Captain One Ear's Mobile Studio Makeover

[Syncamorea]

This isn't your normal studio build thread. I have been doing mobile live recordings with a compact Yamaha n12 / Cubase / PC system for a few years and have been hard at work to make some upgrades to hardware, a portable mix desk, road cases, acoustic treatments, etc. The process really started in earnest when I decided to sell off my PA. I had a bunch of monitors, amps, FOH mixer, outboard, etc., and I hadn't been putting on any live shows in a few years so rather than let the stuff gather dust, I listed it on Craigslist and eBay and made about 10K USD in the process. That was so much fun, I sold off the n12, a bunch of guitars, guitar amps and studio outboard that I'd decided wasn't doing me any good.

So, armed with a wad of cash, I started buying. I picked up a couple of Steinberg MR-816s and some channel strips (Mike-e, Toft ATC-2, UA LA610M2, UA 6176, Focusrite Green Voice Channel), a bunch of new mics and a truckload of wood to build new road cases, desk and treatments out of. Then I put together a new PC based on a 2600K CPU and built it up in a huge Rosewill rackmount server case. The road case construction has been on the slow side. I got derailed when my son asked me to build road cases for his guitar amp, which is a Mesa Mark V into a Mesa 1x12 wide Thiel.

When I finished that, I got started on a cloud that I could lug around on our car's ski rack when doing demos in client's garages, basements, living rooms, etc. In a way, building the cloud was a stall move because I was trying to decide on a design for the mobile desk. The good news is that I have those details worked out and can get started on it this weekend. Since it will be the 4th of July weekend, and thus 3 days away from the day job, you'd think that I'd get alot done but I doubt that will happen because a friend is getting married on Sunday and my wife will be doing the wedding photography and then rushing out the prints, slide shows, etc. So you'll need to be patient as this will take a while to complete.

In the mean time, I'll show a few shots of the mobile cloud. I'm calling it the Black Cloud with No Silver Lining. I'll go backwards later and show photos of how it was put together but for now I'll just toss up a few shots of it all finished and not yet road weary. Here's a side view:




Here's the end on view:



The plywood you see there is actually a luan I got at Home Depot that had the good side of the laminate made out of oak. The cloth is just a stretchy speaker grille cloth bought at Hancock Fabrics. The frame is made out of 1x3 pine firring strips and the void is filled with good old Corning unfaced fiberglass batts. Here's another view:



And one last shot just so I can oogle at the black Minwax on the cheap Home Depot luan:



OK, so that's all I've got for now. Hopefully, I can make some headway on the mobile desk this weekend. It's being named "Das Ergodesk" because it's been designed to fit me like a big glove full of knobs, sliders and LEDs.

[solo-bration]

Looks stealthy!

[Syncamorea]

I finally got back to work on the new rack cases. First up, I'm making two large 6U cases. They will be 29" deep with the end caps on. One will house the computer plus a server UPS and the other will have three locking steel rackmount drawers - a 6U on one end that is ~14" deep and 2U and 4U shallow drawers on the other end. I plan to use this to carry mics, cables, spare parts, etc.

Both of these cases will be part of the desk structure in that the legs will bolt onto them and two of the outboard rack gear cases will rest on these 6U cases. Das Ergodesk will look like a pile of crates in a warehouse.

So first I cut up a bunch of 1x3 oak with the miter saw, then used the table saw to take a 1/2" x 1 1/8" dado cut out of the back of the miter saw cut pieces:



Those were glued up like picture frames, then 1/2" plywood was cut and glued into the back of the picture frames:



These pictures are of the 6U tall side panels of the cases. Tomorrow I'll start on the 20.5" x 26" top/bottom picture frames glue up and hopefully get the plywood panels glued into them too. Here's some more pics of the side panels:

[Syncamorea]

Gawd, I'm moving as slow as a glacier on this box. Time to glue panels and add the rack rails for a test fit:



Then a test fit of the PC:





Marking up the hole cuts for the handles:





Then another test fit:





Love that Reliable SS case hardware. Next I need to add some hardwood to the area inside where the handle screws punch through the plywood to add some strength.

[Colonel Blues]

Why not use the "classic" assembly, with rivets and washers on the backside ?

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by Colonel Blues

Why not use the "classic" assembly, with rivets and washers on the backside ?

I hate rivets. Besides, that would be nice and easy and we don't do nothin' nice and easy. The easy thing to do is just keep using the Gator and SKB plastic/aluminum cases my gear is already in, but I decided to make this desk and racks have some personality. Once it's all together, we'll see if that personality is distinctive, innovative and creative or something less than that. The bummer is that the day job plus life really eats the time I need to get this together. I'm anxious but it's gonna take a while.

[muziekschuur]

Simple screws in wood won't hold. They will brake out. You need to either use pop nails or screws with rings in the back.

Use something like this.


If you use 4 of these per handle a better distribution of force is the result.

[muziekschuur]

double post....

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by muziekschuur

Simple screws in wood won't hold. They will brake out. You need to either use pop nails or screws with rings in the back.

Use something like this.


If you use 4 of these per handle a better distribution of force is the result.

I know t-nuts very well, having built quite a few commercial and home climbing gyms. The plan for this mixing desk is for the desk legs to attach to the PC road case with t-nuts - because they make it easy to set up and break down. Those pictures will go up once I get the time. But I don't use t-nuts on permanent connections. I use glue, screws, biscuits, dowels, splines and internal struts. Even the occasional mortise and tenon. These boxes will be way, way stronger than they need to be - in part because I'll be loading and unloading them myself (and therefore they won't have to take any abuse) and in part because, well, they are strong woods and methods.

But feel free to use t-nuts as you see fit on your projects. They are awesome little pieces of hardware. Sorta.

[Syncamorea]

OK, the PC box is pretty much done. I do need to touch up the stain on the plywood since it soaks up stain like a sponge. I'm still trying to decide if I want to put varnish over the stain or just leave it like this. The mic and cable case is the same size and is about 50% complete. Once it's done I can get to work on the desk, finally.

Couple of pics that I couldn't get the color corrected properly on:





Pretty exciting stuff, like watching grass grow or taking a nap.

[GotGear?]

Excellent craftsmanship. Very nice indeed.

[Colonel Blues]

It looks really smart ! Congrats !
That said, I'd spray some varnish on, to avoid water marks… aren't you supposed to bring them outside ?

[ritelec]

Yes they look great...............



Do you really trust glued luan ??


I know molecularly they make some great glues (cement), but personally, I might think of using some small finishing nails or tacks or something from the inside as a supplement..

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by ritelec

Yes they look great...............

Do you really trust glued luan ??

I know molecularly they make some great glues (cement), but personally, I might think of using some small finishing nails or tacks or something from the inside as a supplement..

That's not luan. It's a 1/2" plywood from Honduras but I can't remember the name of the wood. It's called a hardwood plywood but it feels pretty soft to me. I did put some screws and cleats inside the case. I found some screws at the hardware store that are just under 3/4" long and have a broad pan head. They look like they have a built in washer. I've used those on plywood before and have had good luck - like guitar amp road cases that have to take a fair bit of abuse.

Originally Posted by Colonel Blues

It looks really smart ! Congrats !
That said, I'd spray some varnish on, to avoid water marks… aren't you supposed to bring them outside ?

Yes, that's my conflict. The Minwax gives a pretty waterproof finish but if it's not varnished, it will age and get more porosity. Maybe a satin polyurethane. And thanks!

[Jomox]

Nice work!

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by Jomox

Nice work!

Thanks. Not much progress lately. I had to get a project finished in the studio and the day job has been pure hell lately. Such is life.

To back up a bit, I'll show the room and desk I'm using at home for the mobile rig. In the good old days (lonesome harmonica accompaniment plays in the background) I had a great mix room (24.5 x 15.5 x 11, excellent treatment) but times have changed and we no longer rule that roost. So I've been using a small library at home that is ~14x11x8 and have some portable traps and diffusors that actually help quite a bit. You won't see the treatments in the photos below because they are at a band's rehearsal space where I'll be recording this weekend.

Anyway, I typically take the four plastic road cases, the monitors (PC and audio) and all the tubs that have the mics, mic stands and cables, etc. , plus a folding table to work on. The mobile setup basically sucks to deal with. But take this as the "before" view:

[SRS]

I really like that wood rack you have on the left side there. Looks slanted in the photo... I assume it is. And I also assume you built that as well, cause it looks like your other work. Do you have plans for that rack, or do you just build it on the fly? Is it oak?

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by SRS

I really like that wood rack you have on the left side there. Looks slanted in the photo... I assume it is. And I also assume you built that as well, cause it looks like your other work. Do you have plans for that rack, or do you just build it on the fly? Is it oak?

Thanks! You're right that I built it and yes it is oak and is slanted. It will stay at home for gear I don't want to lug out for remote recording. I plan to use some walnut with oak for the new desk just to shake it up a little. Maybe even some cherry for new monitor stands. I do draw up scale plans for wood projects because that part of the process helps avoid screw-ups. I have some nice software for drawing but typically do the initial stuff on paper with pencil when day job meetings get boring.

[SRS]

Walnut cherry and oak. I love hardwoods and doing projects with them. They look so sophisticated and owning of craftmanship when done well. As yours do. Great work.


SRS

[Syncamorea]

Thanks, SRS. Mega busy with work and play lately so not much progress on the desk project. I did manage to complete the second 6U road case. This one will tie into the other two desk legs and support an outboard rack case. Not the most exciting stuff, but it will give me secure storage for mics and cables. I don't really know why some folks are so drawn to steal mics and cables, but I've seen it enough to know it's true. I also need to build a case with an 8U drawer so my ribbon mics can be stored upright in it but I'm balking at the ~$250 price tag on the 8U drawer. I might just have to make it all out of wood. Here's the 6U x 2 drawer case:





This sucker is pretty beefy even without cables and mics loaded up. A steel 6U drawer is 17 pounds empty and the 3U drawers are 11 pounds each.

[Syncamorea]

OK, the next part of the project is to make a big bass trap to lug around the countryside in my effort to tame the lamest basement bedroom or the lousiest garage. In the acoustic sense, that is.

I sized it at 88 x 45 x 7" so it can fit in our SUV in the lugging process. Hand picking through the cheap pine pile at Lowes turned up some usable 1x2's, 1x3's and 1x4's. Chopping, drilling, screwing and stapling ensued:











This is the back side with the absorber nearly finished:



And this is the front:



I built some similar traps about a decade ago and liked the combination of diffusion and LF trapping they provided. I'll make another of these when I get time. Next up, a couple of cheap vocal cocoons.