Conference rdvax::grateful

What I am using:
    
    1 9-drawer bureau. (cassettes)
    3 72-tape 6-drawer thingies. (cassettes)
    7 36-tape 3-drawer thingies. (cassettes)
    6 12-tape cases [mostly Maxell freebies](cassettes)
    2 36-tape briefcase-type cases. (cassettes)
    1 72-tape briefcase-type case. (cassettes)
    2 3-drawer videotape cabinets. (CDs in one, audio cassettes in the other)
    12 24-tape videotape drawer thingies. (videotapes)
    2 3-shelf videotape cabinets.  (videotapes in doors, reel-to-reel on shelves)
    1 7-foot high bookshelf. (reel-to-reel, records)
    2 pseudo milk crates [records don't fit real milk crates] (records)
    1 bookshelf from DEC salvage (more records)
    2 shelves in the coat closet. (reel-to-reel)
    1 90-disk drawer thingie. (CDs)
    Asst. Boxes, tables, the floor, etc. [Everything else is FULL!]
    
Notes:
    
    Most of the 36-tape drawer thingies cannot be stacked very high.  The
    drawers don't open if you do.  72-tape drawer thingies work better.
    I suspect that the only reason I don't usually have the same problem
    with the videotape ones is that most of my videotapes are Beta, which
    is smaller than VHS.
    
    If you use a bureau for tapes, get one with at least 2 drawers across.
    The usual ones with one large drawer all the way across have a few
    problems in this application:  [1] the drawer gets very heavy, so you
    have to pull really hard to open it, and then stop it from coming out
    all the way and dumping all the tapes on your foot. [2]  Most bureau
    drawers aren't strong enough to take the weight.  I destroyed one
    bureau this way already.
    
    The 3-shelf videotape cabinets are from Lechmere.  These are about 3.5
    feet high by 1.5 feet deep by 2 feet wide. They are rather solidly
    built.  The doors have shelves in them -- just right for videotapes. 
    There are also shelves in the back, which are rather large for
    videotapes, but perfect for reel-to-reel tapes.
    
    The 3-drawer videotape cabinets are also from Lechmere.  These are
    about 1 foot deep by 2.5 feet wide by 3 feet high. The drawers are on
    rollers, so they open easily.  You may need to put some washers between
    the tracks and the sides, as the rollers were running rather close to
    the edges of the tracks.  With the weight of full drawers of CDs, the
    drawers would occasionally fall off the tracks.  These also have a
    shelf at the top of the cabinet, intended for equipment, but usable for
    holding those portable tape cases.
    
    I have noticed that all places that sell stereo equiment, even very
    expensive stereo equipment, seem to assume that their customers do not
    have record/tape/CD/video collections nearly commensurate with their
    investment in the hardware (we know how they would have us spend our
    money!).  Most of what they do have requires too much wall space, and
    assumes I want to decorate the room in early Maxell.
    
    

    I've been looking for a library-type card catlog for some time but
    I've had no luck. I figured with lots of branch library closings in
    Mass and many librarys converting to computerized catalogs, they'd
    be easy to find. If anyone hears of any for sale, please let me
    know.
    
    - Gerry

My Mother In-Law is a Librarian, I'll ask her..


fog_who_wants_one_too.

    
    Heck, my wife is a librarian, I've asked her, they're expesnive
    boxes, and they go to other libraries.....
    
    

I sent mail to a person I know who works with library automation solutions, 
here is her reply, FWIW...

Scott

    
    Yes, libraries do scrap their old catalogs, but there is no one place I 
    know to refer your friend.  I suspect the "recycling" is done on  a
    very local level.
    
    If your friend is really serious he could place a consumer classified 
    in American Libraries. It's only about $6 a line.  Call toll free 
    800-545-2433, x 4211, x 4214.  
    
    Hope all is going well,
    

    I build my own tape racks from wood.  I have built to racks so far,
    but will need to build an additional one soon since I have run out of
    room.... basically all you need is:  A small circular saw, hammer,
    nails (#6 finishing) and some wood glue.  Of course, a tape measure 
    makes things easier.  Wood based materials, depends on size required,
    but I bought about 20 boards, 4 inches wide, 8 feet long, and 2 sheets
    of (Spelling unknown, but sounds like:)  "Lou-on" board (Thin, cheap
    plywood type stuff) anyway, I took four boards and made a rectangle
    then added the other boards as shelves within that rectangle.  I then
    glued and nailed the "lou-on" board to the back.  
    
    One rack holds only about 950 tapes, the other hold about 1380 tapes.
    
    BTW - I bolt them to the wall since 1300+ tapes weigh a lot !!
    
    They are nice since I can put almost all my Dead tapes in the
    1380+ rack in order and view them all at once... I put my Jerry tapes
    and other bands in the other rack... unfort. I have more than 1380
    Dead tapes now and have run out of room.... so I guess its time to 
    build a new rack.... 
    
    One last thing.. the 1380 tape rack cost me $48 total.... not including
    the tapes ;-)
    
    Randy

I too build racks, but they don't hold 950 or 1300 tapes!!  YOWZAH that is a
lot.

My racks are made of pine with a masonite bottom (1/4 inch brown stuff that is
pretty strong).  Lucky for me, I have a neighbor with a table saw; so, I buy
wood that is wide and rip slices out of it.  Once I have everything cut to
spec, I assemple it.  Since I want these to be durable (and tapes are heavy),
I glue every joint.  First, build the frame, then put the bottom on.  As a 
finishing touch, I add one or two coats of wood stain.

My racks hold 88 tapes each, 4 rows of 22.  They are all the same size so they
stack nicely.  Someday, I want to get little label holder thingies (like you
find on library card filers) to indicate the dates of the tapes in a 
particular rack.  Right now I have 4 racks;  

I also built a stereo cabinet out of plywood.  It features adjustable shelves
and re-enforced joints to reduce wobble.  I conveniently built it wide enough
so my tape racks fit.  Right now, I have my NAK rec'r/amp, ancient JVC CD 
player, 2 decks, and 3 racks in the cabinet.  That is all I have room for
right now!  The other rack is under my bed!

JC_who_enjoys_working_with_wood,cars,etc...

I built a 900 tape capacity rack similar to the one randy describes. The raw 
materials cost nearly Eighty Bucks, tho, so next time I'll going to use used 
pallets, which can usually be found (or bought: $25/cord around here).

They are made of hard oak or maple, though, so can easily split when nailing or 
de-nailing, and also are typically warped. The best bet is to collect decent 
quality pieces over time (i.e. scrounge around a lot). Finding a dozen or so 
1 X 4 X 48 inch pieces should be a snap, and along with a $8 sheet of thin
plywood are all thats needed to get started on a decent large-capacity tapecase.

Fog

    
    I just got in the Albany, Orlando and Atlanta run, I have now run out
    of room in the 1380+ tape rack.... time to build a new 'un  (southern
    term, like, yep, thats a big 'un)  ;-)  Another one would be, I be
    fixin' to build a tape rack.... I have a lot of fun in the south ya
    know...   ;-)    Anyway, I hve been trading and taping tapes since 1981
    so they sort of start to add up over time.  I collect any band as long
    as the tape is great quality.... that has lead me to collect about 2400
    tapes ... so far   ;-)    
    
    BTW - Pine is plent strong enough for these racks... I mean don't go
    buying oak or maple unless you are doing to match something or you just
    can't live without hardwood ;-)  By using plywood to back the rack
    (I like that ;-) )  you gain tremendous strength, plus I use Elmores
    Wood glue, and that stuff when hard is harder than the wood itself !
    
    Anyway, you can build a fairly attractive tape rack no matter how many
    tapes you have at a very reasonable price....  My 2 racks are nice
    natural wood racks holding over 2400+ tapes and I spent less than
    $120 for both ......  of course sweat is cheap right?
    
    Randy

    re .-1
    
    There's also plywood veneer, which can give you the look of nice wood
    at substantially less cost.  Still more than pine, but it looks grate!
    
    Jamie

The Property disposition center in Nashua/Contoocook has a few index card 
cabinets which would make ideal storage for dead tapes _cheep_.

You are allowed to stop in shop around, and scrutinize the items for sale, but 
you must place your orders though VTX PDCSTORE (which also has a complete 
listing of items available). You need a badge to get in, of course.

The index files are listed under the misc category.

I got some great stuff from them about a month ago.

We got ourselves the perfect storage for tapes over the weekend.  It's two
of those library card file cabinets.  Each card file cabinet holds over 1200
tapes or more than 2400 dat tapes.  Hopefully we won't grow out of two of
these for a while (but you'll never know 8-).  Anyways, it took us a while
to get them calling up different libraries that we're hoping are going to
computerize everything soon and it paid off!!  We only paid $60 for each
cabinet ($1 a drawer 8-)  Each drawer has neat little metal sliders in
the back used to keep the cards in place.  So you can slide up the
sliders and your tapes don't go anywhere!!  Now our living room looks
like a library 8-).

    
    Another great use for library equipment!
    
    Carol_MKO_Librarian
    

    I know this is a note for TAPES but I have a question about CDs.
    
    I was given one of those CD carring cases (you put the CD into a
    plastic pocket sleeve).
    
    I have been using it for about 2 weeks now but yesterday I notice a
    skip on a CD that never skiped before (I know it might just be the
    player in my office) but I was wondering if anyone else uses/ed this
    type of carring case and what feelings you have/had about the safety to
    the CDs....(by the way the CD was Deadicated, and the skip was on the
    last track and after looking at the CD closely, it seems to have an air
    bubble in the CD ;'/) after all that, the case might not have really
    been a/the problem but it has got me wonderin' fursure !
    
    thanks !
    
    Chris

    Hi Chris,
    	I've been using CD carrying cases for a few years now.  I have 2 of
    them that hold 20 in each.  I think they're made by a company called
    Napa Valley.
    
    	Anyway, I haven't really had any problems with them.  I'm not sure
    what you mean by an "air bubble" being formed on the cd, all I can think 
    is maybe the cd got too hot in your cd player and bubbled a little?  ;')  
    
    	I don't really have any complaints about the cd carrying cases,
    they're portable and I can always have a bunch of cds with me at all 
    times...
    
    Although once I had a pinkish-colored cd in my cd player and it got
    really hot and when I stuck it back into the plastic sleeve, some of
    the ink transferred onto the plastic sleeve.....other than that, no
    problems...
    
    :), danielle

    ah, good a long time user ! the air bubble must have been in the CD
    long before yesterday (its inside the CD, might have got there when it
    was pressed or whatever they do when making them) Im guessing that my
    house player can read through the bubble better then my boombox player
    can, multi-sampling rates has a lot to do with reading the CD, right ?)
    
    I know ya really got wack the CD to get it to the point of being no
    good....and I had a CD leave ink marks on the sleeve too...Im not
    worried about the CD getting to hot (at least I've never noticed it
    being hot after being played in my boombox player) and I don't leave
    them in the holder for more than a day, as I only bring in about 5 or 6
    a day and keep rotating them each day !
    
    
    thanks, I feel better now ! I like the easy in using the case, beats
    carting the J-boxs around !
    
    Chris

    I have a few cd's that freak out on a few trax on my portable cd player
    in my office, but are fine at home...Little Village is one that goes
    nuts on 2-4 trax at work, and fine at home
    
    Wes

    usually when i see a "bubble" on a cd it's because i inadvertanly spit
    on it whilst jabbering some useless drivel whilst putting the cd in the
    player or away....
    rfb

	rfb,
	
	HA! :-D