Where did you get your giant rack?

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:20 pm

No, not the bad pick up line. The audio engineer question. Seriously.

I've been rearranging some logistical stuff and needed to invest in a decent size 20-24U rack, and get rid of a few mismatched smaller ones. I thought I had it all figured out, found some pretty ones at Redco and then I saw WHAT THE FREAKING SHIPPING COSTS WERE!

I ended up getting a Raxxes rack from sweetwater, the biggest one with free shipping that they sell (20U). Not quite the beauty I had imagined, but I don't know how else to go about this.

Whenever I see photos of nicer studios they have those rows of like three 24 or 30 U racks with one solid piece of wood table-top over all of them. Is that custom work?

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:38 pm

Kind of like this big mamma-jamma I sold today? Maple Rack

Look on craigslist, racks have no resale value.[/url]

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:28 pm

there are all kinds of companies that make those. Raxxess, Middle Atlantic make more heavy duty ones that are intended for servers called a four post rack. It has rails front and rear. They also make half height versions as well.
Argosy makes some that match their mixer desks.
there is some company I am forgetting I am sure.
I like to stick to 12u racks and smaller cause I move almost every other year.

minorkeylee · Post by **minorkeylee** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:37 pm

My goodness. I went to a surplus store today. They had the SWEETEST most AWESOMEST racks EVER. I'm not kiddin. Every form of rack you ever imagined. Right there, rusting. Lonely.

6 foot racks, with glass doors, built in power supplies (strips) and built in ventilation (installed blowers/exhaust fans) for $100-ish . Double side...... Mount shit front and back.

The government has a lot of waste. Some of it is just the right size for audio stuff.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:53 pm

most any 4 poster rack you find like that is not gonna take 10/32 screws. most are m5 or m6 metric threading. Some will have square holes that you need to use cage nuts on. Just so you know before you go hog wild!

roygbiv · Post by **roygbiv** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:07 pm

In a pinch, you could build ones pretty cheap.

[Edit - I should probably delete this post, as this is probably not what you are looking for, but since I typed it all out, what the heck].

You can buy a certain bedside stand from Ikea. I think they call it the Knobengobbler, or maybe the Geschlechtapparatenpolisher, or maybe the Bjorklicher.

I'm not sure. Ikea names are confusing. Robotic. Teutonic. Erotic. I like to pronounce them (in my head) with a slightly-mocking Conan Obrian voice. Apparently I sometimes forget to keep that voice to myself, based on the stares I get from people in the store.

Anyway, they might also be called the "Rast" - but that is kind of boring. Try asking for the above - see what you get.

The rack-thingies are like 10$/each, and they make a perfect 6-8 space rack.

You also have to buy the screw-hole thingies (from somewhere dreaded like Guitar Centaur).

Still comes in at less than $20/each. And you can stain them nice n' purty n' shit. I built three of them.

You could skip the Ikea sides, and just buy longer boards, to make them however many rack spaces high as you want.

The key thing is that the horizontal thingy is exactly the right 19" width for audio stuff.

AND it comes pre-tapped, so that to build it, you just screw the side piece right into the horizontal piece. Takes zero effort. The hardest part for me was staining the wood (which you don't have to to, if you prefer a light wood color).

Here's a picture:

And a URL a guy put together on how-to-do-it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjw333/29627416/

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:16 pm

another +1 for building it. Its really easy and cheap.

Scodiddly · Post by **Scodiddly** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:07 am

Some varieties of store-bought "milk crates" are 19" across as well.

I'd agree with the "get smaller racks because you'll have to move someday" approach.

Judas Jetski · Post by **Judas Jetski** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:56 am

Mine came out of a Dumpster.

standup · Post by **standup** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:57 am

Installed, finished wood racks look great and say "permanent facility" or something -- I've got most stuff in 4-space racks (and a middle atlantic "workstation" desk with 2 x 4 space racks) because I want it to be portable if possible. The one 8-space rack I filled with "portable" stuff is freakin' unwieldy.

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:49 am

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:51 am

We built all but one of our racks. Find a lumberyard near you that sells furniture grade birch ply, 13 ply 3/4" looks the best... Often these places will cut for you, so just make a design that uses as much of the wood as possible. It is like $46 a sheet here in Brooklyn, and that is way cheaper than any prefab racks.

John

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:51 am

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:51 am

We built all but one of our racks. Find a lumberyard near you that sells furniture grade birch ply, 13 ply 3/4" looks the best... Often these places will cut for you, so just make a design that uses as much of the wood as possible. It is like $46 a sheet here in Brooklyn, and that is way cheaper than any prefab racks.

John

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:51 am

Message Board

Where did you get your giant rack?

Where did you get your giant rack?

Who is online