There is a myriad of record storage and organizing designs out there but the recently launched flipbin—currently funding on Kickstarter—grabbed our attention. Manufactured in Chicago, the aluminum storage unit is angled (supported by another bent aluminum kickstand) for easy browsing and protective storage, and further doubles as a great display. It’s meant to complement your shelves and shelves of vinyl by serving as the place for bringing favorites to the front. Unlike the four-LP max capacity Welsey & Kemp Record Easel, however, the Model 33 flipbin can hold up to 33 12-inch records and the Model 45 similarly can hold 45 7-inch records.
The powder-coated colors like red or mint add a bright pop to the table—or you could go minimalist with the white or black. As we like a clean look, we were slightly concerned by the branding seen on the flipbin’s front in the Kickstarter images; flipbin founder Ben Robertson assured us that those were for promotional purposes and used removable decals. The final products will actually be shipping naked and unadorned. It will just come with a flipbin sticker you can stick wherever you want.
Robertson—a musician and artist who owns and manages a Chicago-based IT company—has around 1,500 records in his collection and admits that they’re not completely catalogued yet. They’re roughly split by “Jazz” and “Not Jazz,” then alphabetized. “There’s always two [Model] 33s next to the turntable. I use one as a ‘new additions/not catalogued’ and the other for favorites/new ones I’ve listened to and want to revisit,” he tells CH. “The whole idea came about from my wanting something that kept the vinyl I was listening to, or, just picked up, nearby, and functionally accessible while being able to showcase what was playing. That’s the nutshell.” The best ideas do come from necessity.
Flipbin just needs the tiniest nudge to reach their Kickstarter goal. Pledge $39 for the smaller Model 45 or $59 for the powder-coated Model 33 (there’s also an anodized version for 10 more dollars). Best of all, it ships next month—not next year.
Images courtesy of Flipbin