Building some audio shelving - looking for suggestions

[fiddlefye]

I've been mumbling about making some proper shelving for my system for ages now and in the new year I'm going to finally get to it and get it done. Enough blathering and procrastinating. I no longer have to figure out how to integrate a big MacPro tower into the installation so it has become a lot easier.

I have 40" width to work with so, it will end up being a two-bay design. The biggest issue (literally) will be the DP-80 plinth which measures 50cm x 60 cm (19.5" x 23.5") - obviously will go on the top shelf which will have to be deeper than the rest, at least 1/2 of it will. If you add the width of the Revox A-77 to it the total is exactly 40". Sadly the B-77 won't fit.

I've figured out the basic design, but could use some advice on materials. Given the system will be in my little 12x12 study and tucked into a corner I'm not going for flash and figure on doing a threaded-rod type.

In terms of materials:

Is 3/4" rod heavy enough or do I need to use 1"? 3/4" is easily available, but I have tracked down somewhere locally that supplies 1" if necessary - at a major premium. If I get 6 x 3' lengths or rod then 36" height which should hold everything - just.

What material for the shelves themselves? MDF? Seems to be a common material for such units, but is there something reasonably affordable that is better? What thickness?

In the end I'll tie the whole thing back to the wall to reduce any chance of movement.

 

[Audionut]

I’ve not done the threaded rod build but thought they looked neat, there’s even a galvanized pipe version now too. 3/4 ply would be less expensive than Baltic birch depending on the species. MDF is very dense and heavy, but would need to be laminated. Any renderings of what you might be interested in building?

I also need to build a component cabinet so am looking forward to your build.

 

[Drugolf]

Well if you are going to make it yourself I guess the thing you can dial in then is selecting a shelving type that has the best damping as possible. Oak, Beech and Birch. Or you can combine two materials with a 3/8" white oak veneer or similar over MDF with some good damping glue like DAP ALEX Plus.
There have been a bunch of butcher block counter top slabs at HD and even at Woodcrafters here as of late. Maybe see about those since they have glued together pieces in different directions which may also do something to help dampen. Nice and thick and solid woods. But if you use that stuff be sure to get a finish on it quickly before it warps/bends. My guess is that stuff is all pretty new wood and still a bit wet under it's cellophane wrapping.

 

[fiddlefye]

I’ve not done the threaded rod build but thought they looked neat, there’s even a galvanized pipe version now too. 3/4 ply would be less expensive than Baltic birch depending on the species. MDF is very dense and heavy, but would need to be laminated. Any renderings of what you might be interested in building?

I also need to build a component cabinet so am looking forward to your build.

I like the potential flexibility of a threaded rod build and also the ease of getting each and every shelf truly level. Not an insignificant feature in a 110-year-old house.

 

[Wntrmute2]

I don't know your budget but McMaster-Carr has Acme treaded rod as well as regular. My local lumber yard sell raw butcher block so maybe you could try somewhere similar for shelving.

 

[Audionut]

I like the potential flexibility of a threaded rod build and also the ease of getting each and every shelf truly level. Not an insignificant feature in a 110-year-old house.

Good point, you can do 3/4 shelving with a 1.5” lip to avoid sag or sandwich two 3/4” shelves to stiffen and avoid sagging. If you like the appearance of butcher blocker then @Wntrmute2 has a great idea. I’ve seen them at the big box orange store, this would save you some build and finishing time since the units are very rigid and pre-finished. They can also cut them down to size (you may just need to sand and finish an edge as their cuts are not as polished and accurate).

 

[electrovice]

How about a Salamander Synergy clone? The uprights of their racks use an extruded aluminum material that allows the shelves to be very adjustable and the resulting rack is very sturdy. The generic name for the material is 80/20. The material can be purchased from several vendors on eBay. the product sold by "Zoro Tools" on eBay is a nice product and they have very reasonable shipping rates. "Tnutz" is another eBay seller. A similar product by a company called called "Faztek" can be purchased through Grainger. With Grainger, their is no shipping cost if you have the product delivered to a local distributor.

You can buy Salamander shelf brackets on eBay, but they don't come cheap. A simple bracket can be fabbed with a short section of aluminum angle extrusion. There is a 3D print clone (close but not exact) of the Salamander shelf bracket on the web if you have 3D print capability.

I have used the classic DIY Flexy rack in the past. They are nice but are a royal pain to adjust.

 

[fiddlefye]

This is the spot where things will end up. The printer and computer will obviously vanish and the very deep filing cabinet (a corner of which is just visible on the left) will also be re-homed. I could use a bit bigger room, but...

 

[fiddlefye]

How about a Salamander Synergy clone? The uprights of their racks use an extruded aluminum material that allows the shelves to be very adjustable and the resulting rack is very sturdy. The generic name for the material is 80/20. The material can be purchased from several vendors on eBay. the product sold by "Zoro Tools" on eBay is a nice product and they have very reasonable shipping rates. "Tnutz" is another eBay seller. A similar product by a company called called "Faztek" can be purchased through Grainger. With Grainger, their is no shipping cost if you have the product delivered to a local distributor.

You can buy Salamander shelf brackets on eBay, but they don't come cheap. A simple bracket can be fabbed with a short section of aluminum angle extrusion. There is a 3D print clone (close but not exact) of the Salamander shelf bracket on the web if you have 3D print capability.

I have used the classic DIY Flexy rack in the past. They are nice but are a royal pain to adjust.

One issue I'm up against is the absurdly limited availability of all sort of products on the Canadian side of the border. This is true across the board when attempting all sorts of projects, though in more usual times I can source materials from Detroit.

 

[Fran604g]

Fastenal is also a potential vendor for all thread. I bought all mine there for years (I did massive bottling plant conveyor installations which included hanging very heavy units from ceilings with 1/2" zinc plated all thread), and they have actual brick and mortar stores...just a thought.

 

[electrovice]

One issue I'm up against is the absurdly limited availability of all sort of products on the Canadian side of the border. This is true across the board when attempting all sorts of projects, though in more usual times I can source materials from Detroit.

That would be a problem.

Grainger in Canada?

https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/FRAMING-EXTRUSION%2C15-SERIES%2C96-IN-L/p/WWG1PEF3

 

[fiddlefye]

Fastenal is also a potential vendor for all thread. I bought all mine there for years (I did massive bottling plant conveyor installations which included hanging very heavy units from ceilings with 1/2" zinc plated all thread), and they have actual brick and mortar stores...just a thought.

Fastenal doesn't really sell retail so I'd have to get someone in business to buy for me, but it could be done.

 

[mfrench]

I built this stubby fexi-rack to fit under this library table. I didn't care for the thread rod appearance, so I spent some time at the hardware store, fitting copper plumbing fittings together, to cover the bolts. Three legs; two front, one rear-center.

 

[Andyman]

One thing you really need to consider for a 40" span is weight capacity and sag. MDF really isn't very strong and there's no way you should consider 3/4" for a 40" span.

Here's a link that may help. If you can split the space with 3 sets of supports, you will gain a tremendous amount of strength, but measure carefully as depending on support placement you may not have 20"+ of room between the uprights for standard 19" rack width items. If you have skinny gear you could make it work. I just measured my gear and most of it is around 17", only the Anthem preamp is 19", so you could do 2 bays with careful rod placement as 3x 3/4" will eat up 2 1/4" leaving you 37 1/4" for side offset and spacing. You can gain some strength with a 5 pole design that open the front. Your shelves would be differentially stressed and still subject so some front deflection, but it should be far stronger than the 4 pole design.

Properly Space Your Shelves and Wall Supports

This guide will show you how to determine standard shelf support spans, shelf heights, and which shelving material to choose from for wall shelves.

www.thespruce.com

And MDF info

Is MDF Good For Shelves? A Guide to Using MDF for Shelves | All About Materials

There are many options of materials you can choose from when building a shelf. Timber, plywood, chipboard, and glass are among the choices of materials…

www.allaboutmaterials.com

 

[Fran604g]

^^^ I was thinking the same. Personally, I'd stay away from anything that isn't solid. That being said, a horizontal trim board front and rear would add critical support to reduce or eliminate sag.

 

[fiddlefye]

One thing you really need to consider for a 40" span is weight capacity and sag. MDF really isn't very strong and there's no way you should consider 3/4" for a 40" span.

Here's a link that may help. If you can split the space with 3 sets of supports, you will gain a tremendous amount of strength, but measure carefully as depending on support placement you may not have 20"+ of room between the uprights for standard 19" rack width items. If you have skinny gear you could make it work.

Properly Space Your Shelves and Wall Supports

This guide will show you how to determine standard shelf support spans, shelf heights, and which shelving material to choose from for wall shelves.

www.thespruce.com

And MDF info

Is MDF Good For Shelves? A Guide to Using MDF for Shelves | All About Materials

There are many options of materials you can choose from when building a shelf. Timber, plywood, chipboard, and glass are among the choices of materials…

www.allaboutmaterials.com

The span wouldn't be 40" though. There would be a total of six posts no matter what material I end up building with - two posts either end, two in the middle. The actual span between posts wouldn't be more than 18"-19".

 

[GuyK]

With respect to deflection of a shelf, mdf is less than 1/3 the strength of solid oak of the same thickness, less than 1/2 that of pine, and still only about 2/3 that of plywood. It's the last thing I'd consider using for structural shelf, regardless of length of span. Besides that, it's ugly.

 

[Try1256]

I've been mumbling about making some proper shelving for my system for ages now and in the new year I'm going to finally get to it and get it done. Enough blathering and procrastinating. I no longer have to figure out how to integrate a big MacPro tower into the installation so it has become a lot easier.

I have 40" width to work with so, it will end up being a two-bay design. The biggest issue (literally) will be the DP-80 plinth which measures 50cm x 60 cm (19.5" x 23.5") - obviously will go on the top shelf which will have to be deeper than the rest, at least 1/2 of it will. If you add the width of the Revox A-77 to it the total is exactly 40". Sadly the B-77 won't fit.

I've figured out the basic design, but could use some advice on materials. Given the system will be in my little 12x12 study and tucked into a corner I'm not going for flash and figure on doing a threaded-rod type.

In terms of materials:

Is 3/4" rod heavy enough or do I need to use 1"? 3/4" is easily available, but I have tracked down somewhere locally that supplies 1" if necessary - at a major premium. If I get 6 x 3' lengths or rod then 36" height which should hold everything - just.

What material for the shelves themselves? MDF? Seems to be a common material for such units, but is there something reasonably affordable that is better? What thickness?

In the end I'll tie the whole thing back to the wall to reduce any chance of movement.

I have threaded rod shelves Bruce. These are the rods I used.

Zoro Select Fully Threaded Rod, 1"-8, 3 ft, Steel, Grade B7, Black Oxide Finish B7.10000803.BO.IAR | Zoro

Order Zoro Select Fully Threaded Rod, 1"-8, 3 ft, Steel, Grade B7, Black Oxide Finish, B7.10000803.BO.IAR at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

My shelves are 1 3/4” maple cutting boards. 18”x 24”. They work and look great.
This photo will give you a look.

 

[fiddlefye]

With respect to deflection of a shelf, mdf is less than 1/3 the strength of solid oak of the same thickness, less than 1/2 that of pine, and still only about 2/3 that of plywood. It's the last thing I'd consider using for structural shelf, regardless of length of span. Besides that, it's ugly.

I love solid wood - working with it, the look etc. Some nice oak would look great with the trim on the room. Cost is one aspect I need to keep in mind. The lack of dimensional stability in the materials that are commonly available these days is unfortunately often abysmal. The only way I see building solid-wood shelves that wide would require someone with a joiner, something I don't own.

The biggest issue I have to deal with is probably the dimensions I need - 3 (perhaps 4) shelves @ 18" x 40" and one of 24" x 40".

I have threaded rod shelves Bruce. These are the rods I used.

Zoro Select Fully Threaded Rod, 1"-8, 3 ft, Steel, Grade B7, Black Oxide Finish B7.10000803.BO.IAR | Zoro

Order Zoro Select Fully Threaded Rod, 1"-8, 3 ft, Steel, Grade B7, Black Oxide Finish, B7.10000803.BO.IAR at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

My shelves are 1 3/4” maple cutting boards. 18”x 24”. They work and look great.
This photo will give you a look. View attachment 43367

Those look great! That's the sort of thing I'd like to end up with, but not sure about availability of materials and actually managing to afford it all...

If I did end up using MDF it would be with a brace across the back and 1/2" x 1 1/2" finished wood trim around the front three sides as well. Paint the top and bottom (which will be mostly hidden under gear anyway) black and it might work out ok?

 

[GuyK]

I love solid wood - working with it, the look etc. Some nice oak would look great with the trim on the room. Cost is one aspect I need to keep in mind. The lack of dimensional stability in the materials that are commonly available these days is unfortunately often abysmal. The only way I see building solid-wood shelves that wide would require someone with a joiner, something I don't own.

The biggest issue I have to deal with is probably the dimensions I need - 3 (perhaps 4) shelves @ 18" x 40" and one of 24" x 40".

Those look great! That's the sort of thing I'd like to end up with, but not sure about availability of materials and actually managing to afford it all...

If I did end up using MDF it would be with a brace across the back and 1/2" x 1 1/2" finished wood trim around the front three sides as well. Paint the top and bottom (which will be mostly hidden under gear anyway) black and it might work out ok?

What about edge joining oak stair-tread? 1"x11-1/2" x 48" is pretty common, and not über-expensive. If you're going to paint anyways, then pine or poplar - both stronger, and possibly less expensive than mdf.

Also, no need for a dedicated jointer. Since you're only talking 40" length, use a router & spiral bit with a straight edge for a jointer. Just take the merest whisper of a cut for final trim... easy-peasy. Or a #7 or #8 jointer plane. 40" isn't too bad to joint by hand.