd9fb ... 7.jpg?dl=0
1x 42RU rack and 1x 14RU rack with sloping fronts.
(2 sheets of 2400mm X 1200mm ply)
I drew and supplied the plans.
I'll fit the racking strips and caster wheels myself and we'll stain them with a timber oil based satin finish.
I would not use wood strips. Definately get metal rack strip.
Not sure of the exact final price yet but I think it is around $800.00 including the ply which the cabinet maker also supplied. We chose birch ply over standard ply as it is denser and better finished.
Picking up the racks next week.
These are obviously not designed to be portable.
Pic here...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/74kpowo3rd9fb ... 7.jpg?dl=0
1x 42RU rack and 1x 14RU rack with sloping fronts.
(2 sheets of 2400mm X 1200mm ply)
I drew and supplied the plans.
I'll fit the racking strips and caster wheels myself and we'll stain them with a timber oil based satin finish.
I would not use wood strips. Definately get metal rack strip.
Not sure of the exact final price yet but I think it is around $800.00 including the ply which the cabinet maker also supplied. We chose birch ply over standard ply as it is denser and better finished.
Picking up the racks next week.
- rowmat
Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
just curious.
I have used wood for rack rails for years... and I am actually building some new ones at the moment and planned on using wood rack rails again...
My logic...
I can place the units, exactly where I want.. I can have space between the units, for airflow, wherever and how much I want.
Whats the reason for not wanting wood?
cheers
Wiz
I have used wood for rack rails for years... and I am actually building some new ones at the moment and planned on using wood rack rails again...
My logic...
I can place the units, exactly where I want.. I can have space between the units, for airflow, wherever and how much I want.
Whats the reason for not wanting wood?
cheers
Wiz
Peter Knight
Cant ego loquemur Latine
http://www.peterknightmusician.com
Cant ego loquemur Latine
http://www.peterknightmusician.com
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
I should give an update.
Chris Townend lent me his excellent carpentry skills and valuable experience to build a really nice bay-rack (wood rails) out of ply while I stood around holding things and feeling useless.
They're great and perfect for what I need as gear isn't going in and out of the racks and, as Wiz said, I can sit the bits of gear where I want them and leave a bit of extra ventilation on some units that need it.
I'm in the middle of rewiring everything at the moment and an unexpected advantage for me is that the wood rails help with the grounding scheme I'm using.
Chris Townend lent me his excellent carpentry skills and valuable experience to build a really nice bay-rack (wood rails) out of ply while I stood around holding things and feeling useless.
They're great and perfect for what I need as gear isn't going in and out of the racks and, as Wiz said, I can sit the bits of gear where I want them and leave a bit of extra ventilation on some units that need it.
I'm in the middle of rewiring everything at the moment and an unexpected advantage for me is that the wood rails help with the grounding scheme I'm using.
Dave Carter
http://www.twitter.com/davecarter
http://www.twitter.com/davecarter
- Text_Edifice
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
Text_Edifice wrote:I should give an update.
Chris Townend lent me his excellent carpentry skills and valuable experience to build a really nice bay-rack (wood rails) out of ply while I stood around holding things and feeling useless.
They're great and perfect for what I need as gear isn't going in and out of the racks and, as Wiz said, I can sit the bits of gear where I want them and leave a bit of extra ventilation on some units that need it.
I'm in the middle of rewiring everything at the moment and an unexpected advantage for me is that the wood rails help with the grounding scheme I'm using.
cool...
would love to see a picture?
cheers
Wiz
Peter Knight
Cant ego loquemur Latine
http://www.peterknightmusician.com
Cant ego loquemur Latine
http://www.peterknightmusician.com
- Wiz
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Re: Advice on Building Studio Racks
I agree Wiz - wood rails are great,
especially if one uses softwood for the rail part, as it has more give, easy to screw into, and wont split.
Its perfect for setups with custom sized airgaps, and as Dave indicates - solves some earthing issues, and as long as one is not continually changing their hardware - it makes sense.
I have built many racks with wood rails, and steel rails.
At my studio, I keep the steel rail racks for stuff that moves in and out of my studio, and the wood ones for permanently installed hardware.
If i do need to take out an item from the wood racks - they go straight back into the same spot when re-installed.
wood is good
especially if one uses softwood for the rail part, as it has more give, easy to screw into, and wont split.
Its perfect for setups with custom sized airgaps, and as Dave indicates - solves some earthing issues, and as long as one is not continually changing their hardware - it makes sense.
I have built many racks with wood rails, and steel rails.
At my studio, I keep the steel rail racks for stuff that moves in and out of my studio, and the wood ones for permanently installed hardware.
If i do need to take out an item from the wood racks - they go straight back into the same spot when re-installed.
wood is good
C h r i z t o w n o
- The Tasmanian
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