3D Printed Homelab Cases & Mini Racks Research¶
Research conducted: 2026-01-20
RPi 5 Cases¶
Stamos Case¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Minimalist enclosure | | Cooling | Passive (vented) | | NVMe | No (but remixes exist for HatDrive) | | Difficulty | Easy | | Platform | Printables, Thingiverse, Cults3D |
Fractal Baby North¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Miniature PC aesthetic (Fractal North style) | | Cooling | Passive with wood-style front panel | | Supports | RPi 3, 4, 5 + BIGTREETECH Pi 2 | | Official Files | Fractal Design | | Community Remix | Printables (by Nagrom) |
Active Cooler + NVMe Case¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Functional enclosure | | Cooling | Active (official cooler compatible) | | NVMe | Yes (nvme-base version) | | VESA | 75 & 100mm mounting | | Temps | Max 74C under load at 2.8GHz | | Link | Printables |
Micro Options (Mobile Kit)¶
Beryl AX Case Options¶
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| 3D Printed | Thingiverse - Vase mode, 21g, transparent PETG | | GL.iNet Gadget Organizer | Amazon - EVA case, fits router + cables | | CaseSack | Amazon - PEVA material, water resistant |
Micro Rack for Mobile¶
Best option: JetDev22's Modular Mini Rack
- ~73g PETG per level, 2.5h print time
- Stackable without glue
- Supports RPi Zero to Mini ITX
- Perfect for: Beryl AX + RPi 5 + MacBook dock
- Link: Printables
Small Options (2-3U Equivalent)¶
Microlab 2¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 160x160mm base (smaller than 10") | | Height | 4U or 6U options | | Supports | RPi 4/5, TP-Link switches, N100 mini PCs, Mini-ITX | | Cost | ~2 PLA rolls + M3 screws | | Best for | Compact mobile kit | | Links | GitHub, MakerWorld |
Supported devices¶
- Raspberry Pi 4/5 (single & dual trays)
- TP-Link/Tenda 8-port switches
- ASRock DeskMini X300/X600
- GMKTec G3 N100 mini PC
TinyRack¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Design | Wire shelving inspired, maximum airflow | | Assembly | No hardware required (snap-fit) | | Best for | Mini PC clusters (heat management) | | Links | Blog Post, Printables |
RackStack¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Design | OpenSCAD parametric | | Sizes | Mini (~200mm3), Micro (~180mm3), Nano (~100mm3) | | Mounting | Sliding hex nut (no cage nuts) | | Best for | Custom dimensions | | Link | GitHub |
Medium Options (10" Mini Rack, 2U-4U)¶
Lab Rax (by Michael Klements / The DIY Life)¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard | 10" rack compatible | | Height | 1U to 5U (stackable to 10U) | | Cost | ~$21 total (580g filament + hardware) | | Print bed | 250mm minimum | | Versions | Standard (brass inserts) or Bolted (M6 only) | | Extras | NAS shelves, SBC mounts available | | Links | Blog, MakerWorld |
Best for: Fixed homelab, professional look, commercial compatibility
HomeRacker¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Design | Fully parametric (Fusion 360) | | Standards | 10" and 19" (in development) | | Assembly | Tool-free (supports + connectors + lock pins) | | Extras | Gridfinity shelves, drawers, faceplates | | License | Open source (commercial OK with attribution) | | Links | Website, GitHub, MakerWorld |
Mod10¶
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard | 10" rack | | Supports | No supports needed for printing | | Best for | Ubiquiti gear, RPi clusters | | Link | Printables |
Comparison Matrix¶
| Project | Size | Complexity | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JetDev22 | Micro | Low | ~$5 | Mobile kit | | Microlab 2 | Small | Medium | ~$15 | Compact portable | | RackStack | Variable | Medium | ~$10 | Custom sizes | | TinyRack | Small | Low | ~$10 | Heat-sensitive gear | | Lab Rax | 10" | Medium | ~$21 | Fixed homelab | | HomeRacker | 10"/19" | High | ~$30 | Expandable systems |
Recommendations¶
Mobile Kit (Backpack)¶
Micro option - Just cases¶
- Beryl AX: 3D printed vase case or EVA organizer
- RPi 5: Active Cooler + NVMe case
- Samsung A13: Existing phone case
Small option - Microlab 2¶
- Holds Beryl AX + RPi 5 + switch
- 160x160mm footprint
- Fits in backpack
Fixed Homelab (2U-4U)¶
Recommended: Lab Rax 3-4U¶
- Standard 10" compatibility
- $21 total cost
- Professional appearance
- Holds: Mini PC + NAS + Switch + RPi cluster
Alternative: HomeRacker¶
- Maximum modularity
- Future expansion to 19"
- Parametric customization
Resources¶
Jeff Geerling's Project MINI RACK¶
Community showcase of 200+ mini rack builds with 3D printed, commercial, and hybrid solutions.