DIY Flexy Rack

tryrrthg
tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
edited February 2024 in Clubhouse Archives
I know, you've seen one flexi rack you've seen them all, but you haven't seen MINE! :D

it's MDF covered in Parts Express cherry vinyl. It came out looking pretty nice. I finally got the hang of putting on the vinyl on the last two shelves so there are some mistakes on the other shelves. I made it for about $60 so I can't complain. I love the look, especially with the gear in it. And the wife even approved!

Note: I'm probably selling the Audio Research preamp if anyone is interested. I hate to get rid of it, the cool factor is VERY high, but it just doesn't work with my amp. :(
Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    Nice job. Here is mine done in 3/4" birch veneer panaply.
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited December 2003
    Nice rack. Trust me if I ever build one (and buy a digital camera), you'll see more than one picture of it.


    ? Is it just the picture or are the top shelves leaning? I'm thinking it's just in the picture.

    ?#2 Why isn't the pre "working" with you amp?
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited December 2003
    Nice looking Flexy's! I just finished up one myself. Took all my gear off the wall rack and built a 3 shelf'er.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    Thanks guys!
    Originally posted by gidrah
    Nice rack. Trust me if I ever build one (and buy a digital camera), you'll see more than one picture of it.


    ? Is it just the picture or are the top shelves leaning? I'm thinking it's just in the picture.

    ?#2 Why isn't the pre "working" with you amp?
    Answer #1: it's probably me taking a slanted picture. The rack is indeed level! :D

    Answer #2: The McCormack amps have a high gain, designer Steve McCormack designed the amps to be used with passive preamps or pre's with little gain. The Audio Research pre is also high gain, it has 18db of gain. Putting the two together just didn't work. With the AR pre I couldn't make it to "9 o'clock" on the volume knob because it was so loud. With other amps this would not be a problem...

    The McCormack pre (on the top shelf) is a passive pre. it has a passive and buffered outputs. The buffered just gives the signal a little "boost" (or so is my understanding) to the signal so it can run long IC's or amps that need a little more drive from the pre. Both pre's sound GREAT! but the McCormack pre gives me a LOT more volume options!
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited December 2003
    Thanks for the quick reply. I fully understand what you mean.

    Nice rack and nice rig.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by gidrah
    Nice rack and nice rig.
    Thanks! it's nice to finally have the rig "complete" enough for me to enjoy! The only thing left: The bottom octave! I can't wait!
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2003
    What are the columns? All-thread with SS tubing as spacers?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

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  • hotwheelman
    hotwheelman Posts: 1,300
    edited December 2003
    Wardsweb, Are those koss m80's atop those speaker stacks?
    "Its worked so far but we're not out yet."
    "Hey big man let me hold a dollar"
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited December 2003
    You guys rock.

    I can't build ANYTHING. I tried to build a 4-shelf flexy for the mancave some time ago, a COMPLETE and utter failure. It's so 'wobbly', I ended up throwing it the master bedroom closet, and buying a Lovan. The wife uses the flexy as a shoe rack now.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by hotwheelman
    Wardsweb, Are those koss m80's atop those speaker stacks?

    Nope, from the top
    Garrard about 15 years old
    Design Audio PS6 - oops my bad, Design Acoustics
    BIC Model 66
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited December 2003
    You mean Design Acoustics PS6 - I've got a pair in the closet missing a tweet in one.

    I'll bring em to the gathering if you want em' for parts. I've also got the Literature SOMEWHERE if I can find it.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    You guys rock.

    I can't build ANYTHING. I tried to build a 4-shelf flexy for the mancave some time ago, a COMPLETE and utter failure. It's so 'wobbly', I ended up throwing it the master bedroom closet, and buying a Lovan. The wife uses the flexy as a shoe rack now.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    This might sound like a dumb question but did you drill the holes the EXACT same size as the threaded rod?
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by Tour2ma
    What are the columns? All-thread with SS tubing as spacers?
    not sure if this was directed at me or not, but no, that's just threaded rod as the columns, my digital camera isn't high tech enough to pull in that kind of detail...
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by tryrrthg
    This might sound like a dumb question but did you drill the holes the EXACT same size as the threaded rod?

    What do you think? The answer is *no*, never even crossed my mind until I was tightening the final nuts.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by tryrrthg
    not sure if this was directed at me or not...
    Yes, it was... thanks.

    Had almost forgotten a rebuild of a 100' tall, trayed distillation column a decade or so ago... all-thread and spacers all the way...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • TheMaster
    TheMaster Posts: 184
    edited December 2003
    Thyrryg, you did a nice job on that flexi rack. I've been wanting to replace my rack but I don't think I will spend a couple hundred $$ for it. Could you tell what you used (size of bolts, thickness of the vinyl, ideal length and width of the vinyl and places to get a rod). I think I can put one together but, I need some pointers that will help me with building and fabricating it.

    Thanks,

    Glenn
    HT:

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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2003
    Here is a site that has a 3 leg version:

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

    or four legs:

    http://www.jetcom.org/~jsb/flexirack.php

    others may have some links to sites that may help.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by TheMaster
    Thyrryg, you did a nice job on that flexi rack. I've been wanting to replace my rack but I don't think I will spend a couple hundred $$ for it. Could you tell what you used (size of bolts, thickness of the vinyl, ideal length and width of the vinyl and places to get a rod). I think I can put one together but, I need some pointers that will help me with building and fabricating it.

    Thanks,

    Glenn
    Thanks Glenn!

    The most expensive thing about the flexi was the vinyl. It came from parts express. Here is a link to their vinyl covering. You can see the different colors at the bottom of the page and the next page. Covering the MDF was a bit tricky. I tried wrapping one piece around all the corners so that I didn't have to try and cut straight edges, etc. If you can wrap it tight enough it looks pretty good. I needed 2 rolls to cover 6 shelves (I only ended up using 5 because I didn't get the vinyl tight enough on one of the shelves).

    I used 1/2" threaded rod. I wanted to use 5/8" but they only had 3 rods at the store and they were all pretty banged up. I think the thicker rod looks MUCH cooler!

    When drilling the holes you want to try and drill through all the shelves at the same time so all the holes line up. So its good to have some big clamps laying around. Also take note from Russman, you want to drill the holes the SAME size as the threaded rod, meaning I drilled 1/2" holes for 1/2" rod.

    I made my shelves 24" wide by 17" deep out of 3/4" MDF. I went 17" deep because my amp is pretty deep. I wish I had gone 16" instead... You'll have to measure how deep your equipment goes to figure out the best dimensions for you.

    That's all I can think of now. Let me know if you have any questions. It was a fun project and turned out GREAT! My wife even thinks it looks good!
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited December 2003
    oops screw up on my part...
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    Wardsweb's plans for "The Rack"

    here is an old pic of it
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    Pic sent to me by others who have built my rack

    Les' rack
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    John's rack
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 939
    edited December 2003
    Dustin's Rack - just goes to show the flexibility of the design. You can lay it out any way you want.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited December 2003
    I noticed one thing Wards, no mention of Neoprene washers?

    During my 'attempt' at a flexy, I had a Neoprene washer on each side of the shelf, between the wood and metal washer. I've seen a few others take this route too.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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