Ceiling Hanging "U" Racks

[Stereodude]

I've got a few 1U and 2U items (switch, CAT6 patch panel, F connector patch panel, etc) in my unfinished basement that I want to put in a rack instead of having them sitting on top of a box, but I don't want any sort of large floor standing unit. Wall mounting into the concrete walls in my basement isn't an option I'm willing to consider. I want something that will hang from the ceiling. I'm not looking for any sort of sealed up rack with a door. It can basically be a hanging frame.

I haven't seen anything like this though. So far it looks like I will have to work something up out of wood that will let me hang a wall mount rack.

Any suggestions?

 

[ddrueding]

I've done something like this and hung it from the ceiling before. I was paranoid, and bridged several joists...don't think it was necessary.

 

[Stereodude]

That's ghetto-tastic, but it just might work.

 

[Mercutio]

I really like my Netshelter WX. It's in my living room. I use it as a tall coffee table.

 

[ddrueding]

Hey, I painted mine with the textured black stuff...it looked sweet.

 

[Howell]

Mounting to 2x4s screwed to the concrete is out?

What about a 2-post rack? If you don't have large servers the footprint will not be large.

 

[Stereodude]

Mounting to 2x4s screwed to the concrete is out?

I plan to finish the basement down the road, and I would like to minimize the amount of fastening thing to the concrete.

What about a 2-post rack? If you don't have large servers the footprint will not be large.

I don't intend to put any computers in the rack. It will just be patch panels and a switch and maybe a shelf or two to hold a cable modem, etc.

 

[Howell]

Ah, got it. Then I would just use a couple of the cavities between the ceiling/floor joists and build out shelving. Use angle brackets and finished plywood the width of the gap (probably 16" centers). It would be a lot easier that trying to construct a rack for that stuff.

 

[Stereodude]

Ah, got it. Then I would just use a couple of the cavities between the ceiling/floor joists and build out shelving. Use angle brackets and finished plywood the width of the gap (probably 16" centers). It would be a lot easier that trying to construct a rack for that stuff.

I just checked and the joist run the opposite way from what I remembered. It looks like two of these with a 2x4 (or similar) fastened to each side and then to the joist overhead might do the trick.

 

[LOST6200]

I donut underrstabd teh whole basement thing, but it sounds diffilt to acces/servicio thye computers. Is space so limititted?

 

[Stereodude]

I donut underrstabd teh whole basement thing, but it sounds diffilt to acces/servicio thye computers. Is space so limititted?

I donut underrstabd wahts so hard to underrstabd. I have a the equivilint of a netwurk closet in the bassmint. Their are sevural patch panils, a switch, cabil modam, and oen server.

What dont yu get?

 

[Stereodude]

Well, I got all the stuff from Monoprice.com today.

I ordered three of the 12.25" x 19" x 12" / 7U wall mount brackets. I will screw them into two 4' long 3/4" x 10" pine boards (one on each side) which will be fastened to the joist above with some angle iron.

 

[ddrueding]

Sounds like a straightforward approach. Try to get some pictures for us?

 

[Stereodude]

Try to get some pictures for us?

Of course...

This is where it will go:


You can see the joist that the rack will attach to at the top of the picture.

I put these electrical outlets in last weekend.





The GFI is required by code for basements, and a GFI outlet is a lot cheaper than a GFI breaker. They are on a new 20A breaker. I can assure you that working with 12 gauge wire is a real pain in the butt. Especially when you've got to get a wire nut on 5 of them. It turns out only the largest wire nuts are even rated to take 5 12ga wires. Oh well... It's all together and working. :bomb:

Before everything was powered from an extension cord running across the floor of the basement to the single outlet down there. In case you were wondering, code only requires one outlet is required in the unfinished portion of a basement.

 

[ddrueding]

Every once in a while I think it would be nice to have a basement, but it adds quite a bit to the cost of a house vs. building on a slab (or even normal footings).

 

[LunarMist]

We don't have many basements in SoCal.

 

[ddrueding]

...or NorCal for that matter.

 

[Mercutio]

I think I missed the part of school where men learn what things like "joists" and "dadoes" are.

 

[Stereodude]

Every once in a while I think it would be nice to have a basement, but it adds quite a bit to the cost of a house vs. building on a slab (or even normal footings).

Heh... Up here houses without basements are fairly uncommon. Personally, I wouldn't buy a house without a basement.

 

[Stereodude]

Here's where the rack sits as of right now.



You can get a basic idea of how I plan to attach it with angle iron to the bottom of ceiling / floor joist courtesy of the 2x4's sitting on top of it.

 

[ddrueding]

I had no construction skill whatsoever a few years ago. Since then I've had two big things on my wish list; build my own house and build my own car. The house is going to be easier, so I'm starting my studies there.

 

[LunarMist]

Heh... Up here houses without basements are fairly uncommon. Personally, I wouldn't buy a house without a basement.

You don't have much flooding or earthquakes there?

 

[LunarMist]

I think I missed the part of school where men learn what things like "joists" and "dadoes" are.

I missed that part too. I think it was the same class that teaches about piston rods and crankshafters.

 

[LunarMist]

That reminds me of this classic scene from Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House .

CARPENTER
(pointing up)
On them second floor lintels between the lally columns, do you want we should rabbet them or not?

JIM BLANDINGS
(lost)
The -- second -- floor -- lallys?

CARPENTER
The second floor lintels, between the lallys.

JIM BLANDINGS
Oh. Oh, the lintels between the lallys?

CARPENTER
Yeah. From the blueprints you can't tell. You want they should be rabbeted?

Jim throws a brief look at Muriel who is regarding him skeptically.

JIM BLANDINGS
Un -- umm. No, I guess not.

CARPENTER
Okay, you're the doctor.
(calls)
Hey, fellas, you got any of them rabbeted lintels set, rip 'em out!

 

[ddrueding]

That is a favorite movie from my childhood. I like the next bit, where all this wood is being ripped out and is falling around him:

"It sounded cheaper to say no."

 

[Stereodude]

You don't have much flooding or earthquakes there?

Earthquakes, no. Flooding, not in my neighborhood.

 

[Stereodude]

I missed that part too. I think it was the same class that teaches about piston rods and crankshafters.

FWIW, I didn't learn any of this stuff in school either. It's pretty much all stuff I learned from my Dad plus a little online education.

 

[Stereodude]

Here's the update for today:



As you can see the rack is now up. It's pretty darn solid. I have most of the stuff installed in it. I still need to hook up all the RG-6 runs in the house through the Ortronics patch panel though. I also need to tack down all the RG-6 and CAT6 runs to the ceiling in the basement and then bundle them a bit better. :rabbit:

Overall, here is where things stand now:



Overall, I'd have to say it's a little bit better than it was. :wink:

 

[ddrueding]

"Meticulously handmade with pride in the PRC"

That sounds a hell of a lot better than "Made in China"

Nice sub, though.

 

[Stereodude]

Nice sub, though.

??? ???

 

[ddrueding]

??? ???

Nevermind, got the size wrong. (The box you were using for your networking gear before) - RS450?

 

[sechs]

I think I missed the part of school where men learn what things like "joists" and "dadoes" are.

Fill a few bored moments with episodes of "This Old House" and "The New Yankee Workshop."

 

[Stereodude]

Nevermind, got the size wrong. (The box you were using for your networking gear before) - RS450?

Hah... :smack: No, RS1000's. The bottom of the joists are ~9' off the concrete floor, so things are larger than they first might seem.

 

[ddrueding]

Sweeeet.

 

[Mercutio]

Fill a few bored moments with episodes of "This Old House" and "The New Yankee Workshop."

I don't think it's possible to be bored enough to make that worth watching.

 

[ddrueding]

I have, in fact, watched all of those. I even have a subscription to This Old House magazine. At some point I will start a thread on tool recommendations.

 

[Handruin]

I enjoy those shows. Reading/watching/listening about politics is far more boring than watching those shows.

 

[sechs]

I don't think it's possible to be bored enough to make that worth watching.

But Norm uses a lot of biscuits and glue!

 

[ddrueding]

Not only that, have you seen his custom biscuit cutting tool with vacuum attachment? Damn.

 

[Mercutio]

When I went on a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home in Oak Park, Illinois, the docent was a lot more excited that Bob Vila had paid a visit with his TV show a few weeks before than he was about the fact that he got to work every day in the home of the master of 20th century architecture.