Flexi stand question? (1 Viewer)

[Larry Schmitz]

I am planning on building a flexi for my older Sony Wega it is a 36" weighing 230lbs. I plan on making a three shelf stand, bottom two shelves 3/4 mdf for equipment, top shelf two sheets 3/4 glued up for a total of 1.5 inches. My question is about the threaded rod I plan to have a rod at each corner and three in the center of the rack from front to back. I purchased 5/8" it seems extremely strong but I would like a second opinion.
Thanks for any input.

 

[GarySI]

I think that's a bit much for the Sony. With a top shelf of 1 1/2 MDF and 5/8 rods you could get away with just 4 rods a little off the corners. I built my first two years ago using 3/4 MDF and 5/8 rods. It's 42" high and sturdy enough to hold me without sagging. Unless you have a drill press, clamp the shelves together before drilling the 5/8 holes. This way the rods will go in easier. I've built some for friends since I built my first.

 

[Larry Schmitz]

Thanks for the reply Gary, I forgot to mention that it will be wider than the sony only by about 6 inches, this way i can place two components side by side on the shelves.

 

[Allen Ross]

I've built some for friends since I built my fir

wise man

i built mine with 5/8ths ans 3/4 MDF and it can fully support my weight (240lbs) with out any sort of saggin or sway. but seeing you are goig 3 feet, i wouls say go 4 and put in the center rods, i think it will look better and you will have more storage

 

[Bob Kavanaugh]

I don't see a need for three central supports. I went with 3/4 mdf and 5/8 allthread too, and I only have two central supports that dont even touch the ground. One on each corner is fine. My rack is 42 inches wide and 24 inches deep, with no signs of flexing and no wobble. Click the link below for a couple of pics.

 

[Nat Ward]

Bob, that is beautiful! I don't want to hijack this thread, but where are you guys purchasing the hardware from? Threaded rod, washer, nuts, etc? Can you remember costs at all? Did you put any rubber or damping material between your washers and the MDF? Has anyone painted their MDF, and if so, how does that hold up with use, aka sliding componants on.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Flexy's have been done to death. Don't get me wrong.. They
can look great if they are done right. But I like to do
things my own way...

This is my design (this is 3D Rendered) the real version
should be complete in 2 weeks. The hardest part was finding
the aluminum tubing to machine for the center rings.

Everything is on order so it's just a waiting game till the
materials get here.. Cost (Not including the center rings.)
$250.00

 

[Bob Kavanaugh]

Nat, the 5/8 threaded rods were 4.20 each for a 3 foot length from Home Depot. (Lowe's wants 6.90 each!) I got a contractor pack of 50 nuts for 8 dollars or so, and the washers were 5 or 6 dollars I think. All together I did it for less than $60 including wood and hardware.

I didn't use rubber washers or anything, I don't think I have a vibration problem. As far as paint, mt buddy has a flexy painted black and the paint is holding up nicely.

 

[GarySI]

You can get all the hardware from Home Depot, but if you want a specific height for the rods go to a local building supply house. They can cut the rod to any length.
If you're going to build it as an equipment rack I recommend you use Neoprene washers between the MDF and the metal washers. They will protect the shelves and do a very good job of damping vibrations that may get back to your equipment.
For a really cool look and longevity go for stainless steel rod. They cost twice as much, but believe me they look marvelous.

 

[Allen Ross]

i would love to use stainless but my first one is a budget flexy.

BTW Bob what round over bit did you use? i was thinking of a 3/8's to give it a fully round edge but yours looks really nice,

Also where did you pick up the feet, right there at HD?

 

[Bob Kavanaugh]

Thanks Allen, I used most of a 1/4" roundover bit. I got the feet at HD, they came in a 4-pack for $1.58, they were near the allthread by the casters and other wheels for furniture.

 

[Allen Ross]

cool now i have another excuse to head over to HD

 

[Ted Drain]

I'd say go w/ the 3/4" rod. It's incredibly strong and, IMHO, it looks better than the smaller rods. Here's a shot of mine:
Cherry and marble flexy

I bought all my hardware at McMaster-Carr

They have an enormous selection and good prices. I thought about using all stainless hardware but decided it was too much money and just went with the zinc plated steel. The black oxide finished steel that McMaster sells also looked promising. In the end, the plated steel looked fine. Up close, the finish is not as nice as I would like, but it's pretty hard to see from any reasonable distance.

FYI: In anyone's interested in the extruded aluminum t-slot tubing that's shown in Brett's post, here are a few places you can buy it:

http://www.8020.net/peace/8020catalogs.asp (Check the fractional and metric catalogs)
http://rexroth.starlinear.com/framing_ec/index.asp

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Ted,

A much better (Read:Cheaper) place to get allthread and
all of the other supplies for a Flexy or for a rack like
mine is Reid www.reidtool.com

Thier prices are far cheaper than McMaster in my experiance.

 

[Arthur_King]

Brett,

Nice render BTW, the only question in my mind is, what kind of strength are you going to have on that puppy? What are you going to use to connect the "arms" to the Circles in the middle... also, are you going to put glass on each level, wont that add to the weight issue as well?

Daffy Arthur King

 

[Troy R]

I've moved around a 36" Sony Wega before I'd say it tips the scales at over 300 pounds.... just an observation.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Arthur,

Each level of the rack should be able to support upwards
of 200 pounds without flinching. The beams are made of
1.5" x 1.5" x 12" Oak. The center rings are 3 1/4" OD x
2 3/8" ID x 1.5" Thick. The Legs are 80/20 Inc. 1.5" x
1.5" 1515Lite (will support 1500Lbs Linear).

The Oak beams have 5/16" Holes through them and a Stainless
Steel 5/16-18 allthread runs through the beams into the
T-Slots on the 80/20 Legs and are secured by 80/20's T-Slot
Nuts which are tack welded to the all thread. Then the
allthread runs through the center rings and a set of three
thumb screws tighten the whole assembly down.

I am not going to run glass shelves, the equipment will sit
on 3M Polyurethane pads on each of the beams. The only
place I will need a glass shelf is for my 2 monoblock tube
amps since they are not as large as a big SS amp.