geerlingguy / geerlingguy/mini-rack

Find the perfect mini rack 2.5" SSD/HDD mounting solution

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Description

I would like to mount 2, 4, or 6 2.5" SSD/HDDs in a 1U 10" rack space. I have an old [ICY DOCK ExpressCage MB324SP-B](https://amzn.to/3Pzpgwn) that I'm not using, that fits perfectly in a 1U space, on the shelf that comes with the DeskPi RackMates:

![DSC02257](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/05fed1c7-3d9e-44f2-bbad-c7344c954315)

It has four drive trays on the front, and breaks out the connections on the back, so you can plug in headers from SATA ports on a computer (I would probably use it with a Waveshare PoE + 2280 NVMe HAT, with a JMB585 SATA to M.2 adapter, on a Pi 5):

![DSC02258](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/29c04ec8-62b8-43c2-9ed2-2465e4673785)

ICY DOCK also makes a [cheaper 4-bay option, the flexiDOCK MB024SP-B for $35](https://amzn.to/4gSQn1u), and a [really fancy 6-bay version, the ToughArmor MB608SP-B, for $120](https://amzn.to/4gWxjzc). There are other vendors who make these style of drive bays as well.

So for starters, to _physically_ mount one of these into a 10" 1U rack unit, it would be nice to have a tray or shelf with mounting points for a standard 5.25" drive bay.

Then we'd need to figure out power and cabling, made a little more difficult by the bend radius of SATA cabling (even with slim flexible cables, you'd have to forego 90° connectors at least with most of the SATA PCIe adapters, since the connections are all so close together, and usually stacked.

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