small rack case build

[heavybdrums]

I have decided to build my own 4U rack cases instead of paying way too much for the plastic store bought ones that are too deep for modern shallow amps and processors. The reason this wasted extra depth of the store bought ones is important to me is due to pack space. The exterior dimensions of the regular depth rack boxes is 21.5" with lids, and the shallow ones are 16.2" with lids. My rack box is the same size as a shallow 4U rack box, and costs about $25, theirs costs $150. My rack box weighs slightly more than the plastic ones but not much.
This rack box is made of russian birch ($48/ 4x8 sheet), and although I have only built one so far, it appears I can get at least 4 out of a sheet, with some left over. The front and back have a 1/4" X 1/4" lip that is dadoed into a second layer of 1/2" ply around the front and back edges that is 2&3/4" wide. This helps align and hold the lids in place as they are clasped and gives extra structural strength to the box and gives 1" of wood for the rack rail bolts to go through.

Almost finished, waiting on the rest of the hardware:

[Grant Bunter]

Looks good!

Will you put metal rack ears in it too?

[heavybdrums]

Looks good!

Will you put metal rack ears in it too?

Most certainly, going to bolt through the 1" of ply and use T nuts, and using the surface mount draw latches, (one per short side)
and a strap handle on one end
.http://www.parts-express.com/penn-elcom ... h--262-210
Just waiting on the rest of those parts.

[Guitbusy]

I like it!

I notice the PL expansion, so these should also be sound proof Do you have an estimate on weight?

[heavybdrums]

I like it!

I notice the PL expansion, so these should also be sound proof Do you have an estimate on weight?

yepper, the pl expansion is actually an extra bead of pl I apply to the inside joints before the squeeze out drys, keeping that below the 3/4" X 3/4" reinforcing strips they are out of the way of the mounted gear. Since I am using butt joints for these, and any speakers I have made, I feel it makes those joints somewhat stronger. To be honest, the furniture maker/carpenter in me really doesn't like the butt joint, it's the weakest carpentry joint, but I trust in the pl gods to be kind..
I'm not great at judging weight but if a gallon of water is 8 lbs then these are less than or about 10 lbs empty. With a QSC gx5 and DBX in them, probably about 50 lbs loaded.
I am also trying to get 1/8" thick X 1/4" wide weather stripping to put around the mating surfaces of carcass to lid to make them somewhat "damp proof", but it's being hard to find it that small.

[heavybdrums]

Rack ears came today!! I ordered a bunch of stuff from different sites on sat and of course Sweetwater's order came first.

Rack ears installed with 5 - #10 X 1" screws with lock washers for each ear:



and some weatherstripping for a nice seal:




Still waiting on the clasps, handles and rubber feet.

[heavybdrums]

You may notice that I have installed both front and back rails in these cases. Many pieces of gear, especially signal processors, do not require front and back support rails, and you could probably leave them out, however the QSC GX series amps instructions recommend mounting those amps with both rails. As per those recomendations I mount the amps with front and back rails, however QSC does not make the rear mount brackets and I had to Email them to find the ERD brackets:
http://www.audiopile.net/search.asp?sea ... t+brackets

[David Raehn]

The backside rack rails also allow you to mount a rack power strip and not use up forward real estate.

[jimbo7]

The backside rack rails also allow you to mount a rack power strip and not use up forward real estate.

I never thought of that. Awesome idea.

[FrankORandle]

The backside rack rails also allow you to mount a rack power strip and not use up forward real estate.

I am doing rack panel patch bays and vents on my rear rack rails completely sealing up the rear of the cases so nothing inside ever has to get touched. I will have panel mount jacks for all inputs, outputs and power. It is a little on the extreme side but it will be cool.

[heavybdrums]

Almost finished 4u rack case, just waiting on handles and clasps, sometime waiting on parts can be like waiting for a pot to boil....

Look how much less space this shallow rack takes up



With plenty of room to leave things hooked up, but not having to reach/see through so much wasted space, everything right there.



front lid is the thinner one with 1" depth for the DBX knob (1/2"), back lid is 2' inside depth to allow for wires to remain hooked up without cable strain.

[commander_dan]

Nice work, what does she weigh in at fully loaded? Love DIY

[heavybdrums]

Nice work, what does she weigh in at fully loaded? Love DIY

I'm guessing 50 lbs...I know the amp is a little less than 30 and the empty box is about 10-12lbs, and the dbx just a couple pounds.

[heavybdrums]

2 completed 4u rack cases. The top one waiting on another amp.



There will be one more rack case to build, that one may be a 6 or 8 space one.

[Bruce Weldy]

Question......from a ease of use standpoint, why did you put the driveracks on the bottom? It's hard enough to see those little screens without having to squat even further to get to 'em.