DIY studio furniture

[john12ax7]

Do you need to add tolerance in the vertical direction as well? The width is 19" so 19 1/8" or 19 /14" is recommended. The height of 8 space would be 14" so would you make the opening 14 1/8" to give a little wiggle room?

[Denyle Guitars]

Do you need to add tolerance in the vertical direction as well? The width is 19" so 19 1/8" or 19 /14" is recommended. The height of 8 space would be 14" so would you make the opening 14 1/8" to give a little wiggle room?

I add an 1/8 in both width & height. If you don't mind seeing a gap, I imagine some extra space top and bottom would promote cooling.

[tomugli]

Easy way to make screws invisible:
instead of countersinking screws, bore a shallow (say 5-6mm deep if it's 18mm thick sheet material you're using) 10mm diamiter hole in your board before you drill your clearence hole. Then drill clearence holes and pilot as usual and glue and screw up. Afterwards, buy a 10mm plug cutter such as this one http://www.woodworkingcentreshop.co.uk/acatalog/VERITAS_10MM_SNUG_PLUG_CUTTER.html and drill yourself some plugs out of matching timber. glue them into your 10mm diamiter holes lining the grain up nicely and trim them off flush with a chisel or block plane. Really easy, quick and discrete.
we do this all the time when we have to put screws in otherwise visible areas in the furniture trade, not had any complaints to date! 

[coriolis]

Or you could put in a dowel dyed to a contrasting color - might look cool! I mean - if you can't make the hole disappear, try to make it look like it's visible on purpose!

C

[Denyle Guitars]

Many ways to skin this cat. I've used locking miter joints as well, which seems to me one of the best solutions.

[Nick Franklin]

I built this slightly slanted 18u earlier in the year. With all the gear in there's no need for supports. It's just 18mm MDF. I have the sketchup file if anyone wants it.

[0dbfs]

Here is a view of the console desk I designed and had made. 68RU between top/bottom of both sides plus a section for a control surface in the middle and extra space for mounting other stuff.

Photo isn't great but you get the idea

Rack rails on the back as well with significant mounting space.

Cheers,
jb

[0dbfs]

And another view that shows part of the 12RU three-bay rack/producers-desk for other outboard.

Cheers,
jb

[0dbfs]

Some drawings of desk with dimensions.

[0dbfs]

A couple more notes...

[0dbfs]

Just for fun, a little sketchup render...

I tried to get both Sterling and Argosy to custom make something that was like this but it ended up not making sense financially or they couldn't customize so I had a local guy put it together with a router and other carpentry tools/skills. Cost 2500 delivered for the desk and three-bay rack plus I could specify everything. Took a couple weeks of notes and drawings to get the design together but really wasn't too hard.

Cheers,
jb

[warpie]

sexy...

[G-Sun]

I'm building a DIY rack now. 3 U + 10 U with rails + 4U locker.
I'll post some pictures when finished.

[G-Sun]

I built this slightly slanted 18u earlier in the year. With all the gear in there's no need for supports. It's just 18mm MDF. I have the sketchup file if anyone wants it.

So, you don't need support-rails inside?
I was wondering about this myself. But, with half-filled rack?

[jsteiger]

There is no need for inside cleats or backing. Here in the US, we call frame-less cabinetry "European" style. Nothing more than 2 sides, top, bottom and back. While a rack or multiple racks will have to support much more weight, like Rob (or someone) previously said, the weight is all bearing straight down on the sides. The top, bottom and back only hold the sides together.

I did use face frames on my racks but only because I prefer that look to frame-less. At the time, I had a very nice Castle TSM35 pocket hole machine. All the holes and screws are visible only on the inside. For a one off type application, Kreg makes a nifty little jig that will work just fine to hide the fasteners. Easily found at any of the big box home improvement stores.

Something like this.


They have many other versions to offer but this will be fine. http://www.kregtool.com/Pocket-Hole-Jigs-Prodlist.html

Cheers, Jeff

[dandeurloo]

The kreg tool is very cool! I ahve used it a number of times and I feel like its cheating.

[dfer]

And another view that shows part of the 12RU three-bay rack/producers-desk for other outboard.

Cheers,
jb

Dang!

Thats Pimp!

[Ptownkid]

Pocket holes are great, but i prefer biscuit joints.

[jsteiger]

Pocket holes are great, but i prefer biscuit joints.

Biscuits are good and have their uses. For a rack assembly like we are taking about, pocket screws are superior. There is typically no or little clamping necessary. Eliminates potential marring from the clamp pads. Also, zero wait time with screws. We would sometimes use both as the biscuits would help with alignment. The biggest advatage to screwing is the "drawing" power. The screws give the ability to have an extremely tight joint. Definitely tighter than one would typically get with clamps and biscuits. To each his own I suppose.

[Ptownkid]

you are very right, but I often want to avoid the visible hole plugs.