There are two things that get a homelabber's pulse going. The first is a pile of thrown-out server gear that still works, but no one wants it because it's obsolete for data centers and professional server rooms.
The second is a piece of furniture that just so happens to be perfect for homelabbing, and that's what the IKEA "LACK" side table has become.
As far as I know, IKEA didn't set out to make a $17 disposable table that just happens to have the same dimensions used for 19-inch server racks like the one you see above. That measurement, of course, refers to the length of the front panel and mounting ears for each blade. The body of the blade occupies the inner portion of the table's legs.
The usable space when building a so-called "LackRack" is around 8U, which is also a similar figure to a typical compact server rack solution.
Putting an exact date on when people discovered this cheap little side table could be converted into a server rack is tricky, but an article in Gamestar Tech dating from 2010 claims that although it was seen at eth0:2010 WinterLAN, Google employees had already been working with this table prior to that point.
For some context, a purpose-built server rack with similar capacity will run you around $100 if not more. So the idea that you could have a solid solution for $17 and a buck or two for mounting hardware is very attractive. All you need is the table itself, a screwdriver, wood screws under an inch in length, and that's pretty much it.
As you might expect, there's a whole subreddit called r/lackrack where people show off their own takes on the concept, and some go beyond the most basic requirements. Upgrading and modifying the table. More elaborate builds add rack rails, shelves, casters, and braces, but owners can buy those parts only when needed. It's all optional.
A commercial metal rack offers far more structural strength, but for a homelab setup, paying for that durability is arguably a waste of money.
IKEA's cheap little side table has turned into a secret homelab server rack, and even a 3D printer enclosure. Just don't tell teh Swedes or they'll jack up the price.
While I'm sure some low-budget commercial outfits might actually use a janky solution like the LackRack, this is really only appropriate for hobbyist homelabs and self-hosted services like a NAS or Plex server.
There's no end to the gear that you can pick up for a homelab that will fit neatly into a LackRack. What's really cool is that some people create a hybrid setup, where there's some rack-mount gear, but also just a shelf where a consumer-grade NAS can sit.
It's compact with an open side and back, which makes it easy to access all the bits and pieces you'd want when tinkering. Best of all, you can still use it as a table, and put stuff on the tabletop.
Some people have dug into the rest of the LACK family too. Above is an example of a Reddit user called ViolinistUnknown, who made a 17U rack from two LACK coffee tables!
Who needs a mini PC when the laptop nobody wants gets the job done?
It's impressive how the LACK table community has morphed into something far more advanced than a particle board table and a few wood screws. They quickly figured out that if you use the right metal braces, you can stack your LackRacks quite efficiently.
