Reworking My Large System

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Not with a Denon MC6000 on top .. needs that space for the controls in front (Bobcat and I have the same controller).

Mine is a DN-D4500MK2, taking off front name plate may make the difference. Regardless, it still may be too heavy with the CD player, DRPA and Pioneer 5000 mixer all in one case. What I like most is the slant rack w/ Laptop Glide. As is now, I can't fully reach the laptop because the front of it is too far to the rear of my existing road case.
 
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Mine is a DN-D4500MK2, taking off front name plate may make the difference. Regardless, it still may be too heavy with the CD player, DRPA and Pioneer 5000 mixer all in one case. What I like most is the slant rack w/ Laptop Glide. As is now, I can't fully reach the laptop because the front of it is too far to the rear of my existing road case.
I saw this lightweight (1/4" plywood) case today .. though the laptop part may be too far back for you ..

8U Over 3U Rack/Mixer ATA Case w/Top for Laptops, I Pads

1523661009017.png
 
Mine is a DN-D4500MK2, taking off front name plate may make the difference. Regardless, it still may be too heavy with the CD player, DRPA and Pioneer 5000 mixer all in one case. What I like most is the slant rack w/ Laptop Glide. As is now, I can't fully reach the laptop because the front of it is too far to the rear of my existing road case.
I saw this lightweight (1/4" plywood) case today .. though the laptop part may be too far back for you ..

8U Over 3U Rack/Mixer ATA Case w/Top for Laptops, I Pads

View attachment 34083

That's a pretty nice case. I wonder how durable a 1/4 inch plywood case would be. The price isn't bad, though, so it may be worth the risk... not for me, 'cause I'm committed to my SKB R104 for now.[emoji4] It sure looks like it would be a lot easier to add rails in the back.


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I saw this lightweight (1/4" plywood) case today .. though the laptop part may be too far back for you ..

8U Over 3U Rack/Mixer ATA Case w/Top for Laptops, I Pads

View attachment 34083

Thanks, Steve. It looks promising. How secure (stable) was the top? Did you see it in person or search on line? Regardless, thanks for the info. It appears to be 3 to 4" overlap. It doesn't state if there are rubber feet. Easy to add, if needed.

Took another look at the outside dimensions and it appears that the outside dimension is 24". I'm assuming that the 24" does not include the front cover depth. If unit when fully assembled for transport is more than 24" I won't be able to store it in the wall unit built for my DJ equipment. May be a deal breaker.

Much like Bobcat, re-designing and modification, is an ongoing process. Having taken another look at the link from Steve 149 (8U Over 3U Rack/Mixer ATA Case w/Top for Laptops, I Pads) I believe it still leaves me "leaning" too far forward to access my laptop. I have the same problem with my current (custom made) road case.

Several pictures of my current (custom designed) road case below. It is heavy with the amount of gear shown in the photos, approximately 90 lbs.

20180414_162055.jpg20180414_162113_001.jpg20180414_162230.jpg20180414_163549.jpg20180414_163827.jpg20180414_163925.jpg

FYI: Depth of unit (w/o front, end and top covers) is 20-1/4 in. External width (side to side) is 21-3/4 in. There are 4 rubber feet on base, so height in front is 12 in. and rear is 16 in.

In theory, I would remove Denon 4500 MK2 (CD/Media). Slide down to front, Pioneer 5000 mixer. Make new platform and run it from top of mixer to back of road case. Perhaps a hinged part of the platform attached to the right side (mouse/pad), just a thought.

Thoughts?
 
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That's a pretty nice case. I wonder how durable a 1/4 inch plywood case would be. The price isn't bad, though, so it my be worth the risk... not for me, 'cause I'm committed to my SKB R104 for now.[emoji4] It sure looks like it would be a lot easier to add rails in the back.


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With gear cinched up to the top and front rails should be fine. Wouldn't handle much throwing around I'd guess.

It's 6RU in front (3 under their panel, 3 below), so there's a lot of room in front. I like the 25 pound weight .. the single handle (for balance). Compact lids.
 
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My rig in an odyssey 802
 

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Check out Post 325 for photo's and notes on my current customized road case.

Took another look at the outside dimensions and it appears that the outside dimension is 24". I'm assuming that the 24" does not include the front cover depth. If unit when fully assembled for transport is more than 24" I won't be able to store it in the wall unit built for my DJ equipment. May be a deal breaker.

Much like Bobcat, re-designing and modification, is an ongoing process. Having taken another look at the link from Steve 149 (8U Over 3U Rack/Mixer ATA Case w/Top for Laptops, I Pads) I believe it still leaves me "leaning" too far forward to access my laptop. I have the same problem with my current (custom made) road case.

Several pictures of my current (custom designed) road case below. It is heavy with the amount of gear shown in the photos, approximately 90 lbs.



FYI: Depth of unit (w/o front, end and top covers) is 20-1/4 in. External width (side to side) is 21-3/4 in. There are 4 rubber feet on base, so height in front is 12 in. and rear is 16 in.

In theory, I would remove Denon 4500 MK2 (CD/Media). Slide down to front, Pioneer 5000 mixer. Make new platform and run it from top of mixer to back of road case. Perhaps a hinged part of the platform attached to the right side (mouse/pad), just a thought.

Thoughts?
 
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...In theory, I would remove Denon 4500 MK2 (CD/Media). Slide down to front, Pioneer 5000 mixer. Make new platform and run it from top of mixer to back of road case. Perhaps a hinged part of the platform attached to the right side (mouse/pad), just a thought.

Thoughts?

I would think having the Denon 4500 MK2 in the front, instead of the top, would be awkward. I had an American Audio DP2, which is similar in size, and had it mounted in the top of the rack in front of the mixer in my original small system. But the controller is what I use the most... doing WAY more with it during a performance than I ever do with the mixer. For me that controller HAD to be larger, and HAD to stay in the top. Having my Denon DN-410X mixer in the front section below the controller works MUCH better for me.

As for the hinged platform on the right for a mouse, I've been thinking about a very similar feature for my new Large System. However, it must not prevent the cover from fitting over it (if it folds in), and it can't really fold down against the side because it would block the grab handles, and that's the only way to lift the rack. I'm currently working on an entirely different idea... I have a fold-down keyboard drawer in the front. There is a small amount of space for a mouse (a trackball would work fine), but I'd still like to have some space on both sides of my rack to set water bottles, papers, and such. I don't need much, but I would like some. My old Large System had a 30" wide table top above the rack, and my controller case sat on top. That controller case was(is) about 20-21 inches wide, which left me with enough room on the right for a mouse pad, with just a few inches on the left to set water bottles. The new rack is 23-24 inches wide, but I'm thinking of going as wide as 36 inches, leaving me with about 6 inches on each side. That's doable. Now all I have to do is figure out how to incorporate it into the setup without adding too much additional weight or additional setup time.[emoji4] I'm thinking about a U shaped top that wraps around the back and sides of the rack. I think I have it designed (in my head[emoji1]), but I'm not too happy with the dimensions. Carrying a 36x24 inch U shaped top will take more space than I currently use, and my goal for this project is to use less.
 
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Bobcat. I believe you misunderstood what I was saying with regard to the Denon 4500 MK2 CD/Media player. I re-read the sentence and see how you may have misinterpreted. The Denon is being taken completely out of the road case. I very seldom use it now. I may combine it with another smaller road case and have it available if necessary for specific events.

Your idea sounds interesting, but I'm not sure it would work for me. Weight and storage space would be the primary issue.
 
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Took the day off from this project today... to recover.[emoji1] Made good progress yesterday, but it came at a price. I injured myself. Actually, I already had a strained wrist, which I was supposed to be resting. Not possible to rest a strained wrist if you're right-handed unless you do nothing![emoji1] So I decided to work on my project yesterday anyway, and I was trying to make a 3/4 inch hole in piece of metal when the drill bit suddenly grabbed the metal and slung it against my leg, and it ricocheted into my shin on the other leg, drawing blood in both places. So now I have blood and sweat in this project... just lack the tears. Can't blame the accident on the sprained wrist though, 'cause I was holding the metal plate with the other hand.[emoji4] The injuries are pretty minor, and hopefully the day's rest will help the strained wrist. I'll get back to work tomorrow.[emoji4]
 
Careless? Be thinking ahead. Sprained my wrist last September taking down plywood Hurricane shutter (4 x 8 ft.) Didn't heal until a couple of months ago, but then I am a bowler (2 x week) so that may have been the reason for earlier healing.
Be careful.
 
Careless? ...

Yep... probably so.[emoji1]... I don't work with metal much, and really don't have all the proper tools I'd like to have. But I know what can happen when you try to drill into a piece of steel, and I should have clamped it down, rather than trying to hold it with my hand.

As for the wrist... that was a combination of trying to carry something heavier than I shoulda been carrying... and old age.[emoji1] Happened while working on getting my daughter's house ready for sale. In my mind I'm still 25 (my wife might say 5), but my body says otherwise. I'm just too dang stubborn to give into my limitations.[emoji1]
 
Well .. got off my arse today and remade my caster board for my 10u rolling rack ... Had a piece of 3/4" plywood I bought from HD .. ripped it down to size .. used a roundover bit in the router to ease the sharp edges. Mapped and drilled the holes and put in 1/4" T-nuts.

Just need to get a warm day to spray paint it black.

Old board

IMG_1552.JPG

New one

IMG_1550.JPG
 
Just got back from my shopping trip to buy materials for the facade I'm gonna build. Now I know why facades are not cheap. I might have been able to buy a facade for what I spent on materials, but this is gonna be a custom facade, specifically for MY rig. It's gonna be smaller than typical facades, and it will have some unique features. I was hoping I would be good to go after this trip, but... I forgot to buy the hinges.[emoji1] It's always something. Could have been worse... hinges won't stop me from getting started.[emoji4]


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Well .. got off my arse today and remade my caster board for my 10u rolling rack ... Had a piece of 3/4" plywood I bought from HD .. ripped it down to size .. used a roundover bit in the router to ease the sharp edges. Mapped and drilled the holes and put in 1/4" T-nuts.

Just need to get a warm day to spray paint it black.

Old board

View attachment 34126

New one

View attachment 34127

Where did you get the new wheels (blue ones)?
 
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Well .. got off my arse today and remade my caster board for my 10u rolling rack ... Had a piece of 3/4" plywood I bought from HD .. ripped it down to size .. used a roundover bit in the router to ease the sharp edges. Mapped and drilled the holes and put in 1/4" T-nuts.

Just need to get a warm day to spray paint it black.

Old board

View attachment 34126

New one

View attachment 34127

Lookin' good![emoji4]


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Didn't get as much done on my project today as I wanted, but the wind DID slow down enough that I got most of the components spray painted. I have just a few more pieces to make before the bottom rack is ready for final assembly. I abandoned the idea of putting a drawer in the High Heels (height extension).[emoji1] The drawer I bought was just a little too deep. Not a good fit and could not be easily modified. If I end up building another version someday, perhaps I'll use it then. I'll take a couple of pics soon and post them with the final result. It's supposed to rain tonight and all day tomorrow. It might not keep me from working on the rack unless it's too cold or too dark.[emoji4] We'll see? At least I can got to Home Depot to pick up the hinges (I forgot) and a couple of other things I need.
 
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