The Hermit Build

[Nuzicx]

The Hermit Build

The Plan
This build has been designed with a network rack in mind, all my IT equipment
needs to fit inside the rack including my main workstation, server, cable tv,
amplifier, usb/network/power cords and UPS. I chose the Samson SRK8 8-Unit
Universal Rack for its low depth, as this rack is going on a 600mm table. I
purchased this from an audio equipment store. The floorplan space is quite small
(about 1.6m x 2.6m), comprising of a walkway, office desk and wardrobe,
originally just an office space but I’ve converted it to a bedroom with a murphy
bed above the desk. With both an exterior and interior door.
Fiber ONT is adjacent to rack and mains GPO is behind the rack, additional ethernet
run is also behind rack, cabling has been done as neat as possible, and an
under table shelf has been used.

 

Network Setup
Speedtest.net 1000/50mbps Australian NBN Fibre main link with a designed LTE
20/5mbps failover connection in the event of the fiber down state. online UPS will
provide redundancy in the event of power failure (can happen 0-2 times a year for
0.5-5 hours), a Gentrax 2KW Generator is on hand for extended operations. Network is
simple with no vlans, minimal firewall rules, everything gets logged. I’ve choosen
wireless standards wifi-5 for its price point and that my most wireless devices aren’t
past that point and large transfers aren’t required.

 

Rack Layout

 

UPS
PowerShield Centurion RT 1000

An Australian company with a good reputation for UPS's, I Chose this model for
its short depth in the rack and dense battery capacity. A 1000VA online UPS with a
max load of 900w, typical idle is 25% with everything on inc workstation

or 50% under load/gaming.

 

Router
Mikrotik RB2011UiAS-RM

Mikrotik has been great does everything you'd expect from an enterprise solution,
this model can keep up with my 1gbps connection in fast-track mode, aka i'm limited

adding firewall rules, at this time i have no use for the firewall however this router will

be replaced should i find the need. My first purchase of a Mikrotik device was a hAP ac lite

followed by the mAP lite at a Mikrotik conference.

Server
SuperMicro Superserver 5018A-TN4

A low powered server to do a few basic functions, shown in topology map, all ssd
storage. The 5018A-TN4 barebones kit comes with rackmount case, motherboard
A1SAi-2750F, CPU Intel Atom C2750, fan. Additions I added where Ram 8GB, HBA
LSI 9200-8i, 2x HDD Bracket’s modified with drill for additional screw holes to
fix 4x 2.5” drives, Boot 120gb, Storage array 5x2tb RAIDZ-2, Jail/VM Mirror 2x240GB

 

Shelf Devices
    • Foxtel iQ4 (Cable TV), goes to 22" monitor on swivel above my bed with soundbar/subwoofer
    • Amplifier Yamaha WXA-50 for computer bookshelf speakers/subwoofer
    • USB Power Hubs (5 usb-a, 2 usb-c)
    • ZTE MU500

 

Power

• Mains is fed with an orange AU Plug so it's easily identifiable
• 4 IEC ports on UPS, workstation, server, one's a spare AU plug, and one plug goes to the 8 port GPO
• 8P GPO rack mounted (2 additional 2 way splitters are used as i ran out of ports) [note: buy second 8P GPO]

 

Workstation

 

OS
    • MX Linux 23
CPU
    • x86_64-v2 AMD 5800x
Motherboard
    • B450 AORUS M
Graphics
    • 2080 Ti
PSU
    • SilverStone ST1000-PT
RAM
    • G.Skill Flare 32GB 4xF4-3200C14-8GFX CL14-14-14-34 1.35V
NvMe
    • 2TB TM8FPK002T
HDD
    • 8tb Seagate Barracuda
CPU Cooler
    • Noctua NH-U12S
Case
    • TGC-43901 with generic fans 1x 120mm, 2x 60mm

Output Devices
    • Monitor Samsung C27JG5x (144Hz, 4ms, 1440p, Curved)
    • Amplifier Yamaha WXA-50
    • Speakers 8ohm, 100w, 87db
    • Subwoofer Presonus Temblor T10
    • Brother Mono Laser Printer (ink replacement is cheap on this one)
Input Devices
    • Idobao id80 v2 (Gateron Baby Racoon, Matt3o MT3 /dev/tty)
    • Tofo60 2.0 (Gateron CJ, MiTo XDA Canvas Custom)
    • Vortex Core (Cherry MX Blue, biip MT3 Operator)
    • Numpad Max Falcon 20 (Gateron Pink)
    • Macropad Stream Deck
    • Mouse Razer Deathadder v2
    • Mouse Razer Naga X
    • Mic Jabra Evolve 20 UC
    • Controller 8BitDo Pro 2 with dongle
    • Capture card Razer ripsaw x
    • Security Key 2FA YubiKey 5

 

 

[ view from desk ]

 

 

 

 

[ rack top, sticker collection ]

 

 

[ rack front ]

 

 

 

[ keyboards ]

 

 

 

[ cabling diagram ]

 

 

 

[ rack 2d side ]

 

 

[Bismut]

You win.
I am so thoroughly impressed by everything but the desk/beds construction and AC on the desk, wow. Also, what do you do with your rig? Make sure WW3 does not happen? The amount of redundancy when it comes to powering it is astonishing.

[Nuzicx]

12 minutes ago, Bismut said:

You win.
I am so thoroughly impressed by everything but the desk/beds construction and AC on the desk, wow. Also, what do you do with your rig? Make sure WW3 does not happen? The amount of redundancy when it comes to powering it is astonishing.

I mainly play Overwatch, BattleBit Remastered, Any Top-Down Games like Civilization 4, City Skylines, Age of Empires, Zombie Driver, Renegade Ops and I just started Guild Wars 2. I also play around with VM's and really should have gone with 64GB ram, but now I'm on linux my workstation is using 4.5gb instead of windows 14.5gb.

 

Yeah I used to work in a Fortune 500 company as a NOC in the data-center, thought I'd be best to replicate the same practices at home.

AC unit is planned to go under the desk or on the ground in front of the rack, haven't decided yet and a hole will need to be made through the wall.

I know bed looks abit shotty, thanks for the feedback, i could paint the untreated framing wood and those large brackets black, marine ply is already black so

 

The lifting mechanism is a 5 to 1 pulley system

 

[Bismut]

On 1/17/2024 at 7:03 PM, Nuzicx said:

I know bed looks abit shotty, thanks for the feedback, i could paint the untreated framing wood and those large brackets black, marine ply is already black so

It is alright, I was just a bit confused by how neat everything else was looking. What bothers me the most is the unpainted edge of the right piece of plywood, but blacking out those large brackets would be an improvement as well.

 

On 1/17/2024 at 7:03 PM, Nuzicx said:

The lifting mechanism is a 5 to 1 pulley system

Any particular reason you went with this instead of a two-pulley system? I am considering building a custom bunk bed as well but would likely go for two pulleys, one on either side, tied into the "feet" that I intend on having all the way up under the ceiling.

And may I ask why you decided to move into a closet? Did you find that you do not need more space? That sort of is the conclusion I reached for myself, I would start looking for a flat with a small bedroom if I decided to move again (which I am not going to, any time soon; it is such a damn hassle). Although I might start looking to buy a flat, which will likely take a while.

[Nuzicx]

9 hours ago, Bismut said:

It is alright, I was just a bit confused by how neat everything else was looking. What bothers me the most is the unpainted edge of the right piece of plywood, but blacking out those large brackets would be an improvement as well.

 

Any particular reason you went with this instead of a two-pulley system? I am considering building a custom bunk bed as well but would likely go for two pulleys, one on either side, tied into the "feet" that I intend on having all the way up under the ceiling.

And may I ask why you decided to move into a closet? Did you find that you do not need more space? That sort of is the conclusion I reached for myself, I would start looking for a flat with a small bedroom if I decided to move again (which I am not going to, any time soon; it is such a damn hassle). Although I might start looking to buy a flat, which will likely take a while.

I didn’t go with a 2 pulley system as it thought it would get in the way of climbing up. The eye bolt on the roof has to go 20cm inwards to reach the reinforced roof beam. Loosing 20cm out of 100cm felt like it would brush my shoulders and get in the way.

 

I was previously living in a small rooms and dorm, our house is owner build and has a master bedroom, 2 bedrooms upstairs and a renovated garage (which is rented out) I moved back home (upstairs) and helped renovate upstairs to have a kitchen and new bathroom. Moved out again. Then mother made the office space room along with a similar sized room from laundry, a 3rd toilet and 2nd front door for independent access to upstairs. I moved back home and with upstairs planning to be an air bnb, completed the office with draws/desk and closet, the Murphy bed. So circumstances led me to that but I have been quite happy with the outcome. I’m considering building a tiny house same length of room and a bit wider for a kitchen and adding on a bathroom, so it would end up being 2.6m x 2.2m and the bathroom 2m x 2.2m (haven’t sketched up the bathroom yet)

 

 

 

[Bismut]

3 hours ago, Nuzicx said:

I didn’t go with a 2 pulley system as it thought it would get in the way of climbing up. The eye bolt on the roof has to go 20cm inwards to reach the reinforced roof beam. Loosing 20cm out of 100cm felt like it would brush my shoulders and get in the way.

Really? I would have put them close to either end, leaving about 1m in between to get up onto the bed. Or is the beam running orthogonally to the bed and that was the only realistic spot?

 

3 hours ago, Nuzicx said:

I’m considering building a tiny house same length of room and a bit wider for a kitchen and adding on a bathroom, so it would end up being 2.6m x 2.2m and the bathroom 2m x 2.2m (haven’t sketched up the bathroom yet)

I have toyed with the idea as well, but finding a space to put it would be difficult here, especially because I want to continue living in the city. I could look for a small flat, or ideally two small flats right next to one another, just in case I need more space.

What are the plans for the tiny house, exactly? A washroom that is almost the size of the main room?

[Nuzicx]

3 hours ago, Bismut said:

Or is the beam running orthogonally to the bed and that was the only realistic spot?

Beam runs entire length, it can be done

3 hours ago, Bismut said:

What are the plans for the tiny house, exactly? A washroom that is almost the size of the main room?

This is what I have so far from toying around in autodesk fusion 360. An idea of a trailer, the image below is viewed from the front to back of a trailer, at the front is floorspace for a toilet on the left and shower on the right, sink would go in between.

 

Kitchen is on the left side with Murphy bed above. From top to bottom, front to back: General cooking prep area with a Cutlery draw and fridge below, sink and 2 burner with one huge double cupboard below with a shelf inside, divided into left and right sections, also a spice rack on rails, below that a long and not tall draw.

 

Right Side From top to bottom, front to back: Wardrobe with a clothes rack, small draw, battery bank and garbage bin. Then a cupboard with a desk below, this cupboard would house a pc with an air vent on the wall

 

Room under the floor for water/waste tanks and some extra storage lockers.

 

Car's only legally allowed to pull a ton without trailer brakes, so i think it would be right on the limit or over without filling up the water tank or home contents. It would need trailer brakes.

 

Exterior door would be at the back with some retractable steps and an awning. Solar on the roof. TV would sit above toilet/washbasin.

 

A clothes washing machine could be housed in a cabinet mounted on the trailer tongue with the gas bottles.

 

Total dimensions of this floorplan are 2133x1828mm without including the trailer tongue. Those dimensions were with 30mm foam and stainless steel walls/roof but i may do it with framing wood so it would be a smidge bigger and have more room to route power, water, hdmi, lighting, etc.

 

[Bismut]

6 hours ago, Nuzicx said:

This is what I have so far from toying around in autodesk fusion 360. An idea of a trailer, the image below is viewed from the front to back of a trailer, at the front is floorspace for a toilet on the left and shower on the right, sink would go in between.

 

Kitchen is on the left side with Murphy bed above. From top to bottom, front to back: General cooking prep area with a Cutlery draw and fridge below, sink and 2 burner with one huge double cupboard below with a shelf inside, divided into left and right sections, also a spice rack on rails, below that a long and not tall draw.

 

Right Side From top to bottom, front to back: Wardrobe with a clothes rack, small draw, battery bank and garbage bin

 

Room under the floor for water/waste tanks and some extra storage lockers.

 

Car's only legally allowed to pull a ton without trailer brakes, so i think it would be right on the limit or over without filling up the water tank or home contents. It would need trailer brakes.

 

Exterior door would be at the back with some retractable steps and an awning. Solar on the roof. TV would sit above toilet/washbasin.

 

A clothes washing machine could be housed in a cabinet mounted on the trailer tongue with the gas bottles.

 

Total dimensions of this floorplan are 2133x1828mm without including the trailer tongue. Those dimensions were with 30mm foam and stainless steel walls/roof but i may do it with framing wood so it would be a smidge bigger and have more room to route power, water, hdmi, lighting, etc.

 

That is very detailed, I would consider having the toilet be a pull-out into the shower and sort of seal the shower to trap any moisture and odour inside/have it exhausted directly with a dedicated vent.

I guess the reason for going with a trailer and not a box truck is price and flexibility? Are you planning to put windows in, and if so, where?

[Nuzicx]

A crazy monitor setup i once had