Discussion Under Desk Mounts for SFF Builds?

illtrick

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Jan 13, 2022
12
9
I've been in love with SFF builds ever since I stepped into the game with a NCASE. It is an awesome niche that really keeps be excited. Unfortunately switching to an SFF build meany putting it on my desk opposed to the ground. I've been eyeing standing desks for a long time and one thing that's preventing me from pulling the trigger is having a means of mounting my build under the desk. I need to reclaim desk space (it's a small desk) for some speakers and I don't see a better alternative than mounting it under the desk. Putting it on the ground / another surface isn't in the cards as a sit/stand desk creates wire management issues, I need to keep the "moving wires" down to a power and network cable.

Has anyone here solved this? Most of the off the shelf designs are meant for mid/full tower ATX builds and are clunky / over kill for this purpose. In the future I'll likely be building my next machine in a Dan Case A4 H20 so similar but slightly smaller footprint than the NCASE.
 

illtrick

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Jan 13, 2022
12
9
Just to prove I can google. Here's two examples I've found:

A custom solution:
A off the shelf solution:
I like the custom solution but unfortunately am not adept at 3D design. The off the shelf solution is janky af.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rfarmer

Mashndrow

Caliper Novice
Mar 27, 2022
33
23
I put my case next to the desk with the cart holder because I don't have space for a dual monitor system and a case. My problem with the desk mount is how long will it last. Legs move a lot(at least mine when I'm sitting and I don't want to keep pushing or touch something precious with my legs. If you stay put and don't move your legs a lot it's totally fine I guess.

The advantage of putting a PC under or next to the desk is cable management. You don't have to put too much effort to hide big cables and I would recommend it. I think the dust will be the only problem and it varies from person to person.
 

AlexTSG

Master of Cramming
Jun 17, 2018
599
590
www.youtube.com
I have a standing desk, and for cable management I've bought a power strip with an IEC C14 connector (this is the same connector that a PSU has), and this coiled power cable:



I got the 4 foot version which works well for the range that I move the desk.

Combined with a suitable cable tray it keeps everything fairly neat and tidy

I don't have a coiled Ethernet cable, but you can get one of those too:

 

illtrick

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Jan 13, 2022
12
9
Those are great finds to make cable management better. I'll keep them in mind for sure. Do you have your PC on top of your desk?
 

lozza_c

Average Stuffer
Aug 26, 2020
59
54
Someone on Reddit built a simple custom under-desk solution for their Dan A4 here:



No CAD tools required, just some two by four and wood screws!

Our boy Ali used this mount for his M1, but appreciate using straps may cause agita.

 

AlexTSG

Master of Cramming
Jun 17, 2018
599
590
www.youtube.com
Those are great finds to make cable management better. I'll keep them in mind for sure. Do you have your PC on top of your desk?

Yeah. I have a NCASE M1 v6 on top of my desk. I use the front USB ports fairly often so I wanted them somewhere easy to reach.

Although I'd like a bigger space to work someday, currently my desk often doubles as a workbench, and that's the main reason I have the standing desk.

Being able to raise the desk just 20cm or so makes it far better for PC assembly, or the upgrade and maintenance I do, than a regular desk.
 

illtrick

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Jan 13, 2022
12
9
Someone on Reddit built a simple custom under-desk solution for their Dan A4 here:



No CAD tools required, just some two by four and wood screws!

Our boy Ali used this mount for his M1, but appreciate using straps may cause agita.

This is cool, shows that it can be simple. Neither of those is elegant enough for my OCD but it demonstrates what's possible. I had been convincing myself I really wanted the feature of being able to swivel the PC to plug/unplug wires but as Alex mentioned, raising the desk up does make that easier.
 

illtrick

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Jan 13, 2022
12
9
Where did you find those shelf brackets? I haven’t been able to find something that heavy duty / that shape.