quadmount

[x88x]

So, I finally got fed up with the stock mounts that came with my monitors, and decided to do something about it. Now, no way I was gonna pay somebody $200+ for something *glares at Newegg*, and nobody really makes exactly what I want anyways, so... I have a lot more experience working with wood than any other materials, it's easy to work with, I have all the tools that I'll need now, the material is cheap, and if I do it properly it'll be way stronger than anything I would have bought off eBay (albeit less flexible). So, here we go. For financial context, I'm hoping to stay under $50 for the entire thing.

Current situation:

I'm wanting to finally end up with a configuration round abouts this-ish:

So, I've done some sketching and planning, which I would upload if a) they weren't mostly completely nonsensical without knowing what I was thinking at the time, and b) I had a scanner..but since neither of those is the case, you'll just have to find out as the build progresses.

So, I have a base:

This is one of the leaves from a table that I found thrown out (yes, that's the table it's sitting on right now). As you can see, the way I ended up using the table only uses one leaf, so this will provide a nice solid base for this thing.


and the material for the frame:

...I did neglect to pick up a board the correct size and thickness for the actual VESA mounts, but that's still a ways away...

As is any actual progress, unfortunately. I just wanted to get this posted before I turn in for the night, so no more right now, but I will be spending all Saturday on this, hopefully finishing it before the end of the weekend.

Total cost so far:
Ash table leaf: $0
3x Fir 2x4's: $5.88
1lb of 2.5" screws: $5.94
Total: $11.82

[x88x]

Ok, so work went quite a bit slower than I was planning...partly because I've also been catching up on the last two seasons of Top Gear while working on it...

So, here we have the centerpiece, a nice solid base with a spire up the middle the support everything. I will be adding diagonal side-braces going down to the long board later, but not right now.

The mount for the primary display clamped in place:

and, the piece for the primary that the VESA mount points will actually connect to:

Unfortunately, I'm a bit stalled at this point, because, well, I don't really have detailed plans at all , and I don't have a printer, so I can't print out the VESA template yet....also I have reading that I need to do for class... So, that's all for now. Unfortunately I almost definitely will not be making any headway tomorrow, what with leaving for class in the morning at 9am and not getting back until about 10:45pm. Though, you never know; I might have enough energy to at least finish off the mount for the primary display.

[billygoat333]

this is looking interesting. will be watching. nice woodworkin skillz.

[TheMainMan]

Props to you for ingenuity! I've got duals and have wanted a third but don't like the commercial options. I'll be keeping a close eye on this to see how it turns out, might just give me some inspiration!
+rep and subscribed

[OvRiDe]

Well you wont have to worry about it being top heavy or someone grabbing it and running out the door!!

Looking good!

[x88x]

Thanks guys. I actually hasn't come out quite as good as I wanted, but those parts are mainly cosmetic, and in the back...and really entirely due to my lack of real planning Oh well, I'm still pretty happy with it so far

Well you wont have to worry about it being top heavy or someone grabbing it and running out the door!!

Looking good!

Yeah, that's another benefit of using the ash panel as the base; it's quite heavy....at least as heavy as two of my monitors together.

Since I forgot to put this in last night;

Total cost so far:
Ash table leaf: $0 (base)
3x Fir 2x4x8's: $5.88 (frame)
1lb of 2.5" screws: $5.94
1x White Pine 1x6x6: $5.78 (VESA mount points...stupid people, making the board I need expensive and warp-prone ..oh well, at least I only needed one)
1lb of 2" screws: $5.94 (2.5" were sticking out on some spots)
Total: $23.54

[x88x]

Wow, ok, so this has been sitting on my floor for only what, five and a half months now?

Anyways, I got sick of a) not really being able to use my fourth monitor, and b) tripping over the damn thing every day..the base that I had above was sitting basically right in front of my front door... So, enough talk, here's what I did today:

First off, I finished the mount for the primary monitor:

Got that attached to the monitor:

..and the base:

Then, using the same design, the mount for the monitor directly above it complete and attached to the monitor:

..and the base:

That's all for now. I have it set up now with just the two monitors; I'll probably be leaving it like that until I convince myself to get another of my primary monitor so I can have a symmetrical array (23" panels in the middle, 22" panels in portrait on each side).

[Zephik]

Hmmm, if you could lower that one there on the left a notch (or raise the middle bottom one)... I think I know of something that might fit above it rather nicely, assuming that's a 15"? Or is it 17"?

[x88x]

Actually it's an 18.5" ..yeah, weird...It's an old professional series Compaq panel. The 15" panel is actually going into Faust for built in status and stuff.

[diluzio91]

are you running all those monitors off one PC? what card do you have?