View Full Version : New Custom Amp Rack - Picture Heavy!
So, a fellow DJ and I started working on a new rack that I have been designing for a little over a year. We are estimating it to be completed before a major gig I have in May. That is when I want to roll it out. We are working on it almost every other weekend, averaging 10-12 hours a day.
The design is fairly simple: a 2-piece rack. The bottom is for amplifiers, crossover(s), etc., and the top will house the mixer, lighting controller, equalizer, and CD Player. Custom designed and built. It is quite a task but I think it is turning out nicely so far!
On these days, we were building the frame for the bottom half of the rack. It will have 12U available on the front for equpment and 12U on the back for fans, access panels, and connector panels.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/1_zps0e098b4b.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/2_zps571f3b31.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/3_zpsc0613161.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/4_zps4093f07c.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/5_zpsedf1f667.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/6_zps1b4a87bc.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/7_zps21d695cf.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/8_zps4e1d6bde.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/9_zpse5582817.jpg
It has been a while since we worked on the rack due to scheduling conflicts but we got started bright and early both days and got quite a bit knocked out. We finished most of the welding and customizing of the bottom half and we got the frame built for the top half. We plan to pick up again in 2 weeks.
The top half will be composed of 3 main sections: a 3U front bottom section which will hold a power conditioner and an equalizer, a 2U front top section which will hold the tray section of the CD player, and a 10U top slant section which will hold a mixer, light controller, and the CD player controller.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/10_zps70577fa8.jpg
Handle Mounts
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/11_zps173455af.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/12_zps17dcbc0c.jpg
The base plate for the top half.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/13_zps4e38fc47.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/14_zps0e010efc.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/15_zps956f160a.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/16_zps041deceb.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/17_zps51151800.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/19_zps8fb89be0.jpg
This is the first time the top and bottom halves were together!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/20_zpsc939d374.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/21_zps5a894ec8.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/22_zpsa9c05950.jpg
Now back to reinforcing the top half...
If anybody has any questions, concerns, or comments, please do not hesitate to reply to this thread or send me a message. I welcome constructive criticism.
ampnation
01-20-2013, 10:32 PM
That's some precision metal work. The tolerances for the screw holes is pretty tight. Huge kudos. Have some rep.
Phil Noize
01-21-2013, 03:35 AM
Nice work! It looks like it's gonna be pretty robust.
elsparko
01-21-2013, 06:30 AM
some serious work gone into that man, looks well nice!
Thanks everybody! We are working with a rack chart to get the dimensions and so far, everything is within 1/16 of an inch. It's a pain but I think it will be well worth it...
That's some precision metal work. The tolerances for the screw holes is pretty tight. Huge kudos. Have some rep.
I don't want to piss on MrDJ's parade, but it's not really precision. 1/16" is 63 thou; we used to work to a 10 thou tolerance with basic hand tools and even that is a bucket of a tolerance. It's still a fantastic project though, I look forward to seeing the finished rack. Repped :)
Thank DTR, I realize that it is no where near as precise as professional racks or racks made by people that have done this before, but I base that 1/16 of an inch off of 1/32 on each side, maximum. I think the bottom half is actually closer to the right dimension because it was a lot easier to fabricate. The top section was bent from one piece of rail per side and it warped a little so we had to resort to a torch and mallet but we eventually got the measurements as close to even as we could. I am happy though because I know people who couldn't get the measurements to within half an inch so that makes me feel a little better.
Mark_Spit
01-24-2013, 07:38 AM
Rack looks really good. The finished product should turn out nice. How did you weld it? Mig?
Mark_Spit
01-24-2013, 10:14 AM
I know it was arc welded, but was curious what type you used; Mig, tig, or stick (SMAW). It looks like mig, it's just hard to tell from the shots.
Oh, I'm sorry... I not familiar with the different types of welding. We are stick welding the rack. That is the kind of welder I have learned to use and it is the one I can get my hands on for this project.
Mark_Spit
01-24-2013, 02:31 PM
No prob. Thx for the update.:tup:
If you like welding, you should try your hand at TiG. It's much better suited for stuff like this and smaller (thinner metal, other types of metal ) applications. It just takes a lot of practice because depending on the TiG set up, you have to use one hand for the torch, the other for the filler wire and a foot for the gas. The end result though is super clean, has a beautiful bead, and no slag to hammer and clean up!
ampnation
01-24-2013, 03:28 PM
btw, if I were building this, in order to get the rails lined perfectly, I would build a dummy rack unit first with threaded screw holes as a kind of jig, buy the side rails pre-made, install the jig on the pre-made rails, then weld the rails to a frame that could have 1/16th tolerances without blinking. The rails though would be higher tolerance.
That's what we are using. The rails are from a server rack company and we have a jig which can be seen in one of the pictures of the top section. I definitely don't want to have to tap out all of those holes!
ampnation
01-25-2013, 01:13 AM
ah, I see it now that you mention it. Didn't know what I was looking at the first time thru.
I didn't get any pics this past weekend but we were working on the rack for about 9 hours on Friday. Mainly we finished some more welding and added a few brackets. I plan to work some more next Sunday and then I will get some pictures of it so far.
We got quite a bit done this weekend!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0042_zps7d6645e2.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0043_zps51aa1d44.jpg
Top Section
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0044_zps9bb68e58.jpg
Vents and Tie-Down Points
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0047_zpsb39b1912.jpg
Casters Mounted!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0048_zps1c5b3495.jpg
View from the Front
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0059_zps0081c439.jpg
Vent on the Bottom
Next, we started working on the side panels! Things are coming along nicely but the deadline is looming over our heads...
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0049_zpsc28b8801.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0050_zpsb8c65b1c.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0057_zps654d8fe9.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0058_zpsfc0eb5ab.jpg
And then we primed the whole thing.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0060_zps59d73ac9.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0061_zpseed51b88.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0062_zps404a3305.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/IMG_0063_zps1e229695.jpg
Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, we will not be able to work for a few weeks but it should get its primary coat of paint sometime this week. The next time we get together, we plan to finish the holes in the side panels for the handles, latches, etc., and then we will carpet. Then it is building the front and back panels and wiring it up!
Finally Primed and Painted!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo_zpsbaf918d1.jpg
DennisBdrmDJ 2.0
03-24-2013, 12:49 PM
man,that is some undertaking.I couldn't even begin to build something like that....can't wait to see the finished product.:tup:
Thanks Dennis! I'm really excited about it. We are working again this Friday and hope to have the side panels finished and carpeted as well as the top shelf of the bottom half. Then the last major step will be building the back and front panels, and customizing the back panels with all the plugs and jacks that I need. There's quite a bit of equipment going in this thing so wiring it up is going to take a little time but I think we will be perfect regarding our deadline.
We got the side panels completed!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo1_zpscf9977cf.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo2_zps76306d34.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo3_zpsd0cf6172.jpg
Our next task is going to be mounting the side panels and custom making the blank panels for the front and back.
Then we have to mount the jacks and plugs, install equipment, and wire it all up! We are hoping to be done next weekend!
Last weekend, we got the side panels mounted and started working on a maintenance stand for when it is fully loaded and pretty heavy. Throughout this week, my friend has been working on it. He got the maintenance stand finished and cut the back panels. The fans have been tested as well. They are a little louder than we had hoped but I will deal with that.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo3_zpsac923b7a.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo2_zpsc46a6b29.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n610/aingersoll2010/DJ%20Equipment/New%20Amp%20Rack/photo1_zps8feda8fc.jpg
By the time I can get to his house on Sunday, the back panels will have holes for plugs cut and they will have been painted. The next thing on the list is the custom cables going to the back panels and putting all the equipment in. This is the last weekend we can work on it before my event on April 19... Fingers Crossed!
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