February 2013

Sweet DIY Audio Rack Using The Ikea Lack Tables
Article By Vince Di Nenna

  If you are looking for an inexpensive, yet sturdy audio/video rack or need a secondary one, the Ikea Lack Audio Rack might be for you! Let me preface by saying I did not come up with this clever idea. Like many DIY'ers, read a budget audio review and the reviewer referenced another article with the Lack Rack.

You can also search the web for images of "Lack Audio Rack" and plenty of images will be returned. The Lack Rack is a budget rack. It is not intended for ultra Hi-End enthusiasts with gear costing 10s of thousands of dollars. The Lack is an end table available from Ikea. It costs just under $10 each level and would advise against placing your mega-buck Walker Audio turntable on a Lack Rack. Why take a chance?

You could use your Lack Rack "as-is" or you could modify each shelf to a specific size. If used "as-is", you won't get many shelves out of it, with 4 shelves will be over 6 feet tall. Shortening the legs will also give us access to the hallow cavity inside the legs so we can add sand to give the rack more weight and vibration absorption.  Cones or spikes can be added to the legs.

The red Lack tables are no longer available from Ikea.  Only Black, Black/brown and birch are available. I liked the racing red, but I didn't get enough of them at the time of the build. Red was discontinued shortly after I began the project. So, I added black/brown tablets as well. This misfortune actually worked out for the best. Note that one year later the Ikea website shows red as available, but didn't see red tables a few days before the 2012 Christmas holiday in the Ikea store itself.

The leg walls on the red tables were thicker than the other tables, making the cavity inside the legs narrower. The replacement block needed to be sanded down to fit inside. The black/brown table fit the 1.25" square doweling perfectly. The doweling is available from Home Depot or other lumber suppliers.

Parts List
Lack Table(s)
1.25"  square doweling. Measure the existing block in leg before buying the square dowel.
Sandbox sand as it is cleaner and has less stones.  (optional)
Isolation cones and/or spikes (optional)
Screw inserts for cones or spikes (optional)

Tools List
Mitre and saw or electric compound mitre saw (recommended).
Wood glue
Drill and bits bits
Sand paper

Construction
Avoid building the table in advance, if you intend on modifying it. Let sand dry in open air for a few days before filling legs.  Spread it out on news paper in a safe, dry area, like a garage or a basement work area. The table platform is around 2" thick by itself, so consider this added height when building the levels of your rack. You may also want to account for cones or spikes.

Now cut the legs to the desired length.  Make the lengths as even as possible for all four legs. You want to start with an even and solid foundation to build on. You will be removing the end without the pre-drilled hole.  See pic below for the pre-drilled side is for connecting the threaded screw to the leg and table platform.

Test the end of the opening against the square dowel to make sure it fits.  "Just the tip" as they say.

Cut the dowel in 2" sections or enough to contain the cone or spike threading without exiting the opposite side. See picture below.  

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Mark and drill pilot hole for threaded insert as pictured above.

Drill correct size hole for the threaded insert. The hole should be snug for grip, but not too loose or tight to create cross-threading. Install insert with a hex wrench until it is flush with the dowel/block surface. See photos below.

It is a good idea to mount the spike and cone threaded inserts before mounting the blocks in the leg. The block could slide inside the leg and would be hard to retrieve without some way to grab the block!Fill the legs with dry sand, leaving room for the blocks. Place wood glue around the sides of the blocks and gently insert the block into the leg. Let dry over night or longer. Let completely dry before mounting leg to platform.

Mounting Leg To Platform
Easiest way to mount the leg to the platform is to simply begin threading the screw at the leg by hand. With the platform upside down, insert other end of the screw into the platform. Begin turning the leg clock-wise. It will screw into both the leg and platform equally. Trust me!  Don't use pliers.  It is a waste of time and energy. See pictures below. Use caution when working with cones and spike.  Do not puncture yourself.

There you go! This is a simple, inexpensive rack requiring a just little effort. I have been using mine for over a year with no problems, failure or tumbles. --- Vince Di Nenna