Building a Simple, Affordable, and Stylish Rack Cabinet for Your Stereo System (by Wolf)

Need a practical stand for your stereo system but don’t want to break the bank? In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a simple, affordable and stylish audio rack — perfect for holding amplifiers, players and other audio gear. Using easy-to-find materials and a bit of DIY spirit, you can create a custom-made, sturdy piece that fits your space and shows off your handiwork.

Introduction

Hello everyone, as I mentioned in the introduction (I managed to carve out some time), I’m sharing a small project of mine that I hope might be useful to someone, even if only as a starting point for more complex creations.
The idea stems from the need for a cabinet to house my stereo system. To give credit where it’s due, the inspiration came from various projects found online... I wanted something different from those lightweight and wobbly stereo or TV stands you find at Ikea or in shopping centres, but at the same time, I didn’t want one of those hi-fi centre esoteric tables that cost as much as a kidney on the black market. Considering my stereo system consists of many components, I needed multiple shelves, so it was unlikely I’d find something with the specifications I required. Hence, I decided to make it myself!
One more note: the measurements I’ll provide are the ones I used for my specific needs, but feel free to modify them to suit your preferences, as they are not set in stone.

The materials used

• 8 pieces of MDF (medium density) measuring 40 x 60 x 2 cm
• 3 threaded rods, 25 mm diameter, 150 cm length
• 48 nuts, 25 mm diameter
• 48 washers, inner diameter 25 mm
• 48 rubber or cork washers, inner diameter 25 mm
• 6 blind nuts
• Black paint

The necessary tools

Now that we have the materials, let’s move on to the tools required for the project:

• Drill with a 25 mm wood bit, commonly called a “spade bit”
• Adjustable wrench (commonly known as a pipe wrench)
• A piece of sandpaper
• Spirit level or bubble level
• A couple of carpenter’s clamps (helpful later but not essential)
• A wood rasp, also useful for slightly smoothing the edges of the holes

The project plan

Let’s move on to the first phase of the process: drilling. This is the most delicate step, as achieving a good result requires all the holes to be positioned in exactly the same spot. To make this easier, you can use a simple trick. Start by drilling the first MDF panel using these references: draw a square measuring 40 x 40 cm on the panel, as shown in Fig. 1, and trace two diagonals. Then, measure 8 cm from the top corner and 8 cm from the bottom corner, marking a point that will be the exact spot to drill (trust me, it’s easier to do than to explain).
Once this is done, draw another centreline dividing the panel in two, and mark the third hole 5 cm from the edge. In Fig. 1, these are marked as holes 1, 1 bis, and 2.
After completing the first panel, you need to make all the other panels identical. A handy trick is to clamp one panel to the finished one and use it as a template for drilling (this is why I mentioned carpenter’s clamps as tools). This way, you only need to measure the first panel.

Sanding and Painting the Parts

At this stage, all the panels should be drilled. Now we move on to the next step: painting. Start by giving the edges of the shelves a light sanding with sandpaper to round them off slightly, and smooth the holes with a wood rasp to allow the rods to fit with a bit of clearance. Once that’s done, proceed with painting. I won’t go into detail here, as this step can be done according to personal preference. For my project, I used matte black paint on the top side and automotive undercoating (commonly used as anti-vibration material) on the underside to reduce vibrations—given its intended use, the fewer resonances, the better. But that's a more technical and audiophile discussion.
Once the shelves have dried, we move on to the longest and most tedious part: assembling the threaded rods, which must be done in the order shown in Fig. 2. Start at the bottom by screwing the first nut onto each rod at a height of about 10 cm, then attach the blind nuts at the base, which will serve as "feet." Slide the shelf onto the rods from above and add the locknut (this is the tedious part, as the nuts have to be screwed along the entire length of the rod). Wait before tightening everything, then move on to the second set of nuts and the second shelf, and so on until all the pieces are assembled. At this point, refer to the photos I’ve included—they are more explanatory than my words.

Levelling and Assembly

Once the shelves are in place, we proceed to levelling them. Some may have wondered why I opted for just three legs. Well, the reason is quite simple. Aside from the aesthetic aspect, having three points of contact ensures the structure is always level. There’s never the classic “fourth leg” problem where, if the floor is slightly uneven, it doesn’t touch and requires a wad of cash (figuratively or literally) to level it.
Levelling is simplified by the fact that we can adjust the height of the shelves using the nuts. With a spirit level placed on the shelf, simply tighten or loosen the nuts beneath the shelf until the desired levelling is achieved. Once satisfied, tighten the nuts above the shelf and move to the next one. This process may sound harder to explain than to actually do.
When finished with the last shelf, I added three blind nuts at the top to give it a neat finish. Potential customizations: for those who don’t particularly like this somewhat techy look, PVC electrician’s pipes can be inserted between shelves, painted black to hide the threaded rods, and the nuts can also be painted. This structure is so modular that you can tailor it to your liking—its only limit is your imagination.
As I mentioned earlier, this design was created to suit my needs, which required a very stable cabinet. And when I say stable, I mean really stable—the entire assembly weighs nearly 55 kg when empty! If your needs are less demanding, you could opt for thinner MDF, smaller threaded rods, etc.

Some Clarifications

Two key points… In this project, I added cork washers beneath the metal ones for two reasons. First, as mentioned earlier, to deal with vibrations and resonance, essentially creating a physical decoupling between the shelves and rods. Second, to prevent the metal washer from biting too hard into the wood when tightening the nuts— and trust me, I tightened those nuts like my life depended on it. As for the third reason, I had some leftover cork board panels to recycle, so I cut them into washer shapes. If you have rubber scraps, those would work just as well.
One last thing… some might wonder why I opted for MDF instead of chipboard, plywood, or other types of wood. The reasons are multiple. First, in the world of audiophiles, mentioning chipboard is akin to inviting Count Dracula to an all-you-can-eat garlic omelette buffet. Plywood or laminated wood, on the other hand, is too “soft,” so tightening the nuts risks damaging it. MDF, however, offers both the resistance and rigidity needed for this purpose. And, to sweeten the deal, it’s also budget-friendly—something that’s never unwelcome in a DIY project.
What more can I say… I hope this little project inspires your own creations. Apologies if my explanations weren’t too clear—I’m a practical person and usually find it easier to do things than to explain them. That said, if you need further clarifications, I’m happy to help.

Luciano—though my friends call me Wolf.

The original discussion can be found in the forum at this address:
https://www.ilsitodelfaidate.it/FDTForum/viewtopic.php?t=1408