I am looking to rebuild my home security server (6th gent intel email box) into something that has more storage and I saw a local listing from a HDD miner builder for Supermicro 24HDD case with SAS864EL1 backplane for 40 EUR. It is a really good deal.
I really do not need 24 bays and I am trying stuff it all into a 42 cm deep network closet… so I would need to saw the chassis in half. Backplane would server as back wall for the for the disk part and the middle brace as face plate for other half.
Please tell me why this is really bad idea and why I should just buy some HP 800 and put on shelf in the network closet?
I will be running an NVR (server for CCTV cameras) and some home automation on it… I have figured out that intel consumer chips with iGPU 7th gen and up is best for it.
Structural integrity. A backplane is not a back-wall 
I’d suggest you look on Aliepress for the Jonsbo N4 or N5 cases, IMO they fit your use case very well. They’re more expensive then that SM case, but you don’t have the hassle of making a case structurally safe when you’ve just cut the structure out of it 
Also, Intel may have the name, their reputation and performance is much in shambles these days. Investigate the AMD AM4 platform. Fairly cheap as it’s EoL, but miles better then Intel chips. Find a decent B550 mainboard, a R5 4600G CPU (the G suffix indicates onboard graphics), 2x 16GB DDR4 RAM, a 400-500W PSU, an LSI 9300-8i or similar HBA for the drives (max 8, but that’s beyond the limit of the case I mentioned anyway) and you’d have a small but fairly performant NAS/NVR.
HTH!
For $40, you don’t have much to lose by trying. You’ll be able to tell if it’ll work or not well before you install any hardware.
And be sure to take pictures!
It’s a perfectly viable thing to do if you have the tools for it. I’ve done my own fair share of modification, though I’ve not cut anything in half yet. Definitely something that I’ve considered though.
Do spend the time dulling the edges of what you cut so future you or someone else doesn’t reach back and cut the shit out of themselves.
If the remaining chassis needs bracing somewhere, wood and screws is a simple and effective way to get what you need.
Welcome to Level1Techs!
What makes your plan a “bad idea” is that the 24 bay chassis is the wrong tool for your job (“running an NVR (server for CCTV cameras) and some home automation on it”).
If you need a hammer, some other tool can act as a hammer in a pinch, but it’s generally a bad idea.
What makes it a “really bad idea” in my opinion is that you select the 24 bay chassis as a short-cut (cheap and available) only to add potentially a significant amount of effort into it (“saw in half”, “spend the time dulling the edges”, add “bracing somewhere”).
That said, I endorse anyone experimenting and trying out new things. Just consider what you’re getting into before you start.
@Dutch_Master Thanks for suggestion but Jonsbo N4 or N5 are 200+ 90(shipping) EUR. They look nice but it will be hidden in network closet, so it would be a waste of money. I am a little worried about structural integrity to.
In regards to intel… I am not buying new (8th gen tops) and I am using frigate NVR that it can use OpenVINO to leverage AI acceleration also form 7th gen iGPUs that support H.265 even 10 bit encoding acceleration, so need for features because otherwise I need to buy a GPU and that would eat more power.
@Log I have a nibbler, angle grinder and hacksaw one of those or combo would probably do the job. For some reason using wood for bracing did not come to my mind.
jode Thanks for the warning… I know it would be another project and trying to resist the temptations lol.
Any of you guys have suggestions for what might work in shallow network closet for some storage and processing?
Sliger CX3701 might fit. If you are looking for something heavy duty. They aren’t cheap. But are high quality.
My only concern for a serious deployment. If you can afford it and it (the backplane) is in working condition… for 40EU, fuck it and have fun!
My heart breaks a little because of the destruction of a perfectly fine chassis.
Other things that come to mind:
Remove the backplane before working, as harsh vibrations could cause fractures in connections or components.
Seal off the bays with wide painters tape and paper. This makes cleanup easier by keeping metal bits from getting into where they are hard to clean out.
You could also check how the whole HDD area and backplane is attached.
It might be easier to drill out some rivets and remove the thing instead of sawing the chassis apart.
cooling. The front half wouldn’t have any so your HDDs would cook.