Pedalboard XXXL

PHOTO 3

My IKEA hack is a pedalboard XXXL.

What I needed, was a pedal board with lots of space as well as being easy to take to a gig.
The set-up is perhaps a bit unusual; being a lead singer and bass player my requirements included;
• space for 8 pedals, mainly for bass but also one large Roland VE-20 for vocal effects
• space for the pedal controlling my EBS-amp
• space for a rack mounted mixer, facing upwards (so I can see it easily)
• space for a patch panel, to configure the various signal paths
• easy connection for my personal multi cable to/from PA-mixer
• enough room to hide power cable etc inside
• and wouldn’t it be nice if I could also attach my mic stand and monitor speaker to it
• perhaps include lighting
• and most of all, a way to easy turn this into a transport-safe box

After a lot of thinking and procrastination, I decided on purchasing an IKEA kitchen cupboard, placing it vertically rather than horizontally, and using the door as a ramp for my stuff. Also get one extra door, turn it into a lid to protect the mixer on top.
Close the door and put the lid on top, close the latches and I’m ready to go on tour..

My first sketch:
PHOTO 1

Time to start building:
• I bought an IKEA Metod which is 100 x 40 x 37 cm
• Also TWO IKEA doors (one as, eh, door. The other as extra lid)
• I got a professional to cut the door in two halves, one 30 cm the other 10 cm. This in order to avoid the ramp sticking out too much
• Assemble the Metod
• Add metal L-shaped enforcements to make it stronger
• Attach the door / ramp
• Attach the smaller part of the door, with 1 m long “piano lid hinge!
• Add metal protection for bottom corners
• Drill holes for cable entry (power on one side, signals on the other)
• Play around with mock up – full sized paper printouts of the stuff I will place there, in order to investigate best placement.
• Add wheels – two of them are lockable, so the whole thing stays in place
• Add handles
• Build a lid, adding some height to the second door. Make sure to have sufficient space for anything protruding from top. I needed at least 6 cm.
• Mount latches, a) to keep ramp (door) closed, and b) to keep lid in place
• Glue Velcro to ramp, place pedals, organize all cables
• On the inside of the 10 cm top part of the door, I mounted some nice to have drawings of patchpanel, cabling etc
• Reward myself with a cold beer

PHOTO 4

I also got myself a mic-stand mounted monitor, but that is not really part of the IKEA-hack…

Total cost: approx. 2000 SEK = 180 Eur = 270 USD. (Beer not included)

Final result: (well almost – this is actually before glueing the Velcro and placing the actual stompboxes. Still my printed stompbox dummies used for layout tests…)

PHOTO 2