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RL02 Mounting Problem or Rack Depth it not standard

BitWiz

BitWiz

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
558
Location
Glen Ellyn, Iil
I recently acquired 5' 1" tall HP server 19" rack.

My plan was to mount an RL02, RK05 and PDP-8/A in this rack.

However when I went to mount the RL02 rails I discovered that this rack is 28" deep instead of 25" deep like my H960 rack.

Without having to make custom rail extenders does anyone know how to mount an RL02 in a 28" deep rack.

Another possibility would be to trade this very nice HP server rack (5' 1" high x 28" deep) rack with sides and top in good condition for an H960 or other 25" deep DEC compatible rack.

If you are interested in a trade like this, please let me know by direct message.
 
Nice to have H960s but in a pinch, making brackets to extend the slides to the back of the rack shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate from some scrap sheetmetal. It's when it comes to modifying modern rack slides to suit vintage DEC equipment this can really take some effort, having done this numerous times myself. Put up a photo or two of your situation with a slide screwed to the front of the rack and the other end in free space and we can offer suggestions.
 
When I was working with these in a research lab, we had all different cominations of new and hand-me-down racks and equipment. As I accumulated bits for my "hobby" I tried gather the bits for "a neat looking" layout. I'm not looking for museum or product correct racking. But even "neat" layout eludes me. So I refocused on a) works reliably and b) won't tip over. Three H960s would be great but being in a flyover state, these are rare to score. Someday. So I use extenders with rack donations.
 
wa2flq said:
When I was working with these in a research lab, we had all different cominations of new and hand-me-down racks and equipment. As I accumulated bits for my "hobby" I tried gather the bits for "a neat looking" layout. I'm not looking for museum or product correct racking. But even "neat" layout eludes me. So I refocused on a) works reliably and b) won't tip over. Three H960s would be great but being in a flyover state, these are rare to score. Someday. So I use extenders with rack donations.
Click to expand...
How did you make the extenders?
 
BitWiz said:
How did you make the extenders?
Click to expand...
My typical solution involves using a piece of scrap sheet metal of sufficient thickness cut to fit length & width and then drilled in the appropriate positions to accept small bolts (6-32 or perhaps 8-32 UNC) at both ends to mate with the rear slide-tabs and then the mounting bracket. When there isn't a suitable mounting bracket on-hand I use angles that I fashion from standard size aluminum stock (typ. ~1.5" x 1.5").
 
My RL02 slides don't mount directly to the rack at either end. Rather, they attach to a right angle bracket that then attaches to the rack. The brackets are not complicated and you should be able to cobble something together that suits your hardware. Just keep in mind that you will need the rails, brackets, and rack to support a 70(?) pound drive when it is slid out on the rails for swapping packs, etc. So your rack is going to need proper support at top and bottom and/or that sliding "foot" at the bottom to prevent tipping.
 
BitWiz said:
I've seen one pair of stabilizer feet for the h960 rack and it sold for over $100 on eBay. Do you know of a low cost source.
Click to expand...

Sounding like we need to make more of these -- I only have one set for my three H960s. I can have the sheet metal shop we use run them if there's enough interest.
 
A few years ago I made a couple pairs of replica H960 feet. They have a welded steel skeleton bar frame and are covered by a 3D-printed and painted satin black shell modelled off the real ones. The screw foot pad is also about the same size as the original. I tested them by hanging a board loaded with >60kg bricks off the ends and had no problem. A cctalk member gave me the measurements for the special bolt so I could machine up replicas but I seem to have misplaced that drawing.

Stabiliser_feet_02.png Stabiliser_feet_01.png

I bought some steel to make more for sale sometime. Next was to make proper cutting/folding/welding jigs. I have so many projects I want to work on, I need another 5 lifetimes :)
 
I pulled an original out...are these even a weldment, or are they an aluminum casting?!
 
The stabilizer on the corporate cabinet (and others?) is not a "swing out" like the ones for the full size racks. Rather it is on a rail contraption that slides out when needed and has an adjustable foot on the end that is much like the adjustable feet used to take the weight off of the cabinet's casters and keep it from rolling about. When the adjustable foot on the tip of the extendable part is adjusted all the way up, it locks that part of the rail against the bottom of the cabinet. Screw the foot down a bit and you can retract and extend the rail. With the rail all the way out you can adjust the foot down to support the weight of a drive slid out on its rails.

Check out page 9 of the linked PDF. The drawings on the upper right of that page show the foot in it's retracted and partially extended positions.


Pretty slick!
 
Last edited:
DDS said:
The stabilizer on the corporate cabinet (and others?) is not a "swing out" like the ones for the full size racks.
Click to expand...

My corporate cab has one of those, and I've seen them on the DEC half-racks that look like a cut down H960 (I don't know the number offhand). Definitely a nice solution on the shorter racks!
 
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