FERG: Frugal Expedit Record Gallery

Materials: Expedit Frame, Corrugated plastic, Panel Cap Moldings, Glue, 3M Exterior Mounting Tape

Description: The FERG is a budget version of the incredible Rekordit TM vinyl record storage unit by Shane Keaney, incorporating the timeless Expedit shelves for record storage.

$35 a door for high-end aluminum doors was an obstacle for my neighbors who have a large collection of vinyl albums. So they challenged me to create a $3.50 door “in the true spirit of IKEA,” to display their Broadway Show albums in their home theater gallery.

The answer was surprisingly simple. These self-hinge doors are made of corrugated plastic with plastic frame molding.


MATERIALS:
A standard 4′ x 8′ sheet of corrugated plastic yields 21 doors and costs just $10-$15. You can even carefully fold it into thirds to get it home in the car. The molding is called “Panel cap molding” and is flexible enough to fit in even a small trunk. It costs $2-3 for an 8′ length. The handle molding should be 5/8″ – 3/4″ thin “L” molding. If you want to add a nicer look, try aluminum for the handles, but be sure to adjust the width of the door and hinge for the thickness.

Before you begin, note that there are sometimes variations in the width of the Expedit compartments. These dimensions are for compartments that are just over 13″ wide and tall. Adjust as necessary.

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1-791075

1a: As the illustrations show, start by cutting the corrugated plastic into 14 1/2 x 12 3/4″ pieces. TIP: You can speed up the job by using a large paper cutter instead of the blade.

1b: Carefully score the pieces at 12 3/4″ to create a square panel with a hinge flap.
TIP: Using the Exacto-type blade and straight edge, do not cut all the way through or even score the bottom layer to keep the hinge strong.

1c: Using the corrugated scraps, double the thickness of the hinge flap by gluing a similarly sized piece to the flap. Use strong glue like Gorilla glue. TIP: The added piece does not have to be the full width of the flap as long as it is at least an inch wide.

Step 2-793493

2a: Using sharp snips, garden shears or a cut-off saw, cut the Cap Molding on 45° angles to 12 3/4″ lengths. You need 4 pieces per door.

2b: Slide the molding onto the album cover. The goal is to slide it on just enough to hold the molding in place. The album is 12 x 12″ and you are creating a 12 3/4″ frame around it. It is a little tricky and takes 5 minutes of patience.

2c: Glue the molding to the door. If you want the flexibility of changing the cover from time to time, do not glue the top piece or the cover to the door.

3a: Cut a 2″ length of the L-shaped molding for the handle.

3b: Glue it to the back of the door facing forward with 1/8″ peeking out of the bottom. This allows the door to rest on the handle which helps provide friction to keep the door closed and it takes stress off of the self-hinge of the door.

3c: Place two 3″ pieces of 3M Exterior Mounting Tape on the hinge flap. The Exterior Grade is very strong and can support the use of the hinge.

Arrange the album covers in a pleasing manner than attach them to the inside of the Expedit unit.

TIP1: The double thickness of the hinge allows the door to open fully even when recessed into the unit. Set the doors back uniformly 1/2 to 1 1/4 ” from the front. It is easy to do from the back.

TIP 2: It is much easier to keep the bottoms even if you slide a piece of the corrugated board under the door while it rests flat on the handle rest.

TIP 3: The 3M adhesive is unforgiving. Make sure you have the hinge exactly where it needs to be. Once it is on, it is on.

Pile in the albums and enjoy your FERG!

~ Tag, Miami, Florida