Use some freakin' plastic washers!

[AtlantaPowerPop]

I look around ebay quite often for good deals and it amazes me that people would spend upwards of a thousand dollars on a piece, to rack it and scrape all the paint off where the screw holes are because they are too cheap to spend another 2 bucks on plastic washers. Don't people think of resale value when they rack their gear? I realize that in many cases, when put in the rack with screws, the scraped off portion isn't visible, but there are times when even that doesn't cover up all the missing paint. Isn't half the point of owning gear to have something that looks cool? What the hell is wrong with everybody!! Blah!!!

[Kiwiburger]

I especially hate it when the music shops rack up their gear, so it's spoilt before you can buy it.

[Sqye]

i used sum washers to scrape off all the paint on MY gear - i don't see the problem. i think u meant neoprene washers.

[Shan]

I myself use plastic washers on the front AND back of the screw hole on my rack gear. thumbsup

Shane

[ImJohn]

Screws are for anally retentive non pros who have all day to mount gear in racks. I just keep a small arc welder in the studio and tack weld the gear to the rails. Faster than screws and probably stronger. And any old crowbar will pop them out faster than you can type on EBay "Near Mint No Reserve Slight Rack Rash"

[SiliconAudioLab]

Good one John.

Does anybody know where to find screws with a wider collar than the average ones supplied. I have looked in every hardware store and if they got the same thread, they got that same damned collar width.

I want wider collars AND wider plastic (w/ same size hole) washers!!!

[ImJohn]

FYI :

******//www.raxxess.com/catalog.asp?CATID=119

******//www.middleatlantic.com/rackac...are/hrdwr1.htm

******//www.middleatlantic.com/rackac.../hrdwr2.htm#sw

******//www.washersusa.com/nyloncomponentsf.html

[SiliconAudioLab]

Thanks for the links John. Really! The last one with the washers looks good but here's the problem; I HAVE all the screws in the other links and they're the same collar width. It sucks! I've looked everywhere.

The ones from Middle Atlantic (with the square holes - instead of phillips or flat head etc...) are great to avoid theft! Even they are not wider than any of the others though.

The reason why I'd like to find wider collar ones is because I get rack gear, like you guys, from eBay, and the area around the holes is chewed up. Wider collars would hide all that.

Seems nearly every piece of gear I own has the "rack hole hash". Ouch! Sounds like something ya need a condom to avoid?

[crypticglobe]

I don't care about that paint around the rack mount holes, or the top of the unit.

It's like new shoes. The more you walk carefully, and try not to scuff em up.. the quicker you will get that bad scuff.

They are gonna get scratched. Period. I stick em in the rack... and use em to make music.

[airmate]

plastic washers are also a good way to avoid ground loops... thumbsup

[pan60]

i do not care if gear has a bit of rack rash to me it's to be expected.
if rack rash devalues the gear i am probably not looking at it anyway.

[dtucker]

Originally Posted by crypticglobe

I don't care about that paint around the rack mount holes, or the top of the unit.

It's like new shoes. The more you walk carefully, and try not to scuff em up.. the quicker you will get that back scuff.

They are gonna get scratched. Period. I stick em in the rack... and use em to make music.

I agree! This reminds me of a friend who used to get all crazy whenever anybody scratched his guitar cases. The case is there to protect the GUITAR from getting scratched!

It seems to me that it would be more important to keep the gear properly ventilated rather than worrying about the rack ears getting scratched.

[Faderjockey]

Don't you think some one should start making rack ear condoms..

Like a rubber sleeve that slides over the ear..Two holes for screws. May not work for all gear...But they could sell them for 1,2,3 space gear.

[GPl]

You could always use that plastic people use to protect a couch. You know, they buy the design/color of the century and cover it in plastic. No scratches

[u b k]

Originally Posted by AtlantaPowerPop

What the hell is wrong with everybody!! Blah!!!

everybody seems ok from over here, it looks like you're the one with the problem .

pour a glass of good red, breathe deep 3 times, relax your shoulders, and repeat aloud: "things get scratched, that's okay."


gregoire
del ubik

[Blackwater]

plastic washers are also a good way to avoid ground loops...

Not if you're using a star grounding pattern in your control room though.
You have to have contact.

Rash does suck though.

[DeepSpace]

Originally Posted by u b i k

"things get scratched, that's okay."

Yep, you bet, u b i k.

A few minor battle scars on the exterior shows that a unit has been used and, maybe, loved.
Wrap the darn things in cotton wool if you must, APP, but their purpose ain't to *look* pristine.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by dtucker

I agree! This reminds me of a friend who used to get all crazy whenever anybody scratched his guitar cases. The case is there to protect the GUITAR from getting scratched!

Classical guitar players often use a protective linen cover OVER their precious cases.
No joke though I thought so when I first spotted it.......

[Slipperman]

Who cares when yer dead what kinda condition the faceplate is in?

'Cause that's the only time you sell great gear.

When you die.

Period.

Same thing goes for crap gear.

Who cares?

It's crap.

Sell. Sell.

Who cares if the rack rash has somehow diminished it's value to the clueless knuckle-heads purchasing it on ebay... ?

You don't unload it on ebay for the MONEY.

You unload it to keep from becoming suicidal.

Or homicidal.

Or, most awfully.... getting embarrassed by being seen in a published photo with it.

HOHOHO.

Best,

SM.

[DivideByZero]

[IMG]******//img299.imageshack.us/img299/8789/durden7hm.jpg[/IMG]
"Hey, even the Mona Lisa's falling apart."

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by slipperman

.

Same thing goes for crap gear.

Who cares?

It's crap.

Sell. Sell.

Who cares if the rack rash has somehow diminished it's value to the clueless knuckle-heads purchasing it on ebay... ?

You don't unload it on ebay for the MONEY.

You unload it to keep from becoming suicidal.

LMAO

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Blackwater

Not if you're using a star grounding pattern in your control room though.
You have to have contact.

Er...wait a sec. If all your rack gear shares ground through a common rack rail, that's not a star ground scheme...is it? I thought the idea behind star grounding was to have one and ONLY one ground connection. Which, in the case of 99% of contemporary audio gear, would be via the 3rd pin on the AC plug. What am I overlooking?

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by airmate

plastic washers are also a good way to avoid ground loops... thumbsup

Depends on the ground scheme... they could also be a good way to create ground loops. There are several ground schemes that call for the units' chassis's to be tied together to a ground strip [could be "braided wire" if you're using screws into wood or a drain wire on the bottom of rack rail].

Ground is a funny thing... often a cohesive ground scheme for a studio is overlooked... sometimes they differ from room to room in no small way... sometimes you need to split audio ground from electric ground... somedays nothing will work, other days you don't need to worry about a gotdamn thing.

[Jim Williams]

You really need to read schematics to determine how each piece is internally grounded. Some connect audio ground to the chassis, some float it, some de-couple it via a small value resistor and/or a small value cap. One should know what's going on before the nilly willy approach.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[impact studios]

Hi

I also use plastic washers on the rack ears, however as far as im concerned i wont be selling any of my outboard only adding to what i already have.....

I dont really think that the usual standard of rack rash would effect the secondhand value too much either....

Some people do go over board when looking after equipment, a bit like some people go as far as to keep thier tv remote wrapped in cling film...Or avoiding puddles when driving thier car....LOL

[alexstringer]

Airmate is right! Washers also prevent ground loops on certain units...Especially old analog gear...Man if didn't put any washers on my Voyetra 8, the whole racks would feel it...

[valverec]

Here here!!! I don't understand this either. Why, oh why can't people buy some 2cent washers to protect their $4000 compressor? Why!?!?

[crypticglobe]

Originally Posted by valverec

Here here!!! I don't understand this either. Why, oh why can't people buy some 2cent washers to protect their $4000 compressor? Why!?!?

Maybe they bought it because of the way it sounds... and the way it looks when removed from the rack is totally irrevelant... and.... they don't plan on ever selling it... thus... rack rash is a non-issue. That's how it works for me anyway....

I know, I know... I am crazy.

[Blackwater]

[QUOTE=Fletcher]Depends on the ground scheme... they could also be a good way to create ground loops. There are several ground schemes that call for the units' chassis's to be tied together to a ground strip [could be "braided wire" if you're using screws into wood or a drain wire on the bottom of rack rail].


Sorry-- Maybe this isn't a " star grounding pattern" but this is how my wiring guy
set my control room up and explained it to me as that. I have a grounding post about 2 feet long that all my rack rails are tied into. Bad terminology on my part I guess. (No Pun) I get loops when I use plastic washers most of the time.

[DeepSpace]

Originally Posted by crypticglobe

Maybe they bought it because of the way it sounds... and the way it looks when removed from the rack is totally irrevelant... and.... they don't plan on ever selling it... thus... rack rash is a non-issue. That's how it works for me anyway....

I know, I know... I am crazy.

No, you're not crazy.

It is in part a question of whether you want the things to look at or to make great tracks with.

And should you ever sell them, it will be a question of whether the buyer wants them to look at. If the gear is worth owning, then moderate rack rash is *not* going to make the slightest difference to that.