[Boatanchors] RACK SHELVES, PANELS?

[Robert Nickels]

jeremy-ca wrote:
> Do it the old way....MASONITE!
>
Yep, that still works.   Not long ago I found a nice 6 foot modern-style 
rack sitting at the curb with a bunch of old furniture.  It once held 
the guts of a laser trimming system, obviously discarded by a local 
factory and then by whoever salvaged it.  I like this type of rack 
because there are rails on both front and rear and the rail has holes 
along the sides as well as on the faces.  This makes it really easy to 
bolt in a couple of supports for a shelf that makes it far safer and 
easier to move radios in and out.

However the original side panels were missing.  These are big sheet 
metal slabs that lift off to provide easy access.   I cut pieces of 1/4" 
lauan plywood to fit, painted them satin black, and attached them with 
screws and cup washers.   The end result looks good, like some fancy 
stereo gear I've seen with this black-painted wood finish.

I almost always end up with a couple of feet of less usable rack space 
near the floor, which is a great spot to mount power supplies and 
speakers.  Build yourself a nice infinite baffle for a two-way hi-fi 
speaker or maybe a bass reflex box to fill that rack space and your 
boatanchor radios will sound a lot better than with the "matching 
speaker" in a metal can!

I remember an OT when I was in college, engineer at the BC station where 
I worked - he built a rack and console for his RTTY station using 
Masonite panels covered with gray Formica.  Looked better than 
professional grade!

73 Bob W9RAN