[Dixielandjazz] CD storage

[John Farrell]

Recently I bought a unit online from an outfit called The Sharper Image. The
unit ("Power Tower 200 Motorised CD Rack") holds 200 CDs, is free standing,
about 3 ft high yet occupies only 2 sq. ft. of floor space (or thereabouts).
The CDs are mounted in two rows and at the push of a button are rotated by
an electric motor. I am sufficiently happy with it to be considering buying
another.

There is a downside - the gadget is not cheap and each CD it holds must be
contained in a regular size single jewel case. Here's the URL where you can
see a picture of it -
http://store.yahoo.net/sharperimageeurope/iu594.html?AID=6817279&PID=1038927

Although that is the URL where Europeans may place orders I am sure that The
Sharper Image is an American company which probably has an American website.

John Farrell
stridepiano@tesco.net
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: "David W. Littlefield" <dwlit@cpcug.org>
To: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 10:24 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] CD Storage


> Since we have a thread re LP storage, how about *serious* CD storage?
>
> I'm coping with ca. 1850 in a variety of ways. I don't have the wall space
> for large shelf units--I've seen single and double units almost 6' high
> advertised in the latest Collectors' Choice catalog.
>
> 1.They used to sell thin wooden veneered units with 3 plastic ridged
> drawers; 30 CDs per drawer. Disadvantage: the plastic back of the drawers
> weren't really thick enough to support a fully loaded drawer opened all
the
> way out, especially when they're full of 2-cd boxes. Haven't seen these
> anyplace in years. Got 4.
>
> 2. Then there were all-plastic black 3-drawer units that are bulkier than
> the above, and hold significantly fewer CDs, plus the last CD in the
drawer
> is hard to get out, and the drawers are hard to get out if the last CD is
> there. Got 4.
>
> 3. I found a couple of well-built wooden units that would be fine except
> that they only hold 2 rows of CDs and the drawers aren't held securly in
> the back, so one can't pull them far enough out to get to the CDs in back.
> There are no ridges at the bottom, so one can pack more CDs, including 3-4
> CD boxes, in them.
>
> 4. I compacted many CDs by buying 2-CD jewel boxes, which are fine if you
> have a lot of sets or multiple CDs by some artists, or similar
> compilations, and certainly are good replacemenets for the 3-4 CD boxes
> unless the booklets are really thick or over-sized like the Mosaic books
or
> some of the books in the tall skinny boxes.
>
> 5. I had to make further compromises. I need the drawers for easy access
to
> CDs I use for reference, and jewel boxes in drawers are best for frequent
> use. Any CDs I might wanna weed need to be in jewel boxes. So the CDs of
> modern bands or that I just have for listening now and again, I put into
> albums. There's usually space for all the paperwork. and each page usually
> holds 8 CDs, 4 per side.
>
> 6. Some are in envelopes with glassine fronts. So far I only use these for
> CDs in the several travel kits I can take on gigs to play during breaks. I
> can have more CDs per kit, and it takes just a few seconds to shuffle
> through the envelopes to find what I want. (re the reference CDs, I need
to
> see the CDs titles on the edge of the jewel boxes, and the album CDs are
no
> problem to find by flipping pages)
>
> Any one seen any better methods advertised? Bright ideas?
>
> Oh yeah, I reiterate my offer to send my catalog databases to anyone who
> wants them. They're .dbf files that will import into spreadsheets such as
> EXCEL, as well as many database programs. Details on the cpcug.org website
> in my signature.
>
> Thanks.
> --Sheik
> David W. Littlefield, Piano, Guitar, Banjo, Washboard
> Compiler: "Dixieland FB" (Bb, C); "30S-40S FB (Bb, C)"; "Gig Book"
> http://cpcug.org/user/dwlit (Dixie playalong list, other tools)
> http://americanmusiccaravan.com (Fake Books, Sound Clips, public
performances)
> eMail: dwlit@cpcug.org