Finished DIY Speaker Stands

tryrrthg
tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
edited June 2004 in Speakers
I just finished my DIY speaker stands. They came out pretty nice and saved me over $200 from buying real stands. When I get them filled with sand they should weigh close to 70 pounds if not more.

Let me know what you guys think!

http://www.angelfire.com/alt/tryrrthg/index.html
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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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited March 2003
    Good stuff, can't tell in the pictures, did the stain match your speakers?
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited March 2003
    Hoosier,

    It matches semi-close in the right light. The stain either came out too light or too dark. I went for the too dark route because I'm not a fan of light stained wood. They look good enough for me!
    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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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2003
    Tryrrthg - Those stands look really nice, excellent craftsmanship. I personally like to see ppl do their own stuff, thats custom in my book. I like the way you designed them also. :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • burdette
    burdette Posts: 1,194
    edited March 2003
    "They came out pretty nice and saved me over $200 from buying real stands. "


    I think I know what you mean.. but really, they ARE real stands.. just ones that are not produced commercially. Don't view them as inferior or in anyway 'less' just because you made them. You now have hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind custom speaker stands... doesn't matter whether it was your hands or someone elses' that did the crafting. Great job.
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited March 2003
    Prabably a needless tip, but..

    Before you fill in with sand, put a bead of plumbers' rope around the bottom. It'll keep the sand in place and reduce any vibration or resonance.

    Looking great man! Thumbs way up!
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited March 2003
    Thanks guys!

    I know what you mean Burdette. They aren't quite as "pretty" as some commercial stands but I like them. I just can't wait to build a sub!

    I had some problems with the staining. trying to match my speakers was a lot harder than I thought. But everything came out fine! My better half hasn't seen them finished yet, so hopefully she'll approve!
    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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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited March 2003
    They look great
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  • dthomps
    dthomps Posts: 352
    edited March 2003
    Those look great, I really like how the base of the stands match perfectly with the bottom of the speakers. Killer work. Mike
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  • phoneisbusy
    phoneisbusy Posts: 867
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by tryrrthg
    I just finished my DIY speaker stands. They came out pretty nice and saved me over $200 from buying real stands. When I get them filled with sand they should weigh close to 70 pounds if not more.

    Let me know what you guys think!

    http://www.angelfire.com/alt/tryrrthg/index.html

    Looks great tryrrthg. Any hints or notes about painting the pvc ? What paint did you use, sanding grits, etc, etc...

    Guess who's got speaker stands on his to build list? ... ;)

    regards

    Dave
    Time is the best teacher. Unfortunately it kills all its students.
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  • goingganzo
    goingganzo Posts: 2,793
    edited March 2003
    that is a good idea. i want to buld a stand for my 800i about 18 in tall. do you think these stands will work?
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited March 2003
    Thanks again everyone!

    phoneisbusy,

    I just sanded the PVC with some fine sandpaper, just enough to get the "shiney" finish off of it. I used some primer also, not sure if you'd have to use it but I used it anyway... As for the paint, I used whatever was cheapest. I didn't use spray paint because I was painting in my apartment and would have made quite a mess.

    goingganzo,

    If you are going to make stands for your 800i's I would imagine they would have to be VERY VERY heavy!!! and you would probably have to attach the 800i's to the base of the stand using some bolts and the threaded spike insterts on the bottom of the speaker. The stands would have to be heavy so that the center of gravity is down low and so your 800i's wouldn't fall over after being attached to the stands. unless you attach the 800i to the stand I would advise against it. I had the 1000i's and they were not very stable on carpet let alone an 18" speaker stand...
    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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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited March 2003
    goingganzo - for your 800i's and an 18 inch stand. I would be thinking about an simple 18" cube filled with sand or lead shot. Simple to build, and like tryrrthg said, it would give you a very solid foundation for those "top heavy" speakers. Just my 2 cents.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by goingganzo
    that is a good idea. i want to buld a stand for my 800i about 18 in tall. do you think these stands will work?

    If ya don't mind me asking... Why stands for the 800i's? I'm unclear what benefit will be achieved.

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • goingganzo
    goingganzo Posts: 2,793
    edited March 2003
    the top of my 800 are at the botom of my tv screen. buy bulding a stand as tall as my tv stand it will bring up the speakers to tv level.
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited March 2003
    I see, said the blind man.....
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited March 2003
    goingganzo,

    It is more important for the tweeter to be at ear level than the speaker to be at TV level...

    Just my .02..
    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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  • LiquidSound
    LiquidSound Posts: 1,261
    edited June 2004
    Where did you get the circular rubber at? Did it come pre-cut or in sheets? What thickness is it? Are you still happy with your creation?
    I'll be tackling this project very soon..any other tips would be most appreciated.
    Thanks:D
    Two Channel Main
    Receiver - VSX-54TX
    Mains - Csi40's
    Sub - Spiked Velodyne Cht-8 On Spiked Landscaping Stones

    "If you could put speakers in a needle, I'd never see him again..." - My Girlfriend
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  • gmorris
    gmorris Posts: 1,179
    edited June 2004
    Good job.

    But, if you don't clean up those wires young man, you can't listen to that Nora Jones CD.....;)

    When you wanna go to Progressive Audio?
    Bob Mayo, on the keyboards. Bob Mayo.
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by LiquidSound
    Where did you get the circular rubber at? Did it come pre-cut or in sheets? What thickness is it? Are you still happy with your creation?
    I'll be tackling this project very soon..any other tips would be most appreciated.
    Thanks:D
    The rubber is just a piece of rubber roofing that my dad had in his basement. It's probably 1/8" thick or so. I cut it into circles myself using the PVC as a template.

    The only advice I could give would be drilling the holes for the threaded rod through BOTH the top and the bottom bases at the same time. Clamp them together then drill the hole, that way they'll line up better and it won't be a big pain in the **** putting the stand together. Also make sure you get nice straight cuts on the PVC. I used a table saw to cut the PVC straight, a miter saw might actually work well too.

    If you're going with a single PVC (per stand) design think about going with 6" diameter PVC. The more sand you get in the stand the better!

    I'm still very happy with my stands. They weigh 50 to 60 pounds and look pretty nice too. My wife even approves... And the best part is they cost about 1/4 of what I would have spent on a pair of stands...

    Good luck and have fun!
    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 June 2004
    Originally posted by gmorris
    Good job.

    But, if you don't clean up those wires young man, you can't listen to that Nora Jones CD.....;)
    wire managment is for women! ;) A man shows off all the wires needed to run that bad **** rig! :D besides, it's got to look complicated so no one touches it!

    I've since moved from the apartment that those pics were taken. my wires are a little better now that I have a flexi rack but they're not much better. too much to do around the new house to straighten up wire. I'll have to take some pics of the new set up...
    Originally posted by gmorris
    When you wanna go to Progressive Audio?
    Good question! things have been crazy with the new house, but we're starting to get settled. I don't have a free weekend for a few weeks but I think my wife works on Saturday, June 19th, maybe that will work...
    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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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited June 2004
    BTW I really like your preamp!!! it gets me all hot and bothered:D

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by HBombToo
    BTW I really like your preamp!!! it gets me all hot and bothered:D

    HBomb
    The Audio Research? Yeah that was a thing of beauty, one of AR's best SS preamps, a classic, but regretably I had to sell it... It didn't work with my amp (the gain was too high on both the AR pre and my amp) so I had to buy the matching McCormack preamp which is just as good to my ears... I'd love to give another AR a home, and try their tube pre's sometime too!
    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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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by tryrrthg
    and try their tube pre's sometime too!

    its gonna be a half hour before I can get up from my desk.... oooooohhhhhhhh AR tube pre....aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh:p

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by HBombToo
    its gonna be a half hour before I can get up from my desk.... oooooohhhhhhhh AR tube pre....aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh:p

    HBomb
    :D you're killing me HBomb! Do yourself a favor and NEVER make it to this shop in Columbus, Ohio (the shop gmorris is referring to earlier in this thread) you'll die from all the blood rushing to your man parts! They have the coolest geer!

    The Audio Research room at Progressive Audio

    audioresearch_1big.jpg

    audioresearch_4big.jpg

    The Showroom Map
    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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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by tryrrthg
    Do yourself a favor and NEVER make it to this shop in Columbus, Ohio (the shop gmorris is referring to earlier in this thread) you'll die from all the blood rushing to your man parts! They have the coolest geer!


    My Dad lives up in Marysville so I'll have to pop in there next pass through. **** the next time I'm through we'll have to plan on some beers!

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited June 2004
    Originally posted by HBombToo
    My Dad lives up in Marysville so I'll have to pop in there next pass through. **** the next time I'm through we'll have to plan on some beers!

    HBomb
    That would be cool!
    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 June 2004
    Originally posted by LiquidSound
    any other tips would be most appreciated.
    Thanks:D


    While I haven't built them or even stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, I've been doing a little research on stands, racks, vibrations, and have used PVC.

    Tips:
    For rubber caps you could use mousepads or plumbers rope caulk
    Blasting sand is the preferred sand. It's a little more expensive though.
    Fill about 1/3, tamp, repeat.
    Nail polish remover and steel wool wool remove the lettering and give a good surface for the paint to adhere to.
    No-slip rug and shelf liner makes a great anchor between speaker and stand.

    Additional tips that I've come up with:
    Send 2 coarse threaded lag bolts from each piece of wood into the sand. Try to transfer the weight and vibrations into the sand instead of the PVC.
    Use a sheet of paper to wrap around the PVC in order to get a straight line (providing you are using a hacksaw).
    Sharpen hex bolts to a point to use for spikes from base to floor.

    Good luck!
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • LiquidSound
    LiquidSound Posts: 1,261
    edited June 2004
    Just got back from Home Depot with all the supplies. Found a 2' x 4' sheet of MDF for six bucks which is great considering I don't need a whole sheet. The whole stand will be done in black gloss spray paint which won't match the 40's but I have exactly zero problems with that. This should be a very interesting and fun project I have ahead of me. I'm starting tomorrow and yes there will be pictures as well as a rundown of cost and time invested.

    Gidrah, good call on the mouse pads. I can't believe I didn't think of that myself. Don't think I'll be doing the lag bolts into the sand as I am *very* close to budget as is and still need a couple more things. *primer, mousepads* Unless I can find some lag bolts laying around the shop..that is.

    Thanks for the tips you guys. I can't wait to get started on these.

    Two Channel Main
    Receiver - VSX-54TX
    Mains - Csi40's
    Sub - Spiked Velodyne Cht-8 On Spiked Landscaping Stones

    "If you could put speakers in a needle, I'd never see him again..." - My Girlfriend
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