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DIY cMP under-desk suspension.

mattspace

mattspace

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 5, 2013
3,344
2,975
Australia
hi folks,

Just thought id share a few pics of a simple diy solution to mount the cMP on the underside of a desk, for people who are short on knee & foot space, and want to keep access to the inside of their machine, plus free airflow etc.

Diy1.jpg


Diy2.jpg


Diy3.jpg


All threaded galvanised pipe. Its suppsed to be a plumbing product, but as a guy at the hardware store remarked once, its mostly used by people making furniture now.

Bits on the end unscrew to make it easier to lift the machine on to them, and go back on to provide a bit of a safety lip. Electrical tape to pad the galvanised pipe and stop and metal on metal contact.

Cheers.
 
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lowendlinux

lowendlinux

macrumors 603
Sep 24, 2014
5,460
6,788
Germany
Good work..I just stick my tower in an Ikea cabinet with no back because I'm not creative and don't want to see my computer
 
mattspace

mattspace

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 5, 2013
3,344
2,975
Australia
phillyboy82 said:
I like it! Looks very straightforward to do.

Do you by chance have the space dimensions that we should be going for when we mount the hangers?
Click to expand...

I honestly didn't record any. I just took the threaded pipes out of the elbows and put my computer on the upturned desk in the place I wanted it to be, then put the assembled flanges and elbows where I wanted them to be for the end of the machine they were on the outside of (in this case, the exhaust side). Then, measured the length of the mac to locate the second pair. Given the machine is the same top and bottom it's pretty straightforward.
 
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ActionableMango

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,613
6,909
Hmmm, I suppose with different pipe spacing you could also mount the Mac Pro horizontally with the door facing down for access.
 
S

scott.n

macrumors 6502
Dec 17, 2010
339
78
For horizontal mounting, I'd have the door facing up. I wouldn't want gravity working against the HDDs, PCIe cards, or the processor tray - especially when the door was opened.
 
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h9826790

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
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Hong Kong
scott.n said:
For horizontal mounting, I'd have the door facing up. I wouldn't want gravity working against the HDDs, PCIe cards, or the processor tray - especially when the door was opened.
Click to expand...

If face up, may be can keep the door open for better cooling. Nothing can get in anyway.
 
AidenShaw

AidenShaw

macrumors P6
Feb 8, 2003
18,667
4,677
The Peninsula
h9826790 said:
If face up, may be can keep the door open for better cooling. Nothing can get in anyway.
Click to expand...
Door open would give worse cooling.

The design is for front to back airflow. With the door open you'd have dead spots - for example the PCI fan airflow would go out the door, not over the PCIe cards and out the back.
 
h9826790

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
AidenShaw said:
Door open would give worse cooling.

The design is for front to back airflow. With the door open you'd have dead spots - for example the PCI fan airflow would go out the door, not over the PCIe cards and out the back.
Click to expand...

Yes, agree with this if the Mac Pro in normal orientation. TBH, to place it horizontally, I have absolutely no idea keep the door close will be better or worse.

Hot air rise, if put it horizontally and open the door, the hot air generated from the device can easily rise. So, this should give better cooling. However, as you said, the air flow now no longer directed correctly, which may reduce the airflow on certain area. Therefore, this is an unknown.

In fact, I think just place the Mac Pro horizontally is already an unknown to the cooling effect. The Mac Pro's cooling system should design according to hot air rise, by putting it horizontally, the original designed airflow may be affected already.

Most likely some area will be better, but some area getting worse. And since the better cooled area cannot compensate the worst cooling area. Any one of the device overheat may effectively kill the Mac Pro. So, we better keep it like what OP does, and keep the door close. Rather than create the "uneven cooling" effect.
 
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