These aluminum extrusions are called T-Slot, or as McMaster-Carr calls it, "T-Slotted Framing". Very common in industry; we have it everywhere on the Boeing factory floors. Not cheap, but very durable and reusable. Highly recommended.<p>Check it out starting on page 2240 of your McMaster-Carr 132 catalog. They have all kinds of things you can mount up like monitor arms. It's an erector set toy for engineers. ;)
I didn't originate this idea, but if you're curious about other options... I found success using an IKEA Helmer for my home lab.<p><a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/helmer-drawer-unit-on-casters-black-20341970/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/helmer-drawer-unit-on-casters-b...</a>
Why use the original power bricks, with the space claim and awful routing, instead of just going to a single dc/dc... either directly if no individual power control is needed, or to a relay block or switch block if automated / manual individual control is needed?
Which part of this is a "rack"?
It would be cool to design custom aluminum brackets for the fans. However I found that although ordering 3D prints is very cheap, using (for example) PCBWay for CNCing something out of aluminum is very expensive.
This looks good: I've got three HP NUCs like in TFA + three Pi <i>on my desk</i> (got more than that altogether) and it's indeed a cable mess.<p>> Aluminium extrusions are bars with a groove on all four sides. These bars have a standard format and you can slide all kinds of equipment in there and lock it in place with set screws. It seems to be used a lot for home made 3D printers, CNC machines and whatnot.<p>They're also called "T-slot" and 80/20 (from the brand).<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-slot_structural_framing" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-slot_structural_framing</a><p>Plenty of free 3D models for tiny parts for those that can be printed at home (careful though: most won't hold much weight).
Built something fairly similar about 15 years ago. The cheapest way by far to do it is get everything you need off Aliexpress except the alu sheets which you can typically get as offcuts from local manufacturers, I was lucky enough to pick up some odd shapes that had been used for signage for next to nothing that I could cut to the right size. Since you need to buy bags of 50 or more of the M5 fixings, you an bundle them up and recover some or all of the cost by selling them locally once you've used the few you need.
we call that a shelf.
Awww, its so adorable