Cd storage

[cc-rider]

I'm trying to figure out how to store a few thousand CDs. Would like to create some sort of room divider, I think, so needs to be at least 7 foot tall. Trying to convert a music studio in a living space. My issues are going to be trying to make something tall enough without being wobbly, and not having a wall to anchor it to. And temporary so that we can convert it back to studio space when we move out. Would prefer something freestanding. Suggestions?

[Harry Chickpea]

If you construct shelving with an L or X footprint, it will be a lot more stable.

A few thousand is a LOT of CDs. I doubt most radio stations have anywhere near that number. (I remember the libraries of 78 disks and albums at one from when I was growing up.)

[cc-rider]

I was just thinking that, too. Maybe do a zig-zag footprint to make it more stable? And each unit only about 2' wide so the span wouldn't be too great. We need to keep the CDs in the cases because all the liner notes, etc., are in the cases.

We have run a weekly radio show for the last 15 years, so have LOTS of CDs. The station doesn't provide the music....the DJs have to bring their own. Artists send us new CDs and projects constantly so that it gets air-play.

Plus, I think my hubby already owned every bluegrass and old-time vinyl available...and CD. And now that I'm trying to sell our home, we are thinking of moving into our music studio a few blocks away instead. Except I can't handle all the "stuff" and clutter....so want to cordon off a living area.

I'm considering getting some pipe about 7' long. And then cutting some 1x6 boards about 2-1/2 foot long, with a 2" hole in each end. I can feed the boards down over the pipes, with some sort of spacer between them to space them about 6" apart in height. If I put it sort of like this (I don't know how to explain!)....
Pipe...thread about 14 boards on, with 6" spacers between. On the other end of the board, you would do the same (adding a pipe), except you'd stack another 14 boards, one on top of each of the previous, and a 5-1/4" spacer. This gives you the next section of shelves. Continue doing that until you have the width of the room divider needed plus a bit. Do it laying out on the floor, obviously. When you sit it up, arrange the pipes so that they are in a zig-zag shape on the floor.

Do you think this would be too precarious? What could I make the spacers from? Wooden blocks would be cool....but a pain drilling 2" holes in that many blocks!

It wouldn't have to sit zig-zag....it could probably run 2' and then do a right angle for another 2', and then back again, etc., to create a bump out. Would probably have to run something across the back of each row to keep them from falling out.

Oh...would it get like a cheap bookcase and wobble side to side????

It would be much easier to just frame in some walls....but I don't want to do anything drastic like that. I want to be able to take it all out later when we sell the studio....it's a beautiful, old house.

[Harry Chickpea]

I can "see" exactly what you mean. Drilling the holes wouldn't be terribly hard. Stack about 8 board and clamp them, then drill through all 8 at once with a good drill. The problem is that there is no structural integrity in such a structure. Adding a paneling backboard would help if properly glued and screwed.

Look at spring tensioned shower and curtain rods. You might have additional stability with a similar spring at the top of the pipes where they near the ceiling. 3' or 4' sections would be more stable. Once you deduct 6" from your 2' sections (to allow for centering the holes) you have a fairly narrow base.

My dad once did a quite stable room partition by having a row of cabinets made and bookshelves attached to the top. The back had birch paneling. The cabinets started out in the center of the room and then when the extra bedroom was no longer needed were simply pushed up against one wall.




Weight shouldn't be too much of an issue.