mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi Guys, Was looking for the furniture thread but it looks like it's hit the dust? Anyway I've been thinking about building a AV/HiFi rack for a while so I thought I'd share the project. I've attached a sketch below for discussion & as you will see, it needs to be a AV/Hi Fi rack so I can mount my plasma & my centre speaker on top of the rack(s). My plan is to have either solid wood (stained or painted) legs that are glued/dowels (or coach screwed) to the underside of each shelf with a spike inserted into the end which would match up with a metal receptacle milled into the top of the shelf below; theoretically isolating each shelf. Another option which has been suggested to me by the purveyor of all things Grizzly is a long thread down the centre of the legs & screwed top & bottom. I plan on using kitchen bench tops as these seem good VFM....but I'll need to ensure what I use is sonically "dead". Ikea have a pretty good range plus I've seen some nice "butchers block" kitchen tops at Bunnings but any other suggestions would be useful. Nice but expensive https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-2400-x-600-x-50mm-bamboo-benchtop_p2660689 Nice but possibly too thin at 26mm https://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/building-hardware/timber/dressed-timber/laminated-panels Ikea oak laminate (would need trims to cover saw cuts) http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/20335200/ Solid Oak http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/80310739/#/80310739 Another option from my search on-line https://www.apex.com.au/solid-timber-table-top-natural-wood.html Any input would be appreciated. Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 You can buy bamboo ply 2400x1200x various thicknesses. I think I got a price of around $360 for a 30mm one. My plan is to cut into 4 1200x600x30 shelves and do similar to you. You can buy furniture legs at bunnings that are already threaded, or can buy the threads and inserts to put in your own made legs. For example https://www.bunnings.com.au/leggz-230mm-square-plain-wooden-furniture-leg_p3940105 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hinchliffe Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Bunnings have AA grade 12mm marine ply for about $90/sheet. Think it's 1800x1200 and car either be stained, oiled or painted. Easy to work with and looks great too. How about putting a thin layer of firm rubber on the bottom of each shelf where it attaches to the upright below it for isolation? Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hey mat, did you see what I did the three laminated Acacia panels from Bunnings and parts from my existing Gecko shelving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi Darren, Very nice & pretty much the finish I'm after. On the Bunnings website they mentioned those panels are "Surface treated with hardwax oil for wet environments"....I assume you can sand this off & then oil them like you did with the Feast & Watson? I like the metal post you used from your existing Gecko; how did you attach them? I still like the idea of having spikes on the bottoms of each shelf's legs that align with recepticals housed in milled out shallow holes on the top of the shelf below but maybe that's not stable enough? May I ask where your bought your cable management & fan from? Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 It may not have the look you are after, but the Bamboo Ply is apparently the best for vibration dampening. Just like the Ikea chopping boards. The spike and feet idea is one I also share, I was thinking of getting mine from Herbies in the states, but you would need to be pretty precise to get everything rock steady, I'm also thinking of using sliders under mine so I easily move it around to get behind it. I'm also considering painting the wall black behind it too, so the cables are hidden, but not completely sold on the idea yet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 14 minutes ago, mattjtaylor2809 said: Hi Darren, Very nice & pretty much the finish I'm after. On the Bunnings website they mentioned those panels are "Surface treated with hardwax oil for wet environments"....I assume you can sand this off & then oil them like you did with the Feast & Watson? I like the metal post you used from your existing Gecko; how did you attach them? I still like the idea of having spikes on the bottoms of each shelf's legs that align with recepticals housed in milled out shallow holes on the top of the shelf below but maybe that's not stable enough? May I ask where your bought your cable management & fan from? Cheers Matt Yes the 'hardwax' simply sands right off. The Gecko shelving is held together with a threaded rod arrangement, two going through each post. I replicated this system using 3/8 cuphead bolts see head painted black on top shelf, extended using threaded rod joiners and lengths of threaded rod cut to a length long enough to still pick up the feet but not extend through the feet, if you follow. Some of the feet needed the holes drilling out to allow the joiner to pass through or the socket head for tightening purposes. I haven't had shelving that sits on those spikes between each shelving so I don't know what it is achieving, or trying to. Ended up getting two of these as they are allegedly very quiet- http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/331849295551?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Fan controller is this one- http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181832473287?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Powered by this- http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181533003998?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=480497396142&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Cable management was from Elsafe- http://www.elsafe.com.au/en/cable-cleat If you are cashed up, you could have vibration management under each leg in the form of the Townshend pods- http://www.townshendaudio.com/hi-fi-home-cinema-equipment-vibration-isolation/seismic-isolation-pods/ I couldn't afford them and also don't know how they would go if you were dragging the unit in and out to access the back of your gear from time to time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Thanks Darren, I like the cable management from Elsafe, will definitely add a few of them into my design. Not so sure about the Townshend audio gear...I loved the video on the speaker podiums & liked the look of the seismic corners but then I looked at the pricing.....nope! I did buy some cheapo isolating "pods" that were suggested my Alchemy (Emeil) which have made a big difference to my TT so maybe I'll chase these up. The idea for the spike comes from a UK company called Hi F Racks as they use this type of modular design where each tier sits on top of each tier via spikes. Maybe after watching the Townshend video's I may "shelve" this idea as it may just "couple" the tiers together? http://www.hifiracks.co.uk/products/AV-racks The links to ebay for the fan, controller etc.. don't actually work (or the products are no longer available) but I don't think I'll need them with an "open" shelf type design. From reading your post did you sand & stain the acacia boards 4 times? Thanks for taking an interest. Cheers Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockeater Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 I would - as a must - move TT to the right where you currently have its PSU and pre-preamp. TT arm has to be as far away from any interference source as you can get, and your current location is just bad (very). TT PSU and pre amp should be where you now have CD. That way cable length (and their capacitance) will be minimised. CD can go where you have your TT marked currently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 That's strange, I just tried the link and they worked for me but anyhoo, if you are happy with the ventilation...I only got them because my monos can get warm in Class A mode. I sanded back using 150 to remove the waxy coating, then gave them all a good going over using I think 180 and then 220 (sorry if those are wrong, am going off my battered memory). I only did the sides you can see, didn't worry about underneath or back. I started on Tung oil (the spoken-about 4 coats) but then thought a coating that ''sets' somehow might be better and started the fine buffing oil process straight over the top of the existing Tung oil that had soaked in. I also used the buffing oil to slightly darken the grain, to try to match my Tassie blackwood veneered subs from Ascension in Adelaide. I lost count of how many coats of fine buffing oil I put on, I used the 000 steel wool first then went to the 0000 but then I could see tiny bits of steel wool fluff in the hardened buffing oil so did one final very light very fine sand to remove and then two final coats of fine buffing oil put on with a sponge/terry towelling car polish applicator to disuise/smooth over the resulting fine scratches. Each coat was left to dry overnight, I coated the three panels every arvo for a fortnight so I guess that makes 14 coats in all, or thereabouts. There's not much left in the 1l tin. I am a bit of a defeated perfectionist and am not usually happy with many things I do but I am very happy with this shelving. Funny thing is, once I finished assembling, I gave it all a good Mr Sheen and it really brought it up nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Thanks for the heads up rockeater....I actually have my TT on the LHS (like in the diagram) on my current set up but I don't have a lot of choice but when I build the new rack, I'll move it to the RHS as suggested. Darren69.....is 26mm thick enough for the racks to not bow without a leg down the middle? I'm just concerned for the top shelf as I will have a old heavy plasma on it? Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) 16 minutes ago, mattjtaylor2809 said: Thanks for the heads up rockeater....I actually have my TT on the LHS (like in the diagram) on my current set up but I don't have a lot of choice but when I build the new rack, I'll move it to the RHS as suggested. Darren69.....is 26mm thick enough for the racks to not bow without a leg down the middle? I'm just concerned for the top shelf as I will have a old heavy plasma on it? Cheers Matt Matty, go back to the link to my thread and you can see where I have dowelled the shelving for exactly that reason, right under where the telly sits! (the cable management piccy). The lower shelving has an additional foot under the centre of it to support the mono blocks weight. There is nothing to support the front edge of the top and middle shelving. This doesn't matter on the top shelf as maybe 70% of the telly weight would be distributed down the dowelling and yes, 26mm should be more than enough to support the remaining weight. The middle shelf with the CD/Pre etc on it, I have been keeping an eye on to see if it is sagging at all but it has not moved, the CD and pre amp aren't heavy enough to bow the panel methinks. Having said that, I did forget to do one thing before assembling. I was going to get the circular saw, set it to maybe 2mm deep and run a shallow key way along the front underside edge of the top and middle shelving, maybe 30mm in from the front so it would not be seen. I was going to screw a line of bracing tin, the hole punched galvanised strapping version, into that key way so that if the shelf/shelves decided they wanted to head towards mother Earth a tad, the strapping steel should prevent that. But again, there has been no sagging, the rear dowelling would still be helping this as well, of course. The best thing I did was not to rush into it as (for me anyhow, haha) cogs turn slowly and design ideas and improvements kept coming into my head every now and then. Am very happy with the end product. Edited March 30, 2017 by Darren69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Thanks, I'll have another look at your piccies later today. I'm also considering use 38mm solid oak (butchers block construction) from IKEA or similar, a fair bit more expensive but at 38mm she will not sag!I can assure you I am tacking my time with this project; I'd actually first drew up the plans about 12 months ago!Cheers Matthew Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 15 minutes ago, mattjtaylor2809 said: Thanks, I'll have another look at your piccies later today. I'm also considering use 38mm solid oak (butchers block construction) from IKEA or similar, a fair bit more expensive but at 38mm she will not sag! I can assure you I am tacking my time with this project; I'd actually first drew up the plans about 12 months ago! Cheers Matthew Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Again, not trying to push the Bamboo bandwagon but apparently bamboo ply has a higher tensile strength than steel! That definitely won't bow. I'm planning to use a 30mm thickness. I already have the Ikea chopping boards and I quite like the visible bonded edge, that's why I'm choosing it as much as the supposed acoustical benefits. I've had the plans for mine in my head for over 12 months as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 24 minutes ago, blybo said: Again, not trying to push the Bamboo bandwagon but apparently bamboo ply has a higher tensile strength than steel! That definitely won't bow. I'm planning to use a 30mm thickness. I already have the Ikea chopping boards and I quite like the visible bonded edge, that's why I'm choosing it as much as the supposed acoustical benefits. I've had the plans for mine in my head for over 12 months as well. yes, bamboo is as hard as a cats head! Matty, I originally wanted to use some beautiful Tassie blackwood slabs but didn't have the 3.5k required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 If I can find some bamboo for around the $200-300 mark for 1800-2400 by 600 & 26+mm thick then I'm interested.The bamboo at Bunnings is around $500!I'm also not sure how it would stain?The solid oak kitchen tops from IKEA are around $300 from memory so certainly not $3.5kSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Sorry if already mentioned but the panels I used are 99 bucks each. https://www.bunnings.com.au/interbuild-2200-x-600-x-26mm-acacia-solid-oiled-hardwood-project-panel_p8330032 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr 57 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Hey Matthew, there is Loganleigh.com.au have used their tops in the past...transport of course is of concern for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 Thanks Guys, If I don't use the panels you used Darren which do look excellent value for money: https://www.bunnings.com.au/interbuild-2200-x-600-x-26mm-acacia-solid-oiled-hardwood-project-panel_p8330032 I may use these from IKEA http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/80310739/#/90310734 I like the idea/properties of Bamboo but starting to get too expensive https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-2400-x-600-x-35mm-bamboo-benchtop_p2662191 Mr 57....thanks for the link, they don't seem to have any pricing on their website so I may call them but as you say, transport will be an issue (unless they can ship if/when shipping into SA?). They do say they can supply Bamboo (or any wood for that matter) in it's raw state which would me I could stain it up to keep costs down. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 On 31/03/2017 at 4:50 PM, mattjtaylor2809 said: Thanks Guys, If I don't use the panels you used Darren which do look excellent value for money: https://www.bunnings.com.au/interbuild-2200-x-600-x-26mm-acacia-solid-oiled-hardwood-project-panel_p8330032 I may use these from IKEA http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/80310739/#/90310734 I like the idea/properties of Bamboo but starting to get too expensive https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-2400-x-600-x-35mm-bamboo-benchtop_p2662191 Mr 57....thanks for the link, they don't seem to have any pricing on their website so I may call them but as you say, transport will be an issue (unless they can ship if/when shipping into SA?). They do say they can supply Bamboo (or any wood for that matter) in it's raw state which would me I could stain it up to keep costs down. Cheers Matt Just google bamboo plywood, rather than Bunnings etc. Usually comes in 2400x1200 sheets and you are looking at around $350-$380 plus cutting for a 30mm thickness from memory. Google usually gives you a distributor and then they will put you in touch with a local reseller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 Hi All, I'm back on the case & hopefully will find sometime over Christmas to knock one of these racks up. Still undecided on the materials but most likely the Acacia or Beech 2200 x 600 x 26mm panels from Bunnings @ $99 each as they're hard to go past at that price. I like the idea of Bamboo but it just seems very expensive, if I had $1200+ I'd just buy a rack. I have the changed the position of some of the equipment, i.e. TT on the RHS but essentially the design is the same. I'll post the image later as I'm having a struggle to post the screenshot at the moment. I'm also moving towards the threaded rod idea with a wooden or metal pipe outer casing (like @Darren69). More to come. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 Hi Guys, Updated project picture Any suggestions of equipment placement, materials etc... greatly appreciated. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren69 Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Give yourself plenty of room now. If you change components down the track and they don't fit, you will furrow your brow. Good to see you're covering the threaded rod. It always looks like threaded rod, if you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattjtaylor2809 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 My only concern with the threaded rod design is how hard it is to level off all shelves.....having said that, the post with spikes design could be even harder? Also with the the threaded rods, how do you set the heights, do you use a washer & screw top & underneath each panel? Do you make a small hollow for the washer to sit in? With a 26mm panel I don't want to hollow out too much. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) Surely that list of equipment deserves the sonic benefits of a material like Bamboo . It's okay I'm just a Bamboo plywood fanboi, I love the look of it. I would be a bit concerned whether the Bunnings 26mm panels would hold the weight of your gear without bowing so I'd use 4 threaded rods front and back. Apparently Bamboo ply has a higher tensile strength than steel so would only need 4 rods in total and may have a cleaner look. I was going to make a rack out of this beautiful Tiger Bamboo ply but I simplified my system back to an all in one integrated. This brought TV units back into focus and by co-incidence I'm getting this delivered this afternoon My tt and integrated will sit on top, Foxtel IQ and PS4 Apple TV in the shelves. The top is concrete which is also meant to be a great surface to put equipment on. My heaviest piece of equipment is the integrated at a mere 12kgs Also as @Darren69 has said, give your gear plenty of room to breathe, which also allows for changes to equipment over time. Edited November 22, 2017 by blybo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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