22u 19" Server Rack Phase 1

[Pvt_Ryan]

Project #3

Bill of materials.
4x 44x44x1128mm (Uprights)
4x 22x44x1128mm (Uprights for doors)
2x 44x44x482.6mm (Top, Front & Back)
2x 44x88x482.6mm (Base, Front & Back)
2x 44x44x655mm (Top, Sides)
2x 44x88x655mm (Base, Sides)
8x 75mm L Brackets
1x 16x538x889mm MDF (Interior Base)
20/40/60mm screws
Black satin paint (couldnt get matt)

Looking back there is lots I would do differently.
I would use mortice and lap joints for the top as in phase 2 a roof will be added and the top is purely for stability and not holding any real weight.

Mortice joints again would appear in the base to provide a tighter fit, for the base at the front and rear I'd use dowels and glue. (a final 1/2" ply base will be added in phase 2 for castors to attach to)

I would use a plane to smooth the sides (i didnt have one) instead of a radial sander. I'd also use primer before the paint.

A lot of corners were cut due to:
lack of cash
lack of knowledge
lack of tools.
also this has sort of ballooned as there will be a phase 2 after christmas, which i only sort of intended to do. The main point of this was to be cheaper than buying a £150 metal one.

 

[Dibs-h]

Wow! Not are usual type of project. 10\10 for effort and solving a real life problem\need!

Although I would have bought one off the Bay - they do come up every now and for a lot less that £150.

I have to ask - most of the kit looks like switches ( I can't see the lower Cisco boxes in any detail), lets ignore the Hacking book in the background, what on earth are you doing with such a high nbr of ports? :lol:

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

the bottom of the rack is routers. It's my CCNP rack so i can study of live gear.

The rack is slightly longer than required to accommodate cabling and power, it is also a tad shorter than what a dell poweredge server would require (well it would fit just about) I'd add another 150mm just to be comfortable.

As to the book, the best defence is a good offence..

 

[Eric The Viking]

the bottom of the rack is routers. It's my CCNP rack so i can study of live gear.

The rack is slightly longer than required to accommodate cabling and power, it is also a tad shorter than what a dell poweredge server would require (well it would fit just about) I'd add another 150mm just to be comfortable.

As to the book, the best defence is a good offence..

If you're thinking of a PowerEdge or similar I'd put it near the bottom, as they're, er, very heavy! They're also noisy, and being nearer the carpet will mitigate this a bit, and help the cooling.

T'other thing that would worry me a bit is the lack of bracing front-back, i.e. on the sides. I might have missed this, but are you intending to keep it 'open plan'? If so, you could keep the aesthetics by using diagonal 'X' wire bracing instead of board - it would stiffen it up no end.

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

it's not going to house a server (thought my li-lian rackable case would fit nicely) just cisco.

Phase 2 will give it a 12mm mdf roof and 3mm sides.

If i was placing a server in I would add rear rails for support.

I am aiming for this: http://www.killswtch.net/2007/11/11/my-diy-19-rack/ but smaller

 

[jlawrence]

Those were the days. I can remember getting away with having a rack in my office (no way swmbo would allow it now). Was amazing watching the electricity meter wizzing round when the whole lot was powered up - there was an old cisco5000 in the bottom though which I'm convinced used enough power for a whole town to keep it running.

 

[billybuntus]

I think theres a half size cab at our place kicking about that you could of had but good effort.

 

[stage1v8]

Nice rack

I built something similar out of plywood when I was working through some cisco certs.

Mine did have a poweredge in the bottom and also left large marks in the carpet as it got rather heavy with a couple of servers plus several routers and switch chassis's in it. If I factor in the electricity bills from back then I reckon my certifications probably cost 3 times as much.

Due to modern houses with paper thin walls my neighbours thought Concorde was landing in the garden when I fired it all up

Not quite as noisey as the gold partner lab we had a work though!

J

 

[bugbear]

T'other thing that would worry me a bit is the lack of bracing front-back, i.e. on the sides. I might have missed this, but are you intending to keep it 'open plan'? If so, you could keep the aesthetics by using diagonal 'X' wire bracing instead of board - it would stiffen it up no end.

Yes - I think this rack might be prone to ... racking!

BugBear