DIY Turntable Rack

[kach22i]

I have most of my supplies together, some discarded and weathered maple butcher block (20" x 24" x 1-3/4"), some scrap yard 4" deep C-channels (alum), and today picked up a 3" mini I-beam (alum).

Here is what I think I'll be putting together:
http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012

Here are the raw supplies which need sanding, finishing and drill holes.
http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012

Some earlier design sketches considering other layouts and material usage (see link below).

http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012

Any thoughts before I commit would be nice, there is still time for me to change my mind.

This will be a turntable rack for three turntables I have in my possession. I want to do a turntable comparison.

One belt driven TT I've modified, another is a direct drive which I have yet to hear, and yet another DD needs a little maintenance to get up and running such as a belt for it's tangential tonearm.

 

[ack]

I would put two vertical I beams

 

[kach22i]

I would put two vertical I beams

I have two vert I's, do you mean per side?

Like this study - to the right?

I've been studying the designs of many other racks, and have combined what I think are the best features using what materials I've had lying around or could buy at the local metal supplier.

I wanted to avoid blocking the front corners for tonearm access.

Something like the below is super simple (which I like), but blocks the corners.

The trend in TT rack design seems to be multiple materials, indirect vibrations paths with many right angle turns.

The straight shot up and down might be good for transmitting down vibrations, but it is too good at transmitting them directly upward as well.

 

[ack]

Yes two beams per side, close to the corners but not around them, so as not to block as you said; basically your second drawing above

 

[ack]

and make sure the whole thing is wide enough to fit your TT, or future, wider turntables.

 

[kach22i]

Yes two beams per side, close to the corners but not around them, so as not to block as you said; basically your second drawing above

I understand now, a simple 4-post solution. A part of me wants to try and be a little different and experiment this time around.

Someone (ack or mep?) recently said the Finite-Elemente rack was not good for footfalls with their turntable.

http://www.stereophile.com/standsracks/206finite/index.html


I was originally drawing inspiration from the threaded rod style racks, then discovered the Finite-Elemente rack, and like I said earlier was material inspired by what I had lying around and recently saw at the local metal supplier (mini I-beam). Combining many disconnected things here, but want the design to settle it's self.

Some well known TT stands also use cable hung solutions, but that is more complex than I want to attempt for a stand which maybe temporary.

The complex:

 

[mbskeam]

a bit different, but a good read none the less

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html

 

[kach22i]

a bit different, but a good read none the less

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html

Thanks, that's a good link.

I've built a few sand boxes before and experimented with them. They work to absorb energy, but can absorb too much energy and must be tuned to match what is put on them. When I say "too much energy" I mean they can suck some of the life out of the music. And when I say "tuned" I mean raising the fundamental frequency to maintain tempo.

For my project, only the top turntable, the eventual winner of the sound-off may get a sandbox. Height limitations on the lower shelves and the goal to have similar/comparable conditions will rule to start with.

 

[Bill Hart]

I understand now, a simple 4-post solution. A part of me wants to try and be a little different and experiment this time around.

Someone (ack or mep?) recently said the Finite-Elemente rack was not good for footfalls with their turntable.

http://www.stereophile.com/standsracks/206finite/index.html
View attachment 6653

I was originally drawing inspiration from the threaded rod style racks, then discovered the Finite-Elemente rack, and like I said earlier was material inspired by what I had lying around and recently saw at the local metal supplier (mini I-beam). Combining many disconnected things here, but want the design to settle it's self.

Some well known TT stands also use cable hung solutions, but that is more complex than I want to attempt for a stand which maybe temporary.

The complex:

I had the super duper(sorry, I don't remember the nomenclature) finite elemente -it was intended for use my Kuzma XL, a very heavy turntable, had two shelves, and all the bells and whistles, and it did not isolate footfalls, admittedly on a springy floor.

 

[kach22i]

I had the .....finite elemente ...

Thanks for the reiteration.

I don't expect isolation from heavy footfalls on a springy floor with anything I come up with. Hopefully I'll be able to retrain my wife on this aspect when I get it up and running. I have not been spinning much vinyl in the last nine months, just got busy and now my room is in the middle of being rotated 180 degrees.

This rack will be sitting on the brick floor in front of my unused fireplace. I plan to shore things up in the basement before setting this project up.

EDIT: Latest sketches
http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012?

 

[mep]

One of the advantages of having a poured concrete floor in your listening room is that footfalls are a non-issue. You could have a couple of elephants fornicating in your room and your LPs wouldn't miss a beat.

 

[microstrip]

The best way of isolating a turntable cheaply is using a small diameter inner tube and an heavy platform. You can see a receipt for a damped version in Artur Salvatore high end audio site in the Forsell section: http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Tables.html

 

[kach22i]

UPDATE: 01/01/2013

It's been 1-1/2 months since I started this thread, and I just completed the rack today.

No burnishing of the aluminum.

No repair of the splits in the butcher block.

No varnish even.

I settled for a course 80 grit on my belt sander and some sanding sealer and wiped down the aluminum with some Acetone, and called it a day.

Bolting it all together was much more of an ordeal than I had counted on, one bolt even has some JB Weld type putty stick to hold the head on because I snapped it off.

The last sketch, did more as an afterthought while I was already getting the parts ready.
http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012?

Some photos of the actual rack below.
http://s184.beta.photobucket.com/user/kach22i/library/DIY Audio Rack 2012?

I did away with the original goal of being able to operate three turntables at once, and settle on being able to play the top one, and store the other two below. Once I'm settled in on one turntable, I'll be relocating my tuner, VCR and tape deck.

The original 4-foot tall rack would have just been too much for the room, plus I want to get a flat TV over the fireplace, so I did not want to obstruct the view any.

The feet are cast brass with adjustable screws. I think I found them in the electrical section of the local hardware store, about $8 each.

The steel bolts and bare aluminum go very nicely with the brass washers.

If anyone else tries something like this, my biggest headaches were in not over-sizing the holes in the aluminum enough to account for my sloppy marking of wood drill holes on the shelves. I bound a few of the lags up, despite re-drilling and enlarging all of the vertical array holes going onto the sides of the shelves.

Upside-down view.

The aluminum channels under each shelf should buy me some time before I upgrade the maple butcher block (if ever).

A couple more photos.

 

[A.wayne]

The best way of isolating a turntable cheaply is using a small diameter inner tube and an heavy platform. You can see a receipt for a damped version in Artur Salvatore high end audio site in the Forsell section: http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Tables.html

What makes Arthur's site high end ...?

Kach , looks like a professional reviewers setup and layout ..

 

[mep]

George-Some of your pictures make it appear that all three of your shelves are warped. Is this an optical illusion or reality?

 

[kach22i]

...........shelves are warped.

Yes they are warped and starting to split in a few places.

A couple of years ago I helped an architect retire, he said I could have anything left in the office. I took this beat up piece of butcher top but had no place to store it. I placed it outside raised on some scrap pressure treated wood leaning against a one story wall with a 2-foot overhang. It weather much more than I thought it would (about 6-inches up from the bottom) but did not really warp much until I cut it into three pieces and put it inside my home. Placing weight on it uncupped it a fair amount but not completely.

In retrospect I should have cut it in half, or thirds the day I brought it home despite not having concrete plans for it (and dragged it inside). At the time the most likely use for it was a work bench as it was in it's former life.

A 15 minute drive from my house and I'm out in the country side. One farmhouse has a small sign posted on a tree near his driveway: We Make Butcher Block.....(hopefully air dried and not kiln dried)..........I may look into this one day. I also have a builder friend which employs a bunch of Amish, I might get replacement wood that way too.

I'd like to unbolt this whole thing and burnish + clear coat the aluminum. If I do that I might as well replace the wood too.

 

[mep]

Glad to know my calibrated eyeballs are still within cal standards.

 

[vinylphilemag]

Very nice looking stand, George!