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  3. Have any of you ever built your own computer desk?

Have any of you ever built your own computer desk?

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  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

    :wince: Wakes you up doesn't it?

    S Offline
    S Offline
    SoMad
    wrote on last edited by
    #23

    :laugh: Yes. It's funny now, but not so much when you are rolling around, clutching your leg trying to decide if you should cry or wet yourself while looking at the open flesh wound that is still white and for some reason not bleeding yet. :sigh: Soren Madsen

    "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

    OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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    • S SoMad

      :laugh: Yes. It's funny now, but not so much when you are rolling around, clutching your leg trying to decide if you should cry or wet yourself while looking at the open flesh wound that is still white and for some reason not bleeding yet. :sigh: Soren Madsen

      "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriff
      wrote on last edited by
      #24

      ...and you still need to pee! :laugh: (And if you are like me, you get the other leg going back to bed... :sigh: )

      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

        ...and you still need to pee! :laugh: (And if you are like me, you get the other leg going back to bed... :sigh: )

        S Offline
        S Offline
        SoMad
        wrote on last edited by
        #25

        OriginalGriff wrote:

        (And if you are like me, you get the other leg going back to bed... :sigh: )

        Or simply stub your toe on the post. But not the big one. No, no, one that will really bring out the pain. :^) Soren Madsen

        "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

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        • S SoMad

          I guess it's Do It Yourself weekend here in the Lounge :) . I have decided to build my own desk for my home office. The thing I have now is a cheaper, flimsier and suckier version of this[^]. I have had it for 12 years and it is time to get rid of it, especially since I am currently working on something where I need at least one more computer right next to my main system. I found this web site[^] (jump to the finished product[^]) and I like a couple of things about her approach: 1) Most of it can be laid out on a sheet of plywood that you have them cut out at the lumber yard. 2) The height of the desk is the height of a standard keyboard tray, so you don't have to fight with that (I really hate my keyboard tray). I actually want to expand this into an L-shaped desk, where the other part is the height of a standard desk. I think I can figure out how to do it, but I am still in the planning stages. Any tips or ideas? Soren Madsen

          "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

          M Offline
          M Offline
          Maximilien
          wrote on last edited by
          #26

          don't. go to a store and by 4 legs and a top and it will be better than that, especially if you are not used into building stuff.

          I'd rather be phishing!

          1 Reply Last reply
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          • S SoMad

            I guess it's Do It Yourself weekend here in the Lounge :) . I have decided to build my own desk for my home office. The thing I have now is a cheaper, flimsier and suckier version of this[^]. I have had it for 12 years and it is time to get rid of it, especially since I am currently working on something where I need at least one more computer right next to my main system. I found this web site[^] (jump to the finished product[^]) and I like a couple of things about her approach: 1) Most of it can be laid out on a sheet of plywood that you have them cut out at the lumber yard. 2) The height of the desk is the height of a standard keyboard tray, so you don't have to fight with that (I really hate my keyboard tray). I actually want to expand this into an L-shaped desk, where the other part is the height of a standard desk. I think I can figure out how to do it, but I am still in the planning stages. Any tips or ideas? Soren Madsen

            "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

            M Offline
            M Offline
            Marc Clifton
            wrote on last edited by
            #27

            Forget the desk, all I need is the chair[^] :-D Marc

            Day 1: Spider Database Navigator Unit Testing Succinctly

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            • S SoMad

              I guess it's Do It Yourself weekend here in the Lounge :) . I have decided to build my own desk for my home office. The thing I have now is a cheaper, flimsier and suckier version of this[^]. I have had it for 12 years and it is time to get rid of it, especially since I am currently working on something where I need at least one more computer right next to my main system. I found this web site[^] (jump to the finished product[^]) and I like a couple of things about her approach: 1) Most of it can be laid out on a sheet of plywood that you have them cut out at the lumber yard. 2) The height of the desk is the height of a standard keyboard tray, so you don't have to fight with that (I really hate my keyboard tray). I actually want to expand this into an L-shaped desk, where the other part is the height of a standard desk. I think I can figure out how to do it, but I am still in the planning stages. Any tips or ideas? Soren Madsen

              "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

              K Offline
              K Offline
              kmoorevs
              wrote on last edited by
              #28

              Get a couple of filing cabinets and a decent length of laminate countertop. If you want an L shape, just use two with 45 degree endcuts. You can always build extra shelving for the top if you need it. :)

              "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

              S 1 Reply Last reply
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              • K kmoorevs

                Get a couple of filing cabinets and a decent length of laminate countertop. If you want an L shape, just use two with 45 degree endcuts. You can always build extra shelving for the top if you need it. :)

                "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

                S Offline
                S Offline
                SoMad
                wrote on last edited by
                #29

                Thanks, but I am not sure I can find filing cabinets at the right height - the height of my current keyboard tray. Soren Madsen

                "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • S SoMad

                  I guess it's Do It Yourself weekend here in the Lounge :) . I have decided to build my own desk for my home office. The thing I have now is a cheaper, flimsier and suckier version of this[^]. I have had it for 12 years and it is time to get rid of it, especially since I am currently working on something where I need at least one more computer right next to my main system. I found this web site[^] (jump to the finished product[^]) and I like a couple of things about her approach: 1) Most of it can be laid out on a sheet of plywood that you have them cut out at the lumber yard. 2) The height of the desk is the height of a standard keyboard tray, so you don't have to fight with that (I really hate my keyboard tray). I actually want to expand this into an L-shaped desk, where the other part is the height of a standard desk. I think I can figure out how to do it, but I am still in the planning stages. Any tips or ideas? Soren Madsen

                  "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                  G Offline
                  G Offline
                  GenJerDan
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #30

                  My home "office" is 10x10. Oddly enough, Lowe's has 10' long faux marble kitchen counters, precut to fit together in an L. Plenty of room to fit my systems, their monitors, the near-field monitors, the printer, the scanner, the ridiculously bulky video monitor, and the two cats. Real Soon Now™.

                  YouTube and My Mu[sic], Films and Windows Programs, etc.

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • S SoMad

                    I guess it's Do It Yourself weekend here in the Lounge :) . I have decided to build my own desk for my home office. The thing I have now is a cheaper, flimsier and suckier version of this[^]. I have had it for 12 years and it is time to get rid of it, especially since I am currently working on something where I need at least one more computer right next to my main system. I found this web site[^] (jump to the finished product[^]) and I like a couple of things about her approach: 1) Most of it can be laid out on a sheet of plywood that you have them cut out at the lumber yard. 2) The height of the desk is the height of a standard keyboard tray, so you don't have to fight with that (I really hate my keyboard tray). I actually want to expand this into an L-shaped desk, where the other part is the height of a standard desk. I think I can figure out how to do it, but I am still in the planning stages. Any tips or ideas? Soren Madsen

                    "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                    M Offline
                    M Offline
                    Mark_Wallace
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #31

                    This[^] and this[^] are the only pictures I have of the last one I made -- I don't have any of the "finished product" When I moved house, I chopped it up so that the computer side and the shelf side would go on opposite walls.

                    I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                    S 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • M Mark_Wallace

                      This[^] and this[^] are the only pictures I have of the last one I made -- I don't have any of the "finished product" When I moved house, I chopped it up so that the computer side and the shelf side would go on opposite walls.

                      I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                      S Offline
                      S Offline
                      SoMad
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #32

                      :thumbsup: That's pretty nice, thanks for sharing. What wood did you use for the top? Soren Madsen

                      "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

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                      • S SoMad

                        :thumbsup: That's pretty nice, thanks for sharing. What wood did you use for the top? Soren Madsen

                        "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Mark_Wallace
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #33

                        I made the whole thing out of MDF, and used yacht varnish to get a rich, heavy finish. Note that if you build the desk in as part of the room, the missus can't keep making you move it.

                        I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                        S 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • S SoMad

                          What kind of plywood did you use or do you not care about the appearance? Soren Madsen

                          "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                          A Offline
                          A Offline
                          A_WoodApple
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #34

                          SoMad wrote:

                          What kind of plywood did you use...

                          "Furniture Grade" plywood works best for a project like this. (It doesn't have any voids in the layers which makes it stronger, less prone to warping, and the edges(although clearly plywood) can be finished without them getting ragged.) An alternative is to buy a counter-top (cut to size... anything from marble to cheap plywood with a veneer.). If you own your home and don't plan on moving soon, you may consider building the desk into a wall. Simple 2x4 frame attached at the right height. (remember to use a level, not strictly the height from the floor) Use either table legs with adjustable feet (available pre-made, just attach) or support the top with 2x4 braces that run from near the edge to the wall. This can look like almost anything depending on the materials used. Nice, functional, classy, hillbilly.

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                          • M Mark_Wallace

                            I made the whole thing out of MDF, and used yacht varnish to get a rich, heavy finish. Note that if you build the desk in as part of the room, the missus can't keep making you move it.

                            I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                            S Offline
                            S Offline
                            SoMad
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #35

                            Thanks, you did get it quite shiny with that varnish :). I am considering using MDF, but I am also considering using edge-glued boards since they are not as prone to splinters and edge-chipping as plywood. The problem is that I cannot find a pre-made board with the dimensions I would like (56" x 30"). Soren Madsen

                            "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

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                            • S SoMad

                              Well, I have some tools and some experience, but I am not looking for something super nice. I need a desk upgrade right now and I definitely have to go with an inexpensive solution.

                              Mike Hankey wrote:

                              As far as them cutting it for you at the lumber yard they usually limit the amount of cuts

                              I think Home Depot will make two cuts. I assume they they just charge a bit per extra cut, but maybe I am wrong. Soren Madsen

                              "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

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                              P Offline
                              PIEBALDconsult
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #36

                              Yeah, my experience has been that the first two cuts are free. If you can find someone to do it. And they don't guarantee accuracy. It may be that a woman will get better service.

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                              • S SoMad

                                Thanks, you did get it quite shiny with that varnish :). I am considering using MDF, but I am also considering using edge-glued boards since they are not as prone to splinters and edge-chipping as plywood. The problem is that I cannot find a pre-made board with the dimensions I would like (56" x 30"). Soren Madsen

                                "When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty

                                M Offline
                                M Offline
                                Mark_Wallace
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #37

                                SoMad wrote:

                                The problem is that I cannot find a pre-made board with the dimensions I would like (56" x 30")

                                Get yourself a cheap biscuit cutter[^], and you can join two pieces -- my desk was joined just where the drawers end (designed to be separated, later, which it now has been). If you make sure that the joining edges are dead straight*, no-one will ever know you've added a bit. n.b. If you do go for joined-edge panels, pick ones that don't have big colour differences in the batons, or the stripes'll piss you off when you're sitting at it. * Use a jointing block: spray- or contact-glue 100-grit sandpaper to both sides of a 4x9" MDF-or-similar offcut, and rub the full length of the board in a single movement, several times -- it doesn't take a lot of practice, and works miraculously well.

                                I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

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