Network racks found on Craigslist

AceCannon

AceCannon

Active Member
I just purchased these two racks from a local company advertising on Craigslist.

The Compaq "Enterprise Storage Array 12000" is enclosed, though I believe I could remove the sides, doors, or both. (Note small LED's hidden behind the front upper left grill in next post). It is 78.8" 2" tall (including wheels), 19" wide, 25" deep. Heavy. The front and back doors are functional and both have a lock (two unused keys found taped inside back door).


CIMG0063.JPGCIMG0061.JPGCIMG0064.JPGCIMG0062.JPG

cont'd in next post.
 
Here are some closeups of the badging on the Compaq rack.
CIMG0065.JPGCIMG0066.JPG




The other is an open frame rack with no badging that I can find. 84" tall(incl wheels), 19" wide, 29" deep.

CIMG0067.JPG

Any special insight into the use of these racks? The racks I saw on Monoprice appear to have the support system in the middle of the rack structure, while these are supported in the four corners.
 
Looks like your basic computer rack as opposed to a relay rack . . . these are for computers instead of patch panels. Of course you can still put a patch panel in them (thats what I'm doing).
 
Oh, I want these computer cabinets. I have converted all my gears to rack mountable and all my computers using rack mountable chassis as well. It would be great if I had these cabinets. Using relay rack is a pain as I have to un-screwn the chassis to take everything out. But with cabinet, I can get rails so I can just slide the server out much easier.

How much did you pay for these racks? I think the cheapest I was able to find brand new from Blackbox is about $1500 with a standard door.
 
htsource said:
Oh, I want these computer cabinets. I have converted all my gears to rack mountable and all my computers using rack mountable chassis as well. It would be great if I had these cabinets. Using relay rack is a pain as I have to un-screwn the chassis to take everything out. But with cabinet, I can get rails so I can just slide the server out much easier.

How much did you pay for these racks? I think the cheapest I was able to find brand new from Blackbox is about $1500 with a standard door.
Click to expand...

They were asking $150 each. I paid $75 apiece.
 
Check out you rlocal craigslist if you live in or near a decent size city. They show up regularly. You can also check on E-Bay, just make sure you check the "search within XX miles" option and choose the max distance you are willing to drive to pick one up. The prices are pretty good on E-Bay as long as you don't have to pay for shipping (hence refining the search for local pickup). If you have to pay shipping, it is generally several hundred dollars and must be shipped freight which means paying extra to send it to a residence with no loading platform.

I've picked my rack up locally, and now I am looking for a rack for my parents system.
 
Thank you guys, I found a local store a while back, they specialized in used computer gears and they had a few cabinets. They were not cheap unfortunately, I think they were in the balk park of $600 each.
 
Does anyone think I will need mounting rails for these racks? It seems to me a heavy matrix switch or a shelf to hold heavy AV receivers would not be sturdy simply mounted to the front vertical brackets. . . But I've never done this before.
 
AceCannon said:
Does anyone think I will need mounting rails for these racks? It seems to me a heavy matrix switch or a shelf to hold heavy AV receivers would not be sturdy simply mounted to the front vertical brackets. . . But I've never done this before.
Click to expand...
I think, depending on the depth of the heavy equipment, you would need some type of rail, or at least some metal angle channel to mount on the sides of the rack to support the equipment's bottom/sides.

Looks like you already have some channel though based on THIS pic.
 
BraveSirRobbin said:
I think, depending on the depth of the heavy equipment, you would need some type of rail, or at least some metal angle channel to mount on the sides of the rack to support the equipment's bottom/sides.

Looks like you already have some channel though based on THIS pic.
Click to expand...

Excellent point. Those side rails look like they could easily be repositioned.
 
It's a different kind of rack, but this picture shows (sort of) how I've built a shelf in one of my racks. This rack is only about 15 inches deep. The computer in the top position is on a shelf made from two pieces of aluminum angle supporting a sheet of MDF. The front piece of aluminum is mounted to the rack rails. The rear piece is supported by L-brackets screwed to the rack "enclosure." The rear aluminum angle is upside down - the MDF hangs over the back.
 

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smee said:
It's a different kind of rack, but this picture shows (sort of) how I've built a shelf in one of my racks. This rack is only about 15 inches deep. The computer in the top position is on a shelf made from two pieces of aluminum angle supporting a sheet of MDF. The front piece of aluminum is mounted to the rack rails. The rear piece is supported by L-brackets screwed to the rack "enclosure." The rear aluminum angle is upside down - the MDF hangs over the back.
Click to expand...
If it has side mounts you can pickup some angled aluminum at home depot. I cut them into pieces and mounted them on the sides of the racks. It won't work for everything, but rack mount computers and other boxes that span most of the distance of the racks works.

Brian
 
for most of us i think these halfheight racks are plenty big...or least i would think so for my uses...

What do people do for rack mounting staff that wasnt meant to be that way....just fab up angles and shelves and stuff? For example Sage HD theater is not very mountable..
 
Timely resurrection.

I found a rack on eBay today, local - but I'm not buying it. I don't have anything to put in it yet!

The racks (8) are offered by a local computer reseller/recycler. The guy told me they get them in pretty regularly, so I'm in no hurry. 42U, $150, sides and doors. He said they were 40" deep, and he said that was pretty standard, but I've read of server racks that aren't that deep 34-40", variable.

Anyone find one more shallow?
 
I purchased this 4 post rack on ebay, item # 200293185273. 299 including shipping. There's 2 left. It's only 22 inches deep and that is adjustable to go even more shallow if needed. No doors/sides, but mine will be in a closet anyways, so its not as important.

Chicago area craigslist always has 40 inch deep 42U racks w/ doors/sides for around 100-150. I didn't want a 40 inch rack taking up too much space in my closet.
 
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