AGAIN? Another evolution of your lab???
If you’ve been following the lore of my blog a bit, you know I have as many versions of my homelab as years of experience XD.
2025 will be no exception. In early 2024, I embarked on the construction of a rack based on aluminum profiles and 3D printing (in french), based on a project sent by a friend on Whatsapp!
But in use, I found it massive, not very practical, not very pretty… in short, not adapted to my needs.
Except that (I’ve already mentioned it) I’ve since gotten into 3D printing and a bit (by force of circumstance) into 3D modeling (they often go hand in hand). I said to myself: why not create my own project that fits my needs?
So I wanted to explore a homemade solution for my homelab, 3D printed, that would be both modular and stackable. The idea was to offer an adaptable system according to needs, with a simple and effective design.
A design designed for organization
The MicroStack Rack is designed to neatly store several Dell OptiPlex Micro while maximizing space. It consists of three different modules for now:
- The PC module, which accommodates a Dell Micro (all generations) and its external power supply at the back for more practicality.
- The storage module, an empty compartment for accessories, network switch or other equipment.
- The hat, an optional element that covers the rack for a cleaner rendering.
All modules are stackable, allowing you to adapt the configuration according to your number of machines.
Even though I printed the prototype in PLA, I recommend using PETG instead, which resists heat better than PLA. However, these machines remain rather cool at idle and the honeycomb floor improves ventilation (and reduces material consumption). Maybe it works too.
How long does it take to do this kind of project?
A quick note on time spent.
I haven’t done much 3D design in the past (I made a few maps on Unreal Tournament 2004… oh my…, that was 20 years ago!!!). So, I thought it might be interesting to share how long it took me.
The modeling was done in three sessions of 2 hours:
- 2h to take measurements, make an initial prototype and get familiar with Blender.
- 2h to create the module dedicated to the Dell Micro.
- 2h to add the storage module and the hat (it goes faster, I’ve already done part of the work and I’m more efficient in my use of Blender).
We can add an hour or two for handling the 3D printer (launching the print, checking it doesn’t fail a few minutes in, cleaning the plate after printing, etc.) and 3-4 hours for the “social” part (photos, upload to makerworld, writing descriptions and blog post, sharing on social networks).
A nice little side project of about ten hours then.
Files and evolutions
As promised on Bluesky where I teased the project, the files were created under Creative Commons 4.0 BY-SA license (STL formats and Blender sources), but this is incompatible with MakerWorld exclusive policy (obviously) so the 3MF files are in Standard Digital File Licence:
A version compatible with Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny is planned for the future (I was asked on Bluesky).
If this project interests you, feel free to comment, share, provide feedback, or even boost the three models for those who have a MakerWorld account (it’s free, but it’s appreciated :-P).