Enclosure "IKEA" like case?

[chx]

Look at this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1U-Rack-e...m-deep-for-19-inch-network-rack-/291934150466 thing, it comes apart making packing it quite easy. I would imagine I could disassemble a system before a flight into MB-CPU-RAM-M.2 one piece, GPU the other piece, PSU the third in about two minutes Removing the GPU is recommended anyways. If the case would come apart as well, that'd be glorious. Anything better than this PoS 1U case from eBay?

 

[confusis]

That 1u case is similar to a pair of them I have. the metal thickness is well out of spec for 1u servers - a mobo will not fit inside :/

 

[jØrd]

wouldn't a disassembled case take up more room than an assembled one if your packing it into a suitcase / flight case to travel. Also, wouldn't the hardware be more vulnerable to damage in a disassembled state? Specifically to rackmount hardware you would probably be better off w/ a road case for it along the lines of these:

 

[chx]

I will have a suitcase so the protection part I am not worried about.

 

[jØrd]

but whats to stop it bouncing around in the suitcase, static discharge, baggage throwers handlers, etc. How would the hardware be more travel ready disassembled and exposed than contained, secured and protected in an enclosure?

 

[chx]

I have been flying with a 23" monitor in my checked in suitcase and it survived so far. I doubt a PC would be fragile than a sea of glass. I have a lot of experience with this.

 

[jØrd]

How do you secure / protect your monitor? Whilst i get what your saying im not sure I understand, PCB's and the like are about as robust as cardboard. PCIe slots are easy enough to destroy if you put enough lateral force on the card sitting in them, etc, Ive had enough come through w/ surface mount parts torn off due to rough handling and the like in the past. If its also packed in a case full of clothes and pastic bags static discharge could be an actual concern? Im also not sure I understand how its more efficient from a space perspective, wouldnt splitting it out into multiple components take up more volume than when its a single unit?

 

[chx]

As I mentioned, I would certainly remove the GPU. Surely I would be using anti static bags. So my suitcase is a hardcase (it's a Samsonite Firelite, it's really really sturdy), and one half is occupied by my trusty Tempur Pedic pillow. I almost could travel carry on only, I did it a few times, so sacrificing half the suitcase is no problem (it doesn't actually take all half of it but almost). You just need to secure the pillow to the suitcase (built in straps) and then all the fragile shit to the pillow (more straps), cover it with clothes in a packing cube and you are done. It can be thrown, it can be hammered, it's really hard to break anything protected in this way.

Most cases are very thick and that rapidly becomes a problem. There's a lot of empty space in most cases unless you go crazy like the Sentry or the S4 Mini. Look at this http://www.parvumsystems.com/product/x2-0-itx which I just found. It seems like it might be possible to tear it down to flat (confirmed for another Parvum case: http://www.overclock.net/t/1501774/official-parvum-systems-owners-club/4270#post_25655569) and then it surely takes less space than assembled.

It is also possible to throw the electronics into the carry on and only check in the case.

 

[jØrd]

IMO strapping a mobo to a pillow and then putting that into a suitcase seems like a good way to kill a mobo (unless its in an anti-static bag and even then i'd be dubious about flexing, ripping off surface mount components and such), you still have the CPU HSF & RAM to deal w/ too, also a slightly Rube Goldberg way of going about it. A short depth 1u would probably fit inside the pillow case intact w/ the pillow in there too. That being said YMMV, if you do go down this path be sure to report back w/ results, would be interesting to know how it worked out vs how i think it would work out.

 

[chx]

As I said I could just put the electronics in the carry on -- and put the case in the suitcase. I have reached out to Parvum to confirm the case can be torn down.

 

[jØrd]

I would imagine I could disassemble a system before a flight into MB-CPU-RAM-M.2 one piece, GPU the other piece, PSU the third

As I mentioned, I would certainly remove the GPU. Surely I would be using anti static bags.

As I said I could just put the electronics in the carry on

However you choose to go about it I still consider it to be a less space efficient, potentially more problematic method. Even if you put the electronics in carry on chances are their still going to need to be packaged in a way that provides at least a modicum of protection which would likely eliminate any space saved (packaging each individual component / set of components in a box, bubble wrap, strapped to clothing, whatever). You then have to deal w/ a dismantled case and not loosing any of the screws or brackets that are part of it + I suppose having tools w/ you to reassemble everything at the other end (or pissing money up the wall buying screw drivers every time you travel because airport security said no?). Ultimately weather its a short depth 1u case, an S4 mini, Zaber Sentry or some other SFF case the assembled unit is going to take up limited space, likely less than the whole thing disassembled and individually packaged for travel, provide better mechanical protection to your components, be less likely to fail due to components (tiny screws, etc) going missing and have less resemblance to a Rube Goldberg machine. At the end of the day though just because I think its an ass backwards way of going about things if it works for you then go for it, were all just keyboard warriors after all.

 

[chx]

You might be right and I should concentrate on https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/tiny-case-for-lp-gpu-supermicro-sce300.2585/ this instead. No way I can find a smaller chassis