I coughed up the money. Got two 30's and a 20 with various side panels and 2 drawers. Black metal, cherry wood. My observation is that Salamander provide too many racks, especially if you put in drawers.
Now to DIY (Do It Yourself). My guess is that the main problem would be affixing the main shelves to the metal posts. Salamander has screws on top and bottom of the main wood shelves. I have no idea how you could do this yourself - perhaps screwing pins onto the shelf and into the posts ? There's probably all sorts of ways of putting in the intermediate shelves. But the biggest value-add, for me, were the accessories Salamander has available. Specifically the drawers.
I saved a little money by realizing how the Salamander units fit together. So I bought an S20 base and an S30 extension and swopped them when putting them together. This saved some money ($100 ?). Don't know why their pricing is like this (an S20 base and a S20 extension is cheaper than one S40 base), but the extension comes with one less shelf. Or if you are going to stack and can stand a black base you could get a black extension and a wood base and swop (I, or more correctly my wife, couldn't). Another way to save money may be to buy the extension units, the optional feet, and fabricate your own bottom shelf (the main shevles just have holes and a very nice finish - but the edges are somewhat fragile). I'm not sure that Salamander have S40 extensions though. Also I only bought one pair of side panels for the S30's 'cause the units butt against each side of the TV and so an extra pair of panels wouldn't be visible.
Hell, now you've got me thinking. I want a a media rack. Maybe a could buy an extension, feet, door. Fab my own base and top (or even cut the Salamander one in half and drill new holes), cut down the shelves, and make side panels. And I have a touch-up kit. Hmmm ? Let me know how it goes.
Good luck.
Now to DIY (Do It Yourself). My guess is that the main problem would be affixing the main shelves to the metal posts. Salamander has screws on top and bottom of the main wood shelves. I have no idea how you could do this yourself - perhaps screwing pins onto the shelf and into the posts ? There's probably all sorts of ways of putting in the intermediate shelves. But the biggest value-add, for me, were the accessories Salamander has available. Specifically the drawers.
I saved a little money by realizing how the Salamander units fit together. So I bought an S20 base and an S30 extension and swopped them when putting them together. This saved some money ($100 ?). Don't know why their pricing is like this (an S20 base and a S20 extension is cheaper than one S40 base), but the extension comes with one less shelf. Or if you are going to stack and can stand a black base you could get a black extension and a wood base and swop (I, or more correctly my wife, couldn't). Another way to save money may be to buy the extension units, the optional feet, and fabricate your own bottom shelf (the main shevles just have holes and a very nice finish - but the edges are somewhat fragile). I'm not sure that Salamander have S40 extensions though. Also I only bought one pair of side panels for the S30's 'cause the units butt against each side of the TV and so an extra pair of panels wouldn't be visible.
Hell, now you've got me thinking. I want a a media rack. Maybe a could buy an extension, feet, door. Fab my own base and top (or even cut the Salamander one in half and drill new holes), cut down the shelves, and make side panels. And I have a touch-up kit. Hmmm ? Let me know how it goes.
Good luck.