Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
major pain, indeed.
consider me an extruded rail convert
major pain, indeed.
consider me an extruded rail convert
Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
- Thread starter Simon Coffin
- Start date
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
M5 and 10/32 are almost exactly the same size. The heads of 10/32 rack screws are as large or larger than a standard M5 - are there M5 rack screws with oversized heads?
The extruded rails are fine until you don't have enough captive nuts in them. Or your screw is a little too long. Their only benefit is that if you strip a 'hole' it can be replaced.
M5 and 10/32 are almost exactly the same size. The heads of 10/32 rack screws are as large or larger than a standard M5 - are there M5 rack screws with oversized heads?
The extruded rails are fine until you don't have enough captive nuts in them. Or your screw is a little too long. Their only benefit is that if you strip a 'hole' it can be replaced.
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
Hey Jason,
Its actually quite easy. Just loosen all the screws by a turn and slide the equipment up or down as needed. If you loosen them too much, the threaded nuts tend to catch in the tracks. If you loosen them just enough to take the pressure off the rail, but not enough to let them twist, the equipment can usually be slid around reasonably easily.
If I know I'm going to be installing a piece of equipment later, I'll put however many threaded nuts are required in the track, eyeball the dimension and snug everything up. When the new piece arrives, adjust as necessary.
On a related note, rack rash is a thing of the past with the extruded rail. If you want to remove something, just loosen everything slightly, scoot things up and down a bit to make a bit of space and remove the item. No scratches, no dings. Installation is the reverse. Try that with a prethreaded, fixed distance rail. The only way you can do it is to remove all the screws in all of the devices and slide them to make space.
Ciao
Simon
Hey Jason,
Its actually quite easy. Just loosen all the screws by a turn and slide the equipment up or down as needed. If you loosen them too much, the threaded nuts tend to catch in the tracks. If you loosen them just enough to take the pressure off the rail, but not enough to let them twist, the equipment can usually be slid around reasonably easily.
If I know I'm going to be installing a piece of equipment later, I'll put however many threaded nuts are required in the track, eyeball the dimension and snug everything up. When the new piece arrives, adjust as necessary.
On a related note, rack rash is a thing of the past with the extruded rail. If you want to remove something, just loosen everything slightly, scoot things up and down a bit to make a bit of space and remove the item. No scratches, no dings. Installation is the reverse. Try that with a prethreaded, fixed distance rail. The only way you can do it is to remove all the screws in all of the devices and slide them to make space.
Ciao
Simon
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Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
Thanks for the Wikipedia link. That was an interesting read - accuracy and precision are generally used interchangeably, but they do have distinct definitions. I learned something new.
Using the definitions, I was referring to accuracy. My experience indicates that racks made in Europe, (at least ones I've seen from Germany, England and France) have good accuracy and precision. The half dozen American racks I have, exhibit neither accuracy or precision.
Ciao
Simon
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the Wikipedia link. That was an interesting read - accuracy and precision are generally used interchangeably, but they do have distinct definitions. I learned something new.
Using the definitions, I was referring to accuracy. My experience indicates that racks made in Europe, (at least ones I've seen from Germany, England and France) have good accuracy and precision. The half dozen American racks I have, exhibit neither accuracy or precision.
Ciao
Simon
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
Hey Tim,
You are right, a #10 and M5 screw are very close in size, 4.8mm for the #10, 5mm for the M5. In cross sectional area, the M5 is 7% bigger. Not sure if that is significant for the expected loads we put on the screws or not.
If you run out of captive nuts you slide more in. The rail is installed with one end open so the nuts can be added/removed.
The M5 screws I have were standard off the shelf things bought from a normal German hardware store, but they have a large head and take a #3 Phillips screwdriver vice the smaller #2. Picture attached. I use flat nylon washers to protect the equipment as well.
Yes, you are right, a weakness of the extruded rail is a too long screw can bottom out. Although in reality, a 15mm screw is usually used for all flat steel rack ears and cannot bottom out. The 20mm screw is used for thicker rack ears and can bottom out if used alone. In which case, to adopt the German mentality, you are using the wrong screw. Get the right size screw and do the job properly.
Ciao
Simon
Hey Tim,
You are right, a #10 and M5 screw are very close in size, 4.8mm for the #10, 5mm for the M5. In cross sectional area, the M5 is 7% bigger. Not sure if that is significant for the expected loads we put on the screws or not.
If you run out of captive nuts you slide more in. The rail is installed with one end open so the nuts can be added/removed.
The M5 screws I have were standard off the shelf things bought from a normal German hardware store, but they have a large head and take a #3 Phillips screwdriver vice the smaller #2. Picture attached. I use flat nylon washers to protect the equipment as well.
Yes, you are right, a weakness of the extruded rail is a too long screw can bottom out. Although in reality, a 15mm screw is usually used for all flat steel rack ears and cannot bottom out. The 20mm screw is used for thicker rack ears and can bottom out if used alone. In which case, to adopt the German mentality, you are using the wrong screw. Get the right size screw and do the job properly.
Ciao
Simon
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
I got two shallow 4U racks from Thomann last year. One to hold 4 1U pieces and one to hold a 3U piece at the top and run cable underneath. One of the racks had been made with only 6 nuts in one side and 8 in the other, the other one had 8 on both sides.
I didn't notice this out until I'd installed the 3U piece in the 8 nut rack and 2 and-a-half of the 1U pieces in the 6 nut rack. :evil:
And the ends were covered. :roll:
Chris
I got two shallow 4U racks from Thomann last year. One to hold 4 1U pieces and one to hold a 3U piece at the top and run cable underneath. One of the racks had been made with only 6 nuts in one side and 8 in the other, the other one had 8 on both sides.
I didn't notice this out until I'd installed the 3U piece in the 8 nut rack and 2 and-a-half of the 1U pieces in the 6 nut rack. :evil:
And the ends were covered. :roll:
Chris
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
Hey Chris,
Wow, that's wrong. The rail should always have an open end. Someone at Thomann goofed.
Ciao
Simon
Hey Chris,
Wow, that's wrong. The rail should always have an open end. Someone at Thomann goofed.
Ciao
Simon
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Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
I guess coming from more of the installation side, several things just stand out as a huge pain.
although I lay my racks down to put the heavy stuff in (when I can) I usually don't put the blanks in until I'm done. I really can't imagine having to guess at the location of some items and then hold them all up to fit the last blank in, then presumably let them down on top of the blank (making it a tight fit and possibly a hassle later)
I just can't picture getting a 44U rack full of equipment to look right without resting each piece on top of the rest to keep everything straight as you go up. and then you're 100% guaranteed that to get something out you WILL have to move every piece above it.. and how do you do that? with a pry bar? body-builder around back to hold them all like a pizza while I slide something out?
If you have the luxury of laying the rack down to remove something. loosening all of the screws will do the same thing in both cases, as most equipment has oversized mounting holes. you can easily make enough room to slide something out without damage.
Whatever works for you is fine, but you won't catch me looking for extruded rails any time soon.
The only upside I can think of is if you have a need to have any wiring or whatever come out the front you don't have to waste a whole space for it, you can make whatever gap you need (just don't loosen any screws or it'll all fall down)
Jason
I guess coming from more of the installation side, several things just stand out as a huge pain.
although I lay my racks down to put the heavy stuff in (when I can) I usually don't put the blanks in until I'm done. I really can't imagine having to guess at the location of some items and then hold them all up to fit the last blank in, then presumably let them down on top of the blank (making it a tight fit and possibly a hassle later)
I just can't picture getting a 44U rack full of equipment to look right without resting each piece on top of the rest to keep everything straight as you go up. and then you're 100% guaranteed that to get something out you WILL have to move every piece above it.. and how do you do that? with a pry bar? body-builder around back to hold them all like a pizza while I slide something out?
If you have the luxury of laying the rack down to remove something. loosening all of the screws will do the same thing in both cases, as most equipment has oversized mounting holes. you can easily make enough room to slide something out without damage.
Whatever works for you is fine, but you won't catch me looking for extruded rails any time soon.
The only upside I can think of is if you have a need to have any wiring or whatever come out the front you don't have to waste a whole space for it, you can make whatever gap you need (just don't loosen any screws or it'll all fall down)
Jason
Re: Extruded rack rails - Available in the US?
Hey Jason,
I did mention that these rails are not generally used in large fixed install racks.
Hey Jason,
I did mention that these rails are not generally used in large fixed install racks.