Here's How I Make My Equipment Racks


In response to a previous thread, here's how I make my
equipment racks:
List of equipment: 3/4" thick MDF cut to desired shelf
size
(4) 3/4" diameter 6' threaded steel rods
3/4" nuts and washers (8 per shelf)
Drill a 3/4" hole in the corner of each shelf in exactly the
same place. I do this by scribing a line with a square 1 1/2" inch in and using a nail set to punch a hole where the lines intersect. A drill press works great to drill the holes so they are all straight and true. Now that you have
a hole drilled in each corner of each shelf, simply screw
the whole thing together, adjusting each shelf to fit your
gear. Use a square to make sure your first shelf is straight, and measure each one likewise. If you do this
correctly, your rack will sit straight and level. If you
need to level it further, buy (4) 3/4 rod connectors, which
are about 3" high, and screw these into the bottom of the
rod and use them to level it. I paint the steel rod using
Krylon Industrial enamel (flat black looks best), and paint
the shelves to match your decor. This makes a very solid,
heavy audio rack. Total cost is about $40 for the steel
rod, $15 for the nuts and washers (about $1.00 a pound)
$20 for the MDF, and $5.00 worth of paint for a total under
$100. I've made several racks this way and have used the
same method to make CD racks.
Dave
Ag insider logo xs@2xdave43

Showing 2 responses by randy7241

One thing I'm not clear on about the Ikea lyte design. What's to keep each shelf from accidentally slipping off the shelf below?

Unless I misunderstood the design, the legs of each shelf merely rest on the top of the shelf below. And while sharpened points in those legs might slightly embed themselves in that lower shelf, what's to prevent the errant elbow from knocking this rack apart?

Please understand that I'm not trying to be critical - the design sounds nice with a high WAF - but I don't want to take the chance of my equipment ending up on the floor. So, please tell me where I've misunderstood so I can go make one of these racks.

Thanks!
Ken - Thanks for the further thoughts and suggestions!

And have you been peeking in my windows? (smile) I have a black and a yellow labrador retriever!

-Randy