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Bolt and plywood stereo shelves????

Bassmantweed said:
Is the 3/4 at lowes really THAT compromised?
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I don't know the answer to that question, but in your desired configuration, it probably doesn't make any difference. If you have the through-bolts also installed at mid-span as you indicated in the OP, the load of the centered TV will mostly be transmitted axially down through the bolts anyway. You only really need to worry about mid-span loading when it comes to deflection.
 
Bassmantweed said:
Yeah maybe it is my blade or my technique of trying to manage 4x8 solo - but I always get tear-out on the backside when I try to cut this type of plywood.
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You could try putting tape on the back side of the sheet or do a "score" cut first, then flip it. But yes, it is tough and dangerous to cut a 4x8 solo :yes: It would be safer to clamp a straight edge and use hand held circular saw . . . at least enough to get the sheet small enough to handle.
 
finnbow said:
I don't know the answer to that question, but in your desired configuration, it probably doesn't make any difference. If you have the through-bolts also installed at mid-span as you indicated in the OP, the load of the centered TV will mostly be transmitted axially down through the bolts anyway. You only really need to worry about mid-span loading when it comes to deflection.
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My thoughts as well - I dont want to over engineer this sucker.
 
Well I forgot my MX119 - so now I have to get Fancy: they sell the rod in 1,3,6,9, & 12 ft sections. My thought is make the base 3 ft and use 1 footers for the pedestal on top. So with the casters on the bottom the unit would be about 4'5". That might be a bit high for my TV - will have to do some measurements tonight.

----------------Panasonic 42” TV
-----------======================
------------|--------MX119----------|
------------|------------------------|
========================================
-|---Mac---|--------Center----------|--Dac------|-
-|---Mini---|--------Speaker---------|-Magic-----|-
========================================
-|-------------------------|----------------------|-
-|---------Cable Box-------|---APC power Cond---|-
-|-------------------------|----------------------|-
========================================
-|-------------------------|----------------------|-
-|------------MC352-------|--RotelRMB1095------|-
-|-------------------------|----------------------|-
========================================
--O-----------------------O----------------------O

Legend:

= would be the plywood
| would be the bolts
O would be the Casters
- are just spaces I had to put in ther to make the picture line up - disregard them

For a brief moment I thought about extending the bottom shelf so i could put my speakers on the same platform but I need more than 8 feet seperation.

------------------------------------------Panasonic 42” TV
-------------------------------------======================
--------------------------------------|--------MX119----------|
--------------------------------------|------------------------|
--------------------------========================================
---------------------------|---Mac---|--------Center----------|--Dac------|-
---------------------------|---Mini---|--------Speaker---------|-Magic-----|-
--------------------------========================================
---------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-
---------------------------|---------Cable Box-------|---APC power Cond---|-
---------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-
--------------------------========================================
---------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-
---------------------------|------------MC352-------|--RotelRMB1095------|-
---------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-
================================================================================
--O------------------------O-----------------------O----------------------O----------------------O
 
You don't want your speaker on the rack they would induce vibration into everything.

Do you need so much height for the Power cond and Cable box? you might be able to lose some height there.
 
Redikilowatt said:
Check out Sagulator to calculate weight bearing capabilities of different types and thicknesses of materials. I would also encourage you to find a different source for the maple ply. The Borgs are notorious for poor quality plywood that have voids and glue issues. The Wurth Group is a good supplier in the Southeast.

Roger
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That must be a regional thing here both Home Depot and Lowes source from the same mills as the locally owned lumber yards. Same with the dimensional lumber I can pay 2 bucks for a 2X4 or I can pay 2.50 At Home Depot the guys are lazy so no one seams to give a rats if I go through half the stack looking for the best wood long as I put it back together.

Though I have had a couple guys help me sort through the plywood,
 
Mark W. said:
That must be a regional thing here both Home Depot and Lowes source from the same mills as the locally owned lumber yards. Same with the dimensional lumber I can pay 2 bucks for a 2X4 or I can pay 2.50 At Home Depot the guys are lazy so no one seams to give a rats if I go through half the stack looking for the best wood long as I put it back together.

Though I have had a couple guys help me sort through the plywood,
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Ditto, on digging through the stacks!
Interesting point about the regional aspects. Much of the hardwood ply I see in Lowe's and HD are stamped with overseas country of origin. Honestly don't know where the smaller suppliers source. However, their products are generally superior and 3/4" is actually 3/4". Also 5'x5' sheets are commonly offered.

I need to travel more :D
Roger
 
When I built my Dual Flexy rack the lumber yard was very happy to cut a 4'x8' sheet of 3/4" MDF into 12 16"x24" pieces. It only cost a couple of bucks and was well worth it. I didn't ask but they would probably have drilled the holes also. For a small fee of course.

OTOH: The nuts were the most expensive single component. It was ~$60 for a box of 50. That was at Home Depot.

I used a slightly different method for my Dual Flexy. The one illustrated at TNT-Audio has one rod in the middle and two on each end. I use two in the middle and one on each end. I have never noticed any flexing or sway with this setup. This thread prompted me to try to induce some sway. I wasn't able to. The two rods in the middle construction seems to make sway difficult if not impossible.

It's probable the shelf staggering makes a difference. You could stagger all the shelves but the top. That could be one piece.
 
dmagalhaes said:
Mine doesn't sway at all and I have about 110 lbs on the top shelf alone.

DSC02052.jpg
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Very Nice!
 
Any lumber yard would be the wrong place to buy nut's and washers. Go to a farm and home type store for these items, you can usually expect to pay about a $ 1.20 a pound for them there.
 
I used birch plywood, not as fancy as some but I was pleased with the result.
 

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I have both built and bought shelving over many years for my audio gear, Best material i have found is 3/4 marine grade ply, lightly burn the show face with propane torch,,makes the grain stand out, the polyurathane, cut dado in the side pieces, Also for any internal seperators. You can face the ply with any sort of 1/16th in material. You can use 1/4 sheet ply for the back, cut out routing holes for your wiring/ or cut out large rectangles using the 1/4 as just a stablizer, if the width of the ply is 18 inch or wider, even with just four casters there should be no stability problem. If you buy 4'by 8' sheets the home improvement store should cut it for you for about 90 cents a cut, then all you need is glue/clamps and nail gun/ or be very good with fini9sh nails and hammer. I once built one using 2"x2"x6' pine for the outer holders of the ply with 2x2 cross pieces, if you use the edge of ply and align with the 2x2 it doesn't look too bad. On another note: it is also amazing the kind of speakers yo can build with scrap lumber, time, and older junked car speakers, just need the right crossovers. I loved to experiment with shape and size...lots of fun.
Steve
 
Bought 6 rods today from lowes 3/4" for $8 each - $48 - which was cheaper than i thought. $50 for the nuts and washers. $70 for the plywood cut to size at the lumber yard. $12 on edging material and $8 for the edge trimmer.

$188 invested so far
 
blhagstrom said:
The evil geneous is thinking of placing pipe over the threaded rod to cover the details.
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I like this idea alot. 3/4" Copper pipe actually fits over the 3/4" rod perfectly. i am going to polish the copper with some steel wool then spray it with a protectant to keep it from tarnishing.

Anyone ever thought about mounting their components directly to the Shelf? As I type this I am thinking not such a good idea if I ever decide to roll out/in new gear.
 
All ready to put together. i am just waiting until tomorrow as It is a daddy daughter project. will Post pics if someone tells me how.
 
Make sure you post pics. My setup is very similar to the one you outlined and I may want to drop some copper on mine as I have copper pipe curtain rods i built. There was a pic of my rack in one of the links earlier in this thread.
 
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