AV Stand Project: Atlas, holding up the world

[Blazin]

Alright, so my current A/V Rack is some early 90s garbage, that while very very very sturdy.. looks like utter trash.. I've thought about painting it, change the cabinet door handles.. and just dealing.. but I've realized that it cost my $40 off craigslist and is not worth an additional $75 in finishing supplies :T


Looking for some help here, just finished up my speaker project, and it was my first time with any sort of cabinet developemt.. looking for some books or resources for building this rack/tv stand.. to support the weight of:

20.7 lbs Receiver
~25 lbs HTPC
11.5 lbs DVR
~6 lbs Upconvert DVD
8.8 lbs Xbox 360
85 lbs TV

So that totals ~157lbs so I'd aim to have Atlas support 250 lbs, why? because I can. I also will over build Atlas to allow for future support of more/heavier audio equipment.. the TV can't ever weigh anymore.. (65" DLP)

Perhaps placement for my center channel.. I'm not limited here perhaps a built in custom Center to match Chimera, my latest project.. why? Because I can.

Any links to anything people have done in the past would be helpful.. I'll start mocking up some designs tonight using Google SketchUP..

[Dennis H]

DIY HT/Audio Furniture Showcase

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24055

[Blazin]

You guys are funny.. thanks for the ideas, but i was hoping to get a link to a good book.. you know about furniture building.. I can look at those designs find one I like, think about how to build it and maybe just slap it together.. but I am not an expert on joint strength and wall spacing and what not in terms of structural stability..

Any help there

[Bent]

Cabinet built into the wall and access to cabling through the door.

[---k---]

The library is your best friend in this department. Just go flip through some woodworking books and woodworking magazines. That is how I started.

The flexy racks, with plywood/mdf shelves supported by threaded rod or threaded pipe, are very popular. Little effort to build and depending on how it is finished, they can look pretty high end.

[Blazin]

Well there's the prelim design.. 2" bottom shelf.. 1" sides, top, top shelf.. 3/4" shelf separators..

Should be beefy enough.

[---k---]

Looks nice. Two questions you need to ask yourself:

1) What are you going to do for joints? Depending on what kind of wood you're using, butt joints may not be the best bet
2) How you planning on cutting that arch?
3) If you get a big beefy amp, is 9" going to be enough. Most manf. like to see 4" above the unit.

[Blazin]

Looks nice. Two questions you need to ask yourself:

1) What are you going to do for joints? Depending on what kind of wood you're using, butt joints may not be the best bet
2) How you planning on cutting that arch?
3) If you get a big beefy amp, is 9" going to be enough. Most manf. like to see 4" above the unit.

1.) Yea, thought about this.. need to know if its feasible as I don't have mastery of the techniques..

--dowels for the center supports, going through the center shelves.. so the 1" shelf dowels would be 1/4" dia x 2" long 6 of them spaced ~ 3" from one another 2" base shelf dowels would be 1/4" dia x 1 1/2" long 6 total same spacing
--mortise and tenon shelves into the side walls
--butt joint for the top piece and the front bottom arch

2.) Yea.. I dunno lol but I'll figure it out.. jigsaw? I'm sure there is a foolproof technique out there.. I'll just need to research it.. but in my mind i'll cut the 2" bottom shelf 3/4 - 1" shorter on the front, and mount a respective thickness arch on the bottom of the rack..

3.) Did a rework, yea that was dumb, i didn't even look up the receiver I plan on getting.. Onkyo SR875, doesn't say anything about necessary spacing; however, as you can see in my rework.. shouldn't be a problem.


The rework resized the shelf spacing.. the top shelves are for cable box, dvd/Blu Ray, and xbox.. 6" should be enough even for a larger Blu Ray player

12" on the bottom shelves is more than enough space and will allow for some stacking if necessary on top of the HTPC(side/rear ventilation) and possibly a center drawer for various items(DVDs, and the like)

[---k---]

Depending on the assembly order, dowels could be difficult. Maybe a better way to do it would to have the vertical members full height. Then use pins to support shelves that slide in and out - like bookcases. Maybe use the pins in conjunction with some shallow dados.

You might also want to think about lateral stability. A lot of times, bookcases and shelves need the back piece to be stable. If you build a box, then push on the corner, it will just flop over without some type of backing or bracing. I was worried about this with my tv stand, it isn't too bad. I think the doweled joints really helped, creating a moment connection. If you build it like I suggested above, it likely won't be as strong latterly, and may be a problem.

Of course, as long as you just set the TV on top of it, never bump or push on the side, and don't have children around it, it should be fine.

[Blazin]

Depending on the assembly order, dowels could be difficult. Maybe a better way to do it would to have the vertical members full height. Then use pins to support shelves that slide in and out - like bookcases. Maybe use the pins in conjunction with some shallow dados.

You might also want to think about lateral stability. A lot of times, bookcases and shelves need the back piece to be stable. If you build a box, then push on the corner, it will just flop over without some type of backing or bracing. I was worried about this with my tv stand, it isn't too bad. I think the doweled joints really helped, creating a moment connection. If you build it like I suggested above, it likely won't be as strong latterly, and may be a problem.

Of course, as long as you just set the TV on top of it, never bump or push on the side, and don't have children around it, it should be fine.

Haha.. yea thats why I was thinking construction would go like this..

2" Base dowels in
Bottom Shelf Seperators on
Dowels in..
1" shelf on
Top Shelf Seperators on
Front arch
Sandwich sides with mortise tenon joints onto shelves
Top

I was thinking about that lateral stability thing.. but I think the full height stability of the dowels/seperators plus the mortise tenon sides will prevent that?

the outer sides are 1 piece and the cross "bracing" aka the shelves will be single pieces.. this should make a stable structure.. if the shelves were just floating in the structure on pins I could see it toppling over..

I lose adjustability.. but I think my dimension choices alleviate component placement issues.. Taller components will always weigh more.. and thus will end up on the bottom, thicker, stronger, base.. shorter components weigh little and produce less heat.. (generally) and will go on top.. exceptions.. that xbox gets hot.. but a full open back should prevent RROD.

to eliminate center 'sag' I'm going to place a support foot on the back center.. should be a sort of triangular weight distribution thing.. i dunno.. geometrical shapes for support = fun :lol:

[BobEllis]

I'm noodling a similar project and watching this with interest.

While the cabinet you've drawn is attractive, it doesn't say, "I am Atlas, I can safely hold your heavy, high dollar equipment."

Ryan has a good point - about the only thing in your drawing adding lateral stability is the curved apron at the bottom. You'll want to use solid wood or furniture grade ply. MDF is great for speaker boxes, but doesn't have the strength for this application. Your shelves will sag in short order.

Some ideas for adding lateral stability -

Add another apron just below the top.

Add a 4" wide piece across the back of the shelf - it would be hidden behind top shelf components but still allow ventilation.

Add 4" wide pieces vertically at the backs - not as invisible as the idea above, but probably stiffer.

Guy wires in an x across the back (yes I love old aircraft) Keeps the light look but gets away form all wood.

With solid shelves and verticals make them interlock a tight fitting Dado will add strength that dowels will not. Spread your ring and middle fingers on both hands apart (live long and prosper), interlock your hands and you get the idea.

Make the sides thicker, 2.5-3" - a box of solid wood held together with a tongue in a dado. Through mortise this to the top and through mortise the horizontal members to it. I did this on a project years ago and it will still support a moving 500 pounds without a creak.

If you avoid commonly available thicknesses and multiples thereof the piece will look more custom. You can decorate the Pillars of Atlas with moldings and coves if you want, but that's getting away from the simple style you've drawn.

Maybe PMazz will chime in with some design ideas and construction tips.

[cjd]

Do a quarter-height backing piece - like the arched piece in the front, except that it goes up a little bit more behind. Consider a piece on the back of the top shelf that drops ~1.5" as well - it'll add lateral stability as well as stiffness to the top shelf.

Make the shelf full width. Dado it into the SIDE panels. Dado the shelf to fit the middle vertical members in-between. For the vertical dado, 1/16" is sufficient - just enough to make sure placement is exact for that visual integrity.. For the horizontal, go 3/16" to 1/4".

[cjd]

Evidently Bob and I think similarly. I just had this reply started and incomplete for a couple hours! :lol: So I didn't see his post.

[Blazin]

I'm noodling a similar project and watching this with interest.

While the cabinet you've drawn is attractive, it doesn't say, "I am Atlas, I can safely hold your heavy, high dollar equipment."

Ryan has a good point - about the only thing in your drawing adding lateral stability is the curved apron at the bottom. You'll want to use solid wood or furniture grade ply. MDF is great for speaker boxes, but doesn't have the strength for this application. Your shelves will sag in short order.

Some ideas for adding lateral stability -

Add another apron just below the top.

Add a 4" wide piece across the back of the shelf - it would be hidden behind top shelf components but still allow ventilation.

Add 4" wide pieces vertically at the backs - not as invisible as the idea above, but probably stiffer.

Guy wires in an x across the back (yes I love old aircraft) Keeps the light look but gets away form all wood.

With solid shelves and verticals make them interlock a tight fitting Dado will add strength that dowels will not. Spread your ring and middle fingers on both hands apart (live long and prosper), interlock your hands and you get the idea.

Make the sides thicker, 2.5-3" - a box of solid wood held together with a tongue in a dado. Through mortise this to the top and through mortise the horizontal members to it. I did this on a project years ago and it will still support a moving 500 pounds without a creak.

If you avoid commonly available thicknesses and multiples thereof the piece will look more custom. You can decorate the Pillars of Atlas with moldings and coves if you want, but that's getting away from the simple style you've drawn.

Maybe PMazz will chime in with some design ideas and construction tips.

It's a simple design because I didn't feel like going crazy in SketchUP.. I'm not that good with it.. I intend to use some sort of molding along the top's edge.. and using some sort of decoration for the 'pillars'

I planned on using something other than MDF.. suggestions..?

I get using dado joinery for the shelves.. ie dado the vertical side pieces for the shelving to fit in tightly.. are you saying also dado the shelves to fit the vertical seperators?


I'll do some more rework with the ideas..

[---k---]

Use good veneered plywood. Oak veneered is pretty common. Then use edge banding to cover up the edges, or use solid wood trim. The solid wood trim, to give each shelf a lip would add a lot of strength.

With all the comments here, your design has progress to the point where it is almost a real design. I bet if you hit the library and flipped through a stack of Woodworking magazines, you'll find a project that can be stretched and massaged to give you a solid foundation on which to build.

[BobEllis]

It's a simple design because I didn't feel like going crazy in SketchUP.. I'm not that good with it....

You got a lot further than me with sketchup. I use good pencil and old paper to knock out a couple of views and some detail sketches and build from that.