To build of not to build
Like any hobbyist there are tools, equipment and usually a kit or a bench we go to and do our thing. I could start from scratch or search for something premade which requires only a little assembly. So, I struggled with the idea of building a test bench to get back into playing around with desktop computer parts and accessories. Like minded hobbyists will either use a computer motherboard tray from a new or disused casing. Others will simply use the desktop motherboard shipping box. It wouldn't be pretty but it would be functional. I wanted something that looked decent and was very functional. I didn't want to build from scratch and so began my search. I had seen what others like Linus Tech Tips, GamersNexus, JayzTwoCents, TechYesCity and many more were using. Some looked liked they'd work for me and I actually found them online or something close. There is even one exquisitely crafted aluminium platform, the Open Bench Table, but it costs USD 189. A little too much for little ole hobbyist me. So, I kept on searching and what better place to search than the online stores. My first stop was Aliexpress. You can find a lot of options with a simple search. I found one that was simple and made out of 2020 extruded aluminium. It fit my requirements but I thought it would be better with some modifications like making it a double layer.
I bought two of the kits and went looking for some additional pieces to complete the build. Before I get to those additional pieces let me talk about the kit in its stock form. The QDIY PC-JMK6-ATX shipped like a flat pack you would get from IKEA. Inside the brown cardboard box - an A4 sized instruction manual and all the parts protected by plastic or an additional layer of cardboard. I am thankful for the fact that the instructions were in English.
The QDIY PC-JMK6-ATX is able to accommodate an ATX size motherboard. There is also a smaller MATX sized kit. Looking at the ATX kit I would say it would probably take a E-ATX motherboard but would overhang the testbench frame. I bought the red with black combination. I think the colour combination looks quite sharp.
I should not have been so hasty to order from Aliexpress because I later searched on the other local shopping site Lazada.sg and found it slightly cheaper with shipping and probably coming from a similar or the same supplier out of China.
Materials and Assembly
The anodized aluminium looks good but I question the strength of some of the other materials. Some of the parts are made from an acrylic/plexi and I couldn't imagine how some of the pieces would standup to any harsh treatment. A little knock here or there and it would be broken. True enough, the part designed to hold the PSU in place was easily broken. The pieces are cut so thin that with a little knock of my hand broke the part. All you need to assemble is a philips screwdriver.
The other piece that was in question is the part used to extend a rod up high enough to secure cards. First off, the part is two pieces held together by a couple screws and acrylic glue. After installing the part it became quite wobbly because of the weak glue. The part also obstructed the proper insertion of the cards because it was too thick for the rear plate to pass unimpeded. The extension rods were not always completely straight and vertical meaning the holes were not drilled straight with a high degree of tolerance. I eventually did away with that part because it was already falling apart and most of the cards could support themself once inserted into the motherboard because my setup is horizontal and not vertical like a tower chassis.
Operation
The lining up of the stand-offs was a little tedious even though the assembly instructions provided specific measurements for placement.
If you are interested in simple aircooling testing a setup with a single drive the PC-JMK6-ATX will be fine. I on the other hand needed a setup that would work well for testing water cooling and other storage devices or accessories. So I needed space and a place that I would be able to mount a radiator, pump, reservoir, and fans. This brings me to the reason for buying two sets and go about stacking them together. You will notice from the Aliexpress search a couple of double layered testbench options appear. Far more costly than even my two set purchase.
You can see there is enough space to mount the power supply unit in a vertical manner and you would probably get a hard drive or two on some of the 'L' brackets. On the red portion of the frame you can see a special insert which holds the standoff and held in place by a tightened screw. The motherboard pictured is an odd size like many of the China brand made motherboards, hence the shortness and not reaching the next set of stand-offs on the left.
Two shall become one
To bring the two kits together I went shopping for some specific pieces which could connect three extrusions at the corner. This would allow me to gain a little space, two widths of the extrusion, by pushing them out when connected with the special piece. That special item was found on Aliexpress here.
I also purchased this joint board plate and used it to join the new legs of my testbench to the long side extrusions. This plate attached to the vertical and horizontal extrusions prevents the bench from wobbling side to side.
The completed assembly
With the corner section added and holding the extrusions together you can see it would be easier to expand the testbench. I plan to add a piece of plexi/acrylic on the bottom and this will make it cleaner to have hard drives, reservoir and pump for watercooling setups. The raised height also allows the mounting of radiators, fans and other accessories I haven't really thought about much. Notice the PSU is now able to sit horizontally and that helps to keep the centre of gravity not too high. I will also be able to use the extrusion as a place to tie down cables and make it look neater. As you see it there's a lot of cables for this test setup of my UnRaid Server.
How much?
The total outlay for the testbench.
Qty 2 - PC-JMK6-ATX, $66.01 x 2 = SGD132.02
I seemed to have used a returning customer coupon to reduce the price to SGD123.37.
Qty 4 - Joint Board Plate, $4.66 x 4 = SGD18.64
Qty 4 - 3Way Corner, $2.07 x 4 = SGD8.28
TOTAL: SGD150.29
I think that's a reasonable price to pay for something that I built and customised. With more extrusions and parts, this design could easily be expanded upon.
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