New DIY Stand Idea - PVC?

[eric]

I did some searching on the forum and also the internets without seeing much on this. I know that the tubular Ultimate Support parts would have been a solution for this in the past, though those are pretty unobtainable these days.

 

I am looking to build something that I'll put on top of my Yamaha CP-80 to accommodate a second synth. Right now, I have my Roland JX-8P sitting right on top of the CP-80 and I envision making something, perhaps out of PVC, that would straddle the JX-8P with support bars that would hold the weight of another synth sitting above the JX-8P. I am pretty handy and could likely design and build this pretty well as an experiment (plus PVC is inexpensive). Before I start from scratch, I wanted to ask if anyone has done something similar or have any recommendations on PVC as a material for such a project. I had also thought about iron pipe, though it's pretty heavy duty and not as easy to work with as PVC.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Eric

[Biggles]

Plastic would not be a good choice of material due to its physical properties.

 

Square section steel tubing would be much better. It is relatively cheap to buy and the only tools you need to craft an extension tier would he a square, hacksaw, file, drill bits, electric drill and some spanners to suit the setscrews you would use to bolt it together. Also checkout a captive nut kit as these can be very usefull

[drawback]

I"d probably consider ABS over PVC (more rigid, easy to cut, one step glue and it"s black).

 

Seems I remember Moe buildIng some kind of stand or something with this material some years ago (?)

 

Other than a trebuchet, that is...

[DaveMcM]

A weekly restaurant/lounge gig I had for quite some time had a grand piano on stage and I would put a Roland VR-760 on top of the piano lid. I made a short stand out of PVC that sat behind the VR-760 to hold the back end of another keyboard while it's front sat on the back edge of the VR-760. Worked great, was easy to make, cheap and looked very nice. I painted it flat black and it was pretty much invisible.

[Bif_]

Consider using schedule 80 (gray) as it has a thicker wall.

[Markyboard]

Another variation is to use clear PVC. I don't see how plastic is a problem if you go with 1" or even 1.5" diameter like the original USS stands. I would think with these diameters it's more than rigid enough.

 

 

Here's the first Link I pulled up.

 

A bit pricey but for a simple stacker maybe not too bad. I'm just not sure how to make the angle and height adjustable.

 

 

The cool thing about using clear PVC is you can fill it with colorful liquids or even your favorite alcoholic beverage.

The pozibitilies are enress.

[cgiles]

Here is a post of mine from 2013. Might help. I'm still using it and it's steady as a rock. It worked so well, I never tried to improve it . Post #2476468.

https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2476468/re-my-new-favorite-keyboard-stand#Post2476468

 

chas

[KuruPrionz]

If you have a radial arm saw then disregard the following - it not then get a miter box/saw so you can make accurate 90 degreee cuts.

 

I would not try to make something that can be taken down to a smaller size for transport, at least not out of plastic pipe.

 

Square thin wall steel tubing was a great suggestion above.

[eric]

Here is a post of mine from 2013. Might help. I'm still using it and it's steady as a rock. It worked so well, I never tried to improve it . Post #2476468.

https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2476468/re-my-new-favorite-keyboard-stand#Post2476468

 

chas

 

Very nice! I was thinking of using the most rigid PVC I can find and spray painting it black. This would be for a permanent install in my music room. I do have the right tools for the job and I'll keep you posted as I work on designing and building this. It's kind of a lower priority project relative to some other things on my "honey do list" so it will be a slower burn. I appreciate all the ideas!

[Stokely]

Consider using schedule 80 (gray) as it has a thicker wall.

 

That was going to be my suggestion...not that I'm an expert in building materials However, I'm going to make some concrete dumbbells and my intention is to use this more rigid pvc as the handles between the two cast wheels/squares of concreate (with some screws through the pvc to keep it from slipping out of the concrete)...should be interesting, with my level of handiness I'll probably cast my hand into the dumbbells....

[Bif_]

Consider using schedule 80 (gray) as it has a thicker wall.

 

That was going to be my suggestion...not that I'm an expert in building materials However, I'm going to make some concrete dumbbells and my intention is to use this more rigid pvc as the handles between the two cast wheels/squares of concreate (with some screws through the pvc to keep it from slipping out of the concrete)...should be interesting, with my level of handiness I'll probably cast my hand into the dumbbells....

 

Looks like you can make a nice pair of 25# dumbbells for $10. KLONK

[Stokely]

lol, that's pretty much EXACTLY what I am going to do--there's a bunch of these tutorials out there. Some really nice ones for making weight plates, even some molds you can buy to make them look a lot like actual iron plates. Great idea there with the tee, heck I already have some of those.

 

Gotta watch the edges of the concrete but nothing a file can't help with I reckon. I found a nice concrete weight calculator online for cubes/cylinders if you want to get close to a certain weight. I've also seen some people add some flexseal to their weights when they are done for protection. The other thing, and I didn't see that with these small dumbbells, is adding something to strengthen the concrete (nylon rope fibers, mesh etc). I think that is more important if you are doing big wide plates.

 

Another tip I didn't see in that one (might have missed it) is to spray some lube or wd40 or something in your "mold" if you want to reuse it.

 

My wife thinks I'm nuts, but if you've tried to find weights--at a reasonable price--right now....well, this looks like a great solution and a fun little project. I just cancelled my gym membership as there is no way I'll be going to a gym anytime soon.

 

Anyway didn't mean to derail the thread, I figured keys players are the most buff of all the musicians so it seemed appropriate

[RichieP_MechE]

PVC should work fine for such a project. Look for "furniture grade" PVC which is higher quality than standard plumbing pipe (though also more expensive). This plastic framing you can get from McMaster Carr is PVC and has more variety than your standard plumbing elbows and tees: https://www.mcmaster.com/structural-framing/structural-framing/slip-on-framing-and-fittings/plastic-slip-on-framing-and-fittings/

 

Another option is aluminum structural framing. There are a number of companies out there that make a product like this, here is one example: https://www.estoconnectors.com/catalog/tubing/1-inch-0

More expensive than pvc but much more polished looking IMO.

 

If I were doing this, I'd probably use some thin wall steel tubing like most keyboard stands are made from and weld something up myself, but I also have access to all the necessary equipment.

[eric]

I wanted to let the forum know that due to a small KC FORUM MIRACLE, I will no longer need to invest time in designing and building a stacker stand for my CP-80. I had no idea it would work out like this and I'm so thankful for the friends I've made on this forum! I shared this story with a few of the guys on our Forum Zoom Happy Hour yesterday.

 

Yesterday my friend Chris (aka Moonglow) texted me to let me know that he'd seen this post. He had gigged with a USS stacker stand in the '80s and it had been in his mom's basement now for 30 years, retired from duty. Chris told me that this needs to be on my CP-80 rather than in his mom's basement and he is shipping it to me completely as a gift! I could not be more happy! Many many thanks to Chris for his generosity and kindness. Here's a picture of the stand. I'll be sure to post another one with keyboards in place, once I receive the stand.

 

[Moonglow]

Hey, that looks exactly like my mom"s basement!

 

I"m glad for the opportunity to help out a friend I met here. It has been a pleasure knowing Eric, he is truly one of the 'good guys' and I enjoyed hanging with him at a couple of NAMM shows.

 

Regarding the stand, my only questions/concerns were 1. if my mom pitched it, and 2. finding it. Fortunately, both of these issues were favorably resolved after a surprisingly short search. It appeared to be in good working order, but will still need a little TLCâ¦hopefully not much beyond a little cleaning and some new rubber pads for the arms that hold the keyboard (the pads in that picture were like petrified rocks). Will be fun to see the new rig!

[eric]

I'm happy to report that I've received the cool stand from Moonglow and installed it on my CP-80. Works perfectly! Thanks again for the generosity!

 

 

[Stokely]

Interesting, that's not a JX-10 but that little programmer unit looks a lot like the pg- programmer unit I bought for mine way back. Wish I still had it, though i had a bad problem with key contacts going on with that synth.

 

I also see what looks like the same Mackie firewire mixer i own I bought a new power supply for mine after the original got left somewhere, but can't get it do anything but make a ground hum noise so will probably just toss it.

[Doerfler]

Big shout out to Moonglow. I remember him playing Genesis songs using the CP 80 patch on the Crumar 7 at Gearfest before we had dinner 2 years ago.

 

Eric, good to see you brushing up on your Linda Rondstat repertoire.

 

That CP 80 looks just like the one Markyboard used to have in his basement.

[GRollins]

Glad to see that the aluminum stand will do the trick, but I'll throw in a few notes in case someone else is considering building a stand:

 

--PVC works well as a structural material. The desk this PC is on is two levels of 3/4" plywood on 2" diameter, Schedule 40 PVC. Something on the order of 30 years old and still going strong.

--I've stood on this desk many times, in addition to the weight of all the various hardware that I keep on it. Nary a problem. Very strong in compression. If it fails, it will be under an angular or torsion load, not compression.

--If you make the PVC long enough, it will flex somewhat. How much depends on the wall thickness (aka Schedule), diameter, and length. Sorta like bamboo.

--Although I have a table saw, a miter saw, and a band saw, I usually use a pipe cutter to cut PVC. Yes, the kind you would usually use to cut metal pipe. It gives a good, clean end without fuzzies and is safe (and a lot cheaper to buy). It does take a little longer to cut--crank the handle, turn-turn-turn, crank, turn-turn-turn, etc. but it's portable and can be used in situ. Quite accurate, too. Does not fling static-charged PVC "sawdust" all over the room...which is a bitch to clean up, by the way, because it clings desperately to absolutely everything.

--PVC will take paint, but the paint scratches off relatively easily.

--I used threaded joints in three places so I could break this desk down. Be aware that threaded PVC joints can seize after years together. Try silicone spray as a lubricant, or maybe a Teflon lubricant if you're going to make a knock-down stand.

--I don't recommend depending on a friction fit at joints.

--Be aware that T and L fittings are designed with an offset (5 degrees or so?) so as to keep waste water flowing. When gluing 90 degree joints together, you'll need to offset the pipe a smidgen to counter that. Don't worry, it works out okay.

--That said, I'm using 80/20 extruded aluminum struts for (semi-)permanent stuff at this point. Strong enough to support a car and looks cool in a techno way. They've got different grades/strengths, but even the weakest is overkill by a thousand percent. Unfortunately, even the lightest grade is heavier than most people will want to carry for playing out, but for home or studio use it can't be beat. Buy it off of eBay rather than pay full price. There are other companies that make similar products--I just happened to get started with 80/20.

 

Grey

 

Edit: Note that I absolutely adore the tubular aluminum stands, but you can't find that stuff at any price around here. There's one guy who goes around and scrapes all the flea markets, then sells the stuff out of his home at a huge markup. I had a bad experience with him--two, actually--and swore off of further dealings with him. Other than him, there's nothing. The last time I saw an Ultimate Stand on Craig's List (other than the asshole guy) was maybe five years ago. Maybe longer. If you guys can find it, go for it. I wish they still made it.

[Moonglow]

So glad everything worked out! Great to see the stand back in action. Have fun rockin" some 80"s (and other) jams with that awesome rig!

[Markyboard]

I'm happy to report that I've received the cool stand from Moonglow and installed it on my CP-80. Works perfectly! Thanks again for the generosity!

 

 

Man that's beautiful! Brings a tear to my eye...and then some. :cry:

[ShadowMan]

+1 for PVC!

 

With apologies for bringing up the dreaded X-stand... for years I had two sections of PVC pipe with 90 degree endcaps that I mounted horizontally across the back and onto the bars of an X-stand - top and bottom - locking it in place. Sprayed matte black, they looked really good and made for a surprisingly solid and stable platform for larger boards.

 

Eventually I got of carrying them around and moved on.