Fake server blank ideas

[WVLTT]

I have a lot of extra space (U's/Units) in my homelab rack. Considering I am very poor compared to my fellow server mates, I've been thinking of ways to fill that space.

#1. Put in a desktop. Not feasible (for me). I don't have enough sockets on my PS to make it work anyways.

#2. Fill it with black/white blanks. These are fine I guess, but are boring, which is what we don't want!

#3. Spend more money to buy servers for the rack. Not feasible- you know why.

 

So why not combine #2 and #3? Think about it: A 3D printable rack blank that mocks a server or switch.

It would be printable in 2-3 pieces and when put in a rack, would look like you actually own the hardware.

Things I've been considering: Ubiquity's Dream Machine SE/Pros, Large Switches, Expensive 1-2U servers like the Dell PowerEdges with the hexagonal fronts.

This might even be cheaper and less time consuming than having to go on a quest searching for bezels, etc. And just hot gluing them to ears. What do we think?   

[Fasauceome]

3D printed RMUs with really weird I/O for very fringe use cases. Bring back eSATA. External U.2 to thunderbolt, why not. 

[OhioYJ]

Your fakes are going to look like fakes, especially to anyone in the tech space and that's going to worse than open space (in my opinion). 

 

I don't think there is anything wrong with open space, but it kind of sounds like you may be wasting space in your home with a much larger rack than you need. 

[Zando_]

How many Us are free? If its a lot just install shelves (they aren't too expensive) and store your misc IT stuff on 'em, boxes of random cables and screws and stuff like that, which you tend to accumulate if you do lots of home IT projects. 

[danalog]

Pick up some old/fried rack hardware from recyclers? Way easier than printing fakes and won't look 3D printed either 

[WVLTT]

Okay well the point is that they won't look like fakes. They'll have depth to them and since they'll be stacked, you can't tell they're not real. If I made a new thread with unknowing people and a 4K photo of it, they likely wouldn't know. Through my glass, you can't see the layer lines. It's not like it's some crappy 3D printer. It can be sanded. Like if I printed a Dream Machine SE, the ethernet ports would be inlayed with black etc. You would have no idea. Especially if it's between switches. I don't see why not. Sure it may cost $5 to buy online, but to ship that whole thing, yeah right I'm not doing that. Printing It only takes some time, but if you do it right, it won't cost that much. I would pick up some servers if I could, but there's almost no chance of finding anything. I'm located in Dallas- so I wouldn't even know where to look. Not like Equinix would have anything although I wish they would.

[Zando_]

2 hours ago, WVLTT said:

would look like you actually own the hardware.

This is like putting a Hellcat badge on a V6 Challenger. 

 

Anyone who knows shit will spot the fakes, I guess if you really wanna lie to noobs in order to... impress them? Then go ahead? 

 

This idea seems like a lot of wasted filament for 0 gain. 

[Blue4130]

51 minutes ago, WVLTT said:

Okay well the point is that they won't look like fakes. They'll have depth to them and since they'll be stacked, you can't tell they're not real. If I made a new thread with unknowing people and a 4K photo of it, they likely wouldn't know. Through my glass, you can't see the layer lines. It's not like it's some crappy 3D printer. It can be sanded. Like if I printed a Dream Machine SE, the ethernet ports would be inlayed with black etc. You would have no idea. Especially if it's between switches. I don't see why not. Sure it may cost $5 to buy online, but to ship that whole thing, yeah right I'm not doing that. Printing It only takes some time, but if you do it right, it won't cost that much. I would pick up some servers if I could, but there's almost no chance of finding anything. I'm located in Dallas- so I wouldn't even know where to look. Not like Equinix would have anything although I wish they would.

How many empty u's do you have? Surely you can find something real to put in them.

[WVLTT]

4 hours ago, Zando_ said:

This is like putting a Hellcat badge on a V6 Challenger. 

 

Anyone who knows shit will spot the fakes, I guess if you really wanna lie to noobs in order to... impress them? Then go ahead? 

 

This idea seems like a lot of wasted filament for 0 gain. 

Yo, It's just to look cool lmao why people be building G3 macs with modern hardware then

[Zando_]

12 minutes ago, WVLTT said:

Yo, It's just to look cool lmao why people be building G3 macs with modern hardware then

Because it's fun to see what hardware people choose for sleepers and how they fit it inside the chassis. It's interesting because it both is not what it looks like, and it's still something interesting. 

[LIGISTX]

This is some wild new level of fomo, or something…

 

”I have a server rack that isn’t full, people will think less of me” 

 

I don’t make posts like this often, but this is something else… don’t worry about the fact you have empty U’s, who cares? No one who knows what a server rack looks like is going to look at a rack with empty slots and “care”. At least half of my U’s are empty and nothing at all wrong with that. Just be happy you have a rack at all… that’s pretty first world cool factor all on its own. 

[OhioYJ]

6 hours ago, WVLTT said:

Yo, It's just to look cool lmao why people be building G3 macs with modern hardware then

That's different. If you are were talking about putting a 10G switch into an old 10/100 switch housing or something, then yeah. Cool sleeper ideal. 

 

3D printed blanks to "fake" hardware, no. That's going down to the AutoParts store and buying a chrome V8 sticker for your Honda. Everyone will know. 

 

Look if you like the idea, have it, don't let us tell you different. To each their own. Have fun with it, we all do things that may not make sense to others. 

[OhioYJ]

5 hours ago, LIGISTX said:

At least half of my U’s are empty and nothing at all wrong with that.

Honestly I leave spaces on my rack, and want open space to help with cooling.  I also knew I didn't need a huge rack so I bought and modified a rack so it would be shorter, and shallow depth so it would fit where I needed it, and wouldn't take up unnecessary space: