Server Rack enclosure for printer frame

I have been looking around at Rack Mounts Enclosures for servers to build my next printer inside of. Has anyone tried this yet, been looking around for ideas. Here is one on Ebay, but really just going to ask around to see if I can find a free used one or cheap on Craigslist. I got one a few years ago free, they had bunch of them for free, now I wish I would have grabbed one more.

Ebay Link

IMHO this can make a good base, even if it's pretty expensive. Two majors things to change : it's engineered for heat dissipation otherwise the printers enclosures are made to keep a constant temperature inside. So maybe you will need to close most of the grids and put some insulation (self adhesive ?). Then you'll need to drive some fresh air from the outside to the coldend and for part cooling. Last, your electronics must live outside that box. This is sheet metal, so it's not that easy to cut and drill in a clean way, especialy for larger openings. Maybe it's too much improvements to do on an expensive box. If you don't want to design and build your own enclosure, some second hand plastic electrical/industrial box, will be easier to adjust.

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Collective intelligence emerges when a group of people work together effectively. Prusa i3 Folger (A lot of the parts are wrong, boring !)

Thanks yes, that puts some new thought to the project.

Currently looking at a much larger cabinet (32"X32"X48") on wheels, thermostat controlled fans on the top (I will have to adjust the temp setting for these or put a toggle on them to disable for printing ABS), and has full power rail for 50.00. There is also another one with a battery bank UPS in the bottom for 75.00 not sure I would want to go that route. Still holding out looking for a free one though.

My current updated idea is I can build the printer in the top half and all the supplies and electronics in the bottom. Its used, but pretty good shape and comes with a divider and all the sides are closed off except the back so I will have to insulate the top half of the back panel and the smoked plexi on the front I may swap out for clear. I can pop some holes through the sheet metal divider with a hydraulic press cutter I have, so this isn't for everybody. I have some tools from building much larger equipment in the past. I will pop two holes in it for the Z Axis Leadscrews and one for the wiring going to the top half. The advantage to using a server encloser is I see them on craigslist allot for super cheap or free so saves a ton of money, but not available everywhere I just happen to live in a area that has allot of businesses that are moving their servers to newly built data centers.

My current printer is in a DIY metal box type frame so I should be able to copy it exactly just add it will be a little bigger, I am going to limit the build volume, to prevent it from being too large and end up having to buy more expensive parts, but I will leave it open to upgrading.

Focus of this project is to build myself a new printer and give my current one to a friend to pass on the hobby, so not looking to push the size limits on this one yet.

This is the cabinet I hoping to get, I have contacted them, but can't make it to them until this weekend and they may sell before then. $50 is pretty cheap for a $1500 cabinet.

Well figured out a deal and paid it with Paypal for a little protection if I need to get my money back or something, but got it for 50 bucks and going to pick it up Monday after work. Its been snowing so had to delay the pickup a bit, but excited to get started. I did some asking around and found a metal shop that I can get the smooth rods, Leadscrews, and aluminum plate made. Not sure if anyone has tried to just call a metal shop and ask for prices, wow so much cheaper than ordering online.

Now I just need to decide on the diameter for the rods after pricing them the bigger sizes are not very much different in price. 8mm seems to be the industry standard, but may be better to go a bit bigger.

Bigger is heavyer. Don't decide, calculate

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Collective intelligence emerges when a group of people work together effectively. Prusa i3 Folger (A lot of the parts are wrong, boring !)

Put my old printer in the Cabinet for now looks so small inside there. Actually the whole table and printer fit inside. I will pull it when I get ready to build it but thought it was fun to put it in there now.

Check out photo

Thanks for the suggestion on the rods, yeah I was thinking bigger is better. But the weight of the items would cause issues too much mass moving around. So revising my cad with smaller rods and doing some testing with scrap rods laying around for flex and doing the math for longer distances. I also looked at the drive mechanics to reduce the weight on those to reduce them from working as a flywheel and belt lengths between pulleys so there is less belt to cause the variations. Not going to reinvent the wheel or make it so big, but I am on the edge of normal sizes of things.