Why are racks so expensive?

GilmourD

GilmourD

Eater of Worlds
Staff member
I'm looking for a 4U rack that will double as a computer monitor stand. Nice and simple, nothing crazy, but FUCK they're expensive. The cheapest I've found is $100 and it's made out of Walmart grade particle board. Seriously, I can buy a dining room table for less.

WTF is up with that?
 
Because you have to buy them. Unless you're particularly good at woodworking. At work, we made our own racks and cases for a while, when we had a full wood shop. Still not cheap. I'd imagine we have several hundred thousand invested in racks and cases. Seems like a lot, but when you're protecting millions worth of electronics...

Did you try craigslist? There's usually a few cases floating around on mine.
 
Because the market for inexpensive racks is tiny so there’s no economy of scale. Most of the people buying racks are businesses or touring musicians who buy the expensive stuff. I second Craigslist. Used 4U racks pop up all the time because someone consolidated four old 1U units into an Axe FX or a Pod.
 
If it's for home you can get away with the open rack frame on wheels. Angles and is easy to wire.

If you're going to gig with it, the SKB and Gator racks are lighter and don't have the sharp edges. IMO, they protect even better than the wood and metal ones.
 
baimun said:
If it's for home you can get away with the open rack frame on wheels. Angles and is easy to wire.

If you're going to gig with it, the SKB and Gator racks are lighter and don't have the sharp edges. IMO, they protect even better than the wood and metal ones.
Click to expand...
I kinda wanted it to be semi-furniture like. The plan was to clear up some of my desk by putting my audio interfaces on a shelf inside it (since they're not themselves rackmountable), stick my second monitor on top, and give myself room for rack stuff I plan on buying in the future.

But I also don't need it to be exotic wood craziness. Hell, I don't need it to be exactly pretty. I have an Ikea desk. LOL

This for $100+ is fucking ridiculous, though. It's fucking Walmart furniture grade shit. Given what it is it shouldn't be any more than $25. If it were made by GuitarFetish it would probably be $15.
 
$25 in materials and 3 hours of labor at $25 an hour. Make it yourself. Take the measurements to Lowes or Home Depot and they will even cut the plywood for you. You screw it together and add braces. Purchase a tiny can of stain and polyurethane to finish it and you'll have it.
 
If you're not using in a band/gig context & you don't actually have rack gear, you can make any old open cabinet thing work. I'd just start checking out your local CL and grabbing something cheap.
 
This is fucking cool.

Thanks, @Kerouac!

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Hey, sorry I missed this yesterday... my new job at the restaurant keeps me pretty busy and I haven't checked in as much lately. Glad it worked out for you... that's a crazy good looking modular... you should post it on Facebook and tag my buddy Luigi Lavalle in it.
 
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