Equipment Rack?

[-=Rudy=-]

I'm using a very large wooden shelving unit to hold my gear right now. I've seen other high-end systems for holding my gear, but none seem to have what I want. As it stands, I need to have room for two turntables, a computer, and a reel-to-reel deck.

Last year, I used to work for an industrial distributor. While we mainly sold power transmission equipment, one additional line we sold was called 80/20. What it is, is best described as a giant erector set. You buy the components and build what you need, configuring it any way you can. The posts are all made out of extruded aluminum, and the hardware fits into the channels to lock shelves and cross-pieces into place.

I don't know if anyone else has run across this company yet, so just for curiosity's sake, I thought I'd post their address here. Here's their website:

http://www.8020.net

Chances are I'll be moving to a different house next year, and definitely want to upgrade from the shelving I have now. If I go with using 80/20, I'll need to take pictures of what I've done. :) I don't know if they sell direct or not.

And beside that, I haven't played with my Erector Set in decades. :D

Does anything like this exist from an audio shelving company?

[Gary]

You'd probably be able to make your own rack fairly cheaply. The advantage is that it can be configured pretty easily!

It also reduces vibrations and is a vast improvement over my old wood racks. Here is the website:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html

You can get the Home Depot to cut the MDF boards for you.

Have fun!

Gary

PS Welcome to the forum! :)

[Dave]

Gary or anyone who might know.....

Why don't they use HDF instead of MDF in these audiophile racks?:confused:

Hi Rudy and welcome to Steve's.:wave:

[Gary]

:confused: Don't really know.

But on the site it says you can have marble shelves if you want. I would do that but marble is pretty expensive. The marble guys have to cut, polish and drill the shelves.... :sigh:

[-=Rudy=-]

Hmmm...that "three-legged screw/nut/washer board shelf thingy" ;) does look interesting. I think it would probably work well for one of my smaller systems. In fact, I could see modifying the shape of the shelves to fit a corner, which is ideal where I have a small system in the living room. I'm guessing that if I did this type of setup for my main rig, though, I'd need to have about four of these units next to each other, and much taller at that.

My cheaper shelf layout right now keeps a lot of my gear at eye-level, and one turntable, at least, a bit above waist height. The only things I have set down low are power amps. This is one of those "one of everything" systems (a lot of 'source' devices), and some of what I do involves dubbing some of my analog sources to digital via the computer, or to MD or DAT.

One other idea I'd had would take some rudimentary cabinet work, but would be easy to accomplish. Basically, these would be square or rectangular wooden "box" cubicles that could be stacked as needed. I've already wanted to make some wooden cubes to hold LPs in, and stack enough together to make something almost like a wall unit.

[Gary]

Rudy, I think you'll find that your "big problem" is the wood part of the shelves. Wood (and wood like substances :D ) is very prone to vibration and you would really hear the difference with the DIY rack or something similar.

If you just can't get away from the metal / wood shelving idea, try to isolate the wood shelves.

Or try tip-toes to support a "shelf on a shelf" idea with the MDF being the second shelf on top of the stock wood shelf? Pexiglass supported by high density rubber "feet"? Use audiophile isolation devices (names escape me right now)? A combination of the three?

I seriously looked at "industrial shelving" myself but I could not figure out how to isolate the shelves that fit in the metal racks. So I went DIY. And I am happy I did!

Good luck!

[tony2v]

I used the 80/20 stuff to build new legs for my Maggies. Leftover parts from an engineering project at work.
Take a look at the Salamander Synergy line, it uses 80/20 material.

[Gary]

Tony, what the :confused: is the 80/20 stuff?

[tony2v]

Check out Rudy's link or this one
http://www.8020.net/.
It's a industrial erector setup. Very versatile and strong.

[-=Rudy=-]

I have an 80/20 CD-ROM that I picked up at the old job, and it's basically just an online version of their catalog. Despite its rugged appearance, it didn't appear to be too badly priced. I can borrow a miter saw and buy a cutoff wheel for it--that way, i can buy the 12' rail stock and not have to have them charge me for each cut to a custom size.

As far as isolation, the 80/20 system itself is said to absorb some minor amount of vibration. (The cross-section is like a fancy "X".) Beyond that, I'm sure I could rig something up for the turntables (or at least one of them--one is considered my 78RPM/'beater" turntable that I play older uncleaned vinyl on). With all the equipment I'd be putting on it, there will be a decent amount of mass involved. As much as I'd like casters to help move it, I think they'd be a "no-no". There are a lot of times I've wanted to pull my present shelving unit out, but it's difficult at best.

There are also a couple different levels of the rails they sell--i'd probably get the heavier ones, but there are light-duty rails that might be good for limited usage.

Might even build myself a corner computer desk with the stuff...