high physical density cluster design -structural...

Tue Mar 6 13:44:00 PST 2001

G'Day !

Cost of aluminum at a retail stores adds up fast .... and welding is tricky as
you need an inert atmosphere.  If you use mechanical fastners, you need to
machine holes (punch, drill press, etc.).  OTOH, we have made some very nice
cabinets with riveted aluminum and angle extrusions ....

surplus steel (3/4" box is ideal) can be very cheap and you used to be able to
get a High School shop class to do the welding for free ... They might have the
stuff need for sheetmetal work also.

Do make sure your finished set-up is properly grounded.  We used to have a ship
board electrician named "3 finger Harry" ...

cheers,
Jim Parker

Sailboat racing is not a matter of life and death ....  It is far more important
than that !!!

                    "Joseph E.                                                                                                      
                    Rose, Jr."             To:     "'Jim Lux'" <James.P.Lux at jpl.nasa.gov>, "'Velocet'" <mathboy at velocet.ca>,        
                    <jerosejr at cajun        "'Beowulf \(E-mail\)'" <beowulf at beowulf.org>                                             
                    bro.com>               cc:                                                                                      
                    Sent by:               Subject:     RE: high physical density cluster design -structural...                     
                    beowulf-admin at b                                                                                                 
                    eowulf.org                                                                                                      

                    03/06/01 12:58                                                                                                  
                    PM                                                                                                              
                    Please respond                                                                                                  
                    to jerosejr                                                                                                     

At the Home Depot near us, you can get a 1 1/2" x 96" 90d angle aluminum for
11.00.  then I used a piece of 1" x 3/16" aluminum bar for center support.

-----Original Message-----
From: beowulf-admin at beowulf.org [mailto:beowulf-admin at beowulf.org]On
Behalf Of Jim Lux
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 2:19 PM
To: Velocet; Beowulf (E-mail)
Subject: Re: high physical density cluster design -structural...

>
>> 1) UniStrut (available in aluminum and in galv steel) is much stronger,
has
>> nice 90 degree connectors, etc.  There are a variety of similar products
>> made from aluminum extrusions of one kind or another with longitudinal
slots
>> that make very nice rigid boxes. You assemble it with captive nuts and
>> bolts. The best thing about these products is that they are rectangular,
not
>> round, which makes attaching stuff much easier.
>
>Hmm, this stuff looks really great - and they seem to be somewhat local
>to me. :) Looks like it might not be that cheap however, even if it is
>'cheap' for industrial applications. Wonder if I can find prices online
>somewhere here...

Home Depot carries it (sometimes).  As for pricing, galvanized or painted
steel is VERY cheap compared to anything copper.  Any decent electrical
contractor supply place will carry it, for sure in galv steel, often in
aluminum.  You CAN also get it scrap if you are into scrounging at large
construction sites.  Find the lead electrician...

>
>
>True. I dont have a scale, but the board with CPU and ram is about 1.5 or
>2lbs, and the power supply is 2-3lbs. That adds up with 48 or 64 odd
>boards. (Need to figure out if I am going to double up the mainboards
>per powersupply, would save alot of weight).

Don't forget the weight of all the power cords, and the mounting hardware
for everything.  As you say, when you've got 50 widgets, a few ounces here
or there really add up.

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