Rack-Mounted Desktop Update
This is a continuation of my previous post outlining how I built a rack-mount chassis for my gaming/workstation desktop.
Since commissioning the build back in late 2023, I've had a few updates to the case as well as the rack it fits into. After that original post, I got the correct screws to mount the front fans.
Of course, the build was never meant to sit on a desk as is, but rather to be set into a rack or cabinet that I could also mount some small-scale homelab equipment to. As a purveyor of scrap-based projects, I built the rack out of plywood from a Sophomore year, full-sized car seat project and some Amazon 4U tall mounting brackets. It turned out pretty good and serves the purpose. I might paint or dye it at some point to get it to look a bit nicer.
I've since moved to Noctua Redux fans to try get better cooling out of the restricted chassis. I've realized how dire the cooling situation is and wanted a Band-Aid fix. I'd like to update the rear and add mesh as well as air ducts within the case to direct airflow. For now, I switched all the fans to exhaust. As intake, they struggled to move the air out of the chassis and would heat-soak the GPU right behind it. The aforementioned ducts would help that situation.
The build is still in a half-finished state. The power button is still on the back, and the front switches and panel mount LCD are non-functional. I did some research, though, and discovered that it's a mini panel-mount voltmeter, not just a digital display. Specifically, it's a DP-176 Series Flatpack LCD Meter, which I could theoretically write to by converting some metric like temperature or fan speed into a voltage for it to read out on the display. Could be a fun project. The switches require some thinking, and possibly an intermediary logic circuit to make them behave in the way you would expect. Another fun project.
I'd like to tidy up the inside by painting it and 3d printing proper brackets and ducts. As it stands, the hard drives are floating loose. Not ideal. I'm really trying to shoot for the enterprise aesthetic. A lot of those custom, liquid cooled builds look so industrial, and I appreciate them a lot. I took a step in the wrong direction with the fans, unfortunately. I'm considering a black shroud or even painting the frames black to give it a better contrast from the front panel.
Switching to an SFX or SFX-L power supply would free up enough room to mount the drives in a better spot and put less stress on my almost-too-short-but-good-enough tubing run from the pump outlet to the GPU. As it stands with the larger power supply, it's difficult to package everything in a way that makes sense and doesn't substantial modifications to the case structure. I like where the idea is heading, though, and maintenance is better than in my old Phanteks Enthoo Evolve ITX, so that's a win in my book!
Created: 2025-06-27