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Print 10" 1–4U Draft

PrintableRacks R23D printed 10-inch homelab rack

The easy one. Each side is a single printed loop with the rails built in, joined by a top and a bottom plate with eight M6 screws. Eight printed parts and about 20 minutes to put together with one hex key. Up to 4U per unit; for more height you stack two. It is a first draft that nobody has printed or load-tested yet; a free 4U print kit is in the builder.

Opens the “PrintableRacks R2 · 4U · Homelab” starter build, which passes every check. Opening it replaces the rack saved in this browser.

PrintableRacks R2 rendered from its CAD: two one-piece printed sides with the rack holes built in, a dark top plate with a fan grille and a dark ribbed base plate.
Rendered from our CAD. Not printed yet.

Key facts

PrintableRacks R2 specs

TypePrint it yourself (first draft; free 4U print kit in the builder)
Rack standard10-inch (254 mm panels)
Heights1U, 2U, 3U, 4U
Usable depth230 mm
Outer size at 4U262 x 230 x 224 mm (W x D x H, as drawn in the builder)
Opening between rails222 mm
FasteningEight M6 button-head screws into captive nuts, one 4 mm hex key. Gear bolts into M6 square nuts held in a printed cassette inside each rail
Smallest printer bed256 mm
FilamentAbout 765 g at 4U
Load ratingNone: not load tested yet

PrintableRacks' own design. Print files exist for 4U and were checked in software and sliced (about 765 g of PETG and 25.6 hours, or 805 g with the rear brace), but nobody has printed one yet. Use PETG or ASA; PLA softens near warm gear.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

  • Eight printed parts and eight screws; about 20 minutes to assemble with one hex key
  • Each side is a single printed loop with the rails built in, so there are no posts to square up
  • No cage nuts and no heat-set inserts: square nuts sit in a cassette behind a solid 3 mm rail wall
  • Every part lies flat on a 256 mm bed and prints without supports
  • Top plate has a fan grille for a 120 mm fan

Trade-offs

  • Not printed or load tested by anyone yet; treat it as a first draft
  • 4U at most per unit on a 256 mm bed; go taller by stacking two units
  • Fixed 230 mm depth
  • The wall beside each rail nut is 2 mm thick, so do not over-tighten
  • Open front and back: add the optional rear brace if it sways

What fits in the PrintableRacks R2?

Counted from the 706-part catalog at the frame’s tallest height (4U) and deepest option (230 mm). Loose devices are checked on the shelf named beside them.

Fits, for example

  • Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny (M720q / M920q)1U on the printed 1U shelf; 47 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.
  • Raspberry Pi 5 (8 GB)1U on the printed 1U shelf; 174 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.
  • UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra1U on the printed 1U shelf; 102.4 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.
  • Synology DS423+4U on the printed 1U shelf; 7 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.
  • HP EliteDesk 800 Mini (G4-G6)1U on the printed 1U shelf; 55 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.
  • Dell OptiPlex Micro (7080 / 7090)1U on the printed 1U shelf; 52 mm to spare at 230 mm deep.

Does not fit cleanly

  • Synology DS224+Sticks out 2.7 mm4U on the printed 1U shelf; 230 mm deep frame.
  • Synology DS225+Sticks out 2.7 mm4U on the printed 1U shelf; 230 mm deep frame.
  • UniFi USW-Enterprise-8-PoESticks out 18 mm2U on the printed 2U shelf; 230 mm deep frame.
  • Framework DesktopToo shortNeeds 5U; the tallest PrintableRacks R2 is 4U.

Questions about the PrintableRacks R2

Will a 1-litre mini PC fit in the PrintableRacks R2?

Yes. A 1-litre mini PC such as the Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny (M720q / M920q) (179 x 34.5 x 183 mm) takes 1U on the printed 1U shelf and leaves 47 mm spare at 230 mm deep.

Will a 2-bay NAS fit in the PrintableRacks R2?

Only with an overhang. A 2-bay NAS such as the Synology DS224+ (108 x 165 x 232.7 mm) takes 4U on the printed 1U shelf, but at 232.7 mm deep it sticks out 2.7 mm behind the 230 mm frame.

Can I download and print the PrintableRacks R2?

Yes, at 4U. A free print kit (.3mf, opens in Bambu Studio and other slicers) for the 4U build is in the builder: open the frame, open the Parts list and choose Download print kit; it needs a free account. The kit has a small test piece: print that first. Other heights have no files yet. It is still a first draft, checked in software and sliced, but nobody has printed or load-tested one. The files are free for personal, non-commercial use (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

Does the PrintableRacks R2 have a load rating?

No. Nobody has load-tested it yet, so keep heavy gear out until someone has. The builder still adds up the weight of your parts.

Who designed the PrintableRacks R2?

Designed by PrintableRacks. A free print kit (.3mf, opens in Bambu Studio and other slicers) for the 4U build is in the builder: open the frame, open the Parts list and choose Download print kit; it needs a free account. The kit has a small test piece: print that first. Other heights have no files yet. It is still a first draft, checked in software and sliced, but nobody has printed or load-tested one. The files are free for personal, non-commercial use (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Open the PrintableRacks R2 in the builder to get it, or see our five frames side by side.

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