A space‑efficient 10U, 10‑inch mini server rack made from aluminum extrusions and custom 3D‑printed components to house and power my entire homelab infrastructure
I wanted a compact 10‑inch server rack for my homelab, but most 3D‑printed designs felt too fragile for long‑term use. Instead, I built the rack from aluminum extrusions, which are stiffer, allow accessories to be bolted on anywhere, and are actually cheaper than traditional rack rails where I live.
This repository documents my attempt to build a low‑cost, space‑efficient homelab rack using aluminum beams instead of standard or 3D‑printed rails. The hardware installed in this rack comes from refurbished or discarded machines I restored, so this setup is not meant to be replicated part‑for‑part. Instead, use the CAD, wiring, and photos as a template and adapt the hardware list to whatever systems you have on hand.
Treat this as a descriptive log of what I built rather than a prescriptive guide. There are almost certainly cleaner, stronger, or easier ways to achieve the same result, but this write‑up may still serve as useful inspiration if you want to build a small rack from aluminum extrusions.
| Folder | Description |
|---|---|
/CAD/ |
Fusion 360 source file and exported STEP model of the rack and some individual components I designed |
/3D print files/ |
3MF files for my designs and the remixes |
/docs/ |
Build photos, BOM, and wiring diagrams |
| Slot | System | Specifications | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Top) | Lenovo M600 ThinkCentre Tiny | 8 GB RAM, Intel Pentium J3710, 128GB SSD | Proxmox Backup Server instance |
| 2 | AsRock Deskmini 110 Motherboard | 8 GB RAM, Intel i5‑7400 | Virtualization server, running Proxmox |
| 3 | Asus P9D‑I Motherboard | 8 GB ECC RAM, Xeon E3‑1220 V3 | File server, running TrueNAS Scale |
| 4 | Ventilation panels | Left empty for future expansion | |
| 5 | TP‑Link SG108 | Gigabit Switch | General purpose networking |
| 6 | Patch Panel | 12x RJ45 Ports installed on a 3D printed path panel | For neat cable routing (and coolness factor) |
| 7 | Dell PowerEdge Hot Swap Caddies | Left empty for future expansion | |
| 8 | Dell PowerEdge Hot Swap Caddies | 2× 2 TB Seagate Exos | Storage in RAID1 configuration connected to TRUENAS |
Power supply for the harddisks and Asus motherboard : Standard ATX PSU mounted at rear. A flex PSU would have been cleaner, but again, I wanted to repurpose what I had lying around as much as possible.
Power draw is measured at the wall using a smart plug; and the temperatures were monitored separately from Proxmox and TrueNAS web UI. Everything is passively cooled for now (excluding the CPU-mounted coolers), but I plan on turning on the 4040 fans when the summer comes if the ambient temperature increases.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Power Draw | ~60 W idle |
| CPU Temps | 40–42 °C average |
| HDD Temps | 40–42 °C average |
| Cooling Mode | Passive idle, active fans under load |
| Component | Specification / Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | 2020 Aluminum Extrusion, yellow powder coated | If you order them from Misumi, you can get it pre-cut. I ordered from Misumi Japan. |
| Dimensions | 490 mm tall, 262mm wide, 290mm deep | With the current dimensions, it can fit up to 10U of panels. |
| Side Panel Windows | 1mm orange acrylic panel | Secured using hot glue to the 3D printed frame |
| Fasteners | Hammerhead t-nuts and M5 bolts | Allows me to install and uninstall panels easily |
- Design and integrate a 10‑inch managed PDU, ideally with per‑outlet current sensing.
- Add ambient and exhaust temperature sensors to log trends alongside power usage.
- Inspired by Jeff Geerling’s compact rack setup.
- Remixed assets from various sources online and r/minilab community for inspiration.