The Filing Cabinet Server

[Drum Thumper]

I posted a while back in the Idea section about using 'found' parts. So, after some planning, a little bit of shopping at the Home Depot, and some work with my drill and propane torch, I have started a third (gasp!) mod.

At this time, I am planning on using the old PIII mobo from Mach I of the Frankenstripe as my fileserver. This machine will eventually get a SATA compatible mobo along with a minimum of 1 TB storage configured in RAID 5.

Enough chitchat, on with the pics!

As you can see, this poor old filing cabinet has seen some better days. One of the front doors is completely busted off. I had originally planned on using both of the front doors as one large door and have it open from the side. But that just wasn't meant to be, as I seriously screwed up the intact one while trying to take it apart. Oh well.

More or less gutted. The four rails have to go, so out comes the propane torch. A few minutes later, and I was left with this:

At first, I thought this was riveted together, but it's either JB weld or some really good oxy-acetylene welding. I'm guessing the latter, since the ol propane torch couldn't heat it up enough.

Some plywood (although I know that's not what it really is--I'm having a brain fart atm) to cover up the bottom of the cabinet.

And it mocks up nicely. As you can see, I still need to rip out the other set of rails. This is on the to-do list for this coming weekend.

The new front door. The dude @ Home Depot cut it just a tad bit too wide. No big problem, I'll have access to some power tools this weekend.

Utility hinges, handle and a new lock. Kinda self-explanatory.

Thought I would share this one too. I was trying to heat up the weld from the outside and did a good job of beginning my stripping.

So here's what's left (no particular order):

Cut the back panel for the mobo tray and the PSU.
Drill and mount power/reset switches.
Buy casters so this thing is somewhat mobile.
Install mobo and hard drives that I have lying around
Burn xUbuntu and install on system.
Prime and choose paint color.
Build HD rack.
And probably a few other things I cannot think of at the moment.

Anyways, I will be taking 4 days off this coming weekend and spend at least a day working on this. We'll have to wait and see what'll happen though.

[Olen]

Looking interesting. What are you planning on using it for?

And its MDF

[Drum Thumper]

Looking interesting. What are you planning on using it for?

At this time, I am planning on using the old PIII mobo from Mach I of the Frankenstripe as my fileserver. This machine will eventually get a SATA compatible mobo along with a minimum of 1 TB storage configured in RAID 5.

Today, I shall drill the holes for the on/off and reset switches. Or I might just play with the PSU.

[Drum Thumper]

Not too much of an update, since I have to work in a bit, but I did manage to get some control over the inevitable rat's nest:

[Bucko]

What did you use for the cable sleeves?

[b4i7]

looks like split loom to me

[Drum Thumper]

b4i7 is correct, it's split looming out of the grab bag that I won from Crimson Sky.

I've also decided to completely stealth everything with the exception of the power cord and the CAT-5 cable. And both of those will be out of sight, since they'll be residing on the backside.

[Drum Thumper]

Update time--it's HOT OUTSIDE. What better weather for chopping up a filing cabinet?

I thoroughly pissed off the neighbors over the last 20 minutes or so with my jigsaw. Oh well, it was a one time deal. I much prefer working in a garage or shop.

This isn't the best looking work by far, but damnit, form follows function with me, so here it is in all of it's glory:

Marked up and pilot holes drilled.

Whoops, was a bit off on my measuring. This is why we measure twice and mark (or cut) once. No big deal, just needs a little more jigsaw lovin'.

It fits. Sorta. These standoffs:

Caused just a bit of a problem. Nothing a little dremel action won't take care of:

Inside view. Now I have to mount the MDF bottom so I can start placement for drives and the PSU.

Now that the mobo tray has finally been installed, I had a realization: This is gonna be a bitch to get the motherboard screwed down onto the tray. I'm forseeing some scraped knuckles in my future.

Off to the hardware store, I need some nuts and bolts.

[Drum Thumper]

So I just spent the last hour or so fighting with a couple of screws on this thing. Sucks when you can't find your magnetic screwdrivers.

Anyways, I now have the old PIII mounted. A couple of pics:

front

back

It's almost 9 pm and I need some more damn bolts.

Probably should get a bite to eat as well--all I have had today is half a large bag of popcorn at the movies.

I've got an hour before Home Depot closes, so if everything works out tonight, I should at the very least get everything mounted, if not up and running.

Think I'll take a chunk of the loom that I used on the PSU and see if I can get a decent color match. Or at least something that will compliment it.

[Drum Thumper]

One last update before I call it a night:

I pulled the mobo out, as I am still very much in mockup stage. So I decided to see if I could get xUbuntu installed on a 4 gig hard drive I have laying around here.

Then I found out that the drive is pretty much dead. Spins, writes, but can't read.

No biggie there, I have a pair of 40 gigs at my disposal, along with roughly 300 gigs between two drives that I can use for storage until I get this mobo replaced with something that'll accept SATA.

So JBOD it is for the time being.

Anyways, a few interesting pictures:

My testing/workstation. Just threw this together and it worked quite well. I'm thinking about keeping this chunk of MDF around and adding some standoffs to it.

I realize this looks like either a) the computer is turned off or b) Thumper's camera is a BAMF. Actually, the heatsink fan just flat out wasn't working. I'm thinking it might have something to do with the fact that I currently do NOT have a case fan hooked up to the board through a 3 pin.

Attempting to install xUbuntu. Seemed to work just fine until I rebooted. So my 4 gig hard drive will probably become a clay pigeon, along with a similarly ancient 2 gig hard drive.

She's got wheels! I just might throw my blue CCFL's underneath to give it a nice glow for nighttime use.

Stay tuned, thanks for watching, this shall continue some more tomorrow. I'll be taking the hole saws to the case and making some, well, holes.