I think you will find "welded woods" like edge grain Maple butcher block more readily available for custom work. That kind of board is sonically inert to my ears. The only catch is that my amps stands are 3 inches thick and very heavy. My colleagues have had excellent results using 2 inch thick boards in multi shelf racks with the top shelf as a turntable platform.
Rack : I need your help
Hi,
I'd like to order a rack like this: an horizontal surface 145x45 cm with two side vertical to it surfaces 120x45 cm.
I hope you can imagine it.
I will put two very heavy turntables on it, with their motor units separate from the turntables.
I need a material sonically neutral and resistant.
I think that solid wood is better than mdf, but much heavier.
Which wood is the best choice?
Any advice is welcome, thank you.
I'd like to order a rack like this: an horizontal surface 145x45 cm with two side vertical to it surfaces 120x45 cm.
I hope you can imagine it.
I will put two very heavy turntables on it, with their motor units separate from the turntables.
I need a material sonically neutral and resistant.
I think that solid wood is better than mdf, but much heavier.
Which wood is the best choice?
Any advice is welcome, thank you.
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- 9 posts total
I will add to Mechans' very solid advice that you can use eastern rock maple boards as shelves http://www.boosblock.com/categories_for?cat_id=4802 My rack(s) use these, and on one I have an additional, very heavy 3" thick maple platform supporting a 300 lb turntable |
Go to Mapleshaderecords.com. They use air dried ambrosia maple for their stands. They will build to your specifications and up to 4" thick. You can check my system page first if you want to see their products before going to the website. Since you are using metric dimensions I think they can ship where you live. Good luck, happy listening. Glad my TT only weighs 90 lbs. |
Maple shelving has worked very well for me. My room is carpet over plywood above the garage, so the floors aren't the sturdiest thing going. It vibrates when you walk across it. With the Steve Blinn rack, the anti-vibe feet and maple platforms are good to the point that I can jump up and down or play the drums and not get any feedback from my TT setup. The two inch thick maple shelves are excellent, very heavy, and the rack can support (supposedly) up to 1000 pounds, or about 350/shelf. Steve will also design anything to your specs. Might want to consider giving him a shout. |
Thank you for your advices. I've talked to several manufacturers and each of them had a different approach. The most serious are: 1) baltic birch plywood 3" for all the construction 2) solid wood skeleton and thick 30mm glass (with a inner membrane) on it 3) aluminum skeleton and either solid wood or sandwitch mdf on it Any oppinions? |
- 9 posts total