Is 40mm MDF Strong Enough for Custom 19 Rack Studio Table Construction?

I warmly welcome,

For some time I have been trying to make a table for my equipment - a future-proof design - it is supposed to be for many years.

The problem in my case is probably the project, which, unfortunately, is not a problem-free one, although I was stubbornly stubborn.

Plan:


side shape:


Module:



top - 2 x 10u, 19 '' rack
bottom - 2 x 12u, 19 '' rack

Initially, I planned to make the entire structure of 40mm MDF - I am quite green in terms of carpentry, so I consulted this with a carpenter, who said MDF is not enough due to the shape of the sides, which will have to bear quite a lot of weight in the form of studio equipment in the future.

However, I would like to ask you - does it actually have no right to exist? In this arrangement, I thought about making the side modules of plywood, and only the top top made of MDF - but in the case of plywood, the costs increase significantly (about PLN 1200 for the material only to the sides, which, unfortunately, I cannot afford)

2nd question - where can rack strips be purchased at reasonable prices? Or is it better to use blacksmith services?

In fact, any advice or idea for this project is worth its weight in gold for me.

Thank you and best regards.

Is this cut in the sides for a special function, or just an aesthetic one? If only aesthetic, then you could make the sides without a cutout and 40 mm MDF is enough with a great margin.

It will certainly facilitate access to the back of the devices if you need to access the sockets. But in that case, you can strengthen the back with some metal profile.

Thank you,

First of all, it is to facilitate access to the instruments - but aesthetically it also gives a bit of grace to this crude, due to the size of the structure.

So I understand that without any reinforcements, metal supports, etc., with such an arrangement with an MDF board, there is no need to even start and only plywood remains?

Or maybe you will make an additional support at the back? It should significantly increase the strength of the entire structure due to the reduction of tensile stresses in the front support.
I mean something like that. The aesthetic aspect, I think, would be preserved, and the opening in the middle will facilitate possible access to the equipment. Any possible slight enlargement of the opening in relation to what I drew at the expense of the width of the rear support should not be a big problem either. I just drew a sample look.

I allowed myself to quickly edit your Gimp project so that you could see what I mean. Hope you don't blame me.
I have no idea how you are going to join the boards, but the sides would be the strongest if they were made from one piece of board, without joints.

Thank you very much!
rradi - your idea quite good - I thought of a similar steel prop, but it just fell off because it disfigured the whole thing. Nevertheless, if the whole, including the prop of this type, would be made of one disc, then it does not look so bad - I still have to imagine it.

djMatys - just a question, how much will they cost for such custom-made sections I'm afraid it's a high cost to the blacksmith.

Thank you again for approaching the topic!