19" rack

[Christopher_List at Sonymusic.Com]

At 04:42 PM 4/22/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Has anyone here used 19" rack for housing their modular
>projects?  If so, how did you end up splitting everything
>up?
>
>steve

When I started out - about a year and a half ago - I was planning on using
the Paia Frac-Rack system (see http://www.paia.com) - which mounts in 19"
racks, but when I got it, I wasn't very happy with the quality of the cross
rails that the panels mount on. They're very light and so are the screws.

I made new cross rails from 3/8" x 3/4" (or 1/4" x 3/8") aluminum rails
that I got from a metal surplus place. I drilled holes with the same
spacing as the frac-rack (1.5") and tapped the holes to fit some nice solid
machine screws (tap and oil = about $15). This was a pain in the ass, but
the results were worth it, this thing is rock solid. I've screwed and
unscrewed many panels many times and despite the fact that I'm screwing
into aluminum, the threads are still like new. The toughest part is that
you have to drill the holes in just the right place, you really need a
drill press with a jig (I used scrap metal).

I used the frac rack plates - they're a little cramped, being only 3u high,
but that's OK. If I were to do it over, I'd do the holes with a 1" spacing
and make custom plates 4u high in 1", 2" and 3" widths - I think that's
what Serge uses - and I think it lets you separate the knobs from the jacks
a little better. The problem is that these metal surplus places don't seem
to take much pride in their measurements when cutting plate, so it's nice
to have the Paia ones that are all the perfect size and have the holes
where you want 'em. Lastly, I came up with an elaborate method for
lettering that's in the achives somewhere - probably under "How I did
lettering for modular face plates" or something.....

- CList