Record Storage Solutions- elimination of chaos

[kcin]

I've been struggling for sometime ( years) for a permanent record storage solution. After a move , temporary residence and new home - all this has occurred over the past 5 years , I decided it was time to engage a viable storage solution. I have not really had a good way to store records through all this as I propped them up against walls or filed them in milk crates.

I had some parameters:

• It had to be front facing flip through- I hate looking at splines. My eyes can't deal with splines anymore.
• It couldn't be Ikea - I went through this and although reasonable in cost I didn't like the the construction and don't like press board and cardboard. I see an uncanny amount of it in the trash each week as people get rid of this stuff in my University town.
• It had to be robust and movable so that I could clean behind the storage as dust accumulated
• It had to be easily repeatable if had to build more

Here is the dilemma:





Here's a small prototype of my solution:




Here is more of it :


Welded space frame



Here is a mock of of the final solution:



Black walnut front and maple sides dovetail joined.


I have 24 bin openings to complete on this first round:




All work done by local fabricators- local welder and local production wood shop that supplies custom cabinet shops in the area. While not cheap, very reasonable for the quality. Especially so, if you consider robust commercial solutions like Boltz ( that don't even come close to this look and customization) Boltz would be way more money for less IMO.

I'll add a walnut top of some sort so that I can place things on top too. I'll have to work through that.

I've got my work cut out for me installing the slides - but I've worked out jigs to make it go as fast as possible. This will store about 2000 albums and it will keep my primary stash organized . The rest of the stash can wait till I get ambitious again in another 5 yrs. or so----or not. The small bins will be close to the turntable and will house my "go-to" albums close by.

I'll post the final solution in the next weeks as I complete this.

Thanks.

[Guest]

That's pretty cool. Will your wood shop stain and finish? I have 25 wood 'crates' from Tony's Wood Shop and it was a pita to stain, sand, and apply three coats of polyacrylic. The slide-out flip through approach is very nice. What's the highest the top level will sit to allow that?

I thought there was a thread on record storage and there is; It's kinda hard to find. Myles maybe there could be a section under Analog for stuff like this??

Record Storage

[kcin]

Hi these drawers are finished in a satin clear but not stained. The shop I used is more of a production shop that wholesales to cabinet makers. They don't get into painting/staining/finishing etc..they leave that to the small shops. They will router out for specialized slides etc. on request. I couldn't begin to reproduce these for what they charged me . This one instance where economies of scale actually work out for the little guy. These sit about 42" high on the casters.

[Rob]

lookin good, I like your aesthetic sensibilities IMO casters are underrated and very functional. my only reservation is potentially unbalancing the rack when puling out the top bin, like an over loaded file cabinet wanting to fall forward when you do that.

[RoadDawgWest]

Impressive. Like that you can flip through the records.

[kcin]

lookin good, I like your aesthetic sensibilities IMO casters are underrated and very functional. my only reservation is potentially unbalancing the rack when puling out the top bin, like an over loaded file cabinet wanting to fall forward when you do that.

.
I pre- tested it with a loaded mock-up of each bin solution. No way it moves. there will be 4-500 lbs ballast below when opening a top shelf. Of course I'm only going open I bin at a time .

[astrotoy]

Flipping through your collection should be very nice. How many records are in your collection? All the commercial stores seem to be just one bin at the proper level. with adjacent bins sharing a common wall. . They stack extra records below, which generally means squatting or sitting on a small stool with the bin above you. The bins are deeper than yours and definitely are not designed to move around. Good luck on your project.

Larry

[Bill Hart]

I'm totally down with the face forward approach. I haven't researched any store bought solutions, and figured I'd just need to have what I want custom made. At the same time, I really like the look of floor to ceiling shelves with a library ladder. I know I'll figure out something. First step will be to have a building constructed. But, I gotta start somewhere. I'm working on it....

[kcin]

Flipping through your collection should be very nice. How many records are in your collection? All the commercial stores seem to be just one bin at the proper level. with adjacent bins sharing a common wall. . They stack extra records below, which generally means squatting or sitting on a small stool with the bin above you. The bins are deeper than yours and definitely are not designed to move around. Good luck on your project.

Larry

Thanks, I could not find what I wanted commercially & I got tired of trying to get cabinet makers to fit me in to their schedule. I really wanted to be able to move the collection on wheels if desired. for cleaning - so in the end, like a lot of things around here I end up doing it my self rather than wait for a contractor. I also wanted a modern sleeker look this time.

I can get in to see a physician easier than booking a contractor or cabinet maker around here! I probably have 4000 or so records. I culled maybe 2000 before my last move.

[MylesBAstor]

I've been struggling for sometime ( years) for a permanent record storage solution. After a move , temporary residence and new home - all this has occurred over the past 5 years , I decided it was time to engage a viable storage solution. I have not really had a good way to store records through all this as I propped them up against walls or filed them in milk crates.

I had some parameters:

• It had to be front facing flip through- I hate looking at splines. My eyes can't deal with splines anymore.
• It couldn't be Ikea - I went through this and although reasonable in cost I didn't like the the construction and don't like press board and cardboard. I see an uncanny amount of it in the trash each week as people get rid of this stuff in my University town.
• It had to be robust and movable so that I could clean behind the storage as dust accumulated
• It had to be easily repeatable if had to build more

Here is the dilemma:





Here's a small prototype of my solution:




Here is more of it :


Welded space frame



Here is a mock of of the final solution:



Black walnut front and maple sides dovetail joined.


I have 24 bin openings to complete on this first round:




All work done by local fabricators- local welder and local production wood shop that supplies custom cabinet shops in the area. While not cheap, very reasonable for the quality. Especially so, if you consider robust commercial solutions like Boltz ( that don't even come close to this look and customization) Boltz would be way more money for less IMO.

I'll add a walnut top of some sort so that I can place things on top too. I'll have to work through that.

I've got my work cut out for me installing the slides - but I've worked out jigs to make it go as fast as possible. This will store about 2000 albums and it will keep my primary stash organized . The rest of the stash can wait till I get ambitious again in another 5 yrs. or so----or not. The small bins will be close to the turntable and will house my "go-to" albums close by.

I'll post the final solution in the next weeks as I complete this.

Thanks.

Very nice.

[MylesBAstor]

I'm totally down with the face forward approach. I haven't researched any store bought solutions, and figured I'd just need to have what I want custom made. At the same time, I really like the look of floor to ceiling shelves with a library ladder. I know I'll figure out something. First step will be to have a building constructed. But, I gotta start somewhere. I'm working on it....

There's the LP bin approach. Around $239 and holds 560 albums.

[astrotoy]

Looks like those are about 30" wide. For my collection I would need about about 68 linear feet of cabinets, each filled to capacity! Right now my record racks (mostly Per Madsen Rack-its stacked 6 high) take up 41 linear feet - about all my not too small room can hold. No, and I don't like to look at the spines of the records!

Larry

[MylesBAstor]

Oh I agree. This bin would, however, make sense for those frequently played albums. Instead of sitting on the floor.

But other than that-unless you have a small LP collection-it's not a very efficient use of space. At least in a Manhattan apartment.

[kcin]

I've got this one- in fact 2- poorly packed for such a heavy piece and 1 came out damaged . Not very well constructed IMO.

[Guest]

Seeing the bin (above.) I suspect flip-through organization needs index dividers. Otherwise you're pawing through records or looking at splines sideways.

[kcin]

Only 22 more bins to go --I decided to paint my room so my productivity on these is slow.

... I also added a bin below my turntable stand for nick knacks.. I'll line it with 2" foam. ( this stand was from a Goldmund Reference and the 200lb brass plate loads it on top) .

[MylesBAstor]

Where do you find the time?

[david k]

Nice solution!

david

[kcin]

Time lapse record storage solution:

22 pairs of drawer slides:




Lots of drilling and fitting:





I believe they turned out well:








Took most of my day to " file and fit" now just to organize the collection. This will do almost 2000 albums. If I feel like it I will build another set after I catch my breath. The other stock of records will have to wait.

[Tunes]

Really nice, simple but functional, beautiful aesthetic! Congrats on a great job.