Materials to build a server case?

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May 10th, 2020 8:19 pm

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May 8th, 2020 8:10 pm

PerformingAzura [OP]: Deal Addict; Nov 1, 2017; 2575 posts; 1756 upvotes

May 8th, 2020 8:10 pm

Materials to build a server case?

Looking to build a simple server case for my two server boards.

Can someone recommend what material to build it out of? The cheaper the better, and something I can vinyl wrap later.

The server boards have the same dimensions of Legal sized paper. So I can't just buy a cheap computer case.

1 server has a 1U server power supply while the other uses a standard ATX power supply. One of the builds has hard drives while the other just has a SSD.

I can stack the motherboards on top of each other to fit inside one case to lower costs. The two machines will almost always be running together.

I've had the computers running under a blanket for the last year or so, but I'm looking to clean up my setup, and the blanket is an eyesore.

I don't mind cutting up the table the motherboards are currently on.

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May 8th, 2020 8:32 pm

TheMaterial: Sr. Member; Dec 15, 2015; 706 posts; 538 upvotes; Toronto

May 8th, 2020 8:32 pm

Build?

Buy a rack mounted chassis...the 4U rosewill was $100 last week.

May 8th, 2020 8:42 pm

PerformingAzura [OP]: Deal Addict; Nov 1, 2017; 2575 posts; 1756 upvotes

May 8th, 2020 8:42 pm

TheMaterial wrote: ↑ Build?

Buy a rack mounted chassis...the 4U rosewill was $100 last week.

I want to keep the cost of casing both servers under 100$.
Excluding the cost of the drives, I only paid like 50$ for both servers. It wouldn't feel right to ball out on the case.

May 9th, 2020 4:34 pm

killoverme: Deal Fanatic; Oct 8, 2006; 5662 posts; 653 upvotes; Toronto

May 9th, 2020 4:34 pm

If you want cheap.. you could just build it out of whatever material you have lying around... MDF or whatever and just add good ventilation. It may take a lot of your time to produce... (is it worth your time?)

Build a motherboard tray or cut one out of an old case and mount it to a board add some motherboard thread mounts... repeat for the second one... and use some L brackets to add second one on top or something. You can use a lack table as a frame if you want (I've seen many on the internet that have done something similar... Not going to be the prettiest.

+1

May 10th, 2020 7:02 pm

PerformingAzura [OP]: Deal Addict; Nov 1, 2017; 2575 posts; 1756 upvotes

May 10th, 2020 7:02 pm

killoverme wrote: ↑ If you want cheap.. you could just build it out of whatever material you have lying around... MDF or whatever and just add good ventilation. It may take a lot of your time to produce... (is it worth your time?)

Build a motherboard tray or cut one out of an old case and mount it to a board add some motherboard thread mounts... repeat for the second one... and use some L brackets to add second one on top or something. You can use a lack table as a frame if you want (I've seen many on the internet that have done something similar... Not going to be the prettiest.

I bought some steel corners and studs for 10$. MDF sounds good, but I'm hearing mixed things about vinyl wrapping it. For now I'm going to just the steel studs to build the frame (cube) I'll look into materials for the panel after.

I have not seen a single case that supports this motherboard. Extended ATX is 12 inches... These motherboards are 14in long.

I wish I had a CNC machine...

May 10th, 2020 8:19 pm

kramer1: Deal Addict; Apr 29, 2018; 3186 posts; 2457 upvotes; Vancouver

May 10th, 2020 8:19 pm

I have run computers in cardboard boxes and they work just fine. Use thick cardboard and a hot-glue gun. Make whatever size, form, etc you want. Just put some fans to keep temps at ~50 - 60C. I even embedded some tiny RE magnets in them to keep the top flaps closed. You could use them to even have removable panels n all

Can't Stop. Won't Stop. Game Stop

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