(page 2)

(Ingredients continued)

Pillars:

Four steel threaded rods, 18" long and 3/8" thick (again you can go with wider stock here). I bought mine from the same place as the rest of the stuff. It usually comes in 3 feet lengths so I got two cut in half. After cutting these, make sure the ends are dulled so that they're not a risk to anyone, but also make sure the threading is not damaged allowing you to still thread nuts without difficulty.
You'll need matching nuts for the threaded rods, and a set of metal and rubber washers. You'll need 8 total of each per shelf, which comes out to 24 different items you will be using to secure each shelf.
Four small rubber doorstoppers to serve as rack feet.

Tools:

Electric drill and the appropriate drill bit (3/8" in my case, or 1/2" to allow for easier adjustment).
Clamps. Not spring loaded but the ones you can tighten. Two will do.
Two wrenches to tighten the nuts (two 9/16" in my case).
A pair of scissors.
A leveling device. A simple bubble one will be fine.

The Cost:

The most expensive parts to this design are the top layers of each shelf (i.e. the nice wood) you choose to use. The rest is peanuts. I didn't keep track of the bill, and my "nice" wood is actually a cheap but acceptable particleboard wrapped in vinyl. I estimate the two-shelf rack cost me about $40, and anywhere between 30min to an hour for assembly.

The Recipe: Putting It All Together

Take the top wooden shelf and align it perfectly with the bottom MDF slab. Since these were precut to measure this should not be a problem. Do the same with the second set of shelf and MDF. Stack and secure the four with a pair of clamps, tighten firmly so that the whole assembly does not misalign while you are working on them (use a piece of cloth for the top shelf and clamp over that - you don't want to scratch the nice shelf). This arrangement will ultimately ensure that your pillars stand straight vertically.
On one side of this stack (the designated back side) mark each layer with pencil numbering: 1, 2, 3, and 4, vertically from top to bottom. This will help you align them again after the clamps have been removed.
While the shelves are clamped, drill four holes (at a perfect right angle) strait through. Center the holes about 1.5" from the corners (I had mine 1 and 1/8 of an inch in from each side).
Remove the clamps, and separate each shelf combo opening them up as you would a book.
Add the middle layer to each combo and close it up with the top shelf:
- Variant A: Lay a sheet of cork material aligning it with the bottom MDF slab. With scissors, cut out four matching holes (they don't have to be perfect since the whole thing will be sandwiched in). Place the top wooden shelf on top of the cork sheet ensuring the three layers are aligned.
- Variant B: Sprinkle (generously) bits of Blue Tack or sticky putty, so as to sufficiently cover the MDF slab. I ended up applying about 100 bits per shelf and yes, randomness is actually welcomed so don't spend too much time aligning the bits. Just make sure you don't end up with thick clusters of the stuff or noticeable holes. Gently place the wooden shelf on top of the Blue Tack layer applying NO pressure. Make sure the two are perfectly aligned and only then press with all your weight the selves together. You will have only one go at this so get it right. Once the Blue Tack gets hold of the upper and bottom parts it's practically impossible to separate them. You may find using pencils or the threaded steel rods as guides a great aid in getting them strait on.

The Audio Component Rack