Speaker stands for bookshelfs' - DIY

[sudokpr]

I am planning to build speaker stands for Elac Debut BS6.2

I will be using mild steel and the hollow centre column will be filled with sand.
The design is simple. Apart from accounting for a low centre of gravity, I haven't really put efforts in finding out the acoustic properties of the material being used.
The approximate weight would be around 6 kgs per stand (without the sand filling). With my rough calculations, the centre of gravity is at 42% of the height (with speakers and sand filling).
I have not accounted for isolation spikes yet. I still need to read about them. If I go with iso spikes, the height will be cut down to account for the spikes.

Building it with wood or plywood boards would have been much easier but one of my relative owns a factory with CNC machines. I plan to get the machining done there.

I am attaching a drawing of the proposed speaker stands.
Request your reviews and suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nitin_g3]

I did one diy for my q acoustics m20 hd.
The base is 1 sq feet. Top is 12" x 9".
The column along with top and base are solid plywood. I applied laminate manually afterwards.
Column is 2 inch wide from both sides.

For isolation, I use 4 plastic base fixed with plain nails.

Here are some pictures

 

[sudokpr]

Yep, for isolation, a rubber or a plastic bush is what I have in my mind too.

I have designed the top plate exactly to fit my Elacs. Hence it is a rectangle. I will check if I can change the dimensions to make it universal.

The columns are also made of plywood? So its two layers glued together? Or you get a plywood of 2 inch thickness?

 

[nitin_g3]

The columns are also made of plywood?

Yes

its two layers glued together?

Exactly. Glued and nailed. And then laminate applied.

I twisted the columns 45 degrees at later stage for better strength and aesthetics.

Here are the final pics of them being put to use:

 

[sudokpr]

Yes

Exactly. Glued and nailed. And then laminate applied.

I twisted the columns 45 degrees at later stage for better strength and aesthetics.

Here are the final pics of them being put to use:
View attachment 78445

Simple, clutter free setup! That's what the M20s can do.

 

[DB1989]

Yes

Exactly. Glued and nailed. And then laminate applied.

I twisted the columns 45 degrees at later stage for better strength and aesthetics.

Here are the final pics of them being put to use:
View attachment 78445

The PS5 has been placed quite strategically

 

[sudokpr]

Hey everyone,

It's been a while, but I'm reopening this thread to give you an update. I've been working on the speaker stands during my leisure time, and I'm finally in the last stretch.

Initially, I experimented with wood, but I wasn't satisfied with the sturdiness or weight. After many attempts, I switched gears and decided to go with metal, which brings me to where it stands now.

Next steps include drilling the holes and getting it painted. Most of the work was done at home, except for the laser cutting of the top and bottom plates.

One thing I still need to finalize is choosing the isolation spikes.

All the materials for the columns were sourced from a metal scrap yard. If I had to purchase new ones, they would come in lengths of at least 20 feet. These mild steel columns have walls that are 4mm thick, and I believe they are what they call "ring-free."



Here's how the plates will be secured to the columns: I cut a 6mm mild steel strip, drilled holes, and tapped threads for M6 machine screws.


The base and bottom plates were laser cut, costing Rs.700 for the labor.


Each stand weighs 16.05 kgs


So far, I've invested around INR 8k, which also covers tools such as bench vise, thread taps, safety gear like cut-resistant gloves, and masks. Plus, countless hours experimenting and watching YouTube videos. Overall, it's been a valuable learning journey for me.

The journey isn't quite finished yet. One last thing remaining are the feets with isolation spikes. I checked with Sound Foundations, and they have spikes with an M8 threaded stud, similar to the ones in the picture. I'll need to use an M8 locking nut on top or a dome nut. However, I'm unsure about how it will look with the threaded stud sticking out of the base plates. I'm looking for something with a polished finish to conceal those studs nicely.



I did a quick search on Amazon, and there are numerous options for spikes available. Some are copper, but I doubt they can withstand 16kgs in the long run. Meanwhile, stainless steel options are quite pricey.

Any recommendations on where to find speaker spikes would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sudokpr]

Got these rubber feet for the speaker stands, Rs.30 each. They compress slightly, not too hard. Might need to trim the stud length.
Was gonna go for spikes, but my floor isn't carpeted and can't find a budget-friendly professional option online, except at Soundfoundations like I mentioned before.
Will give the rubber feet a shot for now, and keep hunting for the spikes.

 

[Naturelover]

My speaker stands are of MS.
Two pipe design.
SS bolts screwed into the bottom plates serve as spikes.

 

[sudokpr]

Those stands look really solid with those thicker plates. And thanks a lot for the idea of using common bolts as spikes. Maybe I can taper the ends of the bolts to reduce the contact area. I'll definitely give it a try.

 

[sudokpr]

Finally, the speaker stands are ready.
Got them powder-coated in matte black.

 

[sudokpr]

I got dome nuts to cover the rubber feet studs. Ideally needed 18mm studs, but the rubber feet had 40mm, so I had to trim them. Then had a new idea inspired by @Naturelover: Threaded rod with dome nuts on both sides. It's better for tiled floors, though I haven't tested for scratches yet. Managed to fit them on one base plate.
Level adjustments are possible up to 15mm.

 

[Analogous]

I am planning to build speaker stands for Elac Debut BS6.2

I will be using mild steel and the hollow centre column will be filled with sand.
The design is simple. Apart from accounting for a low centre of gravity, I haven't really put efforts in finding out the acoustic properties of the material being used.
The approximate weight would be around 6 kgs per stand (without the sand filling). With my rough calculations, the centre of gravity is at 42% of the height (with speakers and sand filling).
I have not accounted for isolation spikes yet. I still need to read about them. If I go with iso spikes, the height will be cut down to account for the spikes.

Building it with wood or plywood boards would have been much easier but one of my relative owns a factory with CNC machines. I plan to get the machining done there.

I am attaching a drawing of the proposed speaker stands.
Request your reviews and suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

You may want to ensure that the weight of the filled stands is heavier than the weight of the speaker…