While working with my Former employer and current we build racks in house and deliver built.

With My former employer this was the only way we did it..Built, programmed, tested.

We did most of our jobs out of state and loved being able to pull up the the site on moday morning at 7:30 am and have the contractors hired help assist us in unloading a 20' box van full of gear and have them take it to the proper rooms.
All we had to do was install the AXS rack bases, and rails, start wiring and have it done pretty quick. and then to next rack in the house and do it again until all racks were connected, then we would have a couple guys start in the theater and a couple guys begin testing systems. We could usually do a 6000-8000 sq ft home in a week on the final

There was no way we could have built racks, programmed and installed any of it without building in the shop, connecting it all up and program and test it.

The big saver was finding a device that was bad before we were even onsite..we usually could have a new one in a matter of days and have it going.
If we were 500 miles away and found a dvd player was DOA..it would be such a hassle to get a new one in

the worst one we had to deliver was a JBL Syn2 rack loaded down a snowy hillside in 2' of snow to the lower level of a home...the main level floors had just received a fianl coat of varnish

I still build racks before taking to the clients home...so much easier to have parts available and to test before install...and mean less time in clients home affecting their schedules and way of life

Yep... and did I forget to mention that I love doing Middle Atlantic racks in general?

They allow wire management, ventilation, security & access that we have never been able to duplicate in a conventional wood cabinet with shelves

They look totally professional, have reasonable margin and NEVER break or need software/firmware updates.

Kind of like my C4 Jacket!

Everyone has their own way but I do agree 100% with testing the equipment before delivery, Its a must We have built our racks in the past at the shop and then delivered the units completed and ready to go and we still do when it is required but as an owner I prefer to have our racks built on site. Whatever works for us all.

later guys

Even if you can't test or finish a rack in the shop, I always will try and complete it as much as possible. All the cable and parts are there, not contractor distracting you, etc.

I've never had a problem moving a large rack into a job. I can get a full size rack into my van by myself, without messing up my golf swing. We use C-clamps and fasten all components so nothing moves.

We recently did an ERK-44 full to the last U... thing must have weighed 1000 pounds. Took 5 guys to get it off the u-haul and into the Mec Room and I thought I was going to lose it when lowering it to get through the door. The reaction of everyone on site including the owner definitely didn't lead me to believe that people didn't think we had done much prior to delivering it.

A lot depends on location... If it were on the third floor or in a basement with only inside stair access we might pull out the heavy equipment but having it in shop is way preferable to on site. I tell clients up front that their system will be done here first... and I always ask them if they'd like to come "visit" their new system. I have sent e-mailed photos.

Lastly, having on site racks shows customers that you are actively working on systems... it also allows you to have a demo system without allocating extra cash flow to "demo" systems. At one point this year there were 4 racks in my tiny shop. Now it feels a little empty with no current ones.

Sometimes building the racks at the shop is required but rhm9 you hit it on the nail. We had a couple of M.A. enclosures that must have weighed 600 pounds It was a nightmare trying not to touch the walls and Furniture. anyway I feel one day to deliver and build the racks and shelves, Rackmount all the equipment and prep for final and remove all garbage falls into the priceless catagory. The next work day is just making cables and harnessing. Working in high profile homes and yachts requires a plan. so when your moving metal objects around finishes that cost more than the job then thinking takes priority over brutality. We only get one shot to do a great job.
But again it all depends on the application. and all the prior post are correct. This is not a right or wrong post but a personnel work choice

i only build racks in the field, its the only way that the customer can see how long it really takes to do it nice. not to mention i just like doing it inthe field at the job site.

ed

Get some of these and moving racks and big screen TVs becomes a breeze..

[Link: asktooltalk.com]

We build all in shop now, works out much better for us. All issues are resolved before arriving at customers house. We hired a moving company to bring them to the house.Everything is programmed burned in and ready to go on movin day. The clinets we have used this method for are all extremely happy and see the benifit of the upfront costs. We are much more efficient now as we spend less time in vans and more time actually putting out a complete product.

We rack our systems in the shop. I'm certain it is more efficient that way, and you get a better job out of the techs; close to materials and shop tools, etc.

If the rack is too big & heavy to move safely, we hire a moving company to move it, and make it their responsibility to to get it where it needs to go without damaging the customer's walls & floors.

For those of you that pre-build the racks and move them to the site with the equipment installed, how do you keep the equipment from getting scratched by the M.A. faceplates? I have a rack in my shop now that has all the equipment in it and I was wondering if I could take it out completed (usually I pull the equipment), but was worried about damaging the equipment.

If you are using the clamp kits and also put the little L shaped brackets on the back of the shelves to keep the EQ from sliding back you should be able to move them without your EQ moving at all.

I allways take the heavy items out of the rack when moving, like amps and receivers.

We use the L shape bracket method as well, if racks have to hit the stairs we will pull the ups and the amps. We will also line up the clamps from middle atlantic with a chasis screw if possible and remove and reinstall screw thru the clamp., holds equipment in place with no movement we also shrink wrap moving blankets across the face and ship the side panels seperately.

If you properly secure rack components, one guy should be able to tilt it on it's side into the back of a van and slide it in on a moving blanket. Getting it up 3 flights of stairs is a whole other ball of wax though.

Are you kidding me?
Is that what your shop looks like?
I don't think so, then why would you think that the site would look like that?

Oh, my bad, maybe your shop does look like that.


Now this I can agree with because there IS only one way to build and install a rack. That would be The Right Way.