DIY Monitor Stands (PVC Pipe)

[JoRillo]

I am going to use this thread for both questions, and a helpful guide to anyone else who wishes to do the same build.

The project cost $55.80 and took about 30 minutes worth of time. If you include the trip to Lowes it took a little over an hour and a half total, so with that said, what's stopping you from getting your speakers off your desk and onto some of these babies?

Here are pictures -





As you can see the flange is closed completely on the inside.



I simply pre drilled, then drilled a 1.5" screws into the board threw the holes already in the flange.



A 50 lb. bag was enough to fill both stands, and still have some left over.



Here is the closest to completion picture I have so far. Couldn't get paint this week, so had to hold off on that, not to mention I now realize that I need to cut the stands down a bit more (luckily haven't glued in the top pieces yet, but both are in my room with my monitors on top - I love um )

I will also be keeping track of everything and it's price that I use on this project.

Here is the list...

8' of PVC Pipe - $10
4 Over Pipe Flanges 4" w/ closed in cap - $7.97 x 4 = $28.68
1 50 lb Bag of Childrens Play Sand - $3.12
1 2'x12"x12' Board (I got it cut into piece's, and used less then half of the board) - $11.07 (I'm calling it $6 of the total cost)
1 Package of Screws (I would use 1 1/2" - 2" if you use the 2" thick board) - $8 (you'll have spares)

Total Cost - $55.80
Total Cost w/ Screws owned already - $47.80

I didn't include it in the total price, but I had a 10% discount to Lowes, so it was even cheaper then the above price. Now lets see what kind of monitor stands we can get for cheap. *Does a quick googling* Oh yay, here are some $85 ones.... they sure look good....

On-Stage Stands SMS6000-P | Sweetwater.com

Update - Here is my second set of stands put to use in my room. The above picture stands are in my room mates room now.

[darkbuddha]

I built the same sorta thing several weeks back. I used 3/4" MDF for the base and tops, attached using toilet flanges. The MDF is plenty heavy, and once I sand-filled the column (you are gonna sand-fill it, right?), they weigh over 40 lbs. each. I needed them to be extra stable, so I cut the MDF base plate to 15x15, so it's super stable. In fact, I stumbled into the room late one night and bumped into one of the stands hard enough to leave a serious bruise on my arm... but that damn speaker stand didn't move! BTW, the pair cost me maybe $50 (PVC, flanges, MDF, paint, hardware), and I've still got enough stuff left to build a couple 16" tall versions.

Here's a couple pics of mine (rear monitors):






Hope this helps.

[Wiguan]

Looking good.
But if me, I prefer the base to be more wider.

[JoRillo]

Originally Posted by darkbuddha

I built the same sorta thing several weeks back. I used 3/4" MDF for the base and tops, attached using toilet flanges. The MDF is plenty heavy, and once I sand-filled the column (you are gonna sand-fill it, right?), they weigh over 40 lbs. each. I needed them to be extra stable, so I cut the MDF base plate to 15x15, so it's super stable. In fact, I stumbled into the room late one night and bumped into one of the stands hard enough to leave a serious bruise on my arm... but that damn speaker stand didn't move! BTW, the pair cost me maybe $50 (PVC, flanges, MDF, paint, hardware), and I've still got enough stuff left to build a couple 16" tall versions.


Hope this helps.

Thanks for the pictures to go with it! Was your PVC 4'? and the flanges just fit around your pipe perfectly? Your stands look like what I am looking to build.

Yes I will be filling it with sand.

[GoldenOne]

darkbuddha's design is one which I used when I built my speaker stands late last month. I used 3" PVC, a 12"x12" board of poplar for the base and an 8"x7" board of red oak for the top. To secure the bottom of the pvc to the base board I used a toilet flange exactly like darkbuddha's design but for the top, I bolted a flat knockout plug to the red oak board to connect it to the top of the pvc. I love these speaker stands. Just make sure to measure the height of your ears in your seated position, so that your stands/speakers will be the correct height.

[vocom]

Nice! I need some short 8"-12" desktop stands and I like this approach- simple, cheap and the black/wood look is very nice.

[darkbuddha]

Originally Posted by JoRillo

Thanks for the pictures to go with it! Was your PVC 4'? and the flanges just fit around your pipe perfectly? Your stands look like what I am looking to build.

Yes I will be filling it with sand.

Yes, it's 4" PVC. The flanges actually fit inside the pipe... I bonded 'em using the usual PVC prep & glue. 5 easy steps to building them:

1. Cut and paint materials as wanted.
2. Center and attach the bottom flange to the bottom plate and the top flange to the top plate.
3. Then bond in the pipe and level it.
4. Then insert a plastic bag to hold the sand (unless you completely seal the bottom flange) and fill it with sand.
5. Then bond on the top flange/plate assembly and level it.

All done.

[kasmira]

Originally Posted by vocom

Nice! I need some short 8"-12" desktop stands and I like this approach- simple, cheap and the black/wood look is very nice.

I would definitely recommend putting your speakers on their own stand off of the desk, but if this is the only way for you to put your speakers up, then so be it. They would make good desktop stands. Just make sure to try and decouple your stands from the desk as much as you can.

[darkbuddha]

BTW, a tip... try to keep in mind the angle(s) you want the stands to sit on the floor and angles of the speakers. The flanges I used have slots in them that allow me to rotate the base and upper plates ~30-40 degrees, but I was still pretty thoughtful about how they'd sit and the angle I'd want the speakers pointed.

Here's a detail pic of the bottom flange of one of mine to show what I'm talking about...



To adjust them, I just loosen the bolts and rotate the column to the desired angle and retighten the bolts.


Another thing, I used t-nuts slightly recessed into the bottom and top plates... available at Home Depot: M10-1.5 Zinc-Plated Steel T-nuts (2-Pack)-40288 at The Home Depot

[JoRillo]

You the man darkbuddha

[darkbuddha]

Sure man... I got the idea and general directions from someone else, so I'm glad to pass it on if it helps.

BTW...

Originally Posted by Wiguan

Looking good.
But if me, I prefer the base to be more wider.

Missed this before, but I also really needed a wide base to ensure the security of the stands since they essentially stand in the middle of the room and I have to walk by them a lot. That's why I went with 15x15" (38x38cm), which is very wide compared to almost all other commercially available stands. They're as secure as they can be without being obstructive.

[vocom]

Originally Posted by kasmira

I would definitely recommend putting your speakers on their own stand off of the desk, but if this is the only way for you to put your speakers up, then so be it. They would make good desktop stands. Just make sure to try and decouple your stands from the desk as much as you can.

My desk is built into the corner of the room, so no way not to have speakers on the desk. But my editing will be spoken voice, training videos, so not the same iso needed as as full music mixing. The start of my project is described with pics as "Noob Cube" in the Studio Building thread. About to post updated pics - space painted, ceiling re-hung with better acoustic tile and track lights. GIK panels going up tomorrow.

I just bought 36" length of 12" stair tread with a rounded end to cut into 4, 9" widths to make the top & bottoms of my monitor stands. Hard quality wood, ready to take paint/stain. PVC for between per this thread.

[kasmira]

Originally Posted by vocom

My desk is built into the corner of the room, so no way not to have speakers on the desk. But my editing will be spoken voice, training videos, so not the same iso needed as as full music mixing. The start of my project is described with pics as "Noob Cube" in the Studio Building thread. About to post updated pics - space painted, ceiling re-hung with better acoustic tile and track lights. GIK panels going up tomorrow.

I just bought 36" length of 12" stair tread with a rounded end to cut into 4, 9" widths to make the top & bottoms of my monitor stands. Hard quality wood, ready to take paint/stain. PVC for between per this thread.

Nice that you grabbed some panels from GIK. They will look really good. If you have a grid ceiling, have you thought about putting insulation up there? It could greatly help for pretty cheap. Of course, wait till you get the GIK panels and set everything up to decide if you'll need more treatment.

You should post your desk stands when you build em! Not much like that from what I've seen on this forum!

[darkbuddha]

Originally Posted by vocom

I just bought 36" length of 12" stair tread with a rounded end to cut into 4, 9" widths to make the top & bottoms of my monitor stands. Hard quality wood, ready to take paint/stain.

That's a nice idea... nice wood, and you get them pre-stained too, though they are a bit more expensive than something like MDF or plywood. One other issue for me would've been that they are pretty narrow (11..5" typically) and I really wanted a very wide base.

[ritelec]

Originally Posted by darkbuddha

I built the same sorta thing several weeks back. I used 3/4" MDF for the base and tops, attached using toilet flanges. The MDF is plenty heavy, and once I sand-filled the column (you are gonna sand-fill it, right?), they weigh over 40 lbs. each. I needed them to be extra stable, so I cut the MDF base plate to 15x15, so it's super stable. In fact, I stumbled into the room late one night and bumped into one of the stands hard enough to leave a serious bruise on my arm... but that damn speaker stand didn't move! BTW, the pair cost me maybe $50 (PVC, flanges, MDF, paint, hardware), and I've still got enough stuff left to build a couple 16" tall versions.

Here's a couple pics of mine (rear monitors):






Hope this helps.

How on earth did you secure the pvc to that plumbing flange?

I'm just taking a guess here, that you have all thread (threaded rod) going thru the pvc and nutted at the speaker section of wood and base section of wood.

Please clarify.


Thank you.

Rich

[darkbuddha]

Here ya go, from my post above...

Originally Posted by darkbuddha

Yes, it's 4" PVC. The flanges actually fit inside the pipe... I bonded 'em using the usual PVC prep & glue.

PVC glue is strong stuff, plenty strong for this.

[vocom]

Originally Posted by darkbuddha

That's a nice idea... nice wood, and you get them pre-stained too, though they are a bit more expensive than something like MDF or plywood. One other issue for me would've been that they are pretty narrow (11..5" typically) and I really wanted a very wide base.

They are 11.5" deep from the pre-rounded front edge, you can cut them as wide as you want. They come in 36" or 48" lengths standard. 9"w x 11.5"d works for my Mackie MR5 MkIIs just fine. I'm going all black for time sake & look on my desk. Primed tonight, assembly & paint tomorrow. I'll post pics of process this weekend.

[vocom]

Originally Posted by kasmira

Nice that you grabbed some panels from GIK. They will look really good. If you have a grid ceiling, have you thought about putting insulation up there? It could greatly help for pretty cheap. Of course, wait till you get the GIK panels and set everything up to decide if you'll need more treatment.

You should post your desk stands when you build em! Not much like that from what I've seen on this forum!

Stand assembly pics coming, hopefully this weekend.

I do have a grid ceiling and may put up 9" of R-30 fluffy pink above. For now I've found a great-looking .70 NRC "architectural" tile for under $7ea at Home Depot (I only needed 24 for my 9x9 room). Looks great - notched edges to hang down slightly around grid. Very heavy & dense - more of a plaster consistency than "pressed paper fiber of most ceiling tiles. And I simply lifted up and fitted the old .55 NRC tiles above them for more density. For spoken voice, I think it will be enough for now - I have 10 GIK panels (4 244 bass traps & 6 242s) placed around the room leaning against the walls and the improvement is DRAMATIC. I'm ready to be done with painting, lighting & ceiling tiles ... Wanna set up my gear and produce!

[ElijahJackson]

I hope your stamd will not be broken

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MY Life MY Rules!!!! flowers for valentines day

[ritelec]

Originally Posted by darkbuddha

Here ya go, from my post above...

PVC glue is strong stuff, plenty strong for this.

Apparently, it's working for you...... but is that a metal toilet flange or plastic?

Are they not designed to fit 4" or 3" pvc from the bottom of the flange (pvc to flange reducer).

Sorry..........I would not trust it to hold my speakers. What is there, +/- a half inch of surface glued?

Over the years.......and installing pvc conduit runs, Most of the time the glue holds and seals great........................but sometimes........it just don't.

I guess it works for you, but personally I wouldn't trust it (something more mechanical or at least a couple of inches of glued surface).

They look great.............good luck with them.

[darkbuddha]

Originally Posted by ritelec

Apparently, it's working for you...... but is that a metal toilet flange or plastic?

Are they not designed to fit 4" or 3" pvc from the bottom of the flange (pvc to flange reducer).

Sorry..........I would not trust it to hold my speakers. What is there, +/- a half inch of surface glued?

Over the years.......and installing pvc conduit runs, Most of the time the glue holds and seals great........................but sometimes........it just don't.

I guess it works for you, but personally I wouldn't trust it (something more mechanical or at least a couple of inches of glued surface).

They look great.............good luck with them.

I have no idea what you're talking about... very confused. The flanges I got are an extremely tight (interference) fit inside the 4" pipe. I just used the glue to ensure they will not ever move or come apart. In fact, I initially dry fitted one and had to use a piece of wood and a hammer and bang it out from the opposite end of the PVC pipe... it's that tight. And I have no idea what "+/- half inch" you'd be talking about. The part that inserts inside the 4" PVC was probably 3"+, so that is 3"+ of glued surface. For reference, these are the ones I used:

3 in. x 4 in. PVC DWV Closet Flange-886-PPK at The Home Depot

Originally Posted by Home Depot's website

This white 3 in. x 4 in. PVC DWV Closet Flange has a 7 in. face. It will fit over a 3 in. or inside a 4 in. pipe. This closet flange is meant to be used with a PVC pipe.

Perhaps my use of the term "toilet" flange is the source of our confusion, as apparently the ones I used are called a "closet" flange... like I'd know the damn difference not being a plumber. Otherwise I'm just not sure what you're concern is exactly.

[edwonbass]

A closet flange and a toilet flange are the same thing. They provide the means to attach a toilet to the floor and drain. And when you glue it with PVC glue, it will stayed glued and will not come apart. You would have to cut the pipe to remove the flange. The only difference is if you have PVC being glued to ABS pipe then you need to buy special glue for that.

[ritelec]

Yes sometimes you need a sledgehammer to separate pieces with a dry fit.

That Home Depot flange is what I was talking about......I wasn't able to make out where the pipe fit into your flange from your speaker stand picture.......(there didn't seem to be an area where the pipe fit in like on the flange or a connector or a coupling )


"Perhaps my use of the term "toilet" flange is the source of our confusion, as apparently the ones I used are called a "closet" flange... like I'd know the damn difference not being a plumber. Otherwise I'm just not sure what you're concern is exactly."

Personally, they're not my speakers sitting on it, so I have no concern.
If the Toilet/Closet/S*itter Flange looks like the one from the HD link... I would think your styling. If there's less area of contact between the pipe and flange (+/- a half inch as your picture looks, instead of the 3 or so inches as shown in the HD link) I'd be concerned.



thats all

[ritelec]

Looked at your speaker pic again............Thats not the flange.

The pipe and flange are only +/- a half inch together.............


I'd be concerned if they where my speakers.


Now that's it.

[edwonbass]

That half inch is plenty if prepped propery. The primer and glue fuse the pipe together. You won't get them apart. It's kinda the idea.

[ritelec]

edwonbass................30 yrs construction here....... almost always.....the pvc molecularly bonds together (and thats with 3 inches of surface in contact with each other). SOMETIMES it don't !

[edwonbass]

Originally Posted by ritelec

edwonbass................30 yrs construction here....... almost always.....the pvc molecularly bonds together (and thats with 3 inches of surface in contact with each other). SOMETIMES it don't !

30 years? Is that all you got? I am not a plumber, I'm just basing what I said on my experience working with PVC. I have never been able to get a PVC glue joint to fail. I will take your word for it that you have. With 30 years I would think the odds are good. I think though, if you cut the pipe square and have a tight fit you will have a very strong joint.

[ritelec]

Why Do PVC & CPVC Pipes Occasionally Fail?
By Dr. Duane Priddy, Plastic Failure Labs, Midland, MI
Preface
PVC and CPVC pipes and fittings are excellent products and have been used successfully for decades.
There is a low failure rate and the use of PVC/CPVC materials offer significant advantages over metal
piping materials including ease of installation and very low failure rates. I am not aware of any health
cautions regarding the usage of PVC/CPVC pipes and fittings other than the need to install them
properly without using incompatible materials during the installation. However, as with all plumbing
products including metal piping, occasionally a pipe or fitting may fail. When a failure does occur, our
experience indicates that most often the failure can be linked to improper installation practices. The
intent of this article is to provide assistance regarding installation errors to avoid and thereby reduce the
occurrence of a failure in PVC and CPVC plumbing. Again, let me emphasize that by teaching about the
main causes of occasional failure of PVC and CPVC pipes and fittings, I am in no way suggesting that
these plumbing products are less reliable or more prone to failure than any other plumbing material.
Further, I am outraged by the misuse of my teachings by some to attack PVC and CPVC plumbing
products as being inherently unsafe. If I were to build a home for my own family, I would use as much
plastic plumbing in my home as possible to keep the costs to a minimum while providing my family with
a safe living environment.
Most of the Main Causes of CPVC/PVC Pipe Failure Listed Below are Discussed in this Article
I. Improper System Engineering/Installation
A. Inadequate provision for linear thermal expansion
B. Excess use of Cement
C. Insufficient amount of Cement
D. Wrong Clamps used or Clamps too tight
E. Incompatible fire caulk used
F. Contact of outside of pipe with incompatible material (e.g., solder flux)
II. Improper Operation
A. Exposure to freezing temperatures without freeze protection
B. Over?pressurization
C. Pulsating water pressure
D. Use of incompatible materials around pipes
III. Contamination
A. Internal
1. Use of contaminated antifreeze
2. Contaminants from metal water supply piping; e.g., antimicrobial (MIC inhibitor) linings,
corrosion inhibitors, phthalate plasticizers from pump seals/gaskets, refrigeration
system lubricants
Page 2 of 2
B. External
1. Incompatible Fire Caulk
2. Use of incompatible (black Proset) grommets to seal pipe against hole in concrete
3. Contact with incompatible plastic coated wires
4. Exposure to hot solder flux
5. Exposure to hot polyurethane foam insulation
IV. Manufacturing defects
A. Dirty extrusion die
B. Incomplete resin consolidation
C. High stresses in pipe wall due to rapid cooling
V. Resin Defects
A. Occlusions, char particles, voids
B. Filler/pigment not well distributed
IV. Abuse by Distributor
A. Store in sun
B. Damage during transport
This article is being written to help educate installers about installation errors to watch out for.
To request copy of Dr. Priddy’s complete article (16 pages), please email article2@plasticfailure.com
___________________________________________________________________________
Duane Priddy, Sr. is the founder and CEO of Plastic Failure Labs. The company is a leading provider of
plastic consulting, expert witness, and plastic failure analysis services. Prior to starting Plastic Failure
Labs, Dr Priddy was a Principal Scientist for Dow Plastics where he was involved in helping solve
problems with plastic manufacture and plastic failure for over 30 years. Partially due to Dr. Priddy’s
pioneering forensic investigations of PVC/CPVC failure, he was recently awarded “Fellow” of the Society
of Plastic Engineers. Please feel free to contact Dr. Priddy anytime by phone (989.385.2355) or email at
priddy@plasticfailure.com.
Disclaimer: While the information presented in this document is believed to be reliable, no guarantee,
warranty, is made, intended, or implied as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information provided
herein. If you have information that you believe contradicts any of the opinions expressed in this article,
I welcome your critical input. I reserve the right to edit and modify the opinions expressed in this article
as further information and critical input becomes available.


edwonbass,
Note......Failure can accure not only by install practices...... but by manufacturing and storing practices.


Not to jinx myself but...... guess thats why I carry insurance......

[vocom]

Oh, for cryin' out loud ... We're talking about 1 to 4 feet of length, with all the weight being distributed down vertically, squarely on the connections. Are you filling them with water?! I'm not worried about leaks. And if the glue fails they will still most likely stay together by the pressure fit. There is no way these will suddenly fail with our monitors toppling to the floor. I get the failure problem if you're running water, but for this discussion, your 30 years of experience is irrelevant. I'd be more worried about the flange/wood connection than anything... OMG! Wood can rot & fail ...

[edwonbass]

Originally Posted by vocom

Oh, for cryin' out loud ... We're talking about 1 to 4 feet of length, with all the weight being distributed down vertically, squarely on the connections. Are you filling them with water?! I'm not worried about leaks. And if the glue fails they will still most likely stay together by the pressure fit. There is no way these will suddenly fail with our monitors toppling to the floor. I get the failure problem if you're running water, but for this discussion, your 30 years of experience is irrelevant. I'd be more worried about the flange/wood connection than anything... OMG! Wood can rot & fail ...

Yes, yes, and yes.