Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Re < Note 1105.0 by ECADSR::SHERMAN "I have an M.S. - in SCIENCE!" >

	I'm amazed at how much racks go for.  It seems like even on the used
market racks run over $100.  C'mon!  they're just boxes!  I've looked at a
few of them and they'd fall apart if you breathed too hard on 'em!

	I'm getting ready to build my own racks.  I've successfully built seven
instrument cases (for myself and others) and they're much more complicated than
a rack.  The only thing I need to find is a place that sells the mounting 
brackets at a reasonable price.  Any leads, anyone?

	Dan

    I don't know how much it will help, but there was an article in
    Electronic Musician about building your own.  I don't recall if
    it gave any hardware sources.  I could send you a copy if it would
    help.

	%T Practical Circuitry:  Do-it-Yourself Rack Enclosures
	%A Thomas Henry
	%J Electronic Musician
	%D September, 1985
	%P 39-41

         
    		--Bill Wake

    I built a black rack that holds non-rack boxes and 19" rack-mount
    boxes.  It's 90lbs loaded, so I take most things out for international
    tours, until I get to the hall, and then unpack the stuff and put
    it in the rack.
    I have 2 flights of stairs and no elevator in my apartment.
    Tom

I built one by using two 5 ft. two-by-fours as the rails, and just screwing
in the rack mount components.  It just leaned against the wall.  Quick and
dirty - took about 15 minutes to make.

Great for the low budget studio.  I wouldn't take it on the road, though...

Todd.

	I'd love a copy of the article.

	Dan

	PKO3-1/F38

    There're places you can get the necessary hardware to build pretty
    nice racks.  Not having the tools or the space to build my own,
    I just save up my pennies and plunk down the cash.  The 8 space
    rack that holds my Super Jupiter, its programmer and two chorusses,
    was an arm and a leg, but it's extra deep to accomodate the Super
    Jupiter (of course, everything else in the rack is only 5" deep)
    and has front and back covers.                                     
    
    American Musical Supply (address posted elsewhere, in the discussion
    about bulk tape I think) sells rack and case parts.  There's anothe
    place that specializes in this sort of stuff; check the ads in Keyboard
    or Electronic Musician.
    
    len.
    

    re: .6 Yep American MMusic Supply sells rack parts...
    
    East Coast sound has a milk carton rack that they sell, holds six
    devices and is made of molded plastic like the milk cartons that
    we used to love so much....price is right too...$39.95
                                     
    I'll probably order one someday soon....
    
    dave

    Where'd Mix-Master Dreher get the slotted rails for his rack mount
    stuff??
    
    Edd

    Look in the trash around your local DEC site.  I've seen lots of racks
    of various persuasions going to the great beyond. 
    
    Perhaps you could swipe some of the hardware (the rails, specifically)
    from one of these.
    
    Steph

    Gee, thanks, guys!  Maybe I'll go for the milk carton.  Or, maybe
    I'll take a dip in the Mill pond when it thaws ... ;-)
    
    Steve_the_unracked_as_yet

     
    
    There's a lot of work in building a strong, roadworthy LIGHTWEIGHT
    rack. Anybody can throw one together out of 3/4 ply. I think a good
    rack is worth it for piece of mind alone. 
    
    Good rack hardware isn't cheap, either. Prepare on spending $8 each
    for small Sessions handles, and $12 for the lerge ones. Aluminum
    extrusions are also hard to come by and not cheap. Casters are another
    expensive addition. But by far the most expensive pieces are the
    rack standards, the milled rack rails. Those go for around $40 for
    two 3 foot sections. Let's face it, there are a LOT of holes to
    mill in those things, and that costs money.
    
    The milk carton thingies are called Rackrates (sp?) and are a cheap
    alternative but are fine for the studio but be careful on the road,
    they don't protect against spilled beer, rain, sharp objects etc.
    
    By far the best deal on racks I've seen are the Roadie series by
    Hybrid cases, sold by Eastcoast sound. 8 space effects racks are
    $139, and 8 space amp racks are $159. I've beat the living crap
    out of mine and they look almost like new.
    
    You get what you pay for, like anything else in life....
    
    CdH
    

    
    You can find mounting rail 4-5' long at Horizon Electronics in 
    Framingham,MA. They sell surplus ANYTHING. I've been there recently
    and they're located at 59 Waverly St. (617) 875-4433
    	Also, I have a catalog of a place which supplies all you need
    to build your own racks/instrument cases. I'll bring in the name
    and address and post it here.

    
    Neal             

RE < Note 1105.12 by LEDS::ORSI >

Just called 'em, they don't carry them anymore.

    The cab I built is pine, with casters (not that much),
    shelves, 4 feet high; I made the mounts for effects out of
    heavy brass sheet (dunno the gauge).  That stuff stays mounted
    while I'm moving it.  Hasn't come out yet.  Isn't about to.
    Wouldn't put it on the space shuttle, though.
    Tom

    also put handles on there.  It was all much cheaper than you said
    back there.
    Tom

    Re .13  He probably doesn't know he has any. The place is a large
    surplus warehouse w/6'+ rack/shelving loaded with just about any-
    thing you'd ever want and more that you wouldn't. I remember the
    rails being located about half way down the main aisle,on the right
    down the aisle with the skids of cable blocking it. There were 5-10
    lengths leaning against the window. This was 3 weeks ago.
    
    
    Here are those addesses for rack parts/fittings catalog;
    
    Penn Fabrication(U.S.A.) Inc.
    29 B Ethel Ave.
    Hawthorne, N.J. 07506
    (201) 423-4404
    
    Penn Fabrication(U.S.A.) Inc.
    1111 Rancho Conejo Blvd., Unit 303
    Newbury Park, California  91320
    (805) 499-5932
    
    Penn Fabrication(U.S.A.) Inc.
    2144 Woodbridge Ave.
    Detroit, Michigan 48207
    (313) 961-9111
    
    Call or write the one closest to you. I got a catalog in about a
    week.
    
    Neal     291-7285

    Re: .11 
    
    Chris, can you describe the Roadie cases in comparison to those
    produced by Anvil or Calzone?  For example, how heavy is the plywood
    they are made out of?  Do they used recessed handles/locks?  Are
    they painted or do they have the formica-like finish of the Anvil
    ATA cases?
    
    Also, what is the difference between the effects racks and the amp
    racks?  Do amp racks imply casters?  Are the amp racks deeper?
    
    		Derek

    
    Re: Penn Fab
    
    They still have my catalog fee from over a year ago.
    
    Re: Horizon
    
    The guy who runs the place isn't into searching for things while
    on the phone. Stop down on Saturday morning and you can look for
    yourself. If you need directions, let us know.
    
    Re: Roadie racks
    
    I own Calzone, Hybrid, and Roadie racks. The Roadie is the heaviest
    construction of the three. The ply is either 1/4" or 5/16". The
    handle (one, on the top cover) is a small recessed Sessions. The
    locks aren't recessed, they're heavy bail catches. They are covered
    with some kind of hard laminate like Formica. They appear to be
    flight rated. Effects racks are 11 inches deep, amp racks are 18
    inches deep.

    CdH
    
    
    

    I got the 16 space high Peavey 'Road Rack', all-steel, base, wheels,
    side handles.. list $140. Open sides/back, nice for a studio with
    lots of rewiring (a thing of the past now that I've got a patchbay)
    
    As the MKS-20 is 17" deep, I had to do some shopping. as it was
    I had to relocate the side rails about an inch to keep the MKS-20
    from hanging over the back of the base.
    
    Also, working in the studio, and being a large person, I set the
    entire rack, wheels and all, up on a wooden base where I keep my
    various manuals. It gets it up about eye level.
    
    karl

    Beware of racks that are not deep enough.  A delay may be 2 inches
    deep, but my Akai sampler is about 19 inches deep.  I think the
    rack-mount synth modules are also very deep.  Caveat emptor, or
    build your own.

	Has anyone ever bought rack shelves?  I want to mount my drum machine
in the rack for performances and was wondering what the best deals were.  It'd
be nice if I could find one that pulled out like a drawer.

	Dan

    Seems to me that PennFab had one of these in their catalog.  I've also
    seen them advertised in various/sundry fliers.  If I remember right,
    they ain't cheap. 

-b

RE < Note 1105.22 by DYO780::SCHAFER "Brad - boycott hell." >

	I just browsed through PennFab's catalog - nothing that I could see.

	I have seen a plain flat shelf as well as a shelf drawer in Music 
Emporium's catalog.  Unfortunately, both of these are not *quite* what I need.
The shelf would be fine if it had some ability to pull forward.  The drawer one
pulls forward, but I don't think it will allow connections in the back for
cables (power, audio, midi).  The drawer seems like its mainly to provide a
place to store things like disks, pedals, etc.

	Dan