Build You Own (BYO) TV Stand [Text View] - Page 3

jimsiff

05-09-05, 10:25 PM

Originally posted by moorer1
No...the top and bottom panels are (walnut) veneer on MDF...and, yes...with an edge band on the front are rear edges only. They are 1 1/8" thick. And heavy!

Yes...the top bolts are countersunk. Aren't yours?

I fabricated the pegs from hardwood dowels. The posts are from 80/20. The bolts are feet are from McMaster Carr. Buying the hardware from Salamander is probably smart!

The top and bottom panels look very nice. 1 1/8" is thick MDF. I bet that thing is rock solid. :D

The top bolts in my stand are standard Salamander bolts. They're similar to a flanged button head bolt, but are a lower profile and flat on top. They aren't countersunk, and stick up from the surface about 1/16". Countersunk would be a nice look, but I didn't get around to it. How were you able to drill to a precise depth for the countersunk hole? Did you use a drill press or drill guide and a spade bit?

You did a nice job on your stand. I like that you made your own shelf pegs. :)

moorer1

05-09-05, 11:48 PM

As it turns out, the bolt heads of the bolts fastening the top panel to the uprights are 3/4" diameter as was the countersink bit (82 degrees, I think) I used...so it was just a matter of carefully drilling and checking the depth, making sure not to go too deep. Ultimately, it wasn't that difficult to get the countersink depths very close, so that the bolt heads were flush, despite using a hand drill.

Yep...spent far too much time on the pegs 8^) ...it was a matter of pride, I suppose! I'm not at all skilled in woodworking...so everything was a slow learning process.

Pelallito

05-10-05, 07:44 AM

Jimsniff,
Thanks for answering my question about Salamander. I think that I called on Thursday and Friday. I got mad that I could not talk to anybody and wondered if they were closed for vacation. I don't envy them, moving is a nightmare.
To control your depth precisely a drill press is very helpful, a milling machine even better.
Thanks again.
Regards,
Fred

egruber

05-10-05, 10:51 AM

I bought something similar to what you describe. Here is a photo. The center section holds my components and has a tinted glass so they are not so visible. And the remotes work fine through the glass. The left door has two pull-out shelves for DVD's and the right door has two adjustable shelves for other stuff.

IronHorse

05-24-05, 03:09 PM

Hey Guys...

Just checking in because I promised I would not walk away from this thread after starting it. Its really great to see some of the inovative pieces members have built and I hope that the flow of helpful information keeps going. Anyone contemplating building a stand would get a great education by just going through this thread from last Fall to whatever is the current date (today is May 24th). So keep those Q's & A's coming.

I finally got started on my bookshelves, settled on a 32" wide, 84" high, 16" deep setup, and I've got all the main pieces cut, and the back edges rabbeted for the back panel. I recently found a small local custom furniture shop that will professionally finish home-built furniture. The guy gave me a price of $75.00 per unit and all I do is bring him the pieces and a stain sample and he'll stain, seal, and finish with two coats of lacquer. I have to transport to and from. I'm thinking about it, but SWMBO feels that my finishing on the TV stand was plenty adequate for her taste, so she said I should consider saving the $225.00 and do it myself. Hmmmmmm.... we'll see.

On the shop front, Pablo... I'm getting close on getting a new saw, or rather a used cabinet saw. I have a few leads on nice used Delta Unisaws that could pan out. Once I make a decision, I'm going to have to drop a 220v box in the shop, then maybe I'll switch the bandsaw, DC, and tablesaw over to 220v. I also bought a new Bosch sander that should be an improvement over my PC. Once the three bookshelves are done, I might try a desk.

It never ends....

videobruce

05-27-05, 06:09 PM

if I ever have a set to rest on top of my stand............ :(

Kid Red

06-02-05, 10:22 AM

Well guys, my cabinet was installed yesterday and I spent last night getting my equipment inserted. There is NO WAY I could have built this, I must have been smoking crack when I thought maybe I could if I tried really hard and took my time, lol.

I know this isn't DYI, but I did design it, so it is related in that respect as it's nearly dead on to what I designed and posted here originally. I'll post some pics later.

videobruce

06-02-05, 10:38 AM

How 'bout a pic? :rolleyes:

Kid Red

06-02-05, 01:33 PM

Battery just died, I'll get them up in a hour or so.

Kid Red

06-02-05, 04:16 PM

Here are two shots.

The first should be a straight on shot of the unit. The display areas are empty, we weren't sure how much room we'd have so we held off buying accessories for those areas.

The second photo should be the AV door open and the bottom doors open to reveal two slide out DVD storage shelves.

My drawing should be a few pages back, those who remember will notice the resemblance.

Big Worms

06-02-05, 04:34 PM

Extremely nice Kid Red! :up: That expresso color would have been tough as a DIY. Where did you get it made?

Kid Red

06-02-05, 04:38 PM

Big- Thanks. Yea, it's laminate. Real wood would have been $10k+ and I wasn't going to go there. But we have a lot of the dark brown/expresso wood color in laminate and real wood, so it was an easy choice.

The guy is awesome, was recommended by my local hi-fi store where I bought most of my gear. Their name is Carolina Cabinetry, they specialize in AV cabinets. They are in Orlando and their website is http://carolinacabinetry.com/

cusm

06-03-05, 02:32 PM

Not to be too nosey, but how much did you end up paying? What did Lowe's or HD quote you?

Kenlex

06-03-05, 03:57 PM

Kid,

In the picture it looks like the cabinetry quite closely surrounds the TV. How are you providing ventilation?

IronHorse

06-20-05, 10:22 AM

Red...

Nicely done. I'd adgree that it still qualifies as a DIY because you designed it and spec'd it. But I hope you're not giving up on woodworking projects altogether. Building something you can actuall use inside your house has to be one of the most gratifying things you can do.

My advice to all the guys lurking or wondering about their abilities and skills is to start with a small project like a simple bookshelf... case goods, and consider it a box that you finish. Red's project is way to complex as a first task, although it turned out beautiful.

When I get my bookshelves completed (hopefully by the 4th of July weekend) I will post the final "look" of my entertainment center.

BTW, if you have a WOODCRAFT store near you, check with them. They not only have weekly demos on saturday afternoons (usually), but they also have classes that you can sign up for to build specific projects using their woodshop which has fabulous tools and obviously... plenty of hands-on help and instruction from experts craftsmen.

Kid Red

06-20-05, 04:53 PM

cusm- $6800 give or take. I went to HD and asked for a quote, gave the the design and they never got back to me! So, when's it time to do the kitchen, I'm going to Lowes. I had a local cabinet maker do it.

Kenlex- The back its totally open, and the sides have about 3 inches as does the top of the TV. The TV is also about a foot away from the wall. Now the AV stuff was different. The guy doesn't do ventilation (WTF??) so I had to notch the shelves and put a fan in there. I'll probably add a second small fan to aid the ventilation.

Iron- Thanks. The wife threw away my design now that it's done, but I think it's in this thread somewhere just for a keep sake. But I've also done some ventilation work, I'm going to add some DVD trays or slides from Rokler to thew right side and add a dimmer for the lights. So, I'm still doing some hands on tweaks.

schaffer970

06-21-05, 09:16 PM

Here is the stand I have built. The first attachment is my creation, the second is what I used for the pattern (I understand the Chicane 4 is about $2,500). Total cost for me is ~$800 plus a bit of time. Most of the cost is in the tslot frame I had made and black anodized. Also the cost of the glass was not cheap, but I wanted rounded corners, 3/8" and tempered. My signature has more pictures of the stand in progress.

I have been very impressed with the work all of you in this thread have done. For anyone wanting to take on this type of project, it's not all that hard if you take your time and think things through.

Kid Red

06-21-05, 10:45 PM

Very nice.

IronHorse

06-30-05, 12:33 PM

Hey Pablo...

OT but got my Unisaw! Picked it up last weekend and have been spending my spare time cleaning and painting it. Am slowly reassembling right now, then the last thing to do is clean the top. The previous owner (aged 84) got it from his father 20-odd years ago and has hardly used it, but the father apprently felt it needed some paint and he slopped a sort of flat grey paint onto many parts. I've repainted the cabinet, base, and table edges with a fairly nice machine equiment gray arcylic, the handwheels are low-gloss black. Also cleaned the excess paint off the angle indicator and clear-coated it. For the moment I'm going to use the OEM Jet-Lock fence, but a Biesemeyer or Shop Fox is probably coming in a week or two. I have a line on a like-new used Shop Fox... but the "seller" has a Sears saw with two fences and he doesn't know if he will part it out.

Moving the Craftsman up to the garage temporaily... might sell or possibly trade it for a thickness planer. That would be nice to have to make my own 1/4" edging.

JasonColeman

06-30-05, 02:11 PM

IronHorse-

I have a 52" Unifence that I'm selling if you're interested. I currently have it on a Delta Contractor's Saw II, which I am planning on selling, but I could always sell the Delta with its original fence system and sell the Unifence separately. I have the 52" Unifence system, the laminated table board and a lower laminated shelf and bracket.

For that matter, anyone interested in a souped-up 1 1/2 HP Delta Contractor's Saw II with a mobile base?

Jason

JasonColeman

06-30-05, 02:13 PM

Additionally, if you're looking for a thickness planer...definitely check this one out:

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=5935

I bought mine about 6 months ago and it blows every other planer I've used out of the water.

Jason

mmatlock

07-03-05, 03:34 PM

After spending a hour going through the posts on this thread, I'm both excited and intimidated by the prospect of building my own wall unit. I don't have a lot of space and I also want to build a set of DVD shelves to go on each side of the tv. Of course I have found nothing like this in my vast search of the net for a premade wall unit. Everyone may have lots of shelves for knicknacks and components, but no real DVD shelves. Are these people clueless to the HV addicts?!

Anyway, I can have a unit built for 2500 or so, or just do it myself. Sounds like a fun project so I'm going to try the do it myself route. I'm hitting a hardwood lumber yard and will do it in maple and stain it to look mission style.

My question is, and i've seen it posted but not answered, is "Is there a good software program (besides CAD), hopefully free or cheap, that I can use to do the plan for this thing?"

JasonColeman

07-03-05, 07:48 PM

Is there a good software program (besides CAD), hopefully free or cheap, that I can use to do the plan for this thing?
I always start with a pencil and a lot of paper (and some good rulers). Even though I have AutoCAD, I very rarely use it unless I'm doing something incredibly complex where I draw it 3-D and rotate it about. Most of the time, pencil and paper is all I need.

Jason

schaffer970

07-03-05, 08:48 PM

You might also go to Home Depot or Lowes (or any other center) and go to the kitchen cabinet area. They have lots of ideas about how to use the cabinets for all kinds of things, including home A/V setups. They have design books that can help you layout things and give you ideas.

danvines

07-03-05, 10:48 PM

Glad this thread is still alive. I was thinking it would be long dead before I actually got around to building my stand.

It's actually a pretty simple cabinet. My wife is a big Pottery Barn junkie, so, almost all of my furniture is simple w/ clean lines and painted white. One of these days, I'll introduce her to my friend, Mr. Walnut.

Anyway, construction is Sandeply plywood with clear pine for most of the trim. Doors are poplar stiles and rails w/ 1/4" plywood panels. Drawer front is solid poplar.

I have plenty of room for expansion, as the right hand cabinet is empty. All I can really see adding are maybe a DVD burner and HTPC. Maybe an XBox 360 or PS3 one day. Not much of a console gamer, though.

With background out of the way, here are the pics.

http://www.emmapaige.net/woodworking/ent_center/cabinet_overall.JPG

http://www.emmapaige.net/woodworking/ent_center/cabinet_drawer_closeup.JPG

http://www.emmapaige.net/woodworking/ent_center/cabinet_door_closeup.JPG

Thanks for looking.

Dan

ryansmith111

07-04-05, 03:14 PM

schaffer970

07-04-05, 03:58 PM

danvines, looks nice! Out of curiosity, what are the dimensions? Everyone is always wondering how their set would look on a given stand.

Artwood

07-04-05, 04:48 PM

I think anyone who can build their own stand, adjust thier own display for a great picture, and then post about it here with links must be a genius! I've always admired common sense people who could just handle things. People like that should rule the country!

danvines

07-04-05, 06:51 PM

Ryan - The top is plywood with ~1-1/2" wide pine edge banding w/ a bullnose routed edge.

schaffer - the overall dimensions are 64-1/2 wide x 23 tall x 20 deep. The width was designed to match the dimension of the TV cabinet. The height and depth were basically derived from the old stand that I was using temporarily. In truth, it could stand to be about 2" deeper to fit the receiver better, but it works fine.

Art - one of my favorite quotes is from Robert Heinlein: "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Dan

IronHorse

07-05-05, 10:52 PM

Jason...

That's what I get for not checking in on a daily basis. Actually I ordered a new Biesemeyer Commercial fence tonight! Should have it by the end of the week. I want to build an outfeed table and the B-Fence is a natural for that with the angle iron mount.

IronHorse-

I have a 52" Unifence that I'm selling if you're interested. I currently have it on a Delta Contractor's Saw II, which I am planning on selling, but I could always sell the Delta with its original fence system and sell the Unifence separately. I have the 52" Unifence system, the laminated table board and a lower laminated shelf and bracket.

For that matter, anyone interested in a souped-up 1 1/2 HP Delta Contractor's Saw II with a mobile base?

Jason

Jason... JFTR, the saw did not look like that when I got it. I spent about 50-60 hours cleaning, sanding, and painting it. Right now it looks like a 5 year old $1500+ Unisaw. It runs like a dream, installed all new belts, put in a Forrest WWII blade... gave her a nice mobile base, and built a new dust collection door to hook up to my DC system. Yeah... anyone in the Springfield area looking for a contractor's saw... I have a really nice HD 1HP 110v/220v Craftsman, built in the old days by Emerson Electric. Cast iron table and wing, outfeed roller, mobile base, and DC Box with slide out drawer. First $175 gets it with a couple of blades, throat inserts, etc.

Mike

Mike

okbyme

07-11-05, 04:44 PM

Warning: I don't know a thing about carpentry and I am NOT handy, but I think I can handle this project (unless you talk me out of it).

I have a sheet-rocked alcove that will just barely accept my soon to be ordered new 75-pound 46 inch dlp tv. The only construction that I have to do is build a shelf to get the tv to the right height (about 20 above the floor).

The alcove is closed on three sides and the top is also closed, so it will be a major pain to try and get the tv in the hole (and even harder to get it out when I need to get to the back of the unit). So I was planning on using two 24 deep x48 wide plywood shelves (the inside dimensions of the hole. The first shelf would be the supporting shelf (which itself would be supported by three 2 by 4's underneath). The second shelf would sit right on top of it with three equally spaced center drawer slides locking the two together. My thought is that I could slide the top shelf in/out with the tv on it. Of course as I pull the shelf out I would expect to support it underneath with some kind of temporary brace (maybe a table, or a stack of phone books or whatever). Does this make sense? Will it work? Any suggestions on materials to use? Also, to pretty it up, I figure that I can put a piece of trim over the front edge of the sliding piece that's tall enough to cover the leading edge of both pieces of plywood shelving.

I don't own any tools but I figure all I need is a saw, hammer and nails and screwdriver and screws plus theee center drawer slides for about $5 each at Home Depot (saw them yesterday).

Any advice?

danvines

07-11-05, 11:01 PM

Any advice?

Yep. Forget about the $5 each slides at Home Depot. Look for something more in line with these (http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=1493 ).

Actually, there are probably better and/or heavier-duty solutions, but, I'm too lazy to look for them right now. One trick to using multiple center-mount slides... they must be PERFECTLY aligned or they will bind.

Dan

Swamibob

07-16-05, 06:18 PM

danvines

07-17-05, 09:44 AM

swami -

1) Don't count on the guy at Lowes giving you very accurate cuts. It can happen, if you have the right person doing the cutting, but it's not very likely they will succeed even if they try. You can buy (or make) a guide for your skilsaw that will allow you to make VERY accurate cuts on sheet goods. That is what I and many others do, as it's often much easier than trying to wrestle a 60+ lb. 4x8 sheet of plywood onto the tablesaw by oneself.

I haven't looked back at the pics of Spiff's stand, but does it have a back on it? Will yours? If so, the idea of using doweled butt joints between the plywood pieces is probably OK. If there is no back, I doubt that type of joinery will adequately resist racking. you'd be better off inserting putting the "sides" into dadoes in the top and bottom. This can be done w/ a router if you don't have a table saw.

2) I'm not a finishing guy, but my advise is to test several different finishes on some scraps of your plywood before doing the finished cabinet.

3) Standard yellow wood glue (Titebond, Elmers, etc) will be plenty strong.

One more point - how do you plan on covering up the edges of the plywood? I assure you it will be quite ugly unless you trim it with hardwood or egeband it.

Good luck.
Dan

JasonColeman

07-17-05, 01:46 PM

If you've got a circular saw with a decent blade (for plywood), simply use a straightedge (either aluminum, hardwood, etc) as a guide/fence and you'll get a much more accurate cut than having somebody at Lowe's cut it for you. Have them rough cut it 1/2-1" larger than you need it and you can finish cut it yourself.

Also, cover the edges with edge banding (available at any woodworking store...Rockler, Woodcraft, etc). You simply iron it on and trim the excess edges with either a router or a specialty hand-plane (razor blade with guide $15-20) specifically designed for edge banding.

Jason

JasonColeman

07-17-05, 01:55 PM

Actually I ordered a new Biesemeyer Commercial fence tonight!

Jason... JFTR, the saw did not look like that when I got it. I spent about 50-60 hours cleaning, sanding, and painting it. Right now it looks like a 5 year old $1500+ Unisaw. It runs like a dream, installed all new belts, put in a Forrest WWII blade... gave her a nice mobile base, and built a new dust collection door to hook up to my DC system.
Mike-

Nice job...the saw looks awesome. You'll love the new fence system, too. What size did you get? I actually just picked up my new X5 3hp Unisaw with all the trimmings. I'm still waiting on the mobile base, so I haven't assembled it yet (don't want to have to lift 550 lbs again!), but I can't wait. I also have to run a 220v circuit for it, so it might be a week or two...:(

BTW, check out the motor on this thing!

Enjoy the new saw and fence system! And awesome blade, too! Those things aren't cheap but they're worth it!

Jason

IronHorse

07-17-05, 02:42 PM

Swamibob... If you are trying to match Brazilian Rosewood, I think you might want to look at using birch plywood rather than oak. I used birch for my stand and a rosewood stain that I bought at Woodcraft. Nice color, but you have to do all the right things when staining/finishing.

Jason... I got the 30" setup although the ruler runs out to 32" on the rail. I have to build a adequate side table this week because the Biesemeyer needs some support on the far end beyond the angle iron. The Bies is a rock-solid piece... dead on right out of the box.

Mike

Spiff69

07-17-05, 02:56 PM

I have a few more questions. I am going to make a pretty basic stand with a top, bottom. and 4 walls, and one shelf in each of the 3 compartments (similar to the one the spiff69 built) except I am going to put my center channel speaker, amp, and 1 component on the top shelf. This leaves me room for 6 more components inside of the entertainment stand. Here are the questions.

1) I don't have a table saw only a skill saw. I plan on buying 2 pieces of 4X8 oak plywood at lowes tomorrow and having them cut 1 piece in half (2 pieces 2'X8') and cut the other one to 4'X70" and then cut it in half so it will be 2 pieces of 2'X70". I will use the 2'X70" pieces for the top and bottom. I have a plasma tv mounted on the wall and it is 27" above the floor. With my 12" center channel speaker, I only want the top of the stand to be 13". I plan on holding the top on with wood glue and wood dowels. Do you think that 4 dowels into the top on each of the partitions and gluing between the partitions and the top is enough to hold the top and to move it around or do you think I should use wood blocks in the corners and screw them into the plywood? I do not want to use any wood plugs or putty to hide screw holes or have the stain not turn out good because of putty.

2)I am trying to match South American Rosewood (speakers-onyx rockets are made from this wood and look awesome!). Spiff69 said "I used minwax sedona red stain (2 coats) and then their fast drying polyurethane (3 coats). I was trying to achieve a rosewood kind of look." Why did he not use rosewood stain in the first place? Will it not make it look like south american rosewood? I thought I saw some stain specifically for rosewood. I did like the look of spiffs finish (it looked exceptional actually) but it looked a little too bright for rosewood.

3)What is the best glue to glue this together with? I have never really done a project like this so I want to learn from you guys who know the ins and outs of this.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Guys,

I haven't dropped in on this thread in a while and got a pm from Swami about his post. Looks like I've got some catching up to do.

Swami - It was really more of an availability thing more than anything else. I didn't really find a proper rosewood stain - at least not one that I really liked. I've used minwax's products a lot and have always liked the results. I would definitely follow the advice of others and get a few different stains. Most of them come in the little 4 oz cans or whatever they are and are fairly inexpensive. I myself tested about 3 different types of stain and even at that I wish I had gone a little bit further in my testing and put the polyurethane on as well. I put one coat on and got a little nervous in that it wasn't nearly as rich as I wanted it to be. I then followed up with another coat and it was much more saturated. Also, different woods will accept stain differently. I went ahead and went with oak ply and oak 1x2 so that I could count on at least a little consistency. I was trying to match my paradigm rosewood speakers and got pretty darned close.

I had pretty good luck with getting Home Depot cutting panels to size. Making a circ saw guide is easy and it will definitely work, but it certainly made things easier to get it cut to size before I got it home. I don't have a garage or a proper workspace really and it helped. They have the big panel saws there and I just kept a close eye on it - kind of hard to get a crooked cut with a panel saw. I put a lauan back on my cabinet and I also faced the front with oak 1x2 to help with the racking thing - this way I didn't have to worry about additional support and the front trim masks my adjustable shelving hardware. I also rented a battery operated finish nailer from HD and it worked great in assembling everything together - the nails are so small that even if you do use a stainable putty to fill in the holes it's really not noticable. Of course, there are always several different ways to acheive similar results.

I tell you, though, I wouldn't trade my stand for anything. It is perfectly customized to my needs and really does outdo anything I could have bought at a reasonable price. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress - there is a wealth of information here from all these guys.

Kenlex

07-17-05, 03:24 PM

A few more comments on Swamibob's project...

I agree with IronHorse that birch rather than oak plywood will be best if you're trying to simulate rosewood. The graining of the oak will be all wrong.

Sounds like Spiff69 had really good luck with Home Depot cutting his panels, but I wouldn't expect that to be the rule. The place I buy my hardwood plywood has a huge table saw with extensions, and they sling 4x8 sheets around really quickly. Their blade is a really fine-toothed carbide blade, and they guarantee their cuts +/- 1/16 (or is it 1/32?). Also, at Home Depot or Lowe's etc. I'd worry that they'd be using a multi-purpose blade that might not treat the hardwood veneer so well (esp. cross-cutting oak).

I'd plan on doing the finish cutting using an extruded aluminum cutting guide that you can clamp onto the plywood. There are good inexpensive ones that come in two 4' 6" (or so) sections that connect to form a good straight 8 1/2'+ cutting guide. That, careful measurement, and a really good plywood blade in your circular saw will do much better than the lumber yard.

Heck, you might even need to clean up the factory edge a little, unless you can arrange that all the factory edges are at the back. Factory edges can get a little beat up sometimes.

IronHorse

07-17-05, 06:03 PM

ll you woodworking wannabe's here's a chance to get in up to your knees;

Well it's finally time to part ways with my Craftsman Contractor's Saw. I figured I'd post it here in the AVS Forum before going to eBay even though many folks here are past this stage. This is a great starter saw for anyone looking to not spend a fortune and yet be able to fill all your basic TS needs. This is a nice, heavy, well built saw. The table top and wing are cast iron (no rust) as are most of the guts. The fence is original, and decent enough. To entice someone to jump on this (maybe), I'm including some extras. You buy the saw, you're also getting a HD locking mobile base, a shop-built dust draw (handy), a shop-built full-width roller outfeed (metal framed), the miter gauge, and a nice assortment of blades to include; a 60-tooth 10" Consoweld carbide blade, a 9" Craftsman veneer blade, a 10" Master Craftsman Combination Blade, and a 6" Master Craftsman Dado Set. I have the original insert, plus a zero clearance, and dado throat insert. I'll also include an old Vermont American dovetail tool, in the box complete with instructions. It's used, scuffed, but hey... you might have some fun with it. The motor is a 1HP that can be wired for 110v/220v.

The bundle price for anyone here in the AVS or WoodNet forums is $175.00 picked up here in Longmeadow, MA (just outside of Springfield). While the saw and blades are used, they are by no means abused, and if you had to buy a new contractors saw of this quality today, you'd be spending between $500.00 and $800.00, not to mention maybe $300 more for the blades, mobile base, and other stuff. And no... I don't think I can pack this up and ship it. Here are a few pix:

Swamibob

07-17-05, 06:34 PM

Ok, I started the project today. HD did a decent job and although I didn't measure it, they are the same length so i'm sure it's close.

I have seen the brazilian rosewood and it looks more of a brownish color than my speakers do. It says it is South American Rosewood and they are more of a redish color. Since I can't post a direct link to the site, the company is av123 and the speakers I have are the RS1000 if any of you care to take a look at what the finish on the speakers look like.
I thought the sedona red 222 looked closer than the brazilian rosewood stain so I went with it as spiff69 did. I have stained a test piece and I think it is looking pretty close. I will take it home with me tonight and do a comparison. I put 2 coats on one half and 3 coats of stain on the other. They did not have oak (I went this morning before all the your posts so I didn't know the birch was a good match so I chose some plywood made from sandy wood. It was called sandyply. It was pre sanded 3 times and it had a pretty nice finish on it. I gave it a light sanding on a test piece and stained it. It does seem pretty soft so I used the wood conditioner before staining and it looks pretty even. Will it look darker once I put the polyurathain on it?

I have decided to forgo the dowel idea and use 3/4 in wood blocks 24" long in the corners of the top to all of the partitions and the sides as well as glueing the top down with liquid nails heavy duty. I will drill these wood blocks and use 1 1/4" screws from the inside where they will not be seen. I am putting 2" molding around the front (similar to the way spiff69 did). Once again, do you think the wood blocks the whole width of the partitions and sides will be strong enough? I will you 5 screws to the top and 5 to the side and partitions on each side.

Swami

JasonColeman

07-17-05, 08:59 PM

As far as that method of attaching the top, I'd only recommend gluing-&-screwing when using plywood (as you're doing) because it expands and contracts much less than hardwoods do. You probably don't even need any Liquid Nails either...decent wood screws should do the trick.

As far as the finish goes, it's obviously best to test it out on scrap pieces of material. The polyurethane won't really darken up the wood like other finishes will (particularly oils).

Jason

Swamibob

07-17-05, 09:05 PM

Here is a picture I took after I got home. Do you guys think more stain of the same sedona red 222 or another color to make it more alike? I have never tried to color match stain before. Here is the link. (I hope I did it right!) http://gallery.avsforum.com/showphoto.php/photo/15620

Thanks

Artwood

07-17-05, 09:15 PM

Are the people who decide the prices for stands for the major Video Display manufacturers the same people who used to be managers of movie theaters and set the prices on candy bars and popcorn?

IronHorse

07-17-05, 09:24 PM

You might try leaving it on a little longer before burnishing, and not really knowing what the grain of your "sandywood" is like, I'd suggest you might want to experiment with a second stain (darker) trying to fake the grain. Try dry-brushing or dry-wiping over the more reddish stain. Then once yo get what you like, you can seal it with urethane or even shellac followed by urethane.

Swamibob

07-17-05, 09:29 PM

What darker color stain would you suggest? I am taking back the satin finish polyurathane to HD tomorrow anyway. I meant to get gloss so I could pick up the darker then. Also that section in the picture has 3 coats of seonda red stain already and the last one I let soak in for 15 mins. Thanks for all the help BTW.

Rob

IronHorse

07-18-05, 07:50 AM

Rob...

Rosewood has some very distinctive grain colors, so I suggest that whatever stain product you are using (brand-wise) should offer something to match the darker shades. Some furniture finishers call this "glazing" and basically... you have sealed in the lighter color and are spotting on the darker, but not giving it a chance to pennetrate. You can dry prush it on or scrunch up a rag or newspaper and then carefully drag it over the darker stain to create the highs and lows (color values). Don't overwork it and do not go in any direction other than the grain of the wood.

Cut a few sample pieces and experiment before finishing the real cabinet. And don't forget... you don't need to coat the entire surface with the darker color. A more dramatic effect can be had if you create or spot the false grain.

Mike

Spiff69

07-18-05, 09:27 AM

Yeah, I would agree with Ironhorse - the color is getting close, but the grain is completely different. Experiment with what he suggests or you'll have to try a different type of wood. The nicer plywoods never seem to have as much grain as the hardwood itself, so I'm not sure how close you'll get without some experimentation.

JasonColeman

07-18-05, 09:37 AM

Without doing some pretty fancy staining and finishing techniques, you'll have a hard time matching the rosewood without actually using rosewood plywood (or solid rosewood). Short of using the real thing, you're probably better off using a plywood that has little to no grain (sandywood?) and applying a faux grain finish than using something like oak which already has a pronounced grain (that most likely won't match your speakers). I'm not sure how large your stand is going to be, but it might be worthwhile to just bite the bullet and buy either the rosewood ply or solid rosewood. I found rosewood plywood here: http://www.publiclumber.com/14ros4x8g1s.html (not a bad price, either) and solid rosewood is available in quantity on ebay...simply search rosewood lumber. While the solids are pricey, you can always have them resawn into 3 or 4 thinner boards and use them as laminate.

In the end, you'll still save yourself a ton of money, so why not save yourself some time, too?

Jason

Swamibob

07-18-05, 09:13 PM

IronHorse,
Are you saying that I should put a coat of polyurthane to seal in the red color before putting the darker stain on or just use the base coat of red that is already on there and use the method you described above? You said I don't have to put it everywhere so do you mean just do some dark streaks down it with the fairly dry rag from the dark stain and then use the newspaper to drag through it to leave streaks of dark stain to simulate the rosewood grain? Sorry for all the questions but I cannot find a lot of how to sites to explain this throughly. Thanks again,

Rob

JasonColeman

07-18-05, 10:38 PM

Rob-

If you put polyurethane on what you've already got, that's it. The poly is the top coat and is inpenetrable...any additional finishing needs to be done prior to the poly.

Jason

Swamibob

07-19-05, 07:16 AM

Has anyone tried putting more wood conditoner on top of a base coat of stain in streaks similar to wood grain and then streak the darker stain on to it? Do you think this would help the dark stain be more pronounced or would it mess up the stain that is already on there? Just curious because rosewood has very dark black lines of grain when it is stained. Thanks

Jason,
thanks for the input.. I know poly usually goes last but I read in another forum about putting some other coat on to help seal the base coat in and then streak the dark stain. I thought IronHorse might have been telling me the same thing.

Rob

IronHorse

07-19-05, 07:59 AM

Rob...

Usually... stain is a pretty decent sealer once it dries. Not knowing what the consistentcy of the wood is right now, plus not knowing whether you're using an oil or water based stain... I'm shooting in the dark. But no... do not put the urethane on yet. You could "seal" with a thinned down coat of clear waxless shellac and then try the darker stain in streaks. This is why I suggested doing it on a few sample pieces before messing with the actual cabinet.

If you want to try veneer... you can google rosewood and get sources like this:

http://www.certainlywood.com/woodmenu.htm#exotic

http://www.woodworkerssource.net/Merchant3/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=WS&Category_Code=veneer

Mike

Musty Hustla

07-19-05, 11:58 AM

my 55in sony is sitting on a collection cinderblocks and plywood. its gangsta

JasonColeman

07-19-05, 01:12 PM

Now that's do-it-yourself...my wife would have me whacked...:D

Jason

IronHorse

07-19-05, 02:46 PM

Hey now... wait a minute. If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you might even see my 62 MITs DLP sitting on a couple of stolen milk crates and a piece of formica countertop! Now _THAT'S_ Gangsta baby! :D

my 55in sony is sitting on a collection cinderblocks and plywood. its gangsta

Brucer

07-19-05, 11:26 PM

Did someone mention matching Onix Rocket Rosewood?

I have a little experience with that.

About the best you can expect is to compliment the color only, you will not achieve the contrasting grain without the Real McCoy, and will probably end up with a mess attempting to do so via faux grain, etc..

Brucer

07-20-05, 02:10 PM

Grain match shot

Target speakers were 1000 miles away when unit was built.

[Excuse the photo and lighting quality]

Swamibob

07-21-05, 09:44 PM

How did you match the rosewood like that? Is that real rosewood?

videobruce

07-21-05, 11:23 PM

Grain match shot
Target speakers were 1000 miles away when unit was built.
[Excuse the photo and lighting quality]Not even close. :eek: :D :D

Tell us, you have some special powers or something??? ;)

Brucer

07-22-05, 12:09 AM

Well, it helps to start with hand selecting the same species of wood, then I had to seam the veneer slices together and lay them up. I then mixed my own custom color to match the Rocket Hue [not a wipe on stain].

For more info [& pics] on how your ‘Rockets Skins’ are made see my thread here [fun read]:

http://forum.**********/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2363

For construction pics & tutorial of the above feature curved side cabinet see my thread ‘Worlds Largest Rocket” here [more fun stuff]:

http://forum.**********/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2493&highlight=wlr

And while you are over there be sure to check out “Brucer’s Corner” [main index] for info on my Audio Protein line of A/V furniture and accessories.

IronHorse

08-14-05, 10:46 AM

Hey guys... thought I'd stop in and see what new projects are underway... this thread seems to be at a standstill! Anyway, Thought I'd post a picture of the beast with her new Biesemeyer fence and side table. Unisaws basically have a small footprint and vintage ones like mine only have 8" cast iron wings... so the tabletop surface is not that big. The original Jet-Lock fence gave me a 24" rip capacity for sheet goods, and the B-Fence changed that. I actually had to re-drill the factory holes on the fence because it locates it perfectly for two 12" wings! I have limited space to my right, so I kinda compromised... but now I have about a 38" rip capacity to the right, and 24" side table.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/davis47/Unisaw-17.jpg

My shop is a little in disarray which I'm working on today. I have to get it all cleaned out so I can stain, finish, and assemble my bookshelf units that will go next to the TV stand. I have everything cut exactly to size, edged, sanded, and bisquit slots ready. All Glue joints are taped off and the tape will be removed once the finishing is complete. I bought a HVLP spray system from Rockler, so rather than brushing, I'm going to try spraying everything. Hope to have the bookshelf system up by Labor Day weekend, and of course, I'll post some pictures then of the complete setup.

videobruce

08-14-05, 11:27 AM

Damn showoff (as he proclaims with envy) :(

That 19" monitor is still on my 60" wide stand. :mad:

IronHorse

08-14-05, 09:29 PM

Brucie!

Howya doin? C'mon, what are you waiting for? That 19" DuMont B&W has to be getting a little grainy by now!!! :D

Having a 60" beautiful stand with a 19" analog TV is like having Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum and a handfull of BB's! Does it hurt? :eek:

Mike

videobruce

08-15-05, 09:54 AM

I'll see in September. More models should be showing. Really don't want a DLP.
The D-ILA and LCD's (RP) have issues I'm not comfortable with.

stale

08-17-05, 11:24 PM

Well, given the courage from this thread, I went and built a salamander knock off using the extruded aluminum that others recommended. Now I know this isn't the same, but I saw this today at Rockler: http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=11425&slt=hp

Could be a lot cheaper option if you want the aluminum look. I paid somewhere in the order of $150-200 for 8 extruded aluminum pieces (~2'), these are $12 for 4'. Just another option.

videobruce

08-18-05, 08:59 AM

To me, the 'aluminum look' is in stark contrast to the 'wood' look especially if you would stain the wood (not leave it 'natural').

Kinda expensive hardware. The legs in that photo look out of the 60's. :eek:

jmhemicuda

08-21-05, 02:27 PM

how high sould a 62" dlp be from the ground also should the center speaker be above or below the TV

Brucer

08-21-05, 03:04 PM

If anyone is interested, I have [left over] nearly a few miles of brushed aluminum edging, I could part with at my cost. I actually have two types of aluminum edging in rolls that are a couple hundred feet each, continuous [maybe longer, I forget].

Both types have a protective plastic peel-off film on the face side to minimize damage during manufacturing [it also came in handy since the project these were used on had a stained and finished wood top].

The first rolls are a thicker brushed aluminum with a paper backer and I have these in three widths….2-1/8” wide, 1.5” wide, & ¾” wide.

The second rolls are a thinner more shinier with less of a brushed appearance almost foil thin with a pvc backer in 2-1/8” widths [tons or this type].

Either can be glued on with contact cement.

I have these left over from a display table project [600 of ‘em] where I laminated the edges with one continuous run. Corners were ½” radius, to give you an idea how tight they can be bent.

My cost was somewhere around $.50 per linear foot, and I can roll off whatever lengths are needed.

Samples can be sent out ahead of time, if need be. [say 6" lengths or so].

Kenlex

08-21-05, 09:47 PM

how high sould a 62" dlp be from the ground also should the center speaker be above or below the TV

Generally speaking, you want the center of the screen at eye level when you are seated. The height will probably turn out to be little higher than most commercial stands. The stand I built for my 42" DLP is 24" high. Exactly how high yours should be will depend on how high off the stand the center of your screen will be; i.e., it depends on the design of the TV; primarily, how much height is beneath the screen on your model.

Too bad that's not something manufacturers give you in the specs... "C/L of screen is X" above base" or something like that.

IronHorse

08-29-05, 09:25 AM

how high sould a 62" dlp be from the ground also should the center speaker be above or below the TV

I'm comfortable with a stand that is about 22" high which holds my 62" Mits DLP. If your set has sidesaddle speakers, chances are you'd have to elevate the set. DLPs are pretty forgiving when it comes to angle of viewing, but you might wnat to sit in a comfortable chair and measure form the ceiling to your eye when you are sitting back normally. Then calculate how high the screen is, center it at exactly your eye level from the ceiling when seated comfortably, and then figure out how much cabinet is needed to keep it at that height +/- maybe 1"-2". That should do it. Remember to calculate the height of legs/casters.

BTW, I have my center channel under my set although most folks seem to think that it should go above the set. For me it was bad design to hang something in the space over my set because mine is sitting somewhat diagonally in the corner. I'm also not that hung up on absolute acoustics... it works just fine for me sitting as part of my lower cabinet. Check the early sections of this thread and you'll see my setup.

Dan Wesnor

08-29-05, 10:52 PM

I don't understand why you guys who are building your own stands are NOT building your own speakers?!?!

videobruce

08-30-05, 07:53 AM

There is a SLIGHT difference between stands and speaker cabinets. Stands don't have audio quality concerns! :eek:

Dan Wesnor

08-30-05, 09:02 AM

BS!! There is no magic in building speakers, only in selling them. There are a number of proven designs avilable on the net. Try one and find out how much audio quality you've been missing by buying speakers designed to grab your attention in the store!

Jaguar36

08-30-05, 09:11 AM

After looking around at the various stands that were being sold I decided to build my own stand as well. I'm almost finished now, just put the first coat of stain on it yesterday.

It needs to hold my 52" Mitsu DLP WD52525 so it's about 51" wide and 19" tall.

I've put up a webpage documenting it, I apologize for the crappiness of the pictures in advance. <EDIT> apparntly I don't have enough posts yet to put links up, so you'll just have to imagine how wonderful it looks :) PM me if you want the link <EDIT>

My biggest problem so far was choosing a color of stain that I liked. The colors tended to not match the picture, which meant I had to buy some of each color to test myself.

I'm in an apartment and therfore don't have any nice power tools, I constructed the entire thing using a hand held circular saw, a router and a drill. That caused soem difficulties with mitering the trim and such, but it seems to have turned out fairly well.

I made it out of oak plywood, with solid oak for the trim, and doors. The doors are solid wood, not glass, however they open up, and slide into the stand for when I need to use the equipment. My significant other want the eletronics to be hidden when not in use, which is why I've done it this way.

videobruce

08-30-05, 09:14 AM

There is no magic in building speakers Maybe not in building the enclosures, but how about matching components and the x-over network?

Jaguar36; welcome to the forums. ;)

Dan Wesnor

08-30-05, 10:29 AM

Use one of the proven designs or buy a kit.

www.gr-research.com (AV-1 was very favorable reviewed by Secrets of Home Theater and Hi-Fi)
www.murphyblaster.com
www.selahaudio.com

I also have some designs which I like and I've received positive comments on, but not nearly as much peer review as the above.

www.knology.net/~wesnor

I don't mean to hijack the thread, it just seems odd that somebody who would go through all this trouble to build a stand would not try speakers also.

ryansmith111

08-30-05, 01:49 PM

I don't understand why you guys who are building your own stands are NOT building your own speakers?!?!
Hi Dan,

One reason people build their own stand is cost - to get a custom built-in or a Salamander stand costs way more than what a DIY stand would cost.

Do you have a rough estimate of what a homemade speaker would cost? You could exclude the wood, which would vary considerably in cost based on the wood choice, and just estimate the other components.

I never considered building speakers because I thought it would be too complicated. I'll have to look at the links you posted. If it is cost-effective I'd be game to give it a go.

Thanks!

Dan Wesnor

08-30-05, 02:00 PM

Typically, $250 gets you a speaker of the same quality that you would pay $1-$2k for in the store, assuming the design is good. My first DIY cost ~$200 (John K. 's P17/D25) and replaced my $800 Montior Audio speakers, and were noticably smoother than the Monitors.

For example, the cost to build a ProAc Response 2.5 ($4,500 when they quit selling it), is about $600. I use this example because ProAc used off-the-shelf parts for this speaker that are widely available, and an Asian magazine disected one and published the crossover. Several people built copies, and they have been poked, prodded, A/B tested, and measured, and the clones were exactly like the real thing in every way except finish . So that's a good data point on cost effectiveness.

Most people use MDF for construction and then veneer or paint. Some use Baltic birch ply, but nobody uses real wood due to the resonance issues (plus it's expensive and more difficult to work with the MDF).

See also: http://www.audiodiycentral.com/

Jaguar36

09-02-05, 02:26 PM

Well I finished staining and polyurethaning the pieces for my stand. I put two coats of mocha Brown stain on, and two coats of minwax fast-drying Aersol Polyurethane on top of that. I'm quite happy with how it turns out, just have to assemble it tommorw when the poly dries. I'll take some real pictures this weekend when it all gets put together.

I only have 4 casters on it now, however I am debating putting another two in the middle, I think I will assemble it all and see how much sag there is in the center when I sit on it.

it ended up costing alot mroe than I was expecting, I had priced it out at abotu $200, and it cost mroe than twice that. However alot of the cost came from things I didn't use (like the two extra cans of stain I bought) and from tools I need to buy.

Since I now have enough posts I should be able to put a link up to the website (http://www.delete.org/~jaguar/spot.php) I made for this project.

videobruce

09-03-05, 09:32 AM

The largest power tool I used was a 10" powered miter saw. That along with a bench drill press, circular saw and two cordless drills (one for drilling, the other for screws).

irishrulze

09-03-05, 10:44 AM

nataraj

09-03-05, 04:29 PM

Typically, $250 gets you a speaker of the same quality that you would pay $1-$2k for in the store, assuming the design is good. My first DIY cost ~$200 (John K. 's P17/D25) and replaced my $800 Montior Audio speakers, and were noticably smoother than the Monitors.

Is there a way I can build an electrostatic pair for under 1K ? I got my ML pair (used) for under 1K ...

Jaguar36

09-06-05, 08:37 AM

I updated my website (http://www.delete.org/~jaguar/spot.php) with the mostly finished pictures (it still needs the doors)

Here's a pretty good picture of it though.

http://cobalt.delete.org/~jaguar/gallery/album/album04/DSC00807.jpg

I'm quite happy with how it turned out, and its the perfect size for what I need. I'm trying to figure out if there is something else I can do with the casters though, since they have to spin around every time you change direction it makes it a bit difficult to pull out and push in every time I want to move it.

Dan Wesnor

09-06-05, 08:52 AM

If you've got Vienna Acoustics money, a cabinet maker will be happy to help you out. :)

There are DIY electrostatics around, but not many.

I suppose I should post a pic of the rack I just finished soon just so I can pretend to be on topic. :)

Dan Wesnor

09-06-05, 06:58 PM

This was a hurry-up job just to get it off the floor. I already have drawings for a new stand. This one's too high, and I could have done a better job all around.

http://www.knology.net/~wesnor/Image1.jpg

A close up. The shelves are cherry veneer over MDF with bird's eye maple edging. It was all scrap. There maple boards were not long enough to allow me to bevel the coreners at 45 degress. Finish is 2 parts oil to 1 part varnish, which goes on easier than pure varnish and doesn't require sanding to be "acceptable", so it can be done in a day. It's rubbed on with steel wool and then buffed out. All the hardware is left over from an old Salamabder rack.

http://www.knology.net/~wesnor/Image2.jpg

Big Worms

10-17-05, 05:49 PM

jimsiff, super job on the cabinet.

I am also in the process of building a cabinet. I used www.8020.net to purchase the material I wanted (am constructing the frame from the 25 t-slot material, anodized black).

For anyone looking for casters (I wanted to be able to easily move the cabinet) I recommend these guys: http://www.lgrathbun.com/furncast.htm They have a furniture caster that is only 1 3/4 inches overall height. I have already bought them and they are excellent quality metal body.

I am impressed with the quality of work being performed by us amateur's! :D
I am still thinking about going this route for a stand. My question is how did you order it in black? I looked at their website and don't find it in black.

IronHorse

10-20-05, 02:52 PM

While this picture was snapped rather hastily, here's a shot showing my TV stand with the Mits 62-725 DLP, flanked by three recently completed bookshelf units. The finish is General's water-based Rosewood dye stain, available at WoodCraft, topped off with about 3-4 coats of water based Minwax semi-gloss urethane.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/davis47/TV-Stand-Shelves-00.jpg

Handles are tubular stainless steel, about 4" on doors, and about 7" on center drawer. Shelves were built using birch plywood, iron-on edges, two shelves are adjustable in height, the botom one is fixed. Inside cabinets I have one adjustable shelf per unit. Plan on getting DVD racks... and maybe keyed locks to keep my 18-month old grandson out of them!

Mike

Jaguar36

10-20-05, 03:18 PM

videobruce

10-20-05, 04:27 PM

You will probably find this hard to believe, but;

RGrim

10-20-05, 05:00 PM

Here are some pics of the stand I built. One of the pictures are before I finished it and the other is a pic after it was finished.

IronHorse

10-23-05, 07:16 PM

That looks quite nice Ironhorse, I'm jealous of everyone with a Woodcraft store near them, I'm stuck with Home Depot and Lowes.

How many wheels did you put on your stand? I only have 4 on mine and am a bit concerned that it might start to bow in the middle. I'm considering putting two more on in the middle. Also what kind of casters did you use? I used the 360 swiveling kind, however when ever they reverse direction, such as when you try to pull the stand out, after it has been pushed back in, it's always quite difficult until the wheels re-orient themselves. Has anyone found a good solution for this?

Thanks for the kind words. It's not perfect but I built it and it works for me. I have eight (8) casters front/rear under every upright partition. I used the Shepard style that looks like a rolling tube... pretty much standard. I tried it first with 4 casters, and thought I'd add four more so when I do pull it out/push it back in... it might be easier. It is a little better. I don't think there's any real solution to the wheel swiveling off-angle if you use swivel casters. What might help is fixed casters in either the front or back maybe. All depends how much space and swing room you have. Mine works well enough as long as I pull/push from the center of the cabinet at the skirt... which I reinforced for just that purpose.

Artwood

10-23-05, 11:06 PM

Maybe all the world's problems could be fixed if the people that build their own stands could start building GIANT entertainment centers so people would quit buying rinky-dink TVs!

grider

10-24-05, 07:26 AM

Here' mine built 5 years ago. About 58" wide, it's solid pine with Minwax Puritain Pine Stain and Varathane Semi-Gloss. 8 wheels, 2 under each vertical. All shelves are height adjustable except the one at the base level of TV. The back is completely removeable down the right hand side behined the components for wiring access and there is an internal wire management channel to run wires to the TV. i.e. no wires visable at the rear.

Currently shopping for a wide screen TV so I guess it's time to build a new stand.

Pablopsd

11-24-05, 11:53 PM

Hey Guys,
How you all been! It has been a while since I have been poking around. No IH it still isn't finished! Have been so busy with work, the last thing I feel like doing is come home and build some more! Actually started to stain the base, but not real happy with the color match to the speakers. Now that my son is getting more destructive, aka forcing the Sony mega changer open and removing discs, we are thinking of moving gear into the basement and using IR set up for operation. If we do this, looks like I will be chopping up the partially built stand and come up with a new smaller stand. Hope you all had a nice Turkey Day,

Pablo :eek:

bxga1

11-25-05, 10:50 AM

Has anyone built a stand for their 61" JVC, I'm going to buy either a Z series or the new 1080p for my super bowl party and would like to build my own stand.
Any suggestions or measurements are appreciated
Thanks In Advance

IronHorse

12-02-05, 01:37 PM

Don't know if the JVC has ear or chin speaker location... but if it's the latter (speakers below screen), you could take a look at mine. Pictures, finished and in construction... are sprinkled throughout this thread. In fact, the finished setup is just a few posts above, but close-ups are way back. My layout was components on either side with a center space occupied by a drawer over a center channel cavity. Doors are frameless glass with magnetic catches. If you want dimensions, I'd be happy to provide them.

IronHorse

12-02-05, 01:38 PM

Don't know if the JVC has ear or chin speaker location... but if it's the latter (speakers below screen), you could take a look at mine. My Mitsubishi DLP is 62" and should be somewhat similar. Pictures, finished and in construction... are sprinkled throughout this thread. In fact, the finished setup is just a few posts above, but close-ups are way back. My layout was components on either side with a center space occupied by a drawer over a center channel cavity. Doors are frameless glass with magnetic catches. If you want dimensions, I'd be happy to provide them.

patsan

12-17-05, 06:44 PM

Great thread! Thanks for all the pictures and explainations!

videobruce

12-17-05, 11:33 PM

Figure a large footprint and you can't go wrong with almost any set you get.

LSU98

12-18-05, 03:54 AM

Just found this thread tonight. I read most of the posts from beginning to end. Thought I would show off some of my handy work to share with everyone.

A good friend and I put together this built in after my wife and I moved into our last house. 100% custom designed and assembled with not 1 single piece of pre-fab materials. It was made of 3/4" birch plywood basically throughout the whole entertainment center. We cut some corners by using cheaper materials for the shelves (you'll see where this is important later).

My original plan was to put a Sony 34" XBR tube on the cabinet top, so the center was overly designed to prevent sagging due to the 200 pound television. According to my partner in crime on the job who is a civil engineer by trade, my floor would have given out before the center sagged. LOL.

Best of all though, the wiff was 100% pleased that the original barren wall was now something to look at. Of course, I liked that I could have put up to about a 56" TV in my center opening and all of my components were nicely housed underneath and baby proofed.

Heat was a major concern for me, so the center cabinet where the components sat (not high end stuff mind you) had vent holes cut in the back at the top of the cabinet and in the bottom to allow air circulation. Also, I did add a fan to exhaust the air better.

Wait until you see the next photo.

LSU98

12-18-05, 03:56 AM

OK, so you've seen the finished product.

Now, if you couldn't guess from the name, I'm from south Louisiana. New Orleans to be precise. Unfortunately, our house was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and we were flooded badly. If you ever wondered about the power of water, take a look at this picture.

videobruce

12-18-05, 11:35 AM

At least there wasn't a Mocrodisplay sitting there.
PS, welcome to the forums.

AFBear

12-20-05, 02:17 PM

QUOTE=bxga1]Has anyone built a stand for their 61" JVC, I'm going to buy either a Z series or the new 1080p for my super bowl party and would like to build my own stand.
Any suggestions or measurements are appreciated
Thanks In Advance[/QUOTE]

I'm also looking at building a corner stand for my 61" JVC Pro to include all of the components and center channel. If anyone has started on this, please scan in your drawings/measurements.

Searched for days on-line but couldn't find anything I liked for under $1K!! The closest I found was the CC72 ($1725) at Mizzico at this link (http://www.hometheaterforeveryone.com/pages/11/index.htm). Plan on building someting similar but with open component shelves (for ventilation) and no speaker inserts but maybe DVD cabinets at the ends and a drawer for excess cables, etc

Brucer

12-21-05, 02:46 AM

AFBear,

Those of us that use the AVS forum white screen option, will have a very hard time reading your post in yellow text.

JFISHER

12-22-05, 09:42 AM

What software package are you using for some of the drawings that I see posted here? Thanks.

danvines

12-22-05, 11:00 AM

What software package are you using for some of the drawings that I see posted here? Thanks.

Personally, I use AutoCAD for my designs, but that's because I have it. There are a lot of less expensive (even free) cad packages out there.

Ron Stewart

01-26-06, 08:27 PM

Hi everybody. I'm new to AVS Forum, and I just found this thread yesterday. There are some interesting ideas and impressive workmanship reflected here.

I smiled when I saw schaffer970's Soundations-inspired stand. I just finished building a rack/stand inspired by another Soundations piece, the La Casa 2, and I thought I'd share some information about my project.

Here's a photo of my rack:

http://home.hiwaay.net/~rgs/avrack/rack-corner.jpg

It's built of MDF (I know some of you guys don't like that), part veneered, part painted, and some aluminum. The veneer is teak, finished with Watco Teak Oil and paste wax.

It's not industrial-strength like IronHorse's stand, but I'm planning on putting an LCD or DLP rear-projection TV (nothing overly heavy), plus some reasonably lightweight components on it. Its overall dimensions are roughly 60" wide x 20" deep x 21" high. The center cavity can hold an adjustable shelf (which I'm not using yet).

I've also finished most of a web site describing the project. It's complete except for dimension drawings; I'm still working on those.

My DIY TV Stand/Component Rack (http://home.hiwaay.net/~rgs/avrack/default.html)

Ron

Big Worms

01-26-06, 08:54 PM

Damn that is nice Ron!

Dan Wesnor

01-26-06, 09:13 PM

Dude, that's sweet! Major props!

acex2

01-26-06, 09:18 PM

Here's a picture of ours with the new JVC HD-P61R1U on top, also all MDF painted flat black, its 20x20x58. The 2 draws slide out the full 20" for storage.
We couldn't be happier the way it all turned out.

grider

01-27-06, 08:50 AM

Ron... excellent!... looks great.

Nice job with the veneer... very crisp corners. Only think I don't like about veneer is the lack of an end grain at the end of boards. Looks like you've selected yours carefully... the ends look pretty good.

I'm just putting finishing touches on a stand for my new TV... I'll try and get some pics up at the weekend.

lynns_rich

01-27-06, 09:46 AM

Ron,
Very nice stand, one of the best I've seen anywhere.

wdj03

01-27-06, 10:35 AM

Well, my wife is getting me/us a 50" Sony for our anniversary.. The small 'underneath only' stands seem a little overpriced for the amount of storage you get, so I'm thinking that I want to build my own - I just have to convince my wife that it'll turn out nice..

With a 2.5 year old and another kid on the way in August, a big priority of mine is getting components up high out of their reach. I want those and my center channel to be housed above the TV in a three-compartment arrangement.

Underneath the TV will be another set of three-compartments with wood doors for storage.

I can do all of my design in AutoCAD and I'll start working on some drawings to post here before long. In the meantime, I have two general questions to help me get started.

1 - I'm planning on leaving 1" of clearance on either side of the TV and 4 inches of clearance above the top. Any reason I'd want to do less or more?

2 - How can I figure out what the proper height is for the center of the screen?

grider

01-27-06, 08:58 PM

wdj03....

Clearance of 1" sides & 4" top depends on whether you will close in the back of your cabinet. You must provide adequate ventilation. My JVC manual recommends 6" all the way around if the back is enclosed.

If you adequately vent the back (lots of openings) you could probably go 1" all around.

Ideally you want centre height of screen at your eye height. Sit in your favourite chair and assume your "Watching TV" posture. Measure your eye height above the ground.

runninkyle17

01-27-06, 11:23 PM

Hello everyone-

Here is some pictures of the stand I just finished. Once the SED tv's come out I am going to get one and replace the good ol' CRT (the only reason we have it is because it was given to us).

Pic 1 (http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL744/4324355/9108053/126559570.jpg)
Pic 2 (http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL744/4324355/9108053/126559568.jpg)
Pic 3 (http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL744/4324355/9108053/126559565.jpg)

I know the stand looks a bit bare, but I am in the market for a new DVD player and my XBOX is hooked up in my office. Anyway, just thought I would post some pics to get everyone's comments. Cheers!

haysdb

01-29-06, 06:15 AM

I have a Sony stand riding around in the back of my van, awaiting a 60" SXRD. What I really wanted was a Salamander Synergy triple-20, but was disuaded not only by the cost, but by the height, which is a bit more than I want. Anyway, a couple of days ago I started thinking about building a Synergy knock-off (and returning the Sony stand to Best Buy), but with wood posts rather than extruded aluminum. I'm thinking of using some screw-on teenuts (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1641&SearchHandle=DADBDCDBDADADDDGDIDHDFDADBGEGFGDCNDHDFDGDHCNDEG DDFDJCNGBGEGBDECNGFDJDDDEGDDHGEDCDCDJGFDCDADADADBDADADADBDGH EGIHCGFGBGEGFGECAGJGOHDGFHCHEHDDADADADEDADADADADADADADBDFDAD ADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBDADADADBDGHEGIHCGFGBGEGFGECAG JGOHDGFHCHEHDDADADADBDB&filter=threaded%20inserts) from Rockler, screwing into the posts and t-nuts with flat head socket cap screws countersunk into the top (and probably just regular cap-head screws with washers on the bottom.

I don't expect the wood posts to be as strong as the extruded aluminum, but is there any reason wood posts wouldn't be strong enough? With some long screws holding the teenuts, I wouldn't expect them to pull out.

I will gain lateral strength from the use of a pair of Middle Atlantic rack drawers, and a couple of rackmount components, all attached to rack rails screwed/bolted to the wood posts. The wood posts then only need to hold the top and bottom together, and keep things from falling apart if I pick the stand up by the top shelf.

For side panels, I am looking for some perforated black screen similar to what Salamander offers. I'm looking for a reasonably priced source for this material. I see that ItemAmerica has this (http://catalog.item-international.com/medienelemente/PIC_PRD_FLE/PIC_PRD_FLE_8-0149c4_%23SALL_%23AIN_%23V1.jpg), but it looks more like cardboard than steel.

The top and a couple of shelves will be edge glued solid maple, mostly because I happen to have the maple. The bottom will be plywood with some 2" pieces of solid maple around the edges (the edges are the only thing anyone will probably ever see).

I don't have a design down on paper yet, just in my head. I do have a digital camera so will try to post some pictures, but no promises.

Question: When edge glueing solid maple strips together, would using biscuits be complete overkill? I have the bisquit joiner, and am always looking for excuses to use it to justify ever buying it in the first place.

Edit: I did go ahead and submit a request to ItemAmerica for a quote for 40x40 extruded aluminum posts in black. I suspect I'm not going to like their price, and I really think I want wood posts, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. I may also call on Monday to see how much it would cost to have some 80/20 pieces (available on e*Bay) anodized. And then there is Rose+Krieger, so three different sources for the extruded aluminum "posts".

grider

01-29-06, 08:47 AM

...<snip>.........I don't expect the wood posts to be as strong as the extruded aluminum, but is there any reason wood posts wouldn't be strong enough? With some long screws holding the teenuts, I wouldn't expect them to pull out.
It's hard to imagine without seeing a picture of what you're trying to build. However, since your calling them "posts" I'm assuming they are going to be primarily under compression forces... i.e. supporting things with downward pressure on the post. If this is the case then wood works very well in these kind of applications. You will need to do something seperately to prevent 'racking' (wobbling side to side). This is often easily achieved by some kind of sheet material making up the back of your cabinet and vertical (front to back) dividers.

schaffer970

01-29-06, 12:40 PM

Ron, I really like the stand. It's good to know "great minds" think alike! :D

haysdb

01-29-06, 12:51 PM

It's hard to imagine without seeing a picture of what you're trying to build. However, since your calling them "posts" I'm assuming they are going to be primarily under compression forces... i.e. supporting things with downward pressure on the post. If this is the case then wood works very well in these kind of applications. You will need to do something seperately to prevent 'racking' (wobbling side to side). This is often easily achieved by some kind of sheet material making up the back of your cabinet and vertical (front to back) dividers.Visualize a Salamander Synergy Triple-20, but with wood posts rather than extruded aluminum. Lateral strengh will be provided by rackmount drawers and components, which will tie everything together much like a plywood back. Racking will not be an issue.

When you buy a Middle Atlantic rack, they come with rackplates attached front and back (or at least mine did), which keeps everything square.

My former theater was 100% rackmount equipment, so I have drawers and custom rackshelves, so the TV stand will essentially be 3 bays, each 8U (rackspaces) in height. But not EVERYTHING will be rackmount this time, hence the flexibility to also have regular shelves.

I understand a picture would be worth 1000 words.

Ron Stewart

01-29-06, 03:37 PM

To Big Worms, Dan Wesnor, grider, lynns_rich, schaffer970, thanks for the positive comments. I really appreciate it.

It's interesting that grider mentioned the veneer "end grain". My wife loves the stand, but the only thing she doesn't completely like is the way I veneered the short (20") ends of those big slabs. I basically simulated a veneer wrap for both the front/back and side edges, to try to make it look like those pieces were really cut from solid slabs of wood. She would have preferred that the grain on the ends run horizontally (as if I had used hardwood to trim all the edges) instead of horizontally. (I still like it better the way I did it.)

lynns_rich: I love your signature line. Work "expensive" in there and it'd be just about perfect. :)

Ron

Ron Stewart

01-29-06, 03:43 PM

I don't expect the wood posts to be as strong as the extruded aluminum, but is there any reason wood posts wouldn't be strong enough? With some long screws holding the teenuts, I wouldn't expect them to pull out.

I can't imagine that those wooden posts wouldn't be strong enough.

Question: When edge glueing solid maple strips together, would using biscuits be complete overkill? I have the bisquit joiner, and am always looking for excuses to use it to justify ever buying it in the first place.

I don't own a biscuit joiner, but I thought edge joining was one of the most common uses for one. It seems like the biscuits would really lock the pieces in place and prevent movement during clamping.

Ron

grider

01-29-06, 06:58 PM

I don't own a biscuit joiner, but I thought edge joining was one of the most common uses for one. It seems like the biscuits would really lock the pieces in place and prevent movement during clamping.

Ron
I just got a biscut jointer from Santa. Never used one before this.

I have to say it's incredibly easy to use and while it defintely makes edge joints much stronger it also helps a lot with edge alignment.

Biscut jointers have come down in price quite a bit. I can finally retire my dowel jig.

wdj03

02-01-06, 09:07 AM

Here's my design.. The first attachment is the basic structure of the thing. All plywood will be at least 1/2" thick, probably a bit more. The front-to-back slots in the vertical sides will be cut by running multiple passes on a table saw. The load bearing shelves will have gussets in the corners screwed into the sides from the inside out. It's not evident on this drawing, but there will of course be a backing of some sort. I'm leaning towards pegboard painted flat black on the inside.

The second attachment shows the same basic structure, but with facing and trim added. Blue boxes represent my components and center channel speaker. Because of the width of my components, I had to leave quite a bit more than 1" around the edges of the TV.

All of this trim is available off the shelf in pine at Home Depot. Based on some that, my guess is that materials will run about $150-$175. However, I'm going to see if I can get slightly a nicer wood - like oak - without spending a whole bunch of money.

Some things that are included but not evident from my drawings.. Casters on the bottom, power strips & wire ducts inside the cabinet, and some small lights above the components. Total dimensions are about 4'-8" wide and 5'-9" high. The height isn't 100% decided on because I don't have the TV in my room yet and want to experiment with viewing distances & angles..

SVonhof

02-01-06, 03:45 PM

BTW, for those that have not seen my equipment rack (first time I have seen this thread) the ideas I used can be applied also to hold RPTV's as a friend of mine has already done.

I basically copied the Salamander Synergy line of products and bought the aluminum extrusions on my own from Rose+Kreiger (80/20 also sells the same stuff, but they charge more for the black anodized finish I wanted). I made the unit from Oak plywood from Home Depot stained with black analine dye and finished with Dead-flat laquer (both came from Woodworkers Supply).

Pics:
http://www.vonhofs.com/theater/2-12-04_Theater_22_sm.jpg
Done and installed

http://www.vonhofs.com/theater/1-29-04_e-rack_1.jpg
ready to be carried to the theater

More pics and info about construction can be found on my web page (under the theater time-line page) if anyone wants it.

jimsiff

02-01-06, 03:57 PM

Brad,

Nice work on the Salamander clone. I like the black extrusions and the way it integrates with the rest of your theater. I did something similar last year, but went with the maple look and a few design changes. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5585128#post5585128

Jim

dafinman

02-01-06, 06:15 PM

Hey Guy's,

I just found this thread today and really enjoyed reading it. I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the design of a Entertainment system to house a Sony 60". I've spent hours looking at the pictures in the member gallery and more time looking at manufacturer/retail sites but keep coming back to the functional design of the triple twenty'ish designs I've seen here.

One thought I've had while reviewing this thread is the concern in keeping the stands at the "right height" to center the display at the seated viewing height. Are we overly concerned about this to the point of sacrificing good ventilation for our components and keeping the center so low as to not add another 2-4 inches in height? I doubt if a couple of inches will make that much difference in picture quality... Or do some prefer the asthetics of the lower table?

Speaking of ventilation, I ran across this article at a custom installer industry site that has some good info on providing proper cooling to AV equipment. http://resmagonline.com/articles/publish/article_977.shtml
FYI, one of the vendors they promote is activethermal who really has some neat products. Unfortunately the price sheet they sent me had the 2 fan and 4 fan solutions priced around 300 and 400 respectively.

I'm into computers and find this hard to compare when the fans are 15 each and a power suppy from radioshack can be had for 40. The only thing I haven't figured out is how to thermally switch on the fans. I think I'm leaning towards cutting a six inch squarish holes in the bottom of the shevles/base directly under my Receiver and DVR which I plan on putting in the same third of my triple and leaving a large portion off the top of the back.

I'm looking for feedback.

Chris Nick

02-01-06, 09:51 PM

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on this thread for about a week reading everyone's ideas etc.. I'm planning to build a stand loosely modeled after the Sanus lowboy.

I haven't finalized the plan but am planning to make it in the range of 72 wide by 22 high by 24 deep to hold either an HP MD6580 or perhaps a Sony KDS 60xbr. (Both are 66 wide).

I was originally looking at some laminated pine at Home Depot but then when I saw that most of it is dinged or has splits, I've decided to go with Oak ply with veneer edges. To me this looks fine, its only a question of how to hide it with either edging material or veneer. I'd love to do edging but most of it is curved which doesn't match the "mission" style of my design. So I guess I'm going to go with the veneer.

A couple of questions. I'm a newbie on woodwork but have a Dad 2000 miles away who is very experienced and offering lots of advice on joinery. I originally was going to just use "L
" brackets or woodscrews but now he is getting me to think about Dado joints or a combination of dado and dowels. Would a dado be strong enough to hold a 120 lb 65 inch TV without racking? Once you get the joint cut, how do you clamp it while the glue dries. I can imagine the upright falling over while its drying.?

I currently don't own a table saw or router but was thinking of at least picking up a small Ryobi saw at HD. I of course have a good skil saw and drill, square, woodclamps etc.. If I have HD rip the plywood in half how hard will it be to use a smaller table saw to do dado cuts? If I hire the kid next door to hold the wood is it do-able? Can I make multiple passes with the saw and then chisel it out? or do I need the special dado blade? What about a router? Would this be better with a router mounted to a small table or with a hand held router and guide clamped to the 72 by 24 piece of plywood? One again the issue is how do I maneuver a big piece of wood over a small router table that is only a few feet wide?

Any other suggestions about joinery would be appreciated. I'm relatively handy and not scared to try new things, butI don't have enough space in either my garage or basement to commit to a big shop. If I get these tools, I'll probably find other uses for them, but I'm mostly interested in this project to get exactly what I want without spending 2k on something custom built. I don't want to spend so much on tools that it defeats the purpose of saving money. Any thoughts on how other non hard core woodworkers have tackled this issue would be appreciated.

Oak Plywood: When I bought the veneer today the guy at woodcraft was saying I needed to drive 30 minutes away to get to a store that carries high quality oak plywood, and that HD sells lesser quality. I'm trying to build something nice but it doesn't need to get displayed in a museum. Any positive or negative experiences with Home Depot for oak plywood.

I'm also going to try to build doors loosely based on the mission style with glass set in a frame of 1x3s for the compartments that house my components. Smaller doors to hide pull out DVD/ CD drawers will have thin wood, instead of glass, inserts. I'll use the table saw to cut grooves in the center of the wood to hold the glass. Has anyone done this? Any pointers or ideas?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ron Stewart

02-01-06, 10:54 PM

Hi Chris,

There are more experienced woodworkers here, but I'll take a stab at answering some of your questions. I'm sure those guys will correct me if I'm wrong.

I was originally looking at some laminated pine at Home Depot but then when I saw that most of it is dinged or has splits, I've decided to go with Oak ply with veneer edges. To me this looks fine, its only a question of how to hide it with either edging material or veneer. I'd love to do edging but most of it is curved which doesn't match the "mission" style of my design. So I guess I'm going to go with the veneer.

When you say veneer, are you talking about raw veneer, or veneer edge banding? HD should have pre-glued oak edge banding. You just iron it on, then trim the excess.

I originally was going to just use "L" brackets or woodscrews but now he is getting me to think about Dado joints or a combination of dado and dowels. Would a dado be strong enough to hold a 120 lb 65 inch TV without racking? Once you get the joint cut, how do you clamp it while the glue dries. I can imagine the upright falling over while its drying.?

A dado (a channel in the interior of a panel) or rabbet (a notch on an edge) by itself won't be strong enough to prevent racking. As others have pointed out in other posts, you'll probably want to put a full or partial back to prevent the racking.

Assuming its corners are square, the back can help you hold the top/side joints in place while the glue dries. For example, you could assemble the cabinet on its back or front.

I currently don't own a table saw or router but was thinking of at least picking up a small Ryobi saw at HD. I of course have a good skil saw and drill, square, woodclamps etc.. If I have HD rip the plywood in half how hard will it be to use a smaller table saw to do dado cuts? If I hire the kid next door to hold the wood is it do-able? Can I make multiple passes with the saw and then chisel it out? or do I need the special dado blade? What about a router? Would this be better with a router mounted to a small table or with a hand held router and guide clamped to the 72 by 24 piece of plywood? One again the issue is how do I maneuver a big piece of wood over a small router table that is only a few feet wide?

Keep in mind that the cut HD makes may not be precise. You might want to consider the HD cut as a rough cut. Then, assuming you buy a table saw, you can cut the pieces to an exact width. (You might need to reduce the depth slightly--23" or 23.5", for example.) You might need a helper to steady those long pieces as you make the cut, because they will try to droop. I have two adjustable-height roller stand for this type of thing.

If you don't want to spring for a table saw, do a Google search on "sawboard". Here's one hit: Wood Miser's Sawboard (http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm). Then you can just use your circular saw. I keep meaning to make one of these myself, but I haven't ever done so.

I'd suggest using a router with a guide board for cutting dados. As you've suggested, it's easier moving a small hand-held router over a big board than moving a big piece of wood over a small saw or router table.

If you use a straight router bit to cut the dadoes, remember that 3/4" plywood is slightly less than 3/4" thick. As a result, if you use a 3/4" bit, the dado may be slightly too wide. You could use a 1/2" bit and make two passes. You can clamp two guide boards in place to constrain the router's movement. Or you can buy special "undersized" router bits that are intended for this purpose. Any router book will cover this material.

Any other suggestions about joinery would be appreciated. I'm relatively handy and not scared to try new things, butI don't have enough space in either my garage or basement to commit to a big shop. If I get these tools, I'll probably find other uses for them, but I'm mostly interested in this project to get exactly what I want without spending 2k on something custom built. I don't want to spend so much on tools that it defeats the purpose of saving money. Any thoughts on how other non hard core woodworkers have tackled this issue would be appreciated.

I'm in a similar situation. My "shop" is the garage. I have a Ryobi BTS-3000 table saw on a rolling stand. Every time I start to work, I have to back out the cars, move the saw into position, and set up the cafeteria table and WorkMate that act as my work tables. Then, when I'm done for the day, I have to vacuum/blow-out the dust, put everything away, and move the cars back in. It's not idea, but it's workable.

If you buy a router, I'd suggest buying a good book to go along with it. I have Woodworking with the Router, by Bill Hylton (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0762102276/qid=1138851589/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-0474701-1922442?s=books&v=glance&n=283155). I think it's a good book.

One last thing: I don't mean to sound like your mother, but allocate some of your budget to some safety glasses, ear plugs or other protection, and a dust mask if you don't already own these items.

Ron

AFBear

02-02-06, 02:55 AM

[QUOTE=ehlarson]I built a very similar project using birch plywood. Mine has 6 casters underneath, and a single compartment for a very large center channel speaker. Like you I used an inset back to prevent any possibility of racking.
QUOTE]

What are you using for the casters?

I'm going to build a corrner stand and am debating between feet and casters.

videobruce

02-02-06, 08:20 AM

Don't even consider "feet" It HAS to be moveable!
Also forget those 'plastic' wheels. I went with Sheppard ball casters.

schaffer970

02-02-06, 10:15 AM

AFBear

02-02-06, 04:14 PM

When I was building my stand I found these casters Low Profile Twin Wheel Casters (http://www.lgrathbun.com/dz215.htm). They are all metal and very sturdy. They are also the shortest (floor to mounting bracket) casters that I have found. They have worked very well for me. :)

Thanks!! That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm doing a 63" x 23" corrner stand which will hold a 105# JVC and components. Since these casters have a 100# load, would you recommend 4 or 6?

schaffer970

02-02-06, 06:29 PM

IronHorse

02-03-06, 08:57 AM

This is for Chris...

Chris... Got your PM and I do stay in touch with the thread but obviously not as much as in its infancy :D! Anyway, with regard to your question on joinery, I usually use a biscuit joiner which costs anywhere from $100 to $200. Its a very handy tool to have when you join boards to make panels or to join corners. On my stand, I used a combination of biscuits, dowels and screws to secure the basic case... which has four (4) verticals and two horizontal pieces. To further prevent any possibility of racking, I inset a false back in the center... using strips that were nailed and glude to build a frame within the inside... then I glued/nailed in a fitted piece of plywood from the front. On the bottom, I built a skirt frame out of 3/4" X 3" maple, and also screwed and glued that to the case from the underside.

My 62 Mitsubishi weighs maybe 200 pounds, and all the components/center channel speaker probably add another 50-75 pounds. Been using it for about 18 months now without any problems and I don't anticipate any.

The key to preventing any racking is obviously to fix a vertical panel inside the case, whether it's a full back or a partial one like mine. The problem with a full back is that it does contain the heat, so I opted for a open back on the side compartments and with the smoke gray glass doors, black components, and a dark wall behind the unit... I can't see anything thru the doors other than the LEDs and panel lights.

Hope this helps and feel free to ask all the questions you want. BTW, a table saw would be very helpful, but remember... you can get the HD/Lowes guys to cut your plywood to size in the store for $ .50 a cut after the first two which are free. Just make sure that whomever is doing it knows what he is doing.

Mike

grider

02-03-06, 09:09 PM

More for Chris....

Use clamps to hold the boards while glue dries. OR...

Use screws... purchase a special "screw set" drill from WolfCraft or similar that will drill a pilot hole for your screw and a 3/8" hole for a wood plug at the same time. You can buy pre-made flush 3/8" oak taper plugs to cover the screw heads.

I also recommend strenthening your rabbet's and dado's with biscuts (1st choice) or dowels (very good 2nd choice). No special machine needed for dowels although you should get an inexpensive dowel jig (Wolfcraft) for under $20.

If you use biscuts, you could consider simple butt joints (i.e. no rabbet's or dado's). The biscuts are very strong and are in some way's similar to the very strong 'mortice and tenon' principal.

TIP...

Once you've assembled your main structure and before the glue dries, check for 'square' (like this).... From the front of the cabinet measure both diagonals top corner to opposite bottom corner. If your cabinet is 'square' these dimensions will be equal.
Once the glue is dry (overnight) attach your back to prevent racking.

Chris Nick

02-03-06, 10:28 PM

Ron, Ironhorse and Grider, Thanks for the great advice and information. Everyone who is considering this and doesn't own a large table saw should consider the wood meiser's saw guide that Ron linked to on post 642 above.

Mike, (ironhorse) I was looking at your original pictures again. Does the box on the bottom of your unit hide the casters? Also what was your rule of thumb to decide when to use screws vs dowels or biscuits? Obviously if the screw head is out of sight it is better.

I did just purchase a small table saw and router with table, both of which will be useful for making the panel doors and glass inset doors. However, doing dado cuts without a huge router table makes me nervous. Seems that using a guide would be much easier, but could the router slip from the guide ruining a $50 piece of wood? Also that option pretty much eliminates using countersunk screws since they would likely pop through the back side of the dado.

Grider, do you think I would be better off using biscuits and butt joining rather than dados and dowels. I imagine dowels from the dado through to the top of the table wouldn't look bad as long as they were measured and centered well.

I met a cabinetmaker moonlighting at HD who I'm told makes perfect cuts on the panel saw so I'm hoping to find him to do my rip cuts and then I'll probably make a small saw guide to make the uprights. I may put a oak 1x3 across the top back right under the table edge as an additional brace so I can cut out windows for wires in the peg board back without worrying about racking.

Well the only downside to this is it seems like I'm getting a new hobby, and will need to start building shelves for the kids bedrooms to justify the investment in tools.

I'm going to assemble the saw in the morning and hope to get the oak plywood tomorrow afternoon. Then I need to make a sawguide to start cutting the uprights. Then I guess the next step is dado cuts in the top and bottom piece if I decide to go that way.

PS I don't remember if I found this link on my own or from someone else's link here, but check out these pull out dvd/cd drawers

http://spinkeeper.com/sirowfltrwis.html

Danabw

02-04-06, 03:27 AM

One of my favorite threads to lurk in...love all the creativity.

PS I don't remember if I found this link on my own or from someone else's link here, but check out these pull out dvd/cd drawers.

Just a thought as you're building your stands...if you have a large number of DVDs, another option is lose the DVD cases and associated need for drawers/inserts by getting a mega changer...I switched to the Sony DVP-CX995V and haven't looked back..1080i upscaling via HDMI and room for 400 DVDs means I didn't need to provide storage space in my stand or surrounding furniture for holding DVD cases, and all my DVDs are always available at the touch of my remote. For me one of the best parts of my stand is the lack of DVD drawers... :)

haysdb

02-04-06, 10:40 AM

I like flipping through cases to find a movie I want to watch. Call me "old school," but that's just part of the experience for me.

grider

02-04-06, 06:33 PM

Here's some pictures of my new AV Cabinet that I've just finished.

It's 52" wide, 18" high and 20" deep. Built from 3/4" edge jointed pine. With a Dark Walnut Stain and finished with satin polyurethane.

Most joints are strengthend with #20 biscuits (and a few screws here and there) The top, the bottom and the drawer fronts all have a routed profile for effect.

The cabinet is on six wheels hidden behind the plinth. The drawer boxes are 1/2" pine with plywood bottoms and 3/4" pine fronts. The lower half of the back (behind the drawers) is 1/4" plywood and is fixed to prevent racking. The upper half of the back (also 1/4" ply) is removeable for rear access to components and includes wire management features.

Since the top is such a wide (52") span with no mid support I was concerned about it sagging under the weight of the TV. So I've included two hidden "U" shaped metal channels (beams) running the full width of the top from left to right. They're both on the underside 3/4" in from the front and back of the cabinet. They do an excellent job. I could easily stand on the top with no sagging.

Beautiful new 56" JVC TV, 1080p, LCOS rear projection is sitting on the top.

grider

02-04-06, 06:36 PM

One more picture...

halsan40

02-04-06, 07:33 PM

One more picture...
Grider, my hat's off to you! That is a beautiful stand. Unfortunity us guys in Fl spend more time cutting the grass than you do, so we don't have time to build one.

OnlookerDelay

02-04-06, 10:19 PM

Here's some pictures of my new AV Cabinet that I've just finished.

WOW!... that is a stunningly beautiful cabinet grider!! Awesome work. That's very close to what I had envisioned when I began considering a large screen HDTV purchase. My wife is going to be a hard sell on a rear projection set of that size. Having a cabinet that looks that nice will make it easier for her to swallow. I can't wait to show it to her.

BTW, I've all but decided on a JVC HD-52G786, so your setup is easy for me to relate. I saw your cabinet was 20" deep... that's going to go a little beyond what our arrangement can handle. If you had to, could you get away with 18" deep?

videobruce

02-04-06, 10:28 PM

grider; Really professional work.
You don't need more space for other equipment? A shelve instead of drawers? The wife doesn't mind the window being blocked?

grider

02-05-06, 10:32 AM

Thanks for the positive comments guys.

OnlookerDelay...
Yes you could get away with 18". I wanted to allow lots of room for cabling behind the components. However my Sony receiver is only about 14" deep. The top of my cabinet is about 19.5" deep minus the overhang so the shelf is about 18.5" deep.

Videobruce...
Luckily I'm only blocking a bit of a huge window:
The window behind the TV is 4' wide and 8' tall. There's a maching window other side of the fireplace. Windows are then joined with an arch window (about 12'w x 5'h) across the top of the fire.

I custom designed the cabinet for the components I wanted in the great room. I'm hoping to start on a basement home theatre soon for the rest of the toys!

So in my great room I have:
- 56" JVC 1080p LCOS rear projection TV
- Sony DB-940 receiver, 5.1, 110w per channel.
- Athena Micra 6 speaker package (4 satellite + center 100w each, 225w sub woofer).
- Bell ExpressVu HiDef PVR, 2 tuners plus digital OTA (record 3 HD feeds while watching a prior recording).
- Sony DVD

Ron Stewart

02-05-06, 11:04 AM

Chris Nick

02-05-06, 12:53 PM

Grider,
Very nice job.

You say you strengthened your joints with biscuits. Did you use dados or butt joints?

I notice there is a slight overhang on the top and bottom pieces. I really like that look. How much? I've been thinking about that since cutting a dado seems like it would be harder if you are stopping an inch from the end to allow for an overhang.

--Chris

grider

02-05-06, 06:57 PM

Grider, that's very nice. It appears to blend very well with the look and "feel" of the mantel and, I would guess, other furniture in the room.

Could you elaborate a bit on the U-shaped metal braces you used? How wide/high are they? Did you buy them at your local Home Depot or Lowe's or local equivalent? Were they inexpensive? Did you inset them into the underside of the top piece. (I'd guess not, because you have a trim piece in front, and because you'd have to lie on your back on the floor to see them.) That type of approach might be helpful for future projects.

Ron
Haha... well it took me a while to figure out the right thing for metal braces. I wanted something low profile (3/4" max) and it had to be strong. I looked at various 'L' shaped profiles but all seemed a little flimsy. So I ended up wandering the aisles of Home Depot looking for inspiration.

I found it in the shelving isle. My U shaped channels are the vertical uprights used in a shelving system. You know the kind where you attach two vertiacal channels (u shaped) to the wall and then clip in metal shelf supports. Comes in black or silver.

There is two rows of slots every inch or so along the length of the channel to allow infinite adjustment of shelves. I used 5/8" screws through these slots every 6" and fastened to the underside of my top.

Looks like this:Rubbermaid - U Channel (http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd100309)

grider

02-05-06, 07:06 PM

Ron Stewart

02-05-06, 10:39 PM

Haha... well it took me a while to figure out the right thing for metal braces. I wanted something low profile (3/4" max) and it had to be strong. I looked at various 'L' shaped profiles but all seemed a little flimsy. So I ended up wandering the aisles of Home Depot looking for inspiration.

I found it in the shelving isle. My U shaped channels are the vertical uprights used in a shelving system. You know the kind where you attach two vertiacal channels (u shaped) to the wall and then clip in metal shelf supports. Comes in black or silver.

There is two rows of slots every inch or so along the length of the channel to allow infinite adjustment of shelves. I used 5/8" screws through these slots every 6" and fastened to the underside of my top.

Very clever. I've used those channels before for their original use. It never occurred to me to use them for horizontal bracing.

Thanks for the info.

Ron

Chris Nick

02-10-06, 10:29 PM

When they say the caster will handle a 100# load, it means that each one will hold that amount. So if you put 4 under the unit it will hold 400#, with 6 600 #. It really comes down to the margin of safety you want and whether you have any bending issues (make sure the load is evenly placed over the wheels).

I purchased these casters at lunch. And had a very informative talk with the sales manager at L.G. Rathbun here in Colorado about how I wanted to use them. While they are rated at 100#, he showed me that they are much stronger. He stood on one with a hard sole boot and all of his 240# of weight and it held up fine.

His comment was that I needed 6 not because of the strength of the caster but because of the design of my entertainment center which will be 78 wide. The only other issue is mounting. His comment is that he would not mount into oak plywood or pine with only a 1/2 inch screw but would need to go with at least a 1", preferably a sheet metal screw rather than a wood screw to really get the benefit of the 100# rating. So if I do that I will need to add and 1 x2 or 1 x 3 between the caster and plywood underside. That would actually make the unit stronger if I run a 1x2 around the lower edge to support 6 casters. I asked about the need for eight and he said that more will not make it easier to roll.

He also told me that I should allow an inch of clearance between the skirt and bottom of the caster since the caster will sink into even a very short carpet and the skirt could be sitting on the ground.

Has anyone else used this model? How have you mounted it? What width of skirt did you use to hide them. My carpet is quite short, so I'm not sure how much they'll really sink in, even with 200# of TV and components and perhaps 150# of furniture over them.

Once again the link is www.lgrathbun.com/dz215.htm

BTW a word on the progress of my unit. Thanks again for everyone's advice I have cut my top bottom boards to length and also have the router jig ready for my dados. The only challenge has been taping the boards to prevent the oak laminate from tearing on the edge. I'm using a saw guide and a skill saw for the long pieces but will use my small table saw to finish cut the uprights (this should help with the tearing) Thanks especially to Ron Stewart for help with the dado jig. I'm going to stop my cuts 1.75 away from the front edge to accomodate the door and a ledge around the front and sides. This took a little measuring to screw a stop into the top of my jig. The jig fits perfectly over the board and snugly holds the upright piece that will fit in the dado, and with the combination of a pattern bit will guarantee a really tight fit on the dado. I have a practice piece of wood that I'm going to work on to make sure I have it right before I start in on the real piece. Tomorrow I start the dados and if all goes well hope to have the main pieces of the box and uprights together by the end of the weekend. I decided to go with a pivot hinge from Rockler rather than a euro style hinge for the door. The euros look great but it looked like it was going to be complicated to fit an inset hinge in the same door as glass. They also require about 50 bucks in a special jig and bit to cut the insets, so I'm going with simplicity. I'll probably try this if I ever do an upgrade cabinet.

If any other wannabe woodworkers are lurking on the sidelines, this is fun, and not too hard if you go slowly.

--Chris

falsedawn

02-11-06, 06:19 PM

The only challenge has been taping the boards to prevent the oak laminate from tearing on the edge. I'm using a saw guide and a skill saw for the long pieces but will use my small table saw to finish cut the uprights (this should help with the tearing)
--Chris

RE: preventing tearout
When using a Skil saw, good side of the plywood should be down; with a table saw, good side up. Besides masking tape, you can also score the cutting line with a utility knife to sever the top wood fibers cleanly before running it through a saw.

cusm

02-15-06, 05:49 PM

Okay I am looking at building a cabinet some time in the next year when I have some time and a little more $$. I am an extreme novice, but I have friends that will help and have a bunch of the equipment and experience needed. I have several questions on both design and build.

I want a low 3 section unit like many have here, including: RGrim, Pine 2, and IronHorse; very similar to the Diamond Case TT400. I am getting rid of several pieces of equipment and will be left with:
TV 56”W x 35 5/16”H x 15 5/16”D
Receiver 17 5/16”W x 6 ½”H x 17 1/8”D
DVD Player 16 15/16”W x 3”H x 17 3/16”D
Cable HD-DVR 17”W x 3 ¼”H x 13”D
HTS-2600 17”W x 4”H x 9 3/4”D
Center Channel 20 ½”W x 7 7/8”H x 9”D
Xbox 360 12 1/8”W x 3 ¼”H x 10 1/8”D
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=44695

I think the over dimensions would be approximately 68” wide by 24” high x 24” deep. This would allow for 2 20” areas on the side and a 22” middle section, to allow for plenty of room of equipment and allow for future expansion, especially tv.

I want doors on the front like Pine 2’s unit and the TT400. I would like to put a perforated metal screen/sheet on the 2 side doors and mesh on the middle. I hope this will help with ventilation. On the rear I think I would like to recess the middle section like IronHorse has done with his cabinet. I would also like to add cable management, possible 2 boxes connecting the left and right sides, inside the top and bottom of the rear of the middle section. I would like hidden casters like IronHorse has on his unit for easy movement.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=33276
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=29639
http://www.diamondcase.com/TT/TT_HTML_Files/TT400.HTML

I saw that Diamond Cases TT400 has an offset back panel. They have machined threaded blocks on the back that suspend the back panel 1” off the back of the unit and the machined threads allow for easy removal of the back panels. I think this would be a nice feature to add as well. I would really like to find some perforated metal shelves like the TT400, this would really add to cooling.
http://www.diamondcase.com/TT/TT_HTML_Files/TT_Pro.HTML

What is the difference, both in cost and function, of plywood vs. real wood? I want a darker finish w/o too much grain, and not too expensive. What are some good woods? Would it be better to do plywood sides bottom and use a real wood for the top, or vice versa? What is a decent cheap/free program to help me design/draw a cabinet?

Thanks for any help.

mondo3

02-15-06, 11:43 PM

Plywood is less expensive (perhaps half price?) and it's readily available in 4'x8' sizes. Solid wood will probably have to joined to make the size you require. Plywood doesn't expand as much with humidity as solid materials (which can be a concern in large projects). For this reason, I wouldn't go with your idea of mixing plywood and solid materials (unless perhaps all of your horizontal pieces are solid) . If you work with plywood, you have to either put veneer on the edges, or attach solid wood edging (much more preferable imo), but either way that's more effort than working with solid wood. Solid vs plywood strengths should not be an issue. As for the types of wood, see whats available at your local home depot or whichever store you deal with. You mentioned that you don't want much grain pattern - take a look at birch or maple plywood (both of which have less of a grain pattern than oak). They should have wood stain samples on different materials so that should give you some color ideas. As for the height of the unit, think short as you want the center of the screen to be at eye level. I think 24" is a bit high, but of course it has to house your equipment. I've always designed on paper, however I have to admit for this project I am learning autodesk inventor (which we use at work)...fantastic program, but it does have a bit of a learning curve. I'm in no rush to finish this project (as I'm leaning towards waiting for the 2006 sxrd's), but I will post the drawings (or email them if requested) when I'm done.

cusm

02-16-06, 09:59 AM

As for the height of the unit, think short as you want the center of the screen to be at eye level. I think 24" is a bit high, but of course it has to house your equipment.

Thanks for the reply. 24" is a good hieght for me, it is not exactly eye level, but it will add a couple of inches that will not be covered by a hyper 2 year old. Right now it is about 35-40" high, which works out great since his head is below the entire screen, so going to 24" will not seem too high.

bdeco

02-16-06, 12:24 PM

I am planning to build a simple 17"H x 44"L x 22"W stand for my 46" Toshiba rear-projection TV (46H84), which weights about 150 lbs. I've come up with a design that would place the TV's screen at the correct viewing height and has room for all of my components. I am planning to build it out of 3/4" red oak plywood using butt-joints secured by screws. I'll also cover about a quarter of the backside with 1/4" plywood to prevent raking. I've never done a project like this before and am unsure if my design will support the weight of my TV. I like the idea above about using metal braces attached to the underside, but I don't know if I need it. I'd appreciate any suggestions or advice, especially concerning the weight issue. Attached is a diagram of my plan.

grider

02-16-06, 07:23 PM

bdeco...

Given you're a beginner woodworker, my comments here are based on keeping it simple...

Your TV probably only weighs 80lbs and the weight will be spread accross the top of your cabinet so you should not need to worry about bracing. The vertical panel you have in the middle will provide all of the support you need.

I suggest you make the middle verticle panels and the two side panels exactly the same height and have the bottom and top panels fit across all three vertical panels like a sandwich. This will give you the best strength.

Butt Joints with screws should be fine... make sure you use a bead of good quality wood glue on each joint. You may want to invest in a very inexpensive dowel jig from someone like Wolfcraft. Using this tool adding 3 or 4 3/8" dowels per joint would be quite easy and add considerably to the strength.

When you put your glue on, put just enough to cover while avoiding squeeze out. Thoughrougly clean away and squeezed out glue ASAP... any residual will prevent those areas from accepting stain.

I'd like to see you add a little more of a back panel... ideally it should span the three verticals and either the top or bottom edge. (you could cover the full width and half the back for example. Another easy option is to cover the entire back and make rectangular cut outs with a jigsaw in the areas you need to access.

Tip - make yourself a list of the finished sized panels you need and have the lumber store cut the finished sizes you need. They should be plenty accurate for your needs. Just make sure that the guy cuts the same size pieces at the same time without moving the saw fence (i.e. Cut 3 verticals together, cut 2 shelves together, cut top and bottom together).

Go for it... you can do it!... post some pictures when you're done.

Edit: Your vertical sizes don't quite add up.... On the right with four 3/4" thickness the total is 17". On the left with three 3/4" thickness the total is 17 3/4"

bdeco

02-17-06, 08:41 AM

grider

02-18-06, 06:39 PM

Thanks for the tips. I am pretty sure the TV actually is 150 lbs. It is the 46H84 projection TV, not a plasma. Having the back panel span all three verticals is probably a good idea, problem is I would only be able to make it 3 - 4" tall, considering the shelf heights. Good catch on the measurement error, the bottom left shelf should be 6.75 in. Can I use both dowels and screws at the butt joints? What do you think is the best way to hide the screws?
Should still be OK with 150 lbs.

Yes... you SHOULD use both dowels, screws and GLUE for your butt joints. Three x 1.75" #8 or # 10 screws and Four x 1/4" or 3/8" dowels per joint. i.e. 7 pcs in total... space them equally with a screw in the center and the other two screws in the outermost position's.

Use a screw setter bit (also from Wolfcraft)... this will drill a pilot hole for your screw and counter bore at the same time for a 3/8" wooden plug. You can buy bags of 3/8" taper wooden plugs with a flat top commonly in maple or oak. Tap them in and sand flush.

I'd cover the whole of the back with a sheet of 1/4" plywood... cut two large openings spanning the left and right shelves. e.g. on the left side cut an opening that is 12" high and say 18" wide and on the right side 12" high and 14" wide. Before you cut the openings drill a 1" or larger hole at each of the four corners so that when you cut out the opening it has a radius in each corner. This radius will greatly add to the structural integrity.

You will probably want to add 6 wheels to the bottom (2 under each vertical). You can buy pairs of low profile wheels (about 2" high) designed for carpet and rated about 50-70lbs per wheel. They have a plate with 4 screw holes (use four 5/8" #10 dome head screws).

Chris Nick

02-19-06, 12:48 PM

You will probably want to add 6 wheels to the bottom (2 under each vertical). You can buy pairs of low profile wheels (about 2" high) designed for carpet and rated about 50-70lbs per wheel. They have a plate with 4 screw holes (use four 5/8" #10 dome head screws).

Grider, will four 5/8 screws into plywood be strong enough? The guy who sold me my casters said I should put a board under the plywood to thicken it and use at least a 1" screw. I'd rather not add any height to the unit, but I also don't want the screws pulling out. I'm concerned it could happen if the small wheel is sunk into the carpet when I'm trying to move it. My unit will be 79 x 24 of oak ply and will house 5 components plus a 65 inch DLP.

AFBear

02-20-06, 04:54 PM

TAKKL

02-21-06, 12:25 PM

First, I want to thank all of you for those great ideas in building my tv stand. Well here it is:

Dimensions: 66" (L) x 18" (H) x 20" (D), with the legs the height is 21". The two side compartments are 19" wide and the center is 25", enough for the center speaker.

Materials: 2 sheets of 4' x 8' of birch plywood from HomeDepot (they cut to size), 1" corner (L shape) trim, and 3/4" trim.

Stain: Red Mahagony (winwax??)

Finish: Polyurethane (winwax??)

Cost of materia: ~$150.

Here are the pics:

TAKKL

02-21-06, 12:28 PM

These two pics show my first attempt in staining, so had to restain to give it a darker finish.

TAKKL

02-21-06, 12:37 PM

The first shows the darker stain. The last pics shows all the equipment and tv hooked up (love the HP md6580).

The whole project took two weeks, but if I was efficient, I could cut down to one week. Most of the time was spent waiting for the glue and stain to dry.

Forgot to mention I used 1" x 1" piieces of wood to enbrace the back for the middle section (thanks to the AVS forum). For the sides and middle verticals, I used 1/4" dowels and glue. For the legs, I used 3" x 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", and secure with dowels again.

For the middle support, I used a couple of 3" x 3/4" oak, squared up with two 2x4, and glued and screwed to the bottom. This will provide the majority of the support, as the legs are just for looks.

---TAKKL

dafinman

02-21-06, 03:02 PM

Don't know if anyone cares but I found a supplier of wrought iron furniture feet. I have been looking all over for this stuff since I saw it on one of the member's stands in the gallery. The link is Ferrous Hardware (http://www.ferroushardware.com) .

I'm having a neighbor build me a custom stand based on many of the ideas I've gotten browsing this thread. The stand will be a naturalish colored birch stand designed to hold my yet to be purchased 60+" RPTV and my Paradigm CC-470 (measuring a heathy 23" wide). Anyway check out the iron legs I think they add a nice touch. I'm going with 6 of the Elise which are only 3" tall.

I hope others can benefit from the time I spent looking for these.

grider

02-21-06, 06:58 PM

Grider, will four 5/8 screws into plywood be strong enough? The guy who sold me my casters said I should put a board under the plywood to thicken it and use at least a 1" screw. I'd rather not add any height to the unit, but I also don't want the screws pulling out. I'm concerned it could happen if the small wheel is sunk into the carpet when I'm trying to move it. My unit will be 79 x 24 of oak ply and will house 5 components plus a 65 inch DLP.
Sure 4 x 5/8" #10 Dome Head screw will be fine... the force on the wheels is almost 100% downward force... so there is no force trying to pull the screws out.

You do not need to add a board providing the bottom of your cabinet sits UNDER the verticals not BETWEEN the verticals. . You should try to position the wheels as close as you can under the verticals... couple of inches in from the edge is OK.

That said... drill a small pilot hole for each screw and put them in by hand (not your drill/driver) so you don't overtighten them and strip the thread in the plywood. Just snug them up hand tight.

grider

02-21-06, 07:05 PM

Grider, Thanks for taking the time to impart your wisdom!!!
I'm also building a similar stand but it will be a corrner stand with 3/4" plywood for the sides and maybe pegboard in the back.
My question is can one get buy with 3/8" dowels only? I'd rather not have the plugs showing (even though it would be minimal). I also have the same concern as Chris on the wheels.
Does Wolfcraft have a price list somewhere? I can find their catalogs and manuals but no prices except from sone resellers.

Again, thanks for your guidance!!!

Well you would probably be OK if you use a good quality wood glue, and more dowels (say every 3" or 4") but I'd prefer if it was supported by screws.

I'd be happier with biscuits and no screws.

Here's the Wolfcraft website:
http://www.wolfcraft.com/main.cfm
I buy mine at Home Depot.

I've used this very inexpensive dowel jig succesfully on a number of projects... stepped up to a biscuit jointer now:
http://www.wolfcraft.com/product_detail.cfm?id=81

grider

02-21-06, 07:11 PM

These two pics show my first attempt in staining, so had to restain to give it a darker finish.
Did you use a water based stain? It's very difficult to get this to stain evenly... you should definitly use a pre-stain with water based products to give you a shot at even coverage.

You will get MUCH better results with solvet based stains... it's smelly and harder to cleanup... but a lot easier to work with and great results. Best to use a pre stain too and then light sanding before stain. Don't sand stain before 1st coat of Polyurethane. Then light sand with 220 grit between coats of Polyurethane (3 or 4 coats).

dafinman

02-21-06, 10:39 PM

I'm looking for some tinted glass for the front of my TV stand. I recall someone saying they used 5% tinting. Any suggestions?

bdeco

02-22-06, 09:49 AM

What do you find is the best way to remove all sanding dust after sanding but before staining? How can you get all of it off without using something wet? If you pre-stain, you only have a short window to sand and remove all sanding dust before applying the stain. Also, is there a reccommended amount of applications of stain, or do you just see how it looks after each application decide from there?

videobruce

02-22-06, 10:51 AM

TAKKL; nice stand, but you don't have casters??What do you find is the best way to remove all sanding dust after sanding but before staining? They are called 'tac cloths' or use to be called 'cheesecloths'.

TAKKL

02-22-06, 12:43 PM

Did you use a water based stain? It's very difficult to get this to stain evenly... you should definitly use a pre-stain with water based products to give you a shot at even coverage.

You will get MUCH better results with solvet based stains... it's smelly and harder to cleanup... but a lot easier to work with and great results. Best to use a pre stain too and then light sanding before stain. Don't sand stain before 1st coat of Polyurethane. Then light sand with 220 grit between coats of Polyurethane (3 or 4 coats).
Grider,
I used oil stain. The first attempt did not go so well due to lack of experience. I used a regular nylon brush (silly me). I had to sand most of the top layer out. That was a mess. Luckily I hooked up the vac directly to the tail of the hand sander. On my second attempt I used a foam brush, which provide a very even spread. To get an dark even stain, I let it dry for two days, and then apply the first coat of poly.

---TAKKL

falsedawn

02-22-06, 01:47 PM

Sure 4 x 5/8" #10 Dome Head screw will be fine... the force on the wheels is almost 100% downward force... so there is no force trying to pull the screws out.

This is not true when he pushes the unit sideways. Also the thickness of the plate of the caster will subtract from the length of the screw that actually penetrates the wood. I would suggest he use 3/4" screws.

grider

02-23-06, 09:12 AM

This is not true when he pushes the unit sideways. Also the thickness of the plate of the caster will subtract from the length of the screw that actually penetrates the wood. I would suggest he use 3/4" screws.
My statement IS true... assuming the wheels actually rotate, then the sideward force on the screws will be close to zero. What actually happens with castors is the wheel swivels away from the direction of travel and the forces around the mounting plate become a "couple" centered around the point where the wheel pin intersects the plate. So the two leading screws tend to be pulled downward and backward while the two trailing screws tend to be pushed upward and forward.

The typical thickness of the mounting plate on these castors is less than 1/16" so 9/16" of the screw will go into his 3/4" thick stock.

A 3/4" screw is an option but given that point would come within 1/16" of the other surface there is a real risk that they would cause a penetration bump or blister.

If you are really concerned go to a 5/8" #12 screw. You would likely have to make the holes in the castor mounting plate larger. IMO this would however be overkill.

btw... I had a TV well in excess of 200 lb on a similar cart for over 5 years in addition to about 100lb of other AV gear. Not a single issue with the wheels. They are still tightly attached after 5 yrs rolling over carpet.

grider

02-23-06, 09:24 AM

Grider,
I used oil stain. The first attempt did not go so well due to lack of experience. I used a regular nylon brush (silly me). I had to sand most of the top layer out. That was a mess. Luckily I hooked up the vac directly to the tail of the hand sander. On my second attempt I used a foam brush, which provide a very even spread. To get an dark even stain, I let it dry for two days, and then apply the first coat of poly.

---TAKKL
Hi TAKKL... when you are staining, it's different to painting. You're not trying to put on a coat or layer of stain like you do with paint, you're trying to "Stain" the wood fibres. This is a common mistake, but it looks like you end result worked out great.

Next time you are staining, try using a foam brush and a lint free cloth (rubber gloves too!). Apply the stain with your foam brush evenly and then after a minute or two wipe off any excess with your lint free cloth. The stain actually soaks into the wood fibres and you're essentially mopping up any puddles that would look like darker areas if you left them. Many people apply thier stain with a lint free cloth rather than a brush. Either way works great and dont be worried about giving a good wipe all over with the cloth... just wipe in the direction of the grain. When it's dry, if you want it darker just stain it again.

Try a little less stain on end grain which soaks it up much quicker and can easily look darker than other area's.

grider

02-23-06, 09:27 AM

What do you find is the best way to remove all sanding dust after sanding but before staining? How can you get all of it off without using something wet? If you pre-stain, you only have a short window to sand and remove all sanding dust before applying the stain. Also, is there a reccommended amount of applications of stain, or do you just see how it looks after each application decide from there?
Vacuum then a TAC cloth as videobruce says. It's a linen cloth with a sticky resin on it. You'll find them in most hardware / woodworking stores in the painting & finishing aisle.

miami

02-23-06, 12:56 PM

What do you find is the best way to remove all sanding dust after sanding but before staining? How can you get all of it off without using something wet? If you pre-stain, you only have a short window to sand and remove all sanding dust before applying the stain.

I'm not crazy about tack cloths, they can leave all the pores full of dust. For the pre-stain dust, I start by blowing 99% off with a compressor. If no compressor at hand, vacuum thoroughly. Either way, wipe the dust remnants off with, as you describe it, 'something wet.' A good idea is to use water - this will itself raise the grain some and require one more sanding before finishing, but it will avoid the grain ever again being risen down the line (especially if you plan to use a water- rather than oil-based stain and/or finish). If you don't want to do that, wipe with mineral spirits or naptha.

Not sure what you mean about the 'short window' - you can wait as long as you like between any of these steps.

Also, always always do a sample bit first. If it is blotchy, use a wash coat of sanding sealer or shellac first (Zinsser Sealcoat is fine, I'd cut it 50/50 with alcohol). A little heavier sealing on the end grain can keep it from absorbing too much stain.

cusm

02-27-06, 02:41 PM

I want doors on the front like Pine 2’s unit and the TT400. I would like to put a perforated metal screen/sheet on the 2 side doors and mesh on the middle. I hope this will help with ventilation. On the rear I think I would like to recess the middle section like IronHorse has done with his cabinet. I would also like to add cable management, possible 2 boxes connecting the left and right sides, inside the top and bottom of the rear of the middle section. I would like hidden casters like IronHorse has on his unit for easy movement.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=33276
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=29639
http://www.diamondcase.com/TT/TT_HTML_Files/TT400.HTML

Thanks for any help.

What is the best way to attach doors? I want 3 doors like the TT400, and see that they have the doors closed in between the two end pieces, while others in this thread have the doors covering the ends when closed. What is the easiest/best way to hang doors?

Anyone know where to find some metal perferated shelves similar to what Diamond Case uses in their units?

dafinman

03-01-06, 11:28 PM

Okay, finally I have my stand. While I can claimed to have designed it completely myself, I do not have even a slight hope of ever having the craftsman skills to put it together. My neighbor and good friend brouht it to life.

Some of the features we built into it were a false back behind the center speaker to store the rats nest of wires, a large ventilation cutout beneath the amplifier on the base and another vent cutout beneath the receiver, several seperate paths to run cables and wires.

This was designed to hold my Paradigm CC-470 center and a Sony 60" SXBR(unless they surprise me at their Sony line show on the 16th).

cusm

03-02-06, 11:15 AM

toofargone

03-02-06, 12:46 PM

Whoa! dafinman, that's REAL nice!

That is almost *exactly* what I have rough sketched out. I definitely want space for the center speaker as you do, though I am thinking about making that shelf so that it can slide in and out a little ways. I may also make the stand a bit wider to accommodate an additional narrow set of sliding shelves on each side for holding CD/DVD boxes, remotes, manuals, etc. But that might make it obscenely long.

PLEASE, please, pretty please could you share the dimensions? What kind of wood did you use ?Birch? Are the sides/top plywood framed by hardwood? And where did you get the casters? Are the doors removed in the last pic or do they slide up?

Thanks for sharing!

Edit: I did read this entire thread but it was a while ago. I see now, above in an earlier post, your source for the wrought iron feet. I'll plow back through your other previous posts as well.

falsedawn

03-02-06, 01:28 PM

dafinman

03-02-06, 05:13 PM

The cabinet was made from Birch plywood except for the doors, drawers, facing and the perimeter of the top which were made from solid Birch.

I attached my original sketch of the stand we used to make the drawings from. I'll try to make a scan of the final drawings if they will fit my scanner. We ended up making the box about 3" shorter because we couldn't get a drawer large enough to hold DVD's on their edge in a two drawer configuration. I also went with 3" feet instead of 2" and didn't want the stand any taller. The center speaker shelf is only 15" deep while the AV cabinets are approximately 22" deep. This left room to run cables behind the center and hane some overflow cable storage there as well. I went with Bronze glass on the doors and also applied some bronze tint made by Gila that I picked up at the local Ace Hardware.

In the picture I attached earlier (img_2889.jpg) you can see the cutout under the amp and the receiver cutout can just barely be seen also.

Let me know if you have any other questions I didn't cover.

nobbie

03-02-06, 05:41 PM

So, while I await my Onix Rocket RSC200 Bigfoot center channel speaker, I am playing around with designs for a custom stand to house it and all my components. Here's a rough drawing:

http://www.av123forum.com/photopost/data/500/31445compartmentMediaStand.jpg

What I'm thinking of doing is cutting out the top of the stand so the centerchannel can sit higher and closer to the screen. This is too big to sit on top of my HP 65" DLP. This also leaves more space below for more components. As it is right now, I could use a little more space for another component or two.

Thoughts?

TIA,

Nobbie :cool:

dafinman

03-02-06, 09:00 PM

Thoughts?

TIA,

Nobbie :cool:
Noobie, I think that people get too hung up on the technical right height for their stands. I think you will end up sacrificing AV storage and ventilation going for the short height. I also think short stands look awkward.

Only my opinion.

Big Worms

03-02-06, 09:20 PM

Noobie, I think that people get too hung up on the technical right height for their stands. I think you will end up sacrificing AV storage and ventilation going for the short height. I also think short stands look awkward.

Only my opinion.
With a 65" tv on top of it you need it sitting low to keep the line of sight level. Just the reality if you don't want to be looking up at your tv.

nobbie, it looks good. Not sure about the cutting the top part. I would be afraid of scratching the top of the speaker. Could you do away with the bottom shelf?

dafinman

03-03-06, 12:07 AM

With a 65" tv on top of it you need it sitting low to keep the line of sight level. Just the reality if you don't want to be looking up at your tv.

With a 65" TV your probably going to be sitting at least 10' from the screen. The extra 3-6" to give space for your equipment inside the stand is probably going to equate to about 5 degrees difference in viewing angle. That is not enough to make me sweat it and add another stand just to handle the other 2 peices of equipment that wouldn't fit in my stand. I don't want to be looking at that.

People are overly focused on this small extra height.

nobbie

03-03-06, 01:24 AM

Well, height is important as we often sit on the floor to watch TV. Plus, I was using the height of the factory stand HP sells as a guide. I agree, a couple more inches would help things out considerably. One thing is I need to add an inch because I doubt a 1" high caster is going to work!

I'm not sure, but I think the TV doesn't have any feet where I want to have the center channel flush with the top. I have to double-check that.

toofargone

03-03-06, 10:14 AM

grider

03-03-06, 07:37 PM

<<snip>>....What I'm thinking of doing is cutting out the top of the stand so the centerchannel can sit higher and closer to the screen. This is too big to sit on top of my HP 65" DLP. This also leaves more space below for more components. As it is right now, I could use a little more space for another component or two.

Thoughts?

TIA,

Nobbie :cool:
My advice is to get a smaller center channel speaker.... this one seems like overkill unless you live in a barn.

If you really feel the need for this bohemoth, I have seen successful floor mounted stands that come up behind the TV and have a shelf over the top of the TV hold the center channel... still think a smaller center is the way to go.

schaffer970

03-03-06, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by schaffer970
jimsiff, super job on the cabinet.

I am also in the process of building a cabinet. I used www.8020.net to purchase the material I wanted (am constructing the frame from the 25 t-slot material, anodized black).

For anyone looking for casters (I wanted to be able to easily move the cabinet) I recommend these guys: http://www.lgrathbun.com/furncast.htm They have a furniture caster that is only 1 3/4 inches overall height. I have already bought them and they are excellent quality metal body.

I am impressed with the quality of work being performed by us amateur's!

I am still thinking about going this route for a stand. My question is how did you order it in black? I looked at their website and don't find it in black.

I was looking for something else and came across your question. Sorry I missed it earlier. You just need to call 8020 and they can anodize in a number of colors. It added ~$100 to the total price (went from 350 to 450).

edwa

03-08-06, 12:14 PM

This is to hold my back ordered JVC 70" Pro - It's now holding the old TV and dust. I needed something until we can design a wall unit AFTER we recover from our nightmare kitchen remodel.

I started with some left over 4x4 in the garage and used knotty pine tongue and groove turned upside down to get a flatter shelf.

cgleim

03-08-06, 09:30 PM

Great thread...definitely some good ideas for the next go-round. My father just built and delivered the center section of the entertainment center I designed around my Sony 60XS955. He put it together with 3/4" birch with poplar trim. He put it together in two pieces, the base, and the top section which had a lip that trimmed out the top of the base. I must say I think he did a heck of a job for his first venture in furniture making.

The first attached picture is the design I sent him. My next project will be building the bookcase piers.

http://www.gleims.com/images/house/ecdesign.jpg

http://www.gleims.com/images/house/ec1.jpg

http://www.gleims.com/images/house/ec2.jpg

solexx

03-08-06, 09:42 PM

Ikea sucks. There I said it. Unless you want to breathe the crap that gasses off from particle core use veneered plywood. You will never regret it. I worked as a custom cabinet/furniture builder for 15 years and gave it up when sparks started flying out of my expensive blades and bits (I think sand is a component of particle core).

My 2 cents.

AFBear

03-09-06, 02:37 AM

cgleim

03-09-06, 08:24 AM

Edwa and Cgleim ,
What graphics software were/are you using for your dimensions?
Jim

I used Microsoft Visio. I'm sure there are CAD programs that are much better at this, but Visio was simple enough to use.

edwa

03-09-06, 04:11 PM

I used an old program I had for MAC OS 9 called Design Your Own Home 3D Walkaround by Abracadata. I've cursed it many a time but have still designed 2 of my kitchen remodels with it.

AFBear

03-10-06, 01:27 AM

Edwa and Cgleim,

Thanks for your inputs!!
I thought I had Visio, but I don't and AutoCad is too complex to learn just for a cabinet. I'll see if I can find a full function trial download somewhere of something simple.

Thanks again!!
Jim

cusm

03-10-06, 11:30 AM

What tools are you using in Visio? I just started messing with it and can not find a good way to start with cabinet design.

cgleim

03-10-06, 01:05 PM

What tools are you using in Visio? I just started messing with it and can not find a good way to start with cabinet design.

Actually, I only used the box and line tools. I scaled the page to be roughly 20-30% bigger than the entire unit (Page Setup -> Drawing Scale) and then used the box and line tools to get accurate measurements for each section. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a nice template for designing furniture. However, the nice thing about using Visio is that I could easily find the exact measurements of any section of the unit.

dc_pilgrim

03-20-06, 11:29 AM

Anyone know where to find black mesh similar to what they use in the salamander stands?

BassHog

03-26-06, 08:23 AM

Anyone know where to find black mesh similar to what they use in the salamander stands?

I'd like to know this too. I have all the other hardware/parts needed to build a salamander clone, but I don't know where to find the perforated metal door insert material. Anyone?

moorer1

03-26-06, 09:19 AM

try mcmaster.com and search for "perforated metal"...I didn't see anything black...but that'd be simple enough to address

Bob

BassHog

03-26-06, 08:46 PM

Thanks moorer1. I'll give them a try.

dafinman

03-26-06, 11:44 PM

Thought I would just post a picture of my stand now that I have my new set to go on it.

BTT917

03-27-06, 11:50 PM

dafinman - Great job. A few questions:

1) How did you make the top? How are the solid edge pieces attached to the plywood? How is the top attached to the stand?

2) How is the front edge molding attached to the body pieces?

3) What finish did you use?

Thanks.

videobruce

03-28-06, 07:32 AM

dafinman; Norm will be jealous..........

dundee68

03-28-06, 07:41 AM

Hi everyone,
First, I’d like to Thanks this thread and all people who post here who gave me enough courage to built my own TV-stand.
I cannot claim that my TV-stand has been fully built by my hands: one part came from Bello but all others came from Home Depot, Ebay, IKEA, and local lumber store. The idea (concept) has been found on Inet a few years ago. Company charge a lot of money for this style of furniture, so I decided built my own., with my dimensions for my future TV.

And now, I’m patiently waiting for 2006 model of Sony SXRD 60” :)

Chris Nick

03-30-06, 09:20 PM

Has anyone out there made glass doors with frames?

I'm wondering if 1/4 thick glass in a framed door would be overkill. I am making two smaller doors with 1/4 oak inset panels. One advantage of 1/4 tempered over 1/8th is that with smaller kids around they should be nearly indestructable. Also I'm planning to do it with a slot cutting bit on my router and returning the unopened 1/8th bit saves nearly $20. However someone pointed out that glass that thick is really heavy. Is 1/4 too thick for some IR remotes?

Any suggestions?

For Grider, Ironhorse and others who gave me some early coaching. My cabinet is pretty much together. It has been going somewhat slowly. I did have a false start early on that set me back a few weeks, but with lessons learned I've made a few changes and adjustments that make me happier with my 3/4 finished product. I finished the base and kick plates this evening. All the edging/ trim is done. The lg rathburn casters get attached next and then I'll start on the pieces for the adjustable shelves and finally finish the frame for the doors, buy the glass and put them together. Then its on to finish the stain and urethane.

Nobbie. I still plan on getting the MD6580 so my dimensions are pretty similar to yours. I settled on 22 high including casters. But I did give up some space by deciding to put a mounting/ support frame of 1 (3/4) x 4 all around the base. I then have 4 mitred kick plates on the outside of the frame to hide all but the very bottom of the casters. Width is 80 and depth is 24.

I have false backs on the center section to hide wire management, and on the 2 dvd drawer sections as well. since I really didn't need the depth and also wanted to hide 4 L brackets I used to strengthen it from racking.

I went with the oak trim from Home Depot. I used liquid nails and clamps, but for uprights where I couldn't use clamps because the back is already on, I did use 3/4 wire brads. The trim definitely adds some money ($0.72)/ ft (over 40 ft + wastage) and time because I needed to mitre the corners and getting a perfect join on an 80 inch wide piece with some minor warp was challenging.

More updates later. --Chris

wdj03

04-03-06, 03:46 PM

Too much OT and hockey for me to do anything yet, but my hockey season is over now so I should be able to get started..

One minor technical question..

I have the opportunity to use some screws to secure a few joints. They'll be screwed from the inside out, so the head will be concealed. Assuming I'm using 3/4" stock, what depth of screw should I use?

Obviously, it needs enough sink to grab into the wood, but I don't want to go too far and see a bump on the outside..

gallilaw

04-09-06, 02:05 PM

I built a low riding, classy cabinet-style stand for our Sony 50" LCOS [ R50XBR1 ] rear projection tv.

The carcass is held together by glue and dowels, without screws. Never built anything so square, rugged and lovely.

It's basically a rectangle-and-frame design, that fits together like a puzzle. Each of the frame pieces is routed so that the panels fit snugly, and everything is glued and clamped during assembly.

I have not made enough posts to this forum to upload images or include a link (I am automatically disabled) but you can view assembly photos, instructions and the finished cabinet at--

richardgalli :) com/tvstand :) htm

You need to replace the smilies with dots in the link address.

Thanks to all of the folks whose work I viewed on this forum before starting my own project.

Communities like this one give us the confidence to try!

Richard Galli

Chris Nick

04-09-06, 02:54 PM

Richard,
Great job. Interesting choice to go with the MDF panels and oak frame. I would agree that other materials have more challenges with warping as I've experience on my 3/4 complete project

Nice to see more end product. The contrast between the silver sxrd and the black stand looks great.

--CN

gallilaw

04-10-06, 03:37 PM

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm going to play with the photo contrast a bit and re-post them to the site.

Best wishes.

Richard Galli

JFISHER

05-15-06, 12:10 AM

How have people ventilated their cabinets? The cabinet I am building will have doors on the front and a 1/4 plywood back so all of the components are enclosed. I would like to ventilate it so air is drawn over the components. I thought of a fan in the back but not sure if it would pull any air across the components if the doors are shut.

Thanks

moonhawk

05-15-06, 01:58 AM

Hi guys...

Finally checking into this thread with my own efforts...I built this to match the North Creek speakers I built...which you will see in one of these photos if I can remember how to attach them....:)

I wanted an open stand with LOTS of ventilation....

Cool...It worked! (The upload, that is.)

The horizontal members are all maple, the uprights are cherry...

moonhawk

05-15-06, 02:03 AM

Here's a shot that shows a little more construction detail....

moonhawk

05-15-06, 02:07 AM

This one shows how I overlapped the mortise and tenons so that the posts lined up perfectly above and below the middle shelves.

I cut the mortises with a benchtop mortiser, and the tenons with a dado set on my table saw, and cleaned both up with chisels...

(The open mortises were left on the end for when I get a bigger TV and need a wider top shelf...I'm going to make a temporary plug for them.)

moonhawk

05-15-06, 02:12 AM

Finally, here's a shot with components on it...The center speaker is a temp, and is not even hooked up...saving up for the center channel, and to move the sats to the rear--there is another pair now serving as surrounds.

You will notice that while I have built my speakers and stand, and put together all my components, I have not yet built windowsills in my house.

At least I have my priorities straight!!......:D

Hope you like.....:)

falsedawn

05-15-06, 11:26 AM

IronHorse

05-18-06, 02:48 PM

Just a couple of points I'd like to offer based on my experience:

1. Cabinet Height - Very subjective issue, but I can tell you from trying varying heights before settling on my final dimension that higher is better than lower. The last thing you want from a comfort POV is to have your chin in your chest while you're slumping or getting comfy in your favorite chair. My recommendation would be to sit normally in your chair and have the center of the screen approximately 6" higher than the center of your eye. Easy to do with a laser level... or measure down from the ceiling to your eye center, deduct 6" and adjust your cabinet height accordingly.

2. Ventilation - After being very concernedwhen I designed my cabinet, I later realized that I was getting worked up over not much. My cabinet holds the Yamaha AVR, a JVC VCR, the DTV HD Receiver, a DVD Player, and a CD Changer. I left about 1/2" space around the top/bottom of my frameless glass doors, and just never installed a back.

3. Mobility - When you're building the cabinet, one of the easiest things to do is add enough casters to distribute the load. I used eight (8) Shepard casters and my unit is set up diagonally in a corner with 16" deep bookshelf units on either side... so to do almost anything, I have to slide the unit out to get behind it. I works just fine.

4. Wire Routing - All of us have a rats nest of wires behind the cabinets, some worse than others. I put a false back in the center "pier" behind my center channel speaker and I have a APS system mounted in the recess and this also allows some of the wires to be "trapped" in the pocket. I also bought a poly wire channel that I have to install when I get a chance so that I can run wires in the channel from one side to the other.

5. Cabinet Stability - Don't make your cabinet too thin (front to back) because while it might look nice, on carpet the cabinet can rock when moving it and with a top-heavy DLP it can be very un-nerving to move it around. So give the cabinet a good footprint for stability.

When I started this thread it was because I was unsure of many things, seeing as I was going from a 35" CRT to a 62" DLP. A lot has passed under the bridge since the Fall of 2004 and I'm really happy to see the thread is still alive and very active. We're also seeing some excellent design approaches and craftsmanship... so keep it up.

While it's a PITA, I advise everyone to spend some time going through all the posts from day one, and check out the pictures. There's a lot to be learned and for you guys heming and hawing... you'll get some confidence and build something better than anything you'll buy at retail.

moonhawk

05-18-06, 04:16 PM

Good post Ironhorse...

As I find time I am slowly working my way through the thread...Already found some useful links for materials and products..

I just love filling up my "Favorites" list.

John, thanks for the kind words.

mickay

06-09-06, 09:50 PM

By dampening the wood you do a couple things - you raise up the little fibers that would raise with the first coat of what ever you put on - it saves on sanding - you still lightly sand between coats for adhesion-but don't have to sand down the fibers - which can take too much of the finish away. Another REALLY good reason is to "see" if there are any problems - once someone put some tape on a blanket box I made, when I wet it down I could see the spot where the tape had been - I kept working at that spot till I couldn't see it when it was wet. If I had finished it - it would have finished differently in that spot - dirty hands can leave marks too.

AFBear

06-10-06, 03:54 PM

Have some questions for you experts!!!!

I'm about to start the "measure twice cut once" phase for my stand. It will be mostly 3/4" and 1/2" maple plywood with dowels and possibly some wood screws from the bottom. I plan on using a sanding sealer, a wipe-on stain and finish with polyurethane or tung oil (had bad experiences a way back with poly).

First, is this the right finishing flow and are there any recommendations as to brands?

Second, it would be a lot easier to do the finishing before final assembly. If I tape over the butt lines, could I finish the pieces before I assemble and glue the unit (after I do a dry fit first)?

Any hints or ideas would be appreciated!!

Got a lot of good ideas from this thread on items like casters, hardware suppliers and jigs -- Thanks all!!

moonhawk

06-10-06, 04:14 PM

schaffer970

06-10-06, 08:04 PM

AFBear

06-11-06, 12:18 AM

Be creful if you pre-finish...while it can have some advantages like protecting your veneer, it's east to scratch the finish during assembly.

And, depending on your design, it can be harder to get to scratched areas afterwards for repairs and touch-up.

Be careful staining maple...it seems like a really dense wood, but the pigment can settle in the open pores and make it look very blotchy.

Thanks Moonhawk!! On the staining, that's why I was planning to use wipe-on. Any other way to minimize the blotching? On the assembly, all shelves except for the center ch speaker are adjustable. This should minimize the assembly scratches. Thanks again.

Anyone else with hints/suggestions?

moonhawk

06-11-06, 12:53 AM

They make prestain controllers, or some people use mineral spirits, or de-waxed shellac, (thinned with denatured alcohol) which can help prevent uneven stain and blotched.

These are tricky and require some practice, and tend to make the overall color lighter--use care.

Zinsser makes a shellac sanding sealer that I use a lot, called Bull's Eye seal coat. thin about half and half to start, and wipe on and off. It dries quickly, so wipe off the excess to avoid drips.

Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the compliments, guys.

mondo3

06-15-06, 11:04 PM

4. Wire Routing - All of us have a rats nest of wires behind the cabinets, some worse than others. I put a false back in the center "pier" behind my center channel speaker and I have a APS system mounted in the recess and this also allows some of the wires to be "trapped" in the pocket. I also bought a poly wire channel that I have to install when I get a chance so that I can run wires in the channel from one side to the other.

what is an aps system and a poly wire channel? do you have photos of these, or a link to a web site? thx

and congrats moonhawk...that's a really nice looking stand. I like how the colors match your speakers.

JasonColeman

06-15-06, 11:15 PM

Just a couple of points I'd like to offer based on my experience:
Excellent post, and it deserves more attention because you bring up several good points. However, it might be helpful if you'd include those recommendations to your very first post for those that might be looking at this thread for the first time. Additionally, it might be helpful to comment on finishes and the pros and cons of using solids vs. plywoods or composites. I know, this sounds like a pain in the ass, but it really makes for a great thread. A lot of thread starters (ie- responsibility) create a sort of index for finding information, which might not be a big deal for you since you've so diligently followed this thread (which many thread-starters do not).

It's just a suggestion, but this is really a great thread and could be made even greater with a little bit of work. I'm sure you could garner the help of many of the regular posters to the thread to help get things organized...I'd certainly throw my hat into the ring.

I know it's a lot to chew on, but this is really a one-of-a-kind thread that deserves the extra work...:)

J.