Rack Enclosure w/ Hinged Front Panel

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funkymonksf

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
345
Location
Seattle, WA
Hello!

Do any of you wonderful people know who makes/sells 19” rack enclosures w/ hinged front panels? I’m looking for something like the original LA-2A enclosure.

I’m surprised how little success I’ve had looking for these. I see Elma has a model but it’s way too expensive and looks tacky IMO.
 
I have gone through the same search and ended up having to make my own.

I used an off the shelf rack chassis from SRS. Got some rack ears milled from L shaped aluminium profile.
The aluminim hinge is around 1mm thick and can be easily cut to length and drilled.
I fitted another L shaped profile on the upper edge of the chassis with added threaded inserts for the front panel thumb screws.

The only relatively expensive part was getting the rack ears custom made, it was around 40 euro for the pair. The rest of the additional components were inexpensive.
Ideally if you can get a rack chassis with detachable ears that would simplify things a bit.
 
I’m sort of looking for this too unless someone has an old RCA MI-11598 or MI-11599 shelf they’d want to sell.

Need to make one I can use for an RCA faceplate, ejector handles, and Jones connectors.
 
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Maybe something like this & get your own front panel made ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152330345355
Thanks. I have an original faceplate and I already had the chassis made. It’s exactly 16 3/16 x 11 3/4 x 3 like the original. It wasn’t cheap though. Not sure how I would go about making that faceplate holder. It looks like a cantilevered steel rack shelf with a 5U panel cover with a hole cut out welded to it but it also has a 90 degree angled rail along the top for the knobs to pop into.

I just need the ejector handles and this shelf if anyone has any old rca stuff laying around their garages they’d want to sell!
 
Thanks. I have an original faceplate and I already had the chassis made. It’s exactly 16 3/16 x 11 3/4 x 3 like the original. It wasn’t cheap though. Not sure how I would go about making that faceplate holder. It looks like a cantilevered steel rack shelf with a 5U panel cover with a hole cut out welded to it but it also has a 90 degree angled rail along the top for the knobs to pop into.

I just need the ejector handles and this shelf if anyone has any old rca stuff laying around their garages they’d want to sell!
Had one made…..damn have they gotten that hard to find? Even when they showed up every few weeks, ejector handles and cinch connector brackets were scarce/unobtainium, if ejectors aren’t on the modules you just don’t find them. Especially the right side ejectors on ba-2/3/4/6. The module guide rails would be easy to make, also seldom seen.
 
The cinch Jones 10 pin connectors are easy to find. I have a set ready to go. Just need to mount them to some bent steel standoffs. I assume that’s what you’re referring to?

Yeah it’s weird the stainless ejector handles would be so rare but again I guess I’ll have to find someone with a metal brake to make them.

What do you mean by guide rails?
 
There are thin guide rails for mounting to the bottom between modules so they align with the connectors. There are specific RCA ‘U’ frame mounts for the connectors, they used Fillister screws so the heads simply sit in the holes in the brackets, so there is play in the connector so it can adjust position while inserting. There’s also specific RCA enclosed hoods with pull handles for non-mounted connectors. They're all shown in the various relevant module manuals, BA-1 manual has clear images of the connector mount/hood options. It looks like that stuff all came with the modules.

IMG_6450.JPG
 

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Schroff do a hinged front panel that fits to any of their 19 inch racks. I think it is about 3U high.

https://uk.farnell.com/schroff/20848-601/panel-hinged-shielded-3u-84hp/dp/1371398?st=hinged front panel

That link comes up as "access denied" in Chrome and Safari, opens in Firefox. Strange. Anyway, looks like a nice solution.

Many buy piano hinge and fashion it themselves. lassoharp did a custom run of this type case maybe 10 years ago, didn't have many takers.

I have seen the locks used on Gates equipment used on modern equipment, not sure what they are.
 
That link comes up as "access denied" in Chrome and Safari, opens in Firefox. Strange. Anyway, looks like a nice solution.

Many buy piano hinge and fashion it themselves. lassoharp did a custom run of this type case maybe 10 years ago, didn't have many takers.

I have seen the locks used on Gates equipment used on modern equipment, not sure what they are.
These are the country locks. If I want to click on foreign providers, I often have to take a VPN detour.

For residents of the US and surrounding areas, a working link should be this:

https://schroff.nvent.com/en-us/search#q=20848-601&t=Tab_All
 
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