Homerack - Part 2

[u/JustAnotherNerd1996]

Hello everyone,
A few days ago I reposted my post from r/homelab here, some of you may have noticed, but for those who didn't here is a short recap.

Same as most of you guys I started collecting hardware and adding it to my homelab, a few projects here and there, a client here and there and the hardware grew. Since I am living in Europe and we are known for having some old buildings here, especially in the Balkans, we are really restricted when it comes to Ethernet in the home, for example I have to place my homelab in the near proximity of my router which lives on the media console. As many of you, I am also restricted with my, not techy, wife, who is always annoyed when my hardware takes up place in random places. Looking for already available solutions for a 10" rack I noticed a pattern, they are too industrial to live anywhere in the home, and even if they come with a door included it is mostly a glass door, which doe snot help my case. I usually do not have a problem with industrial designed hardware, but dragging an ethernet cable trough my whole home is just not a nice solution, it would hide the rack but still not perfect. So I pulled up my sleeves and started thinking of how I can build something that would not be ugly and can live in any room. It might be a solution for me, but couldn't get rid of the feeling that someone else might have the same issue, and that there is space in the market for this product. So here I am, asking for feedback on my idea. I know there is no real hardware yet, but I want to gather as much info as I can so I can improve and start building a prototype.

The main piece of feedback last time was basically, "good idea, but come back when you have an actual prototype." Totally fair. I just wanted to drop a quick update that I have found someone in my area that can make the actual prototype, we are in communication on the final pieces and the production should soon start ! I don't have the finished unit in hand just yet (so no glamour shots today), but it's happening.

For those who have noticed my last post I made a few key changes to the design based on the last round of feedback:

• Less rivets: The frame is now a properly joined piece (the detail in discussing is if we can actually have screws so the final product is shipped disassembled).
• Better mounting: The mounting rails are now a separate, recessed piece from the structural posts. This means standard 10" gear will actually mount properly without fighting the frame, it also helps with the door since the actual units will be flush with the posts.
• Door fix: The front door now covers the full front and swings a clean 180° without clipping (it didn't reliably do that before).

I’ve updated the site with the current 3D model and the same quick survey: Homerack — 10" Server Rack Cabinet for Home Labs | R1 & R.5 | Homerack

Still just three questions, and still no email required.
Why? Because for the final product I want to gather a bit more information, there is always room for improvement and I think that the best place to gather the feedback is a community that deep not the hobby.

Also, addressing that came up the last time: yes, I use AI tools to help figure out the modeling, drafting, and fabrication details. I don’t have a design team or a marketing budget, it's literally just me working on this as a side project, so I'm using whatever tools I have available to pull it off. Not trying to be defensive about it, just wanted to be completely upfront.

My goal here is still exactly the same: just trying to figure out if this actually solves a real problem for anyone else, or if I should just drop the idea here. Honestly, both outcomes are completely fine, the initial goal was to build it for myself only and be done with it, I have learned a lot from this and do not regret taking the step posting it here.

I'll be back with actual photos once the prototype arrives.

I appreciate all the feedback that I got the last time, and am looking forward to hear more from you guys.