Penn Elcom R1290/1U Sliding Rack Tray (Audio, AV, IT, DJ) Equipment Shelf for 1 Rack Space up to 15 Inch Deep

I bought 2 of these because I was going to use them for things that were not too heavy, a Mac Book, and a guitar effects pedal. It holds them well only using the front screws to mount. I would not try this for anything heavier however since without the rear screwed in, it's a bit bouncy/flimsy.That said, it is perfect for my setup.

I rarely write reviews but this product is awesome. I bought one and instantly another two to outfit an audio rack with pedalboards. Solid build, smooth slide, super sturdy with the front and back fixtures. Highly recommend!

I liked this shelf because it would extend out a full 13" compared to another shelf I looked at that only extended about 6 to 8". This was handy because my printer is also a scanner/copier, so I can slide the printer out and open the top. Also helpful to change ink. Some stated the shelf is not heavy duty enough. I can't say it is built like a tank, but it handles the weight of my HP5470 printer just fine. Oh, I hade to mount it upside down as the printer would not have fit in the shelf. It works just fine that way.

Several reviewers have complained about the lack of instructions, I found this to be straightforward to install with the following procedure:1.) Separate the two sections of the slides by depressing the plastic tab within the slide mechanism (like any other drawer). You should now have two slide halves and the center drawer section.2.) For each slide, loosen the two screws on the rear rack ear and adjust the length for your rack. Tighten the screws once you have the correct length.3.) Install the two slides into your rack.4.) Insert the drawer until it locks into place on the slides. You are now finished installing the rack drawer.Build quality is OK, not great, not terrible. I use this for light items (<10 lbs), I wouldn't try to load 20lbs on to it personally.

The shelf itself is well made and with the front and rear edges rolled up instead of down so that they don't impact the 1U slots above and below the shelf slot. The rails extend smoothly, but they are less well designed. The separate front and back supports of the rails that mate to the vertical support posts of your rack are attached to the ball-bearing extension raceway in a manner that doesn't ensure level alignment from front to back. In my case, they actually deflect down enough that they impinge on the top of the switch mounted in the 1U slot below the shelf. As a result, the shelf itself is deflected downward that I need to apply upward pressure when extending the shelf in order to avoid the shelf from contacting my switch. It's not clear to me if this is a design or manufacturing/quality control issue. I'd note that the shelf did have some scuffs in the black finish.The manufacturer has good dimensioned drawings of the product online, but no installation documentation. You might want to wear latex gloves when handling the rails, as they are well greased and you're unlikely to get them mounted without smearing that grease around.

This is one of those rack accessories I wish I'd bought years ago. It is a very well built from quality materials, and the design is equally impressive. (I remember thinking how I wish my kitchen cabinets were built this well.) I like the use of stainless steel fasteners (included), and quality bearings that are very low noise.Note - it will be a much easier install if you remove enough rack gear adjacent the unit to get between the rails and the rack sides from the top or bottom of the tray being installed.

This is the R1290-600/1U, NOT the R1290/1U - This distinction is very important, because the product description (as of March 30, 2021) INCORRECTLY says "Penn-Elcom Extra Deep Sliding Rack Tray (Audio, AV, IT) Equipment Shelf for 1 Rack Space up to 15 Inch Deep R1290-600/1U" This product mounting range is from 22" deep to 29" deep, and has a much deeper shelf than the "15 inch" R1290/1U, which is a different product. I purchased this product knowing this, and am happy to have received the larger product.The quality of construction is great; I especially like that the shelf is flat against the bottom of the 1U increment, which allows me to maximize the volume of my cabinet. It can be flipped upside down as well.All Penn Elcom needs to do to sell more product is clear up the description... this is a fantastic quality shelf, and I have purchased 13 so far (not all from Amazon).