MOTM

Speaking of rack rails...

I have four sets of 19" MOTM rack rails I no longer need due to my new wood 
cabinet (Pics later). Please e-mail me privately if you would like to 
purchase any of these from me. I will sell them for $30 a pair. Sorry to 
post this here, but I don't think the rails will do so hot on e-bay.

As for my cabinet, how about those flat rails? Seems to have drifted away 
again. I will be using brass wood inserts, but the flat rails would be 
excellent to use instead. I used 10" wide poplar with a very cool grain 
pattern and almost zero belimishes. My box is 2 rows tall each holding 20 
units of modules. My case will end up with about 23 or 24 modules total. I 
have taken my sweet time this weekend with the cabinet and boy does patience 
ever pay off! Looking great and I will post some photo's when I get the back 
piece stained and mounted along with the keyboard garage. Ciao'

Thomas White



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In a message dated 2/19/2001 9:13:35 AM, djthomaswhite@... writes:

>As for my cabinet, how about those flat rails? Seems to have drifted away
>again. I will be using brass wood inserts, but the flat rails would be
>excellent to use instead.

I know what you mean! I have no room for my most recent MOTM modules, they 
lay around much like Ken Tcaks' modules do awaiting some sort of cabinet. 
Again like Ken, I have an almost unused table saw which I bought to help 
construct such a cabinet. 

Of all the designs I've seen or heard about, I have to admit (as humiliating 
as it is to do) I like Bradley's the best. I've always preferred that "C" 
shape to a standard straight or sloped cabinet. Maybe he'd be so kind as to 
put up some plans on his hot rod site. I'm also very interested in finding 
out how he was able to get an accurate drilling guide for his wood rails 
which will have inserts. I'd thought about using a standard rack rail as a 
guide, though you'd need to put some spacer in the hole to make up the size 
difference between the larger standard rack screw and the smaller MOTM rack 
screw size.

JB

--- In motm@y..., jwbarlow@a... wrote:
> Of all the designs I've seen or heard about, I have to admit (as
> humiliating as it is to do) I like Bradley's the best. I've always
> preferred that "C" shape to a standard straight or sloped cabinet. 
> Maybe he'd be so kind as to put up some plans on his hot rod site. 
> I'm also very interested in finding out how he was able to get an 
> accurate drilling guide for his wood rails which will have inserts. 

Well, let's see...

I'll be glad to post some case details when it's all over. I think it 
is going to be extremely cool looking, and very ergonomic as well.

Having said that, it's also going to be complicated to build the 
cabinet, and will stretch my woodworking skills in new directions.

I'm currently working on the problem of mounting the double sets of 
rails together. Due to the angled panels, there are 3 double sets of 
rails at row intersections that are angled with respect to each 
other. I have to cut a wedge shaped piece at exactly the right 
angles, to mount the 2 rails together to form one compound double 
rail at an exact angle. So far, I haven't come up with a saw jig that 
allows me to make the cuts as precisely as I need. After solving 
that, I can start hacking on the wooden side pieces. I intend to dry 
fit the entire case together, using biscuits to hold it in place.

To make my rails, I took brass inserts and pine 1 x 2 boards. I found 
that a harder wood like oak would cause the soft brass to deform and 
break as I tried to screw them in. I marked the horizontal hole 
placement manually by measuring. I left each rail 1/16" long at each 
end so that the end modules won't rub the case sides. The vertical 
positioning was not marked, but a jig was made on my drill press so 
that the holes were all drilled uniformly. I drilled a small pilot 
hole first, because it's easier to accurately hit a pencilled line 
with a small bit. I found that when screwing the inserts in later, 
they walked around a bit anyway. The module holes have enough slack 
in them that you only have to be semi-precise with your placement.

Moe

Actually, you can just mount your MOTMs to standard rack rails using # 10
screws.  The holes are plenty big.  The problem with regular rack rails is
the bend radius and extra space left at the edges.  They are designed to
have some space leftover between the inside of the cabinet and your 19" rack
device.  The same happens with MOTM.  Except, I think most people want their
modules to butt up pretty darn close to their wood.  So anyone particular
enough to build a lovely wood cabinet won't be happy with the result.
My $.02
Larry

----- Original Message -----
From: <jwbarlow@...>
 I'd thought about using a standard rack rail as a
guide, though you'd need to put some spacer in
the hole to make up the size difference between
the larger standard rack screw and the smaller
MOTM rack screw size.

Woo hoo! I got my jig challenge solved, and the compound interior 
rails came together real fast. Some pics at:

http://motm.retrosynth.com/moe_stuff/case_pics/

Moe

--- In motm@y..., mate_stubb@y... wrote:

> I'm currently working on the problem of mounting the double sets of 
> rails together. Due to the angled panels, there are 3 double sets
> of rails at row intersections that are angled with respect to each 
> other. I have to cut a wedge shaped piece at exactly the right 
> angles, to mount the 2 rails together to form one compound double 
> rail at an exact angle. So far, I haven't come up with a saw jig
> that allows me to make the cuts as precisely as I need. After 
> solving that, I can start hacking on the wooden side pieces.

Yeah, every now and then I actually get a little time to myself and I think
it would be good to start the cabinets, considering I bought the saw last
April just to make them! (Naturally I gave the wife a different story... at
some point I will have to add a floor to the house or something... can't
remember what I promised...)

But I'm still unsure about those flat rails. Last I heard they were going to
be 12u, but until I have them in my hands, I don't trust that not to change.
I can adjust the width of my cabinet designs if I have to, but once I start
cutting wood I don't want the rails to change! So the modules are gathering
dust until I actually get those babies in my hands. Believe me it's not easy
building modules for a year and a half and not being able to use them!

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	jwbarlow@... [mailto:jwbarlow@...] 
Sent:	Monday, 19 February, 2001 3:30 PM
To:	motm@yahoogroups.com
Subject:	Re: [motm] Rack Rails


In a message dated 2/19/2001 9:13:35 AM, djthomaswhite@... writes:

>As for my cabinet, how about those flat rails? Seems to have drifted away
>again. I will be using brass wood inserts, but the flat rails would be
>excellent to use instead.

I know what you mean! I have no room for my most recent MOTM modules, they 
lay around much like Ken Tcaks' modules do awaiting some sort of cabinet. 
Again like Ken, I have an almost unused table saw which I bought to help 
construct such a cabinet. 

Of all the designs I've seen or heard about, I have to admit (as humiliating

as it is to do) I like Bradley's the best. I've always preferred that "C" 
shape to a standard straight or sloped cabinet. Maybe he'd be so kind as to 
put up some plans on his hot rod site. I'm also very interested in finding 
out how he was able to get an accurate drilling guide for his wood rails 
which will have inserts. I'd thought about using a standard rack rail as a 
guide, though you'd need to put some spacer in the hole to make up the size 
difference between the larger standard rack screw and the smaller MOTM rack 
screw size.

JB