Move over LACK rack, HEJNE rack is here

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pc-tecky

Active Member
May 1, 2013
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So the wonderful folks at Ikea discontinued the (mostly 1"x4" soft pine wood) GORM series shelving units and replaced it with the (mostly 1"x3") HEJNE series shelving units. The design overall is identical, just the width of the wood is different which impacts overall depth dimensions. Both shelving units have either 3 slats or 5 slats. The GORM had ~15" and ~24" deep shelves while the HEJNE shelves are ~12" deep and 18.5" deep sitting on ~1.5" x ~1.5" cross brace at each end to complete the shelf using lag screws/bolts to attach the shelves to the upright posts (also 1"x3" or prior 1"x4"). The deeper 5-slat HEJNE shelf is rated for 110LBS/50KG. One could easily modify one or both ends to use a 1.5"x3" (2x4) ends instead for added strength and support for those front mounted hard drive heavy laden servers. So yeah, the perfect dimensions for a server rack. The vertical spacing is a touch (~3/8") taller than 2U (=3.5"; 1U=1.75" - if you didn't know) between mounted shelves (so 2U, 4U, 6U, etc). Enough room to pinch fingers and jam up on thicker power cables that might get in the way using just the ~2U spacing (yeah, rack the server first, then plug in the cables). You gain ~1.5" when used with 4U servers.

Of course, being made of wood makes it very easy to modify as well, with additional cross bracing, custom/home made wood, plywood, or steel doors and panels, and making a caster wheel base would require stronger/stiffer uprights or angle iron for added strength.

Each HENJE upright post is US $3 (or $6 for set of 2) and each ~19"x30" HENJE shelve with hardware is US $7 (or $14 for set of 2), $5 for the wire cross brace, and $2 for the plastic boots ($1 for 2 boots). Excluding taxes, I have a 6-shelf unit for about $60. Avoid 45° grains and knots right at the ends where lag screws go - they tend to crack, split, and break.
 

pc-tecky

Active Member
May 1, 2013
202
26
28
What? You want to see a photo?!? Ikea's HEJNE shelving unit as a server rack! And two shelves are broken - one split from a knot, and the other from 45° grains (core/center cut wood).

(err.. photo not embedded? a new learning curve.. ureka! find the URL for the actual photo to be posted and then link it...)




Slightly taller than 2U gap


Rear corner
 
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pc-tecky

Active Member
May 1, 2013
202
26
28
Wow. This really needs some stiffing with 2"x4" studs, C-channel, or angle iron, or even some plywood side panels - side to side and fore and aft. I figure some horizontal 1"x3" mounted outside with two tight holes per post drilled near the top and the middle should help reduce the fore and aft wobble. It'll be fine so long as you don't bump it, but it quickly gets wobbly as you move up the ladder. Time to hit up a home improvement store.
 
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