Ek-Hou-Van-BraaiOct 10

Update on my Home-Lab now featuring a fully custom built 10" Aluminumm rack

Here’s a full write-up on the first year of my Home-Lab: https://piefed.social/post/1002037

Since then I’ve now added networking and a self built 10” rack, I was undecided between MikroTik and UniFi but ended up going UniFI and I’m quite happy.

Building the 2020 Aluminum profile 10” server rack was a lot of fun and I learnt a lot of lessons along the way like:
- Cutting perfectly straight with a hacksaw is a bitch and nearly impossible (or at least for me) would not recommend.
- Buy a table/mitre saw or have them pre-cut
- Tapping threads yourself is a lot of fun, and I would recommend doing it yourself, worked perfectly every time.
- Bolt length and head size matters, even 1mm matters (that’s what she said)

It’s janky I know, but I love it and it’s a lot less Janky than when everything was just on my desk

Next step for me would be to buy a 3D Printer (Sovol S6 Plus Ace) and print custom racks for everything

Shout out to https://www.motedis.com for the Aluminum parts, they can cut and tap all the parts to your desired length if you don’t want to bother with that, but that’s half the fun (and frustration)

Show threadohshit604Oct 10

Was eyeing a 52Pi rack for a good little while this post inspired me to get one, but then I saw the shipping cost.

Show threadEk-Hou-Van-BraaiOct 11

Ooof that is rough!!

If you can make your own like I did I would highly recommend it.

If you have the Alu tubing cut and threaded for you most of the work is done

Show threadohshit604

If you can make your own like I did I would highly recommend it.

Honestly I could, metal fabrication comes in handy, get it shop issued and laser or water cut send it through the machinists, I would have to supply the material myself which would be difficult but certainly doable.

I’ll have to consider this! By chance do you have drawings are dimensions of your rack as a starting point? Completely understandable if you rather not share.

Oct 11 at 3:26pmWeb
Show threadEk-Hou-Van-BraaiOct 11

I’m more than happy to share. If others didn’t share I wouldn’t have been able to do my hobby.

So basically I just kinda copied this:
https://www.darkrym.com/posts/2025/05/my-rack-setup-2020-extrusion-diy-mini-rack/

My Rack Setup - 2020 Extrusion DIY mini-rack

Build your own compact and modular mini server rack using 2020 aluminium extrusion. This guide will walk you through the parts, tools, and steps needed to assemble a rack suitable for home labs or networking gear. Parts List Quantity Item Link 8x 2020 Aluminium Extrusion – 800mm uxcell – Amazon AU 8x 2020 Aluminium Extrusion Corner Brackets Amazon AU 50x M5 Spring-Loaded T-Nuts Amazon AU 50x M5 × 8mm Bolts Amazon AU 1x Rack Shelf GeeekPi Shelf – Amazon AU 1x Mini ITX Mount GeeekPi Mount or Short Depth Rackmount 1x Patch Panel GeeekPi Panel or Printable Patch Panel 1x Drive Bay Adapter SilverStone 5.25" to 3.5" + Drive Bay Bracket - Thingiverse 1x Power Rail Printable 7-Port C13 Rail 3x Dell OptiPlex 7070 eBay AU + Mount – Printables OR 3x HP ProDesk eBay AU Optional Remote Management JetKVM Tools Required Mitre saw (suitable for aluminium) Allen key set Measuring tape Marker or pencil Aluminium Extrusion Cut List Measure and cut your 800mm 2020 extrusions down to:

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