Do you build anything for your high fidelity system? If so, what do you make?

I have built a few racks, some sound absorbing panels, and a long time ago, I built everything Hafler sold and I still have my Dynaco Stereo 400 amp. I also built some speakers and 6 subwoofers.

JD

Speaking of Dynaco units, I have the ST150 that was personally built by the person who wrote the very first technical article in the very first issue of the JAES, January 1952. (Journal of the Audio Engineering Society). One of those accidents of fate, where you see an advert and you answer it. And then run into this given person....

Years ago, I made a 6 shelf equipment stand using oak plywood (from Lowe's) and applied edging, stained it many times, applied some Urethane clear coat. Used 6-foot long black anodized threaded rods (McMaster Carr), wide stainless steel washers, nuts, and a rubber washer underneath them at each joint.  Added casters (need larger ones now). In the rear I added some PVC conduit to route the cables to keep it looking "neat" for WAF.   If I had to do it over, I'd probably go for a 4-foot or 5-foot tall one instead. 

Just wanted it to be on casters for easy access to the rear for cable hookups/changes and for cleaning ease.  

After spending great time and effort looking for the 'right' stand to hold my gear, I finally designed and built a stand to meet MY standards/size/needs.  Frame consists of angle iron.  Shelves are 1.25" thick cherry wood.  Bottom unit has two drawers for basic storage, vinyl brush, stylus cleaner, zerostat etc.  Each shelf can be adjusted in 1/2" increments.  Each shelf is isolated with Isolatit rubber disks.  It is quite heavy and on appliance wheels to allow it to be rolled out, making it easier to hook up equipment.  Very solid.

Back in the 80's a friend built for me a retro looking equipment cabinet using 3/4" solid oak plywood. After I moved in my home, I built two storage cabinets and record shelves (hold about 800 records) on top of them using MDF. Recently, I re-build the basement dedicated room, install all new drywalls, new drop down ceiling (wife not let me use drywall) and re-wire 5 outlets to a dedicated circuit. Ran wires ready for 7.2.4 HT speakers, outles for a ceiling mount projector and electrical drop down screen. Also install smart light swithes to control two lighting zone. While doing the demo, I found out the drain tile contractor did not re-pour concrete under the two outside walls and only nail metal brackets on the floor joint and the wall frame to hold up one long wall (19') and let the other shorter wall (12') just drop down more than an inch!! Besides that, the previous home owner only use 2x2 to frame these two walls!! So, I have to take them down completely, pour concrete before rebuilding them. But the worst, was the egress windows, the two old windows have metal rough frame and some spots were rusted through. No window installers were willing to touch the metal frame, they only replace the windows. Contacted some welders asking them to cut out the rusted metal and weld new metal sheet on the cut out spots, only two are willing to do that but asking for $3000 and $6000!! So, I bought a Dremel and some metal cutting wheels, a 12"x8" stainless steel sheet, lot of sanding papers, some J-B Weld steel reinforceed proxy, and a bottle of rust converter. With a harmer, a metal filer and lot of elbow grease, I got the frames fixed for less then $150!