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Question for DIY people: Butcher block shelving??

I picked up the "Spar" maple butcher block from IKEA the other day. (Link to the butcher block is here) => http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&langId=-1&productId=15241

I am going to use these blocks to replace the cheap MDF shelves on my welded steel Target rack. I believe the blocks are unfinished. They are not solid chunks of maple -- there is some hollowness inside.

My question is, what should I do with them next to increase their effectiveness as shelves and to increase their durability? Should I oil them? Put a coat of lacquer on them? Glue cork and/or rubber to the underside?

I will be placing them under a variety of components (Cd player, amp, power conditioner), so I could customize each block to suit the component it sits on.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!! Thanks!!!!
marc_dc
jadem6's avatar
jadem6
1,074 posts
 
I have not heard from brulee in years. I do try to keep some contact with Redkiwi, one of my true mentors. I guess we all get caught up in our lives and move on. With Audiogon, it's not possible to totaly stay away. My problem is once I visit I must check the stuff for sale and having not worked in two years, that is really not a good thing for me to do. I just cann't resist a good deal.
gregm
3,396 posts
 
Hallo, JD!
Yes, those Winters Lessons are a classic!
Maybe I should look into your (teddy) bears scheme..:)

Still crazy after all these years! (isn't there a song along these lines?) Cheers
lapaix
45 posts
 
Having played around with vibration isolation systems for a while, I thought I'd add my two cents worth to this thread. A while ago I got a 16" x 16" x 2" piece of granite, and used an epoxy glue to mate it with a 3/4" thick piece of 661T aluminum. The two pieces are separated by an extensional damping polymer to inhibit the transmission of vibrations between the two pieces. Then I got 3 air pistions from Fabreeca, which have a resonance frequency of ~ 6 Hz. This combination of components was rather expensive, but an order of magnitude less than a MinusK system or a Vibraplane, with the added advantage that no compressor is required. To be fair, both of the above a much lower naturaly frequency. The MinusK system is amazing, but also a lot more expensive more than my homemade system. The air pistions are very stable, and have not needed refilling for a couple of years. If you want to isolate one component, a CD player, let's say, then this seems like a reasonable option. I did Fourier transform analysis of the vibrational modes of the final piece, and it was very quiet above 6 Hz. It also made a quite noticable difference in the sound of my SCD-1, and while this is surely a matter of taste, it seemed like an improvement to me. On the other hand I use a Mapleknoll platform under my turntable, and I like that too, but I suspect that it provides very little vibration isolation. On the other hand, my turntable's platter (a Verdier Platine) is magnetically suspended, so perhaps it doesn't matter.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Lapaix: I don't doubt that your homebrew air suspension device works quite well. The problem with many homebrew damping / isolation systems is that they either don't take the system / component resonance low enough in frequency ( like yours does ) or that they only address part of the problem, bringing other side effects with them. Sean
>
gregm
3,396 posts
 
Lapaix -- Sean or others... you might provide some insight: when I tried using an air bladder (bicycle inner tube) sandwiched between two maple shelves and alternatively used a Neuance on top, both sources SUBJECTIVELY seemed to slow down. I *did* use dividers between the top & bottom shelves (otherwise I'd be just compressing the air in the tube).
I know that's a very sloppy way of describing the sonic result; as I neither FFT'd the thing nor did I measure (too lazy) I have nothing else descriptive to go upon:(

Any ideas as to why?/what this is due?
TIA
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