JANET STERLING SILVER DESIGN

DIY--Build Your Own DJ Booth!
Merv has a nice set of decks, tons of records, and what a waste that it was piled on top of each other! I got fed up with seeing his pile for so long, I finally decided to put it all together for him!

BEFORE: Merv's Pile-o-stuff!

AFTER: Janet's DJ Booth Design!

The Problems:

Zero cohesion! We had 2 decks, 1 speaker (the other side is on the other side of our TV), a bunch of records, Merv's DJ bag, and a bunch of dj accessories just littering the corner, which I originally dubbed, "Merv's Corner."

The Wrong Height: the record players are at random heights, and very not condusive to playing records!

What we're working with: I built Merv the CD corner with lights, which I really like (unfinished walnut & glass shelves from IKEA, $19.99 a piece, which I finished with red shoe polish!) My sister had given me the shelf (the one with Merv's records on it) when I moved to NYC, and the little shelf is an old TV stand of mine.

Janet's DIY Hint #3: Red Shoe Polish is great for finishing unfinished wood! It adds color, and the wax gives a nice semi-gloss seal to the color!

Solution Idea: I wanted to cover the records so that it looked less busy (the CD shelf already looks busy, although I think the red brings it together against our avocado wall). I wanted it to be organized, easy to use, and useful for everyday needs!

Janet's Build-Your-Own-Furniture Rule #1: Measure, measure, measure!

We're tight on space, so the DJ Booth couldn't be more than 60" wide. I also measured the decks & records, so I knew how deep it needed to be. I also had Merv tell me what height would be best for DJing, so he wouldn't have to crouch over it. With the wheels, our booth is at 35" in height.

Idea Drawings with Pen & Colored Pencil!
Sign of an insomniac. I did this in the wee hours of the night. I only had colored pencils and a pen. Oh well.

I wanted a little pull out drawer under the left deck for extra needles, etc, and originally, I thought about putting the mixer into the top shelf.

The drawing is what I thought it might look like if the left cover was opened.

Idea Drawing with Right Side Open:
I measured out the speaker, and thought it would be perfect to have it on the top right corner, right on the left of our TV so the surround sound speakers actually are in the right place!

And the space under the speaker, I thought it would be the perfect place for Merv's DJ bag!

The Plywood Cutting Plan!
Plywood comes in different grades, so check it out at your hardware store; feel them and see what you want, as well as what you want to spend. They come in 4' x 8' sheets, so here's Janet's Plywood Building Secret:

Janet's Plywood Planning Secret #1: It's advanced TETRIS!

Here's the master plan of my DJ Booth. Notice the two tiny strips that are blackened out? Those are the ONLY wasted pieces on this 4'x8' sheet!

PLAN WELL! It'll pay off in the end--at Home Depot, the first 2 cuts are free, and then it's 25¢ per cut. They'll give you a hard time about cutting so many cuts, but I plan out ahead of time how they should cut it in the most efficient manner, and tell them step by step, and they usually cooperate!

What You'll Need to Build Your Own DJ Booth!
• Your cut plywood
• 6d finish nails & hammer
• Wheels (I got mine at IKEA)
• Shelfing grooves
• Plastic Covers cut to order!
• Wood paint or stain (your choice), clear polyurethane, & brushes

*** For info on cabinet making, I read Home Depot's book, _Home Improvement 1-2-3._ There's a chapter on cabinets!

Below are the plans & follow through!

Finished Everyday Function!
Ta-da! This is how it looks every day. We leave the door open on the right to expose the speaker, and the DJ bag is inconspicuous on the bottom, too!

I finished the wood with 2 coats Walnut Acrylic Enamel, and 3 coats of clear polyurethane to seal the wood. Then I drilled in the silver shelf things, and had the acrylic red cut to order (1/4" thick). They just slide open & closed.

Janet's Polyurethane Tip #1: if you want a really nice, smooth, top surface, apply 2 or 3 coats of clear polyurethane (dry in between coats), and lightly sand it before applying the last top coat.
Janet's Polyurethane Tip #2: When buying paints, I buy the more expensive water soluable paints. That way, you don't have to deal with smelly turpentine. If you must use turpentine (oil based paints), I highly recommend "Turpenoid," which doesn't smell as bad.

Totally Clean:
If I want the corner to have clean, solid lines, I just shut the whole thing close, so it looks like this.

BTW, I decided to put the mixer right on top. It doesn't look that bad, right?

TOTAL COST ON "PROJECT DJ": $65 for nails, the wood & getting it cut; $5.99 on acrylic enamel paint; $15 for the clear water soluable polyurethane; $5.99 silver shelf thing; $24 for cut red acrylic; $45 for 6 wheels--we splurged on getting nice, steel wheels!

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Copyright © Janet Sterling Silver Design, 2003. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

	DIY--Build Your Own DJ Booth! Merv has a nice set of decks, tons of records, and what a waste that it was piled on top of each other! I got fed up with seeing his pile for so long, I finally decided to put it all together for him!
	BEFORE: Merv's Pile-o-stuff!	AFTER: Janet's DJ Booth Design!
	The Problems: Zero cohesion! We had 2 decks, 1 speaker (the other side is on the other side of our TV), a bunch of records, Merv's DJ bag, and a bunch of dj accessories just littering the corner, which I originally dubbed, "Merv's Corner." The Wrong Height: the record players are at random heights, and very not condusive to playing records! What we're working with: I built Merv the CD corner with lights, which I really like (unfinished walnut & glass shelves from IKEA, $19.99 a piece, which I finished with red shoe polish!) My sister had given me the shelf (the one with Merv's records on it) when I moved to NYC, and the little shelf is an old TV stand of mine. Janet's DIY Hint #3: Red Shoe Polish is great for finishing unfinished wood! It adds color, and the wax gives a nice semi-gloss seal to the color!
	Solution Idea: I wanted to cover the records so that it looked less busy (the CD shelf already looks busy, although I think the red brings it together against our avocado wall). I wanted it to be organized, easy to use, and useful for everyday needs! Janet's Build-Your-Own-Furniture Rule #1: Measure, measure, measure! We're tight on space, so the DJ Booth couldn't be more than 60" wide. I also measured the decks & records, so I knew how deep it needed to be. I also had Merv tell me what height would be best for DJing, so he wouldn't have to crouch over it. With the wheels, our booth is at 35" in height.
	Idea Drawings with Pen & Colored Pencil! Sign of an insomniac. I did this in the wee hours of the night. I only had colored pencils and a pen. Oh well. I wanted a little pull out drawer under the left deck for extra needles, etc, and originally, I thought about putting the mixer into the top shelf. The drawing is what I thought it might look like if the left cover was opened.
	Idea Drawing with Right Side Open: I measured out the speaker, and thought it would be perfect to have it on the top right corner, right on the left of our TV so the surround sound speakers actually are in the right place! And the space under the speaker, I thought it would be the perfect place for Merv's DJ bag!
	The Plywood Cutting Plan! Plywood comes in different grades, so check it out at your hardware store; feel them and see what you want, as well as what you want to spend. They come in 4' x 8' sheets, so here's Janet's Plywood Building Secret: Janet's Plywood Planning Secret #1: It's advanced TETRIS! Here's the master plan of my DJ Booth. Notice the two tiny strips that are blackened out? Those are the ONLY wasted pieces on this 4'x8' sheet! PLAN WELL! It'll pay off in the end--at Home Depot, the first 2 cuts are free, and then it's 25¢ per cut. They'll give you a hard time about cutting so many cuts, but I plan out ahead of time how they should cut it in the most efficient manner, and tell them step by step, and they usually cooperate!
	What You'll Need to Build Your Own DJ Booth! • Your cut plywood • 6d finish nails & hammer • Wheels (I got mine at IKEA) • Shelfing grooves • Plastic Covers cut to order! • Wood paint or stain (your choice), clear polyurethane, & brushes * For info on cabinet making, I read Home Depot's book, _Home Improvement 1-2-3._ There's a chapter on cabinets! Below are the plans & follow through!**


	Finished Everyday Function! Ta-da! This is how it looks every day. We leave the door open on the right to expose the speaker, and the DJ bag is inconspicuous on the bottom, too! I finished the wood with 2 coats Walnut Acrylic Enamel, and 3 coats of clear polyurethane to seal the wood. Then I drilled in the silver shelf things, and had the acrylic red cut to order (1/4" thick). They just slide open & closed. Janet's Polyurethane Tip #1: if you want a really nice, smooth, top surface, apply 2 or 3 coats of clear polyurethane (dry in between coats), and lightly sand it before applying the last top coat. Janet's Polyurethane Tip #2: When buying paints, I buy the more expensive water soluable paints. That way, you don't have to deal with smelly turpentine. If you must use turpentine (oil based paints), I highly recommend "Turpenoid," which doesn't smell as bad.
	Totally Clean: If I want the corner to have clean, solid lines, I just shut the whole thing close, so it looks like this. BTW, I decided to put the mixer right on top. It doesn't look that bad, right? TOTAL COST ON "PROJECT DJ": $65 for nails, the wood & getting it cut; $5.99 on acrylic enamel paint; $15 for the clear water soluable polyurethane; $5.99 silver shelf thing; $24 for cut red acrylic; $45 for 6 wheels--we splurged on getting nice, steel wheels!
Home \| About Us \| Testimonials \| Ads & Press \| FAQs \| Return & Exchange Policy \| Contact \| Privacy Policy Copyright © Janet Sterling Silver Design, 2003. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.