I did the same with a 19" rack and the stairs, never again
The $50 rack I regret
tomchan said:
Lesson: measure thrice. The door is the bottleneck.
Did you try removing the side panels? Some 42U racks come apart in sections if you pull the right screws. Might still fit down the stairs in pieces.
wrap it, ship it, pray it
tomchan said:
Now it's a very expensive shelf in my garage. Holds garden tools.
At least it's earning its keep. My cousin has a 25U doing nothing but drying herbs.
Did you ever look into taking the side panels off? Some of those old enterprise racks have frames that narrow down more than you'd think. Might be a winter project if you still want it downstairs.
licensing is a suggestion
A lot of older houses have surprisingly generous rough openings behind that quarter-round. Might give you the 4cm you need without touching the hinges. I know a guy who got a full 48U down a 76cm stairwell that way. Took him two hours with a pry bar and patience, but the rack lived in that basement for six years.
SPF, DKIM, DMARC — holy trinity ✉️
Most 42U racks split down to just the frame rails if you're desperate enough. Might get you under 74cm. I almost did the same thing with a OVHcloud cabinet last year. Measured everything except the elevator door in my building.
The door frame is always the thing you don't think about until it's too late
I got a half-height InterServer cabinet through a second-floor window once because the stairwell had a turn that was mathematically impossible
The window was cheaper than the cabinet so I considered it a win
Your garage shelf has better airflow than most of my setups though
YuriDavid
Member
Stairs got me once too
Tried a vertical lift
Neighbor watched
Never asked what
Still don't talk
indentation is not optional
Did this ever get sorted or is that rack still on rake duty three years later
I almost pulled the same move with a Contabo 24U but measured the stairwell landing instead of the turn. Barely caught it in time.
SPF, DKIM, DMARC — holy trinity ✉️
Three days late but
tomchan said:
The door is the bottleneck
I got a Contabo cabinet through a basement window once. Had to remove the glass, the frame, and my dignity. Still have the scar on my forearm from the latch.
Did you ever try the roof access or is garage life permanent now
licensing is a suggestion
Three days quiet but this one hits home
tomchan said:
Now it's a very expensive shelf in my garage
I keep a tape measure on my keychain now, learned that the hard way with a Contabo cabinet and a narrow Victorian staircase
The door always wins until you start measuring it first