Kallax PC Drawer
2021-01-20
I built a drawer into my multimedia Kallax so I don't have a desktop pc standing around.
Table of Contents
Concept
I didn’t had much space in the last apartment I lived in, so floor space was precious. I had a multimedia setup with a Kallax that contained my screen, the consoles and everything, but my PC was standing next to it, wasting a good amount of space.
So my idea was to put the PC into one slot of the Kallax. Problem here was: I literally just removed the case and put all the parts there. Which wasn’t exactly a flexible solution.
One day I decided this had to end and create a drawer that I can put my PC into and make it removable from the kallax, while also being visually pleasing.
Fabrication
With the help from a colleague we designed a nice PC drawer that fits a kallax slot perfectly that uses a sliding extension to allow easy removal of the PC from the slot.
After we did a rough concept, we started manufacturing the drawer using polycarbonate panels:
![](img/step01 - milling.jpg)
![](img/step02 - drilling-1.jpg)
![](img/step03 - drilling-2.jpg)
![](img/step04 - drilling-3.jpg)
![](img/step05 - drilling-4.jpg)
![](img/step06 - tapping.jpg)
Putting it together
After drilling and threading all mounting points, I did the first assembly at the workshop:
![](img/step07 - placing-the-powersupply.jpg)
![](img/step08 - motherboard-1.jpg)
![](img/step09 - motherboard-2.jpg)
Assembled at last
Everything looked fine and the PC also worked fine and without any remarkable problems.
![](img/step10 - assembled-view-1.jpg)
![](img/step11 - assembled-view-2.jpg)
![](img/step12 - assembled-view-3.jpg)
![](img/step13 - assembled-view-4.jpg)
Final Installation
At home, I then mounted the sliding extensions into the Kallax, then inserted the PC:
![](img/step14 - deployed-1.jpg)
![](img/step15 - deployed-2.jpg)
![](img/step16 - deployed-3.jpg)
![](img/step17 - deployed-4.jpg)
![](img/step18 - deployed-5.jpg)
![](img/step19 - deployed-6.jpg)
![](img/step20 - deployed-7.jpg)
In my new apartment, I don’t need that drawer case anymore, but it was a good experience at crafting something that was both useful and fully done.
I was super happy about the visuals, it also was quite easy to remove the PC to go to LAN parties with. The custom case obviously created a good bunch of attention and I had to tell people the same I told here.
The biggest thing I learned with this is that it’s sometimes just the right idea to solve problems in a unusual manner and thinking outside the box produces good products and solutions.
A PC doesn’t need a case in the first place, it’s just for better management. The cuboid shape is just practical for most applications, but other shapes and features might be better fitting.