Rack Shelf

I recently build this rack shelf for someone who was using plain 2x4s as a rack rail for some computer equipment and wanted something that was not a pain to look at. I used threaded rods and plywood to build a rack shelf that can be adjusted to any height.

I used zinc-plated threaded rods because stainless steel is expensive. These rods shouldn't rust easily due to the zinc, but start to look dull over time. I decided to paint the rods with a black oil-based enamel to prevent the dull look.

For the plywood boards, I first drilled the holes for the threaded rods to go throught. Then I primed, painted, and finished the boards with water based paints.

Finally, I assempled the shelf structure. Each plywood peice was sandwiched between two washers and two nuts. Each rod was capped with two nuts on the bottom and then inserted into 7/8 rubber feed.