project desk'd

[elementalelf]

this is an exact copy and paste from my worklog on ocau, this is my 3rd mod, but the last 2 werent really worthy of showing off.

ok... i have myself 100 dollars to do what i want with these holidays, as long as its something constructive... so im taking the family computer(not mine), putting it on another desk, and then modding the computer desk... sounds wierd? yeah... thats what i thought!

ok, the basic idea is a computer under a desk with a window between the keyboard and monitor, motherboard will be mounted upside down and fans put in the bottom to warm your feet(its a p4... nuff said) and the drives will be on rollers attached to small motors so when u press a buttom, the drive pops out of an opening in the desk(kinda hard to explain, but i got it figured out, and i have done something similar).

next post will be initial pictures of the desk, + design theories

[elementalelf]

and... so... without further ado, i give you...
PIC CHAAAAAZZZZ(you might notice the case i have at the moment is the same one in project rankin)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/picture1.jpg
yeaaahhh... main picture of the desk, to sorta show you what it looks like
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/picture2.jpg
picture tells a thousand words... or at least seventeen...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/picture3.jpg
5 words here :P

[elementalelf]

UPDATES UPDATES

only a small one, but it gets the mod off the ground, oh, and i found a name for the mod, inspired by none other then defyant...

unlike backyard blitz, i have 3 worksite managers...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd1.jpg

The setup so far
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd2.jpg

This was meant to be the pencil lines ive done... but it didnt turn out too good on the camera... so i went over it in paint
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd3.jpg

i had to sorta "mod" the mouse chord to fit it in the hole... dont try this at home...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd4.jpg

it all fits nice and easily back in now
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd5.jpg

and look at that, a perfect mouse hole... will fill in the gap later on in the mod...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/mod/modd6.jpg



Thats it for now, will do more tomorrow when i have a ruler and some perspex

[elementalelf]

INSERT 3 MONTH BREAK HERE WHILE WAITING FOR PERSPEX THAT NEVER CAME AND FOR MY THUMB TO HEAL(i sliced it with an axe while chopping firewood)

[elementalelf]

update:
finally, after waiting for 2 months for the perspex, i got some myself... box has been cut up out of an old desk made of the same material the modded one is made of(read: same color)
not that it matters as i have decided to paint both the desk and the box/case.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd001.jpg

side of case, thats spak filler, as i dont have any bondo, but it does the job.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd002.jpg
entire case.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd003.jpg
Defyant and Aussiejester and all the other great modders have great workshops... well... this is what i have to work with :upset: the only thing not pictured here htat i have used is the jigsaw, which im using a metal cutter for as i cannot find the wood cutter piece.
edit: also, note the heatercore in the top right corner... that will be used in a later mod

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd004.jpg
i had a look around the house, and sitting in the corner of the back room, was this monster... thats over 5 feet tall, its a solid sheet of 5mm perspex
:D :D :D :D

things to do: take apart the old case to get the mobo tray, then make all the adjustments in the wood case to get the mobo tray from the old case to fit, hopefully that will be done by tonight and pictures posted tomorrow...
does anyone wanna donate 2 120mm fans to the cause? im in need of these as this thing has no ventilation at the moment, and i have gone over my budget.
Edit: also, i need to make a mousepad out of the perspex i got there, as paint doesnt really go well with mouse's(the mouse scratches the **** outta the paint) if i paint the entire desk.

[elementalelf]

PM your name and address and i will hook you up with a nice 120mm fan.
Just cause you're young and giving it a go.
cheers, i turned 16 a few months ago, so i guess i am fairly young for a modder.
another update:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd005.jpgBox marked out from above. i still dont know what im gunna put here, but i have a few ideas.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd006.jpg
the chassis of an old case i bought off commando(it housed a p4 1.6 rig)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd007.jpg
the rivets have been drilled out, and the mobo tray has been hacked up with a jigsaw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd008.jpg
it fits... now i gotta find a way of keeping it there.

[elementalelf]

after messing around with that mobo tray, i broke it, so i had to do a new one... also, here are some other updates

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd011.jpg
yeah... thats cut... pity its such a crappy job... not to worry
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd012.jpg
i got this stuff from home hardware down the road, costed 4:95 for 3.6 metres(cut in 1.8 metre strips so i could carry it home)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd013.jpg
cut to fit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd017.jpg
bondo'ed in(well, its plaster filler... but it does the same thing)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd018.jpg
end result...

next part of the job.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd014.jpg
i need USB ports near the front of the desk for usability... so... this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd015.jpg
will be going in like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd016.jpg


cheers

[GT40_GearHead]

very nice work until now

[simon275]

Hmm desk modding an interesting idea I like. I might install a USB and a Etherenet hub just under my desk I think. Hmm I' am inspired.

A window in your desk though? You would have to make it pretty sturdy so I doesn't get cracked.

I guess it would be usefull to be able to see what is crawlling up your leg without actually leaning down or moving your legg :bunny:

[klingelton]

i've been thinking of installing a usb light into my desk for the "turn off the lights, i'm trying to sleep here" moments.

[DaveW]

Nice work so far. Interesting workshop-kinda like my cellar! Everything's fighting for space, eh?

Justblair posted photos of a computer he built into a desk a while back-have a look through the project galleries for it, it always helps to look at other folk's work.

Looks good so far thought.

-Dave

[justblair]

Yep I did... I was looking at this worklog this morning and I noticed that you took a very similar method of build to my own project.

Using the tray and back from an existing case is certainly a reasonable short cut. It reduces the risk of components not fitting and simplifies your planning. I would not discourage you from this route. I also found it to be good for setting my "true" plane for measurements. I did think later on in my build that in some ways using the whole back panel limited me slightly in my design. Though I was building into an irregular shape.

I am interested in knowing on the finish that you plan to use for your desk... This was an issue that took a lot of my time and imagination to resolve. I'll bet that whatever solution you use I will have pondered at some point in the process. My chance I guess to see what could have been for my own project. If you know what I mean?Keep the posts coming, cant wait to see how you tackle the project... If you have any questions or ideas to bounce, get in touch there is a good chance that I will have either tried them or can give you my own take on the pro's and cons.

My desk pc (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3357&highlight=desk)

[elementalelf]

Yep I did... I was looking at this worklog this morning and I noticed that you took a very similar method of build to my own project.

Using the tray and back from an existing case is certainly a reasonable short cut. It reduces the risk of components not fitting and simplifies your planning. I would not discourage you from this route. I also found it to be good for setting my "true" plane for measurements. I did think later on in my build that in some ways using the whole back panel limited me slightly in my design. Though I was building into an irregular shape.

I am interested in knowing on the finish that you plan to use for your desk... This was an issue that took a lot of my time and imagination to resolve. I'll bet that whatever solution you use I will have pondered at some point in the process. My chance I guess to see what could have been for my own project. If you know what I mean?Keep the posts coming, cant wait to see how you tackle the project... If you have any questions or ideas to bounce, get in touch there is a good chance that I will have either tried them or can give you my own take on the pro's and cons.

My desk pc (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3357&highlight=desk)

cheers mate, ill defenatly talk to you at some point in the future...

as for the finish, it will largely depend on what color the room is going to be painted in, as we are repainting the entire house, the room will "probably" be painted some neutral color such as grey or brown..
either way, whatever color it is, i will paint the desk and box in a camo paint type of that color(and a few that are like it, for example, if it were brown, i would also do really dark marroon and orange)

UPDATE:
as soon as my camera actually decides it wants to work and upload the pictures ill post them, however until then, writing will have to suffice...
i have modded the button from an old case(which is exactly like one of shplades old mods that he never finished called rankine) into the desk on the oppisite side from the USB port thingy
also cut 2 120mm fan holes in the front.
and painted the "on" button gold.
ok, heres piccy's
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd019.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd023.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd024.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd021.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd022.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd020.jpg

[Fear]

Wow, I like the USB port. Some desk you makin there. Keep it coming, I like.

[gaz_the_chav]

Looking good man I have always have wanted to do a desk mod but there is one problem...I DON'T HAVE A DESK lol

-=gaz=-

[meticoeus]

Nice work so far. I plan to build my own desk once I have a place to live. Right now I'm living in a dorm through undergrad.

[elementalelf]

ok, i lost a bunch of pix off my camera for some random reason...
here is the most up to date one i have(i just took it then)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd0030.jpg

i decided to do some cable sleeving on the psu, which is some generico 400 watter...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd027.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd028.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd026.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd029.jpg
go the bronco's
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd0031.jpg

[elementalelf]

ok, my digi camera has died, so no more pics for the duration of the mod, however its almost finished, i just finished modding the cd drive into the monitor(it took 2 hours of dremmelling and angle grinding plastic...) and have spraypainted, then talcum powderededed the IDE cable.

all thats left to do is spraypaint the desk and fit everything in!

[elementalelf]

sorry for lack of updates, i really couldnt be stuffed taking pictures... ill save the "full OMFG worklog" for stealth... as the rest of this mod is fairly straightfoward... however here are some piccies...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd030.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd031.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/elementalelf/modd032.jpg
yes... that IS where the DVD drive is going :D