Server rack and casters

[tential]

Can I just add casters to any server rack?

 

[XavierMace]

Can you? Sure.

Should you? That's a different story. Generally if the rack is designed for use with casters, it has casters on to begin with.

 

[tential]

Can you? Sure.

Should you? That's a different story. Generally if the rack is designed for use with casters, it has casters on to begin with.

Ok cool. Ya I saw a server rack build that looks like a TV cabinet and I'm trying to replicate it but can't get in contact with the thread owner.

My main hurdles are which 14-15u server rack I can get for cheap off ebay that I can use casters on, and how to connect the rack shell to the rack.

What's the main issue with using a rack that didn't come with casters?

I'm ordering from ebay from China so many racks don't have casters and aren't documented to let you know whether you can add or not.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

What's the main issue with using a rack that didn't come with casters?

They either topple over, or the frame is designed to spread/distribute the weight differently than the casters allow, which can cause frames to bend. So you at least want one that was specifically designed for use with casters. (Even if they're aftermarket.)

If I were betting money, I'd assume that most half-height self-contained rack enclosures have caster mount points. (They should be pretty obvious on the schematic / exploded parts diagram.) But a gamble's a gamble.

 

[mxnerd]

You don't have to buy casters and assemble it, you can buy dolly and put server rack on it.

Check out Harbor Freight

 

[dave_the_nerd]

You don't have to buy casters and assemble it, you can buy dolly and put server rack on it.

Check out Harbor Freight

Ooh, I like that idea!

 

[tential]

They either topple over, or the frame is designed to spread/distribute the weight differently than the casters allow, which can cause frames to bend. So you at least want one that was specifically designed for use with casters. (Even if they're aftermarket.)

If I were betting money, I'd assume that most half-height self-contained rack enclosures have caster mount points. (They should be pretty obvious on the schematic / exploded parts diagram.) But a gamble's a gamble.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/15U-4-Post-Op...3A842e528b1590a2ab923d6b2cffc1d90a%7Ciid%3A12

This is what I'm looking at

The Dolly idea is nice, it just has to be the perfect specs to fit under the rack and cabinet which is why I want to try casters on my rack first. I saw a number of racks with casters already in ebay may just get those

 

[dave_the_nerd]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/15U-4-Post-Open-Frame-Server-Rack-IT-Network-Relay-IT-Racks-600MM-Deep-/151810254442?hash=item235898a66a:g:q2sAAOSwuTxV8KcT&_trkparms=pageci%3A64fc07a0-d68d-11e6-b015-74dbd1807b99%7Cparentrq%3A842e528b1590a2ab923d6b2cffc1d90a%7Ciid%3A12

This is what I'm looking at

The Dolly idea is nice, it just has to be the perfect specs to fit under the rack and cabinet which is why I want to try casters on my rack first. I saw a number of racks with casters already in ebay may just get those

Looking at that, I'm going to go with... "are you good at welding?" Those bottom pieces are designed to bolt to the floor and keep the thing from tipping over - attaching casters would reverse the direction of stress/force, and just peel them off. You might be able to get away with it if you added bolts in the lower holes and only put a relatively small amount of gear in it.

Also, and this is more just a general thing; it's a network rack, which aren't usually deep enough for servers. (At 600mm, that's 5" short of the bare minimum for most rackmount servers. Although depending on the rack and rail design that might be ok - they'd just have their asses hanging out the back end. But realistically, you want something ~31.5" or 800mm deep, or more, especially if you want to have it enclosed.) You didn't say what gear you were looking to mount, exactly, so I figured I should point that out just in case.

Most old audio and a/v racks are also 24" deep. Otherwise I'd tell you to go hunting in church basements.

This rack makes me kinda horny:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonus-FREE-...495254?hash=item237ac39c56:g:kBQAAOSw5cNYYYC1

But $$$$.

Then again, you're going to be housing tens of thousands of dollars worth of hardware in it...

 

[tential]

Looking at that, I'm going to go with... "are you good at welding?" Those bottom pieces are designed to bolt to the floor and keep the thing from tipping over - attaching casters would reverse the direction of stress/force, and just peel them off. You might be able to get away with it if you added bolts in the lower holes and only put a relatively small amount of gear in it.

Also, and this is more just a general thing; it's a network rack, which aren't usually deep enough for servers. (At 600mm, that's 5" short of the bare minimum for most rackmount servers. Although depending on the rack and rail design that might be ok - they'd just have their asses hanging out the back end. But realistically, you want something ~31.5" or 800mm deep, or more, especially if you want to have it enclosed.) You didn't say what gear you were looking to mount, exactly, so I figured I should point that out just in case.

Most old audio and a/v racks are also 24" deep. Otherwise I'd tell you to go hunting in church basements.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonus-FREE-...495254?hash=item237ac39c56:g:kBQAAOSw5cNYYYC1

But that's a lot more expensive.

Then again, you're going to be housing tens of thousands of dollars worth of hardware in it...

I only need the rack with casters because I'm building the enclosure. It will cost about that much once complete. It will just look nicer. So what about the 15u server rack with casters on them already on ebay?

 

[sdifox]

What is the load you are planning to put on that rack? As in gross weight. That will detemine how you would go about moving it.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I only need the rack with casters because I'm building the enclosure. It will cost about that much once complete. It will just look nicer. So what about the 15u server rack with casters on them already on ebay?

Building an enclosure? Then build your own dolly too...?

The ones I saw were only 24" deep. If that's enough space for your equipment (you'd know, I wouldn't) and/or if you can find a 32" deep model, then yeah, those StarTech 15U models would be alright.

 

[tential]

Building an enclosure? Then build your own dolly too...?

The ones I saw were only 24" deep. If that's enough space for your equipment (you'd know, I wouldn't) and/or if you can find a 32" deep model, then yeah, those StarTech 15U models would be alright.

I need to check again so I'll respond to this thread with my options from ebay.

The enclosure is 2 SEKTION from Ikea out together upside down on top of the server rack.

I want to basically recreate this whole build. So I'm trying to get as many parts as possible without needing to do too much assembly. I'm handy but not too handy and I don't have as many tools easily at my disposal. From what I can tell so far, that person used 2 SEKTION Ikea. Put them upside down on top of a server rack. They have a baseboard attached to the bottom of the server rack somehow, and casters..

I'd say 300 lbs maximum will be stored in the rack. It contains 1 onkyo receiver, 2 lightweight D class amps, 1 u lightweight server, the only thing heavy is the large server which is why I need a 32 inch deep rack.

 

[sdifox]

300lb all in, including the rack? Get the ikea casters for their tv stand, get like eight of them.

 

[tential]

300lb all in, including the rack? Get the ikea casters for their tv stand, get like eight of them.

It might be 300 including the rack. But the SEKTION Ikea covering would be over it and that would add additional weight. Maybe another 100 lbs tops? Then my TV would sit on top of the actual built stand. That would be another ~100 lbs

If y'all don't mind looking at the thread I posted, that's what I want to make.

 

[XavierMace]

Do you have a link to that other thread?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If y'all don't mind looking at the thread I posted, that's what I want to make.

I don't see a link anywhere...

Most rack mount servers are very, very loud... I wouldn't want one in a room where I watch TV.

 

[mxnerd]

[Deleted]

 

[tential]

I don't see a link anywhere...

Most rack mount servers are very, very loud... I wouldn't want one in a room where I watch TV.

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/14u-ikea-closed-server-rack.6171/

I think you're thinking of a rackmount server that's just left all the traditional server parts in it. Most people doing home server builds are able to make them much quieter.
In my case, my rackmount server is only slightly loud. If I were to complete the build I have linked though, it would be silent due to the dampening and just other material there.

Check the link out though that's what I'm trying to make.

I would link the pics but I don't think it will let me.

 

[mxnerd]

I would link the pics but I don't think it will let me.

Linked for you.

Since the cabinet is upside down, you can go to home depot and cut a plywood board the size of combined cabinet, nail or screw it under the build, then attach the casters you want.

 

[sdifox]

It might be 300 including the rack. But the SEKTION Ikea covering would be over it and that would add additional weight. Maybe another 100 lbs tops? Then my TV would sit on top of the actual built stand. That would be another ~100 lbs

If y'all don't mind looking at the thread I posted, that's what I want to make.

I know what a server rack looks like, the problem was I didn't know how many things you are going to stick in there thus the question on weight.

Load capacity determines build.

 

[tential]

I know what a server rack looks like, the problem was I didn't know how many things you are going to stick in there thus the question on weight.

Load capacity determines build.

I meant to check out the thread to understand what I'm trying to build and do. Since all of the weight isn't necessarily in the rack. The pics are posted above. That's all I was trying to explain though. The rack to my understanding in this build is the skeleton that holds everything together. He loaded it with 3 servers. I have 1 of those, and the rest is either light weight av gear, or it will be replaced with another 40 lb amp to replace 2 10-15 lb amps.

It might really all be under 200 lbs but I just hoped the build thread might give you a better idea of what load capacity I may actually need.

Thanks!

 

[mxnerd]

Vendor usually will list individual caster's load capacity, OP can calculate it easily.

The $9.99 2" casters sold at IKEA can hold 99 lb/pc , so that's 4 x 99 =396 lb. Even cheaper than Harbor Freight!

 

[tential]

Linked for you.




Since the cabinet is upside down, you can go to home depot and cut a plywood board the size of combined cabinet, nail or screw it under the build, then attach the casters you want.

Thanks a ton first off!
If you look at his build, I don't think he intended for that to be done for a reason. That bottom part acts as an air intake. So he had the plywood board the size of the actual rack itself attached to the bottom of it(You probably just meant this anyway...). I can then see one of the caster wheels on the right in the first pic? Am I crazy or is that it?

It then looks like he just secured the rack to the ikea cabinet using some 2 by 4s?

Does that sound about right?

My main hurdle is he bought a rack off ebay and just attached casters to it. And it was a chinese one. And I really would like to avoid paying for an expensive server rack if possible and just go the ebay route.

That and I have to actually GO to an ikea. 1st world problems when something can't be 2 day shipped to you.

Vendor usually will list individual caster's load capacity, OP can calculate it easily.

The $9.99 2" casters sold at IKEA can hold 99 lb/pc , so that's 4 x 99 =396 lb. Even cheaper than Harbor Freight!

Good edit, I would have forgotten to pick that up tonight.

 

[mxnerd]

Thanks a ton first off!
If you look at his build, I don't think he intended for that to be done for a reason. That bottom part acts as an air intake. So he had the plywood board the size of the actual rack itself attached to the bottom of it(You probably just meant this anyway...). I can then see one of the caster wheels on the right in the first pic? Am I crazy or is that it?

It then looks like he just secured the rack to the ikea cabinet using some 2 by 4s?

Does that sound about right?

My main hurdle is he bought a rack off ebay and just attached casters to it. And it was a chinese one. And I really would like to avoid paying for an expensive server rack if possible and just go the ebay route.

That and I have to actually GO to an ikea. 1st world problems when something can't be 2 day shipped to you.



Good edit, I would have forgotten to pick that up tonight.

I didn't read his whole post, I just viewed the pictures. I did not see the caster you mentioned in his 1st picture. I did see his plywood, I thought that's carpet originally!

and the 2x4? probably, there is a gap between the rack and cabinet. You need something act as a spacer.

 

[tential]

Ok. I'll have to grab some of those as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15U-4-Post-...724784?hash=item281b995270:g:BP0AAOSwvg9XWFGv
http://www.ebay.com/itm/19-15U-31-5-D-Heavy-Duty-4-Post-Open-Frame-Rack-for-Network-or-Server-NEW/321603465956?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=2&asc=40778&meid=a138c26fc9364b69b5dfb6e8a44cb9a0&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=321881120420
This specficially says it allows for casters so that's perfect too.
What about this and I lay a baseboard across the bottom?

Also, I don't think the top of the cabinet lays on top of the rack. There is dampening material up there. I kind of feel those 2 by 4s act as a frame?
I could be wrong though and just over thinking it.