20 Units Instrument Rack From Ikea's Lack Tables

Intro: 20 Units Instrument Rack From Ikea's Lack Tables

If you own rack equipment you know how expensive can be to buy a nice rack to stack them up...thats why this idea sparked in my mind...a rack with 20 units of space for my gear, with a nice wood look and for less than 30 bucks!!!

STEP 1: What You Need...

You will need:
- 2 assembled Ikeas's Lack table...really cheap and you can chose the finish you like best!
- 2 braking and pivoting wheels
- 2 pivoting wheels
- 4 mounting brackets (mine were 2x6 cm, 8 holes)
- a bunch of wood screws about 1 cm long and fitting the holes in your brackets

STEP 2: Fix the Wheels to the Top of First Table..

Fix the wheels by four wood screw for each one to the corner of the table top. Lack table is squared so it doesn't matter what side. Just keep in mind that braking wheels are going to be in the front size of your finished rack.

STEP 3: Stack Up the Lacks and Make Your Rack

Turn your newly wheeled Lack and stack the second one over it feet to feet to build the basic structure of your rack. At the bottom of it you can see the bracket that will old them firmly together.

STEP 4: Fix Them Together

Fix the feet of your tables together by brackets and wood screws paying attention to obtain the best alignment possible. The task is quite easily completed by lying your rack on its side.

STEP 5: Stack Up Your Rigs!

You have it! Start stacking your computers, networks stuff, measure instrument, HAM radio rig, or like in my case, home studio stuffs...
Now you have your 20 units rack built in less than 1 hour and for less than 30 bucks!
Mine is just finished so it's a little bare bone...
Add all bells and whistles you like!
Enjoy!

Comments

[KarG1]

I added continuous rails (10,- Eur) to mine and gave it a different base. Love it.

Details about the rails and assembly instructions: http://karg-music.blogspot.de/2015/08/lackrack-cheap-living-room-19-rack.html

[Countrywings]

Something to consider... if the gear is "front-heavy" you might find the rack will tip over too easily if pushed from the back. You might want to add some type of fixed weights to the back, or behind the gear mounted near the bottom, to avoid this problem if it appears to be unstable. Nearly had a home-made rack similar to this do just that... but I caught it in time!

Starliner

[ScottyGS]

REALLY like the look but would fitting (sandwiching) a square piece of sturdy wood (or some other material) to fit exactly between both tables-before adding the braces (screwing it into alternate legs perhaps?)... make the whole thing just a bit sturdier - preventing any 'wobble'?. Of course it might then mean adjusting your stacking height--but you'd gain a new set of 'stacks' on the upper level- distributing the weight? Just thinking out loud....I really like your idea. Simple and very effective. I love anything movable and already own a few Lack shelves so this would work in my music room and I haven't yet found a rack stand I liked. Thanks for the idea! :)

[HarshReality]

So where can one aquire these predrilled rails for the front?

[bschran]

ebay :) or you can get steel bars of that thickness and use a tap to make the screw holes :P

[kbhasi]

FYI, those wheel things are called castors

[riddly]

and if you drew an 'X' corner to corner on the bottom of the legs, and used a centrepoint drill, you could accurately dowel them together instead of using the ugly plates...Ikea bodging is a great idea.....cheaper than lumber.

[kayohh]

if you added some black pegboard to the side. it would look so pro.

[kentwidman]

 Good idea, but if I can't mount my rack equipment, I'm worried that they would slip out and fall when I move the rackunit. It would be nice to see rack-mounts.

[inventorjack]

I don't see myself ever needing an instrument rack, but I had to post a comment anyway:

Great Instructable!

It's a very simple, but clever re-purposing of everyday items into something new and useful. And the finished product looks quite nice. I'm sure there are others out there that will be able to make good use of this. Thanks for sharing.

[drnutella]

Thank you!
I found that the less expensive ready made 20U rack costs about 100$ and I found it a little bit too expensive...
Than...
I had my sampler sitting on my table and then I was astonished by its measures...
then the idea stroke!
It's so funny that I wanted to share it! 

[shax]

very cool.

i'm going to buy some (~US$30) pre-drilled, pre-tapped rack rails and attach them to the front of the table legs.

[drnutella]

This is genius!
I didn't find them in switzerland...
is there any mail order shop to your knowledge?
I've an idea for a cheap gear retention system but the rail would give it a professional touch!

Thank you for the idea!
That's why i love this site!

[lemonie]

That's good, and you could do the same with LAN hardware I guess.

L

[drnutella]

Why not? Everything in a rack standard housing will fit!
And there is more...
It's weird but one Lack table contain exactly 10 units!
I'm wondering if Ikea's guy who designed the table was aware of this particular characteristic of his/her design!

Thank you for the comment!