'Racks'. Important? Best bang for $$?

Good discussion here.

I often wonder with regard to this topic whether materials like those from Soundown would have some use.

http://www.soundown.com/AI.htm

I've used it in boats to deaden sound from engines.

Hey Blindjim,

From what you've said I think you're well on your way to making a rack that would give 90% of what's available off the shelf (pardon the pun) a run for it's money. The wood you've already got, are they component sized blocks or just small footers ? If you've got component sized butchers block type pieces then all you need are uprights and some joining hardware. Basically three legs of some description, two on one side and one in the centre of the other side. I've experimented with independently spiked ply shelves (in comparison to one piece leg supports) that are then stacked on top of each other and there was a slight difference but I'm not convinced it was positive. Don't forget a spike is omnidirectional so it's pretty good at moving resonances up as well as down the rack. Like I said, I would get some solid wood or ply (if you haven't guessed I like ply) for the legs and then some screw-in (usually with a 5 or 6mm allen key) inserts that have a internal 6mm thread. Mount these into the sides of the wooden shelves/blocks you have, two holes per leg/per shelf. Then drill through the legs to align with the holes, leaving at least 10cm clearence on top of each component. Countersink the holes in the legs and use coresponding sized countersunk allen headed screws to attach the legs to the inserts. The only difficulty I see you having if your using solid wood for the shelves is when you have to drill into the end grain to mount the inserts. I usually make a clampable template for the drill when doing this as there is no way you will be able to drill consistantly straight holes into end grain with a hand drill. Like I previously said, I would then suggest putting the whole rack on a think ply plinth. The plinth only needs to be slightly larger than the outer legs of the rack. In my experience a plinth beats spiking hands down unless your making speaker stands which obviously need to be ridgid to allow the piston drivers to work effectively.

Anyway hope that helps and remember, measure twice, cut/drill once !

Jim
Aquire a SolidSteel(used)and replace the MDF shelves with Symposium Sveltes. You'll save $$$'s and be ahead of the game with excellent sound as a result. The racks are sand/leadshot fillable.

Fishboat/all,

I think some of that Soundown acoustic foam glued/sandwiched inbetween some thin siff wooden sheets like ply (oh no not again) would definitely be worth a try. Don't forget the vibrations and resonances you're trying to damp are very high frequency so high mass structures aren't IMO the way to go.

RE drilling/counter sinking... hence the drill press aspect.
And the use of pilot holes in incrasing diameters.

RE measure twice cut once... that's why they call me Mr. Nubby... but I was drinking back then.

Re wood blocks were simple little footers.

RE resonances - only thing I know for sure about what materials introduce overtly, is the more brittle the material, the harsher the sound. it's like the sound is characterized by the materials more than anything. softer or more compliant materials yeild a sound that conforms more to that end.

that's why the ebony and mahogany look like good susptects. their grains are incongurent for one, ebony has some hardness to it, Mahogany doesn't... well and I think they should look pretty nice with natural stains. Light color in the middle and with a dark top and bottom.

the Key as I've seen other racks ()barely is how the shelves connect to the uprights. Iso the shelf? or secure it as rigidly as is possible. therefore the tang thingy... sandwiched into the uprights and the shelfs screwed onto them from underneath. that move might could be problematic, locating each tang at the exact right spot on the uprights...

RE base plinth - I agree that the foundation needs be addressed with a firm support. I don't think lag bolts into the floor are needed... just solidity. The idea of the plywood seems a good one.

RE uprights - another notion is to simply 'notch' the posts and slide the shelfs in.

...did you say two posts to one side, and one post opposite them? you did mean two in the rear and one up front or vice versa... not on the left and right of the stand (s), correct?

...the more I get into this the more I think I'd prefer another to do it from my drawings. Sheesh.