originally posted 12-18-2008 on S&V
This project should have been done a long time ago, but it wasn't until I got my projector that I made myself (finally) get it done. I have a bad problem with not finishing a project and this one was a good example, so bear with me.
After doing a search, I found there was a lot of ways to make your own flexi but I thought the one shown on Wardsweb's sight seemed to be the best solution for me, so I made note of the materials and headed to Home Depot for the supplies. Here's a link to Wardsweb's sight. (hope you don't mind Wards)
The Rack
First I measured out how long I wanted my rack. I already have a Salamander rack that I was using, but wanted something a little wider and in a different finish. Because of that, I didn't worry about getting the nuts and washers as I was going to use the hardware from my Salamander rack. I did need to get some all thread as the shortest pieces were 30" long. I wanted something a little shorter and I needed 8 legs instead of 4 for my rack. Since the nuts were 5/8", I needed to get 5/8" rods instead of the 3/4" rods and nuts that's used in Ward's Rack design.
Here's the pieces of birch plywood cut out
I drilled my holes using a 3/4" spade bit. For the trim to hide the plywood, I used Band-It white oak 3/4" veneer trim. The trim has an adhesive backing so all you have to do is iron it in place. To trim any access, You can get a Band-It trimmer. The veneer trim and the trimmer used to be sold at Lowe's, but I have not been able to find it there any more. I'm sure a quick search on the web will turn up a dealer.
Next I stained the pieces to a desired finish.
Close up of one of the shelves.
If I remember correctly I think I got two 4x8x3/4" pieces of cabinet grade birch and that made 10 pieces that were 16x24 and two long pieces that were 16x66 with a third section that's not as long. I wound up only using about 4 of those 10 short pieces, so I'll just save the extra for another rack.
Sorry for the bad phone pic. The next two pics were taken the same time I was building my screen frame due to my camera's battery being dead. Here's what the rack is starting to look like.
I used the casters, nuts, and washers from the Salamander rack. The all thread I had bought had a silver zinc finish to it. I was going to leave it like that thinking it would give a nice contrast to the black nuts and washers and stained shelves. After getting it partially assembled, I took it back apart and painted the all thread black. Glad I did that as I like it better that way.
Almost completed here, still a few more shelves.
At this point here, I'm just hand tightening the nuts. Once the rack is completed, I'll go back with a small level and even up the shelves and then crank them down tight so the unit is rigid and not...well...."flexy". (I know, bad joke).
The completed rack
A close up of the top shelf.
I'm still not really finished with it. For one, I need to order some more connectors and make some longer cables. The cabling back there looks horrible, but I had to work with what I had. I have thought about using a piece of peg board to place on the back to better hide the cables and also better manage them as I could use zip ties through the board's hole to hold the cables in place.
Hope you guys like it. I know I do. The good thing with these styles of racks is you can add on and/or reconfigure them anyway you like. They are not as majestic looking as some of these higher dollar furniture designs, but their functionality (to me) is unmatched.
This project should have been done a long time ago, but it wasn't until I got my projector that I made myself (finally) get it done. I have a bad problem with not finishing a project and this one was a good example, so bear with me.
After doing a search, I found there was a lot of ways to make your own flexi but I thought the one shown on Wardsweb's sight seemed to be the best solution for me, so I made note of the materials and headed to Home Depot for the supplies. Here's a link to Wardsweb's sight. (hope you don't mind Wards)
The Rack
First I measured out how long I wanted my rack. I already have a Salamander rack that I was using, but wanted something a little wider and in a different finish. Because of that, I didn't worry about getting the nuts and washers as I was going to use the hardware from my Salamander rack. I did need to get some all thread as the shortest pieces were 30" long. I wanted something a little shorter and I needed 8 legs instead of 4 for my rack. Since the nuts were 5/8", I needed to get 5/8" rods instead of the 3/4" rods and nuts that's used in Ward's Rack design.
Here's the pieces of birch plywood cut out
I drilled my holes using a 3/4" spade bit. For the trim to hide the plywood, I used Band-It white oak 3/4" veneer trim. The trim has an adhesive backing so all you have to do is iron it in place. To trim any access, You can get a Band-It trimmer. The veneer trim and the trimmer used to be sold at Lowe's, but I have not been able to find it there any more. I'm sure a quick search on the web will turn up a dealer.
Next I stained the pieces to a desired finish.
Close up of one of the shelves.
If I remember correctly I think I got two 4x8x3/4" pieces of cabinet grade birch and that made 10 pieces that were 16x24 and two long pieces that were 16x66 with a third section that's not as long. I wound up only using about 4 of those 10 short pieces, so I'll just save the extra for another rack.
Sorry for the bad phone pic. The next two pics were taken the same time I was building my screen frame due to my camera's battery being dead. Here's what the rack is starting to look like.
I used the casters, nuts, and washers from the Salamander rack. The all thread I had bought had a silver zinc finish to it. I was going to leave it like that thinking it would give a nice contrast to the black nuts and washers and stained shelves. After getting it partially assembled, I took it back apart and painted the all thread black. Glad I did that as I like it better that way.
Almost completed here, still a few more shelves.
At this point here, I'm just hand tightening the nuts. Once the rack is completed, I'll go back with a small level and even up the shelves and then crank them down tight so the unit is rigid and not...well...."flexy". (I know, bad joke).
The completed rack
A close up of the top shelf.
I'm still not really finished with it. For one, I need to order some more connectors and make some longer cables. The cabling back there looks horrible, but I had to work with what I had. I have thought about using a piece of peg board to place on the back to better hide the cables and also better manage them as I could use zip ties through the board's hole to hold the cables in place.
Hope you guys like it. I know I do. The good thing with these styles of racks is you can add on and/or reconfigure them anyway you like. They are not as majestic looking as some of these higher dollar furniture designs, but their functionality (to me) is unmatched.
