Have you tried McMaster Carr for the all thread fittings?
In search of DIY Audio Equipment Rack Materials
I'm looking for audio rack hardware/materials which I cannot locate even after exhausting every resource available to me. Perhaps someone is able to help out here.
I've designed an audio equipment rack similar to the product made and sold by Mapleshade. I liked the looks and the materials. I didn't like the cost - at $4,600.00. Whether it is worth it, or not (some love them, others don't), it's not for me. Nonetheless, it is a design the average guy can imitate at home for an affordable cost, and it would not cost too much for the materials. Plus, the aesthetics, while subjective, appear to be generally pleasing.
I'm not duplicating the 2" (or 4") joined, specially cured Maple shelves (I have found what I believe is a superior wood product that looks great, maybe even better looking!), but I do want to use the all-thread supports if I can locate brass hardware similar to that of the Mapleshade product (see link below). Perhaps the company has the brass hardware specially made? Thanks for any help with this.
I have read of some of the drawbacks to this type of design in terms of stability and resonance characteristics. I believe some of these problems can be mitigated by modifying the materials (better shelf material, much better, sophisticated coupling materials [or more properly de-coupling, as the case may be], and so on). And, with these modifications employed, the finished product could be very, very nice and suitable for somewhat "high-end" audio equipment for under $1,000.00.
Here is a link to the site with photos as you scroll down. Thanks again.
https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?s=b6bb40c42902d38e082ea5a607424f16&t=35351&pa...
I've designed an audio equipment rack similar to the product made and sold by Mapleshade. I liked the looks and the materials. I didn't like the cost - at $4,600.00. Whether it is worth it, or not (some love them, others don't), it's not for me. Nonetheless, it is a design the average guy can imitate at home for an affordable cost, and it would not cost too much for the materials. Plus, the aesthetics, while subjective, appear to be generally pleasing.
I'm not duplicating the 2" (or 4") joined, specially cured Maple shelves (I have found what I believe is a superior wood product that looks great, maybe even better looking!), but I do want to use the all-thread supports if I can locate brass hardware similar to that of the Mapleshade product (see link below). Perhaps the company has the brass hardware specially made? Thanks for any help with this.
I have read of some of the drawbacks to this type of design in terms of stability and resonance characteristics. I believe some of these problems can be mitigated by modifying the materials (better shelf material, much better, sophisticated coupling materials [or more properly de-coupling, as the case may be], and so on). And, with these modifications employed, the finished product could be very, very nice and suitable for somewhat "high-end" audio equipment for under $1,000.00.
Here is a link to the site with photos as you scroll down. Thanks again.
https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?s=b6bb40c42902d38e082ea5a607424f16&t=35351&pa...
11 responses Add your response
"Specially made" ha. Good one. Its called threaded rod. Sold by the foot all over the place, in whatever diameter, whatever thread pitch, whatever material (brass, stainless, etc) you want. Even the round brass nuts with set screws are probably off the shelf parts. But even if not its trivially easy to make your own. Or maybe even easier/better to cover them with wood. Please don't tell me the rack in the photo is $4600. Or I will have to conclude there's even more audiophools with more money than brains than I already think.... |
https://www.cabinetparts.com,
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/hardware
Try these two first. Lee Valley tends to carry more esoteric stuff. In the end you may have to get creative but you can certainly make as good a stand as anybody because weight and portability are not a problem for you. Solid Surface material laminated with MDF then the product you are talking about would make a great dampened shelf. Good Luck and have fun, Mike |
@uberwaltz - - Thanks for your recommendation; I'll check it out. I didn't know the specific terminology for the threaded torque lock round "collars," or however they might be described...nor their brass smooth-topped interior threaded "cap nuts"(?). Both are pretty cool looking and a great improvement over what one typically sees on racks like this. I wouldn't be interested in those exorbitantly priced "heavy footers" they use :) |
@miller: Yes, prices for 3-shelf and 4-shelf run from $3K to $4.5K. I'm in the wrong business. That's nuts. See my post on the recent stable turntable rack thread for a rack that is a whole lot cheaper, works a whole lot better, and even looks better. Then if you're still married to the idea of wood, as much as you want up to and including the whole thing can be covered in quality wood veneer of whatever specie(s) you desire which if you do it right will be very hard to tell from solid wood, and still be under $500 all-in. But if you don't care about performance and are just plain infatuated with those round nuts, buy yourself some brass nuts, round em off with a bench grinder, sand em down to whatever gloss you want, done. Or hunt around Grainger for the one you like. |