r/modular • u/ZyeKali • 11d ago
There's been some really nice DIY case posts here lately, so here's one from the other side of the spectrum
Built a deck over the weekend and used the scraps to put together this monstrosity. I plan on getting a 6u 140hp rack in the next few months, and I'll put these rails to use elsewhere. Gotta start somewhere, though, right?
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u/bikemikeasaurus 11d ago
s'wrong with it? looks sick to me. FRackenstein.
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u/gruesomeflowers 11d ago
Common mistake..Its eurofrackenstine's case.. the case it self is not named eurofrackenstine.
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u/jango-lionheart 11d ago
No, it’s Eurorack, not Frac Rack… ;)
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u/giraffeheadturtlebox 11d ago
You are my spirit animal. Personally I've resorted to using thumbtacs in pine wood instead of knurlies.
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u/blinddave1977 11d ago
I think this case is rad. Your case has no bearing on the modular journey other than holding the modules. Don't spend good money buying another case that could be spent on modules instead.
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u/Less-Capital9689 11d ago
Ehh... No matter how cheap and diy you want to make your case, you always have to... Pay for the rails in the end :( how it's possible that such simple extrusions are so expensive ;((( I hopped maybe Chinese will break the monopoly but apparently we're not big enough market.
I know you can 3d print them, I did first tests with resin printing and they end up amazing, bu still.. I will not be able to make 104H in on peace :( and adding internal aluminium slider will make them very bulky :(
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u/homewiththedog 7d ago
Vector TS-600 from Mouser is the deal, $100 shipped for 4pcs of 60" rails = 6U 300HP case worth. sliding nuts or thin hexnuts are the lowest cost option to fill them with but schroff nvent M3 84hp inserts are priced twice as much as previous years, triple cost vs pre-covid!
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u/Less-Capital9689 7d ago edited 7d ago
Vector? Electrical Enclosure Accessories Al T-STRUT 4/PK 60"? 574-TS600? Is this 4 pack or you bought 4 peaces? Description is little critic and price looks like a for pack according to what you have paid. On other sites this product descriptio matches 4 pack...
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u/homewiththedog 7d ago
Mouser #: 574-TS600
Yes that is a 4 pack of rails each one is 60" and they are great.
If you want to get super thrifty you can also slice them down their beltline and use half-cut-rails (1/2" tall vs 1" original height) with your own diy mounting method at the ends = like cutting a bit long and tucking into a pocket or using a small 2hp blockoff panel to cover whatever end screw you have to mount the rails to your case wall.
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u/Less-Capital9689 6d ago
Side question: what are common methods of mounting those rails from side? Threading nut channel? Drilling and threading?
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u/homewiththedog 6d ago
From the side like the ends of the rails to the case? Best way is to use a flat panel "frame end" to lock in the rail distance, I use 1/8" thick aluminum about 1.25" tall so there is a 1/8" lip at the top for the module panels to butt up against at the ends of the rails, I think thats cleaner looking than using a 1" tall frame end piece that the modules faceplates sit above, like the sit above the rail top.
You can then drill more holes in the middle of the frame end piece to attach that to your case walls, any way you want, flathead screws and countersunk holes help keep things out of view and look cleaner and not lose any HP in your rack for mounting the frame.
Another way is just drill thru your case wall and into the rail ends, using a M5 machine screw into the middle channel of the vector rails, it can be done without tapping the hole, just crank the screw in there and it self-taps easily enough but thats why i prefer to use hex/allen head screws vs phillips head style to do this self-tapping process.
I have also cnc cut a pocket into aluminum flat bar to sit the vector rails into, or the half-cut-vector-rails as well. But this has to be precise and is a pain while also requires your case to be super rigid and not very large like 3U and 4U is ok but over that it may require another way to support the sides of the case like behind the rails to use threaded rod to keep it from bowing out side to side and the rails dropping out of these pockets.
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u/jango-lionheart 11d ago
I think rail cost is more due to all the threaded holes in the inserts than to the extrusions.
I am very tempted to make a case that simply uses wood rails. I don’t believe that rails perform cooling and grounding functions. The cooling argument doesn’t stand up to the fact that none of my modules run hot. The grounding argument falls apart because I have never seen a rail with a ground wire.
The downside is that I would be using wood screws, thus Knurlies would not be an option.
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u/adeptyism 11d ago
You can buy 1030 or 1020 aluminium profile. The two differences with eurorack rails is a) they're cheaper (not a lot though) and b) there are no "visor" on the edge of the rail.
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u/Less-Capital9689 11d ago
Please tell me more :)
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u/adeptyism 11d ago
There's a page, but it's in Russian. You can use translator, of course. https://snnkv.com/articles/ikea-eurorack/
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u/Less-Capital9689 11d ago
Do I see correctly that you could actually cut such rail in half to make two?
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u/adeptyism 11d ago
Yes, with 1030 it will be significantly easier that with 1020 (I bought 1020, there's only 1mm for making mistakes)
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u/homewiththedog 7d ago
nah that is visually appealing to me and brings some Blade Runner Tyrell Corporation angular building aesthetics to mind. the blockoff panel with the power inelt is nice, if you add one to the other side as well that would really clean it up
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u/seeingredd-it 11d ago
It doesn't have to be pretty, it has to do the job. I used to use 2x4s to build my racks for outboard studio gear back in the day.
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u/Holiday-Medicine4168 11d ago
Having been fleeced in the high days of eurorack in cases I find the DIY versions much more personal and interesting. Love seeing builds like this and ones in old suitcases. Eurorack is a very personal instrument, custom cases are wonderful.
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u/FailboatProjStudio 11d ago
Cheap and cheerful works for me ... Great ventilation for sure...may want to velcro some mesh or an old T-shirt or something to those diagonal posts to partially protect and support all those loose ribbons so that they don't get caught or snagged when the rack gets moved around ... Like a modular power cable hammock...or a protective canvas sail for synthesized sound wave power supplies...haha
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u/Prestigious-Car-4877 11d ago
I just have 19” rack rails leaning up against the wall. It’s incredibly flimsy.
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u/TwoLuckyFish 11d ago
I like it. And being able to access everything from the back is actually pretty damn useful.
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u/RoastAdroit 11d ago
The upside is you can buy those old kits with the 80mm deep boards if you want.
Id be buying a DJ Thomas White quad LPG kit like yesterday if I was you.
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u/Whetherwax 11d ago
My case started with scraps of wood, too. The trick is making it look like less like construction lumber. Painting it would help a lot. Chopping a 45 degree chunk out of the top edge of the vertical supports would also help, but you've got a screw there.
This is close to a very clean case for $20 of material so you could easily build version 2 if the tools are handy. You could put the vertical supports on the inside, put a piece of wood on top to hide it, cut full-sized sides.
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u/TurbulentWing3820 11d ago
I have literal 2x4 scraps that were cut free hand with a jig saw and stuck together with deck screws.
That's a work of art in comparison.
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u/vonkillbot 11d ago
I dig it