Jump to content

Vinyl LP Storage


cool_blue

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 72
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I use the Ikea Expedit that cool blue mentioned to start this thread (though mine is the darker chocalate brown color). I've got Mosaics and other boxes on the top row, LP's on the second, 78's and more LP's on the bottom, and for the others I made little shelves so I could put two tiers of CD's in each cube. It looks pretty good, and allows for easy reorganization of the collection, but stability is not its strong point. One good push from either side and this puppy is going down. My collection is outgrowing the unit, so I'll probably scrap it soon. I'll probably go the Dmitry route and spend a weekend building something ideal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the Ikea Expedit that cool blue mentioned to start this thread (though mine is the darker chocalate brown color). I've got Mosaics and other boxes on the top row, LP's on the second, 78's and more LP's on the bottom, and for the others I made little shelves so I could put two tiers of CD's in each cube. It looks pretty good, and allows for easy reorganization of the collection, but stability is not its strong point. One good push from either side and this puppy is going down. My collection is outgrowing the unit, so I'll probably scrap it soon. I'll probably go the Dmitry route and spend a weekend building something ideal.

If the particle board has already started to weaken, it won't need a puch to fall down; it might do so on its own, unexpectedly :o

Jim is right that support rods will help, although the joints on the particle board can still collapse from too mushc pressure. Dmitry has it right, with both hardwood and supports. Great looking unit!

Here is another option:

Tonys Wood Shop

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where Dmitry's design and mine differ is that he uses support rods, and I use full-length blocks of wood - solid, front-to-back support. I've never had anything collapse/break on me, but I don't use particularly long individual shelves, either. If you do, you need extra vertical supports, spaced to equally distribute the weight across the length of the shelf.

As for lateral stability, well, there's a reason why so many shelving systems are enclosed in the back by a large piece of something, and it ain't just to keep the stuff from falling out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing wrong with plywood, a few nails and a circular saw. It has worked for me for 40 years.

Chuck, my late father, who was a cabinet-maker, would have agreed with you. He found 1/2-1" plywood for shelving units were the best. You cut the wood to size, it's inexpensive and very sturdy. A router was used to make grooves for the shelves to slide into, glued securely and the units could be pretty well any size you wanted them to be. If you wanted to get really fancy, you can buy finished one, or even both sides, but you can also sand lightly and paint or stain to order.

However, Dad kept his jazz collection in a very old cabinet that had a lock on the doors, to protect his records from us, his four kids.:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you wait until you can afford them to have kids, you'll never have them. It's not the initial cost, it's the accessories like sports, clubs and education. Imagine how many sets of mink-lined long underwear could be bought for that folding currency??

But, doors and a lock on your jazz, if you have little kids are a small price to pay to end up with what my dad had. His records started with some from the thirties and went right up to the mid-fifties. When he died, eight years ago, they were immaculate!!!

Edited by patricia
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used the Expedit for 6+ years with no problems at all. That sucker was jammed with LP's with no discernable degradation. It's now in my son's room holding all manner of toys and books.

I've since upgraded to their Bonde system which I've configured with an opening for my electronics and a hanging shelf for books. Great storage, low cost, super strong. I can post a pic or two if anyone is interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys.

Wolff: The TT is a Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck with Spacearm and a low output Dynavector XX-2.

cb: The Bonde is in the latest online catalog. It is more expensive than the Expedit. I believe a standard 4 x 4 cube Expedit in white is running around $100. The 96" 2 x 6 cube Bonde alone was around $150 when I bought them last spring. They would have been cheaper in white though.

The Bonde, however, is really flexible. I would not have had a space for the equipment with the larger, 25 cube, Expedit. If we move, then I can form a larger wall unit with the other 12 cube units. The bridging shelf gives me otherwise unused wall space for books, CD's, etc...

I would love to have floor to ceiling shelving, but I couldn't find any ready made units to fit the 12 foot ceilings and custom was out of my $$$ league. So, I've got a bunch of prints / artwork to hang above the shelving that I just haven't got around to yet.

The wall as you see it is, from left to right, a 2x6 unit + bridging shelf + 2x6 unit + 1 x 6 unit.

Edited by spinlps
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't have a digital camera, but I can tell you what I did - went to the lumber yard and bought a long piece of wood that's 1" thick X 12" across. Came home and measure the distance between empty shelves, and cut the long single piece into multiple single pieces of that length. Then, I placed them vertically between the shelves, so that the 1" side ran from top to bottom, and the 12" side ran from front to back.

Basically, it's the same theory as splinlps setup, only the vertical seperation between cubicles is added after the fact, not built-in. Guestimating, I'd say that one of my shelves is about the lenght of three of his cubicles, and I've got 1 1X12 support in the middle of it.

Hope that helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spinlps:

Is the Bonde considerbly more stable than the expedit or just more flexible?.

Your system looks in the $500 + range. While the Expedit is about $150 Can.

cb:

I can only speak of the 4x4 Expedit. I would say that they are equally stable. The Expedit has nice exterior side supports while the Bonde has the sheer preventing back panel. I know some don't believe it, but that may be the most important part of the construction. They act in the same manner as the plywood sheer sheets used in buildings in earthquake areas.

I moved to the Bonde b/c I needed more shelf space and wanted to incorporate my hardware racks in that space. I also live in an old house (1866) with winding staircases and odd room / hall connections and thought about what moving would look like. While the Bonde I have fairly tall, they are relatively skinny and should be fairly easy to move. As it was, I had to disasseble the 4x4 Expedit just to get it upstairs.

Keep in mind that how you load the shelf will contribute to it's stability.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...