New Built In's What I spent my summer on!

drumminman
drumminman Posts: 3,396
edited October 2012 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
My Living room, which is also my two channel room looked like a dog's breakfast (wife's words!). I had thought for some time I'd like to take on this project, but it took me a while to work up the nerve, figure out how to make the trim, shelving, cabinets, etc. I've done carpentry over the years, but I've not had to match existing cabinetry before.

I have some tools, but not a lot: compound mitre saw, circular saw, drill, sanders, etc. That was the other challenge, how to do this given my level of experience, and set of tools.

I was also a bit nervous as once I cut out the carpet there was no turning back, and that was the first step!

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The last pic shows the unfinished cabinet (no back) in place for a test fit.
"Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited September 2012
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    More test fitting. The carcase of the large shelf unit starting to take place. Bottom right shows baseboard removed to be recut once everything is permanently in place. Tricky for me was to cut out for the outlets and have everything fit on the first try! Didn't want to have to buy more cabinet grade plywood.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited September 2012
    Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.

    Oops! somehow I double posted this set and couldn't work out how to delete. Any way, you can see everything starting to take shape. I need lots of shelves due to current size of CD collection, with room for expansion. Took a long time to build 14 adjustable shelves!

    The top, bottom and center shelves on each unit are dado'd and screwed in place to give the carcases strength. first pic should have been the third one as it has the trim in place and everything is attached to the wall with screws.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited September 2012
    Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.

    Getting close to being finished! It took me three months due to only having weekends available. The biggest problem I had was matching the paint. Tip: do not use computer matching at a big box store!
    I used home depot and it was a color disaster. I finally went to a local paint shop where they match it by eye - no scanning. Perfect!
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited September 2012
    Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.

    One of my goals was to match the look of the existing built ins that were built with the house. I think it came out pretty well.

    Definitely cleaned up the LR getting rid of the cheap CD towers. Major increase in WAF, too! She actually likes the way the 2.3TL's look, a rare woman indeed!
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited September 2012
    Looks great man. You did a great job matching the existing look and meeting your storage needs. Congrats.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • GlennDog
    GlennDog Posts: 3,121
    edited September 2012
    Very nice work indeed. Well Done!

    G
    AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
    Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
    Pre Cary SLP-05
    Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
    Mains Salk HT2-TL
    Rythmik F12
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  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited September 2012
    That looks very well done. Nice layout.
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  • Blownrx7
    Blownrx7 Posts: 137
    edited October 2012
    Beautiful!
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited October 2012
    Thanks guys! After I finished it took me several days of not looking at to start to enjoy it - got a bit burned out :lol:

    All that stuff in the cabinet in the first two pics in post #5 is AC filitering: two balanced isolation transformers, an isolation transformer and a ferroresonant filter.

    It sure is nice to have the system up and running again :cool:
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • polk500
    polk500 Posts: 1,171
    edited October 2012
    Very nice work sir. Now take your left hand put it over your right shoulder and give yourself an attaboy because that a lot of work to do and it looks fantastic.

    Cheers Roger
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,572
    edited October 2012
    look me up when you get to Illinois I'll have some work for you.....:lol:
    great job very nice indeed.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    edited October 2012
    I like that you don't have a TV in there. Nice setup.
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  • woodhead 2
    woodhead 2 Posts: 367
    edited October 2012
    Nice work. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started.
    Panny 8000 project
    Oppo 103D
    Fronts- Monitor 70's
    Upper fronts- Monitor 30's
    Surrounds- Monitor 50's
    Backs- Monitor 40's
    Center-CS 350
    Sub- SVS PB 2000
    Onkyo 607[back up]
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited October 2012
    Clipdat wrote: »
    I like that you don't have a TV in there. Nice setup.

    Yeah, I have the HT in a separate room. I find it much more relaxing to listen to music, talk, etc. without a big screen staring at me, even one that's off :lol:
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited October 2012
    woodhead 2 wrote: »
    Nice work. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started.

    It is, it took me 3-4 years to work up the nerve! And decide if I had the skill level. Once the sawdust started flying and I got into the mindset it went pretty well.

    What I thought would be the easiest part turned out to be the worst: matching the color of the existing built ins.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2012
    Nice!
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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