[magnethead]

Decided I've had enough of this desk. Dad will be gone all of next week (for unfortunate reasons), so i'm going to tackle the steep task of building myself a desk.

The vertical flats (doors, drawers, uprights) will be 3/4" plywood, while the horizontal flats (desktops, top shelf) will be MDF. This is because plywood is cheaper and can be end-screwed, while MDF is heavy as %^&*, has a smooth surface, but can't be end-screwed. Plus, MDF makes a better end-plane.

I already ordered the tri-mon mount, i'm picking up the 3rd monitor on friday, I already have the laptop stand made from 1x2. Everything will be trussed with 2x4's along the wall-edge and inside the drawer and lower cabinet cavities, the upper cavities will be held right with angle brackets inside the cabinets, and the open-space top shelf will be held right with 2x2 at the seams. The hard part will be templating my curved wall.

I'm going to build the outside skeleton of the main desk first (uprights, 2x4 truss, desktop), then do the left skeleton (upright, truss, desktop). Then I'll make the middle top shelf and it's (qty 2) 2x4 "rear pillars" and (qty 2) 2x2 "front pillars", and assemble that unit with the 2x2 trim, before lifting it onto the middle desk. The rear pillars will be end-screwed from inside the drawer cavity, though the desktop, with the rear horizontal under-truss 2x4 removed then reinstalled to perform this fasten. The front pillars will simply be screwed from below the desktop.

Next, a panel will be attached to the left pillars, to serve as the side of the cabinet, as well as an anchor point.

The left top shelf will be made, along with it's panel upright. They will be ajoined using angle brackets, then positioned on the desk, with the panel supporting the shelf on the right, and the upright, on the left. Angle brackets will be used to adjoin the shelf to the panel, and the left panel upright will be end-screwed from under the desktop.

Now, the skeleton on the left half of the desk will be present- the desktop, top shelf, and the core uprights to hold it all together. Next, will be the inner-uprights for the middle drawers. These will simply be made, and attached via the 2x4 truss structure at the bottom and rear of the cavity, while a piece of 1x2 at the leading edge of the desk will pull the panel together with the existing upright. This is done, so that no screws will be present on the desk top. Once done on both sides, this will complete the drawer cavities.

Next, will be to finish the left cabinets. The floor for them will be made bades from the top shelf, and it will be positioned in place, and attached with angle brackets. A divider wall will then be installed to seperate the 2 cabinet spaces, end-screwed from top and bottom, then the back walls of both cabinets will be installed, same as the divider.

Now, it will look like a desk, with 2 finished cabinet cavities, and 2 finished drawer cavities.

Now the attention will be turned to the simpler right desk. It's desktop, right upright, and face panel will be made, and adjoined using a 2x4 truss structure. This unit will then be attached to the middle desk, by linking the two trusses together. Then the top shelf will be made based on the desktop, along with it's panel upright. These 2 items will be connected using the 2x2, with a 2x4 rear truss. The unit will then be positioned on the desktop, and the trusses will be linked. The right panel-upright will be end-screwed from under the desktop, within the shelf cavity.

The desk will then be effectively complete. All that will be left will be construction of the drawers, cabinet doors, and the shelves for the right-end.

Budget that I am aiming at is $75 for wood (4 sheets MDF, 4 sheets plywood, [qty 4] 2x4x8, [qty 2] 2x2x8, [qty 2] 1x2x8) and $75 in hardware (4 sets of hinges, 9 sets of drawer sliders, 12 knobs,2 boxes of screws, >16 angle brackets). We'll have to see how it comes out next week....

 

[magnethead]

What I am replacing:

What I'll be building:

 

[Acuta73]

Looks like a mod to me!

Have a look at THIS for some additional ideas. :grin:

(and clean up yer room...it's a mess! /hides)

 

[magnethead]

Looks like a mod to me!

Have a look at THIS for some additional ideas. :grin:

(and clean up yer room...it's a mess! /hides)

the reason to build the built-in, is to get some crap out of my closet, so i can move more crap in my closet. plus, it's a mess from my rearrangement session that opened up the wallspace.

 

[magnethead]

the tri-mon stand shipped today. Stopped by Lowes, they said to come by between 7 and 8 AM for boxes. I need cardboard to template my curved wall. I'll buy a sheet each of MDF and plywood to start the skeleton at the same time, Wednesday morning. My goal is to have the middle desktop cut out before I go to work wednesday, so that I can come home and cut the uprights.


The hidden corners where the 6 uprights connect to the desktops, will have 2 of these at each corner, for a total of 16 corner gussets ($10.72) http://www.homedepot.com/Building-M...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Where the top shelf and it's uprights come together, will have these on the back, for a total of 6 corner braces ($13.62) http://www.homedepot.com/Building-M...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

The insides of the cabinets will have these, as well as the top-shelf joints, to help hold things square on the inside, 2 per corner, for a total of 24 corner braces ($14.94) http://www.homedepot.com/Building-M...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

All 4 cabinet doors will have 2" hinges on them. The small upper doors will have 2 hinges per door, the large lower doors will have 3 hinges per door, for a total of 10 hinges ($22.70). http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

All 4 cabinet doors will have this knob ($3.92) http://www.homedepot.com/Bath-Bath-...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

This is the matching pull handle. I will have to see the screws it comes with to decide wether i use it for the 8 drawers (7 middle, 1 left) or just use the knobs. I'm not a fan of front-mount handles. ($10.32) http://www.homedepot.com/Bath-Bath-...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

For drawer slides, I'm going to re-use the 3 slides from this desk, as I like their design, they attach from under the drawer. Hoping to find similar at home depot. Figure about $30 for slides.

4 sheets of 3/4" MDF will be $73.68 (seems high)

4 sheets of 3/4" plywood will be $55.96 (seems high)

4 pieces of 2x4x8 will be $8.64

2 pieces of 2x2x8 will be $2.96

2 pieces of 1x2x8 will be $2.24


That makes a hardware total of around $106.22 and a lumber total of around $143.48, grand total $249.7 plus tax, so like $265 all said and done. I am hoping that both of those are bloated, especially the lumber total. I can't believe that panel board has gotten that expensive.

 

[magnethead]

I'm slowly working out the details. I bought the tri-mon stand, it will be here Tuesday, Went to Texas A&M and got the 3rd monitor yesterday, exact same one I already have as secondary. That way everything is simetrical and looks good. I'll have 54" of screens. 1280x1024, 1650x1050, 1280x1024. That's 4,353,940 pixels, call it 4.4 MegaPixels, 4210 x 1033 effective pixels (Averaged height). Basically, ALOT of screen.

I'm clearing my floor right now and into tomorrow. Dad's working monday, gonna pack mondday night, then i'm working the morning shift and taking him to the A/P in the afternoon. Figure I'll scoot this desk out tuesday night and get the masking tape laid for the new desk (note to self: buy roll of painters tape). Then on Wednesday, hit Lowes for some cardboard and the MDF to do the desktops right when they open, get the wall template made, go to work, then come home and get the desktops made, and go from there. (Note to self: Buy 2M eSATA/SATA cable)

 

[shotgn]

Saw this video...Look very interesting
YouTube - Desk Mounted Gaming PC

 

[Acuta73]

Sounds like the ball has started rolling.

Good luck, man!

@Shotgn: You should post that vid in the general section at ModBrothers!

 

[shotgn]

Its already posted. Bill put it up on facebook. Thats were i got it LOL.

 

[magnethead]

wow, I like his desk. I was actually already planning to do what he did for the CD and fan controller, I didn't even think about power switch, hmm, I may have to do something for that.

I haven't decided what to do with my speakers yet, I have a few ideas, just don't know how they will sound. My primary thought was to make "pods" for them, that attach to the VESA bolts behind the monitors. But I don't know how it will sound, in the event that they echo off the wall and desk itself. Right now, I have them in a "sound bar" at the top of my desk.

The main (center) keyboard tray will be 32" including slide rails, spanning the chair opening, with 14" wide drawers on both sides, actual drawer interior width will be like 12.5 inches. The tray I have now is 36" wide, with 15.5" left drawer and 11.5" right cabinet (25.5" chair opening).

 

[Acuta73]

Hmmm...maybe build some slightly larger boxes and run them "surround sound" style across the top-front of the cabinets? Would likely improve bass response as well as moving all the speakers from one area. Bummer side is: You'd lose some space on top for yer stuff.

OR, maybe put one speaker on each extreme outside edge, then you'd only have to find a home for the center speaker.

 

[magnethead]

Hmmm...maybe build some slightly larger boxes and run them "surround sound" style across the top-front of the cabinets? Would likely improve bass response as well as moving all the speakers from one area. Bummer side is: You'd lose some space on top for yer stuff.

OR, maybe put one speaker on each extreme outside edge, then you'd only have to find a home for the center speaker.

That's kinda what I'm thinking, If I could make some decent-looking holders, and just have them across the top, or down the sides with the center in the top-middle. But I don't know if I would be able to make said decent-looking holders. The other bad part, is that the right speaker has the controls built in, so I have to make it accessable.

They're Logitech X-530's i believe.

 

[magnethead]

Where I'm at right now.

 

[magnethead]

I'm using my laptop now. I've got the computer and all the hardware removed and placed on the other side of the room. I have work tomorrow, but once I get home, I'll vacuum and finalize. After I took these pictures, I put my monitors and printers back, so that dad won't think anything when he comes in here. He questions anything I build, so I'm trying/hoping that I an build this big project and have it pass his expectations when he gets home saturday.

Tuesday- work 10-1, take dad to A/P at 2. Get back, empty desk, scoot it to other side of room. Place masking tape on walls and floor, marking significant dimensions. Remove conflicting items from walls.

Wednesday- hit lowes 7AM for cardboard, work 8am-11am, come home for lunch, make cardboard template for desktop, 4pm go to lowes, get 1 sheet of 1/2" MDF, cut to template, hopefully have desktop made by 5:30 for dinner. 6:30, get another sheet of 1/2" MDF from lowes, cut out the square of the left and right desks. 7:30, mock-check fitment of squares to the middle desktop, mark where angle cuts should be made. 8:00, cut squares to overextension, double check fitment, do final trim cuts to fit. 8:45, put tools away, call it a day. 9:30- Have the jigsaw puzzle pieces lined up against the wall., with exact tolerances of fit (hopefully).

Thursday- Go to lowes at 9AM, get 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood, 16 corner gussets, 2 2x4x8's, 2 2x2x8's, 1 1x2x8, and a box each of 1/2" long and 1-1/2" long wood screws. 10AM, cut the 6 uprights for the desktops, and the 2x4's for the truss structure. 11am, Get the inner uprights and truss structure assembled, and mock everything up, make sure it all fits. get lunch, then work 12-4pm. 5pm, attach the corner gussets to the inner uprights, then set the middle desktop on them, get everything lined up, and insert the screws, making everything one piece. The middle desk should now be free-standing and rigid. Then take dinner. 7:00, cut the 2x2 for the truss supporting structure for the left and right desktops, and get the angle gussets installed to those mounts. Also, put tools away. 8:00, attach more gussets to the outboard uprights, and attach those to the desktop, with the unit upside-down. Then flip it over, set it in place, and unitize the entire structure. Everything should be free-standing now.

Friday- Go to lowes at 8am, get 2 sheets of 1/2" MDF, 1 sheet of 3/4" plywood, a 2x2x8, a 2x4x8, and the rest of the corner brackets. 9:00am, get the top shelves cut for all 3 units, including the 2 solid uprights and the 4 pillar uprights. Attach the 4 pillars to the middle top shelf, including angle brackets, then lift it onto the desktop. 10:30 screw the uprights to the desktop from below, and add angle brackets and 2x2 trim. The top shelf should now be rigid. take lunch then go to work 12-3. Get home at 4, attach the outboard upper uprights to the left and right top shelves, including angle brackets and 2x2 trim. 5:00 get the left and right top shelves lifted onto the desk unit, and fasten corner brackets and 2x2 trim. 6:00 everything should be together, it should look like a desk and be completely solid. 7:00 get the panels cut for the left cabinets, assemble them with corner brackets, and get them attached to the left top shelf, and the left upright pillars. Clean up tools. 8:00 go back to lowes, get the cabinet hinges for all 4 cabinets, and install them.

Saturday- 10am, get the panels cut for the cabinet doors. 11am, install them. 11:30, run to lowes, get handles/pulls, sliders, corner brackets, and sheet of 1/2" MDF if needed. 12:30, measure drawer dimensions, get drawer panels cut. 1:15, assemble drawers, install sliders. If time allows, cut panels for under-desk drawer for left desk, and keyboard tray for middle desk. They can be assambled later. If everything checks out, put away tools, install drawer/cabinet handles, consider the desk done. 3:00, leave to pick up dad from A/P.

 

[Acuta73]

Dear God I wish my son was that organized...Hell, I wish I was! Good thing you have a messy room or I'd really start to wonder about ya.

I wish you luck on your time table. The old addage always holds true: "The best laid battle plan never survives first contact with the enemy."

You ever consider traffic, your boss wanting you to stay "an extra few minutes", long lines at the store, broken saw blades, dull drill bits, botched measurements, etc? You've also not left yourself any time to modify your plan if you see a better way. Though I admire your drive, you have too many X-factors here.

I would hope your Dad would appreciate that.....

 

[magnethead]

Dear God I wish my son was that organized...Hell, I wish I was! Good thing you have a messy room or I'd really start to wonder about ya.

I wish you luck on your time table. The old addage always holds true: "The best laid battle plan never survives first contact with the enemy."

You ever consider traffic, your boss wanting you to stay "an extra few minutes", long lines at the store, broken saw blades, dull drill bits, botched measurements, etc? You've also not left yourself any time to modify your plan if you see a better way. Though I admire your drive, you have too many X-factors here.

I would hope your Dad would appreciate that.....

I'm only 20 (21 in Oct). I have Murphy's Law on my wall, above my headboard. It states that "Anything you try to fix will take longer and cost more then you thought".

Thankfully, I live close to work- 20 minutes without traffic, 40 with. I'm on salary, so I set my own hours, and I'm only paid $30/day to sit in front of a computer. That said, Lowes/Home Depot (across the street from eachother) are usually packed with contractors because alot of houses are getting built in our area. Thanks for reminding my to get a pack of jigsaw blades. I'm dealing with wood, so I just keep chugging on drill bits (we have a race shop, no shortage of bits). Botched measurements are my achiles heel. Hoping that I can get enough cardboard to template-ize everything, and that our table saw stays even half-accurate.

It's going to be 105 degrees here every day all week, so I'm hoping to get as much done as quickly as possible. It's 7:30, our thermometer in the sun still says 110.

I know I have alot of bad factors. $$$$ is one of them, since I still have to buy textbooks, but I get paid Thursday, so shouldn't be too tight.

The hard part will be templating this ^%$#ing curved wall and getting the desk tof fit to it without gaps. I'm going to calk the few gaps that develop, that way when I paint, it looks halfway seamless.

Not doubting you, because I know you're right, and I'll f$*& up somewhere. I just have things that help my planning.

 

[WereBo]

Half the cure is realising where things can go wrong and planning for them beforehand, which you seem to have done, including making allowances for 'Murphy's Law' :grin:

All the same, I wish you luck with your venture

Oh, are you going to paint it all or wood-veneer it, for a decent finish?

 

[magnethead]

I'm just going to paint it, get like a quart of wood primer and a quart of (pick a color) paint. Real question, is will I be able to lift it to put the drop cloth under it to paint it. I won't have time to paint it when I build it.

Had a last minute offer come up to see aerosmith in concert, so that ate away at my plans. But it's 2:45 am, here's what I got so far.

 

[magnethead]

I work 2-5 today. I ran to home depot at 7 am to get cardboard and price MDF. Already got the template for the middle desktop.

1/2" MDF is $22, 5/8" MDF is $25, 3/4" MDF is $30. I'm going to get a sheet of 1/2" and 2 sheets of 5/8 today, a box of jigsaw blades, a box of 3/8" long screws, the angle gussets, and 2 2x4x8's. The 1/2 will make the middle and left desktops, the 5/8 will make the 6 lower uprights. The 2 pieces of 1.5x8 of 5/8 will go towards the left cabinets and probably the upper uprights. Then I'll get another sheet of 1/2", it will do the right desktop and the top shelf.

2x 1/2 MDF = $44
2x 5/8 MDF = $50

That's an expensive table! I figure anything under 200 is cheap, for a budget.

 

[magnethead]

I've been working today on 3 hours of sleep. went to bed at 3am after taping everything up, then woke up at 6:30 to go get the cardboard.

After making up the templates, I went back and got $100 worth of stuff- a sheet of 1/2 ($22), a sheet of 5/8 ($25), like 8 packages of misc hardware at $2.50 each, 2 jigsaw blades, 2 2x4x8 premiums ($2.27 each), and whatever else I could think of.

Sitting on my floor right now, I have:

left desktop
middle desktop
left overhead shelf
3x 30x30" lower uprights
6x 2x4x11.75" (truss)
2x 2x4x32" (truss)

I'm going to get another 2 sheets of 5/8 tomorrow morning (provided I can do so much as get out of bed, my body is feeling it already), to make the center and right overhead shelves, 3 more 30" square lower uprights, and the 2 solid uprights for the top shelf. Then I'll get a sheet of 1/2" to make the right desktop and cabinet bodies with. Then I'll run to work, and should be able to start assembly when I get home- the 2 drawer cavities, then set the middle desktop on it, install the tri-monitor stand, then cut the left desktop to the correct length (It's 4" longer than needed right now) and get it up and free standing. Then get the right desktop free-standing, and it should start looking like a desk. And I think that will pretty much finish all the cutting, so that Friday (payday) I can spend strictly on assembly.

I think I'm slightly ahead of schedule? :shock: