Network Cable Management 19 & 10 Inch

I got tired of seeing a mess of wires at my home network rack. I could have spent a some money on a proper patch panel and cross connecting hardware but my desire to invest that much time and money into something that does not change much was low on my priority list. I still wanted it to look neat though!

While looking at 1U Rack Fillers I was inspired to design this. I took a standard rack filler blank and redesigned it with a completely different purpose. With a removable insert I could pass wires to my gear in a nice & tidy formation. I now include a standard 19 inch version and a 10 inch version for mini racks. 

The initial design proved to be a bit flimsy and had a lot of flex. I went back to the drawing board and beefed up the entire thing with massive stiffening walls. When assembled with 4 small bolts and nuts this thing is rock solid.

Included are 3 inserts to choose from. The only difference between them is the little handle to assist in pulling out the insert. Choose the style you prefer and drop the other two. To be honest, squeezing the cable bundle and gently pulling is enough to get the insert dislodged in my experience.  

I printed this with Matte PLA in Grey and the insert Matte PLA in Blue. I printed it with my newly acquired Smooth PEI Plate and the surface came out as smooth as glass.

I highly recommend you print “Outer Brims” for a perfectly flat print and leave “Supports” enabled so that any overhangs come out crisp.

If you are using Phillips screws you may need a long screwdriver to tighten the screws. If you are using hex-head screws you will probably need an extension.

It should be noted that both halves of this design are the exact same length. You could print 2 “Insert” halves or 2 “Blank” halves to make up different variations, depending on your needs.