PDA

View Full Version : Built myself a new desk



widefault
05-09-2009, 12:54 AM
I moved into an apartment closer to my job last summer and bought an el-cheapo desk from Office Max as a "temporary" desk. This one (http://www.officemax.com/office-furniture/desks-credenzas-workcenters/desks/workcenters/product-prod1840010?history=rmgcggvm|categoryId~10001^cate goryName~Office+Furniture^parentCategoryID~categor y_root^prodPage~25^region~1@e8zpiarb|categoryId~ca t1390010^categoryName~desks-credenzas-workcenters^parentCategoryID~cat_10001^prodPage~25 ^region~1^refine~1@exdl89g7|categoryId~38^category Name~Desks^parentCategoryID~cat_cat1390010^prodPag e~25^region~1^refine~1@oyl1b6e2|prodPage~15^refine ~1^region~1^categoryName~Workcenters^categoryId~18 1^parentCategoryID~cat_38@r0177fet|prodPage~15^sor t~Price+(Low-High)^refine~1^position~1^region~1). It was too shallow, and since I run dual monitors on a single mount, it was also somewhat unstable. Really didn't like it, but the temporary desk ended up being used for 9 months. Then I went to four LCDs, and the little desk felt like it was ready to fall over backwards.

I had been drawing and redrawing a design for a new desk for the last few months, but hadn't gotten around to building it because 1.) I have no way of cutting material where I am, and 2.) even if I did I don't have a vehicle large enough to carry the material. Since I knew I'd be buying everything at the Home Depot that's near my place, I could have had it cut there, but I still had the issue of transporting it back here.

Anyway, a couple weeks back I had a small epiphany and realized I could change a few dimensions and get a better desk than I had originally drawn.

Result is this beast.

http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk01.jpg

A little over 6 feet wide, 3 feet deep, 33" tall on the far end, 30.5" up by the monitors, and the keyboard area is 28". The keyboard and top shelf are both 24"deep, overlapping the keyboard shelf which gave me a good place to stash another keyboard and mouse for my test systems and projects as well as a Dell Mini 9 netbook.

http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk04.jpg

Holes have been drilled for cables, one on the privacy panel and one into the "box" on the far end.

http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk06.jpg
http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk05.jpg

The "Box" is two feet wide and three feet deep. Right now I only have my UPS and a Cosmos in there, but once I get my new longer cables I'll be throwing another UPS and most of my networking gear into it. I've added a set of shelves on top of the box, but don't have any pics of that yet.

http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk02.jpg
http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk07.jpg

Total cost to build was $88.36 with screws. Would have been a bit cheaper if I had started with full 4x8 sheets of MDF. All 3/4" MDF, held together with screws. I have some worry about sagging on the keyboard area, but there's not a lot of weight there so it should be okay. Took about 4 hours to put it all together. It's not painted, and won't be, so it'll look crappy pretty quickly, but this was about function and not style.

Again, I need to take more pics, but I'm waiting for longer cables so I can get everything situated properly.

simon275
05-12-2009, 01:24 AM
Man that is a sweet computer desk I like how you have the little shelf for the keyboard. (I also own the same keyboard)

What do you run that means you need four screens?

DonT-FeaR
05-12-2009, 06:02 AM
nice desk mate i like it :P

widefault
05-12-2009, 09:25 PM
The two LCDs on the bottom are on my main PC right now, one for ~70% of my apps, the other for a TV window and everything else.

The two on top are for other systems, currently Windows 7 x86 and x64 systems.

I may swap things around now that I have longer cables. Tempted to throw in a spare video card and hook one of the top LCDs to the main system so I can dump IM windows and a few other things up there.

billygoat333
05-13-2009, 07:48 AM
this is a sweet setup man... nice job on the desk! it feels good building your own stuff and saving money!

x88x
05-15-2009, 03:39 PM
What do you run that means you need four screens?

You're think about it the wrong way around; first you get the extra screens, then you realize how much you needed them :D

Nice desk, widefault. I'm a firm believer that it's better to build exactly what you want yourself than buy something that's "eh, pretty close..except on Tuesdays..". If you see sagging with the keyboard plateau, you could add in vertical segments at the back of that horizontal piece, joining it to the top horizontal section. That would add a lot of rigidity to the lower level and as an added benefit, keep you from accidentally pushing the extra keyboard/etc off the back.

widefault
05-15-2009, 08:50 PM
The keyboard shelf is 24" deep, it'll be pretty hard to shove stuff off of it. That's deeper than my last desk.

I had originally planned on putting a few pieces between the shelves, and I probably still will, but I'm not in a big hurry. If anything, I'll run a piece of "T" shaped aluminum or steel across the bottom. I have a good couple inches between the bottom of the shelf and my legs, so it won't be in the way.

I originally planned on using a kitchen table for my desk, but again I ran into the problem of finding a way to get it to my place. Not to mention you'll pay as much for a table as you will for a desk unless you find a "classic" 70's/80's woodgrain formica topped one. And most of those are only 3'x5' without the center leaf, and very few of those still have them. I also didn't go for a table because it would leave the PC exposed, as well as my lower half. Come on, like you guys never sit at your PC in boxers and a T-shirt.

I still need to make the door for the box, but it's really not that important right now. I may leave it open, better cooling and it's not like my PC is ugly.

I now have my longer cables, just have to shut everything down to rewire and route.

widefault
05-22-2009, 07:37 PM
New pic showing the shelves.

http://www.widefault.com/desk/desk08.jpg

knowledgegranted
06-04-2009, 12:39 AM
Hey mate this thing is really cool. I might make a new desk with my room clean up project I started when school ended!

Eclecticos
06-07-2009, 02:45 AM
Great job on the desk. +Rep
Looks sturdy and well constructed.