Built a Flexi-type rack?

John, It was a while ago when I made these, but you are right. The holes in the template are 1/8", and I just used an automatic punch to mark the cherry through the template. I was mistaken in my desription.

John and others -

I did one of these [two actually] and am about to start a much more elaborate [and expensive] rack project.

I used solid 2" and 4" cherry shelves though [the 4" are just two 2" glued together] and simple 5/8” steel rod because this size rod would easily thread into the salamander spikes you can get from just about anywhere - like Audio Adviser. Cherry is also a super hard wood like maple...just try to sand it and you'll see.

As for drilling the holes, I used a forstner bit too because it is nice, clean, and more precise. But I made a full sized drilling jig from 1/4" hardboard and simply drilled small holes, like about 1/8", to mark the four hole centers – the forstner pilot was easily aligned with this hole. This assured that all the rods would line up perfectly even if the cherry boards where slightly different in size.

I also built steel pieces that would be placed just under two shelves [the bottom and the top ones] that carried mounts for attaching cables. The cables would then very tightly "X" on the two sides and the back for stiffening triangulation.

John, are you in PA…I am in W. Chester, PA, and might have some extra cherry boards when I complete my new rack…whenever that will be.

Holy cow...Jamestown is incredible if those prices are legit. I just looked up 1" threaded rod, and a three foot length is about $38 and 1" brass nuts are only $4.64 each. I must be looking at it wrong...

Maril555 is right; the beauty of the threaded rod is the ability to level anything anywhere. Looking at Jamestown's pricing, it will cost you no more than $12 and no more than 1" of space on the bottom shelf to simply level that bottom shelf on its own with four extra nuts.

Getting those extra nuts will also save a lot of time...and it will keep the whole rack more versatile since the wood might warp a little. The ultimate goal in my mind is to get the components that are on the shelves level, which is what I always use as a reference. My 2" and 4" cherry shelves ended up not as flat after two or three years as they were when they were new. They are not butcher block though, they were very BIG boards originally [like 12” x 2” I think].

The 1" rod does pose an issue with the points. However, you could always rifle drill and tap into the end for a simple 1/4-20 thread and put stock Mapleshade or audio points on them.

I have a set of solid 1.25" brass rods that I will be using for my new rack. A local machine shop cut them to length, truing each end of each rod, rifle drilled and tapped all three rods, then cut the excess material into 6 - .75"x 1.25” spacers that are also all drilled and tapped. All this for the whopping grand total of...$40 cash.

My guess is that having any of these rods drilled and tapped for 1/4-20 thread would be very easy and reasonable. Plus...you'd have more options as to what to use for the points/feet.

Or use Acorn nuts on the top to hide the rod's end.

Mijknarf - Nice rack BTW [stereo rack]