DIY Thread

[findar]

fuck mdf/particle board. stuff is so heavy. and its what... $20 for an 8x4 board or $35 for the same size in birch(which looks clean as fuck if you get a nice dark stain).

your real expense will be in quality tools. if you dont have some good tools or know someone that does... oh boy expensive. i spent $35 in wood + $25 in finishing materials for my arcade cabinet... but another $250 in powertools. of course they will last me a while.

[brekk]

I'd personally rethink the large built in garbage, unless youre really careful with what you put in it. Larger it is, less often it will be emptied, and the one lazy night when you pu a piece of food in there will come back to haunt you when it starts to smell.

Keep the garbage seperate (not 2 feet from your monitor) and small to motivate more regular emptying.

[tikkus]

Originally Posted by brekk

Keep the garbage seperate (not 2 feet from your monitor) and small to motivate more regular emptying.

Yeah thats the most criticism I get from it. I've considered making it have a lid that can shut to alleviate any smells that might occur. The point of doing it though is so I won't have to empty it as often, considering I can fill up one of those little garbage cans in about an hour of gaming, haha. I drink a lot of water.

I will take that into consideration, though.

What are some ideas you all have about maximizing desktop space?

[porkyrogue]

Originally Posted by tikkus

What are some ideas you all have about maximizing desktop space?

flat screen computer monitor.

[Seo]

post measurements of the area you want the desk. to be honest i think your desk is crap. not just how its got all kinds of wasted space but you appear to have drawn in no bracing for your desktop that thing will bow like a mofo.

[Kiely]

Cool program.
I dislike Computers being slotted in like that, you have to pull it out if you want to rewire something which is a pain in the arse because you have to unplug everything else at the same time.
Another nice thing is to have a shelf for Router/modem/console stuff, instead of having things on the floor or desk. Example of your desk with what I had in mind:

p.s. then put in a keyboard tray and it's good to go, I would much prefer drawers instead of small shelves infront of a bin compartment though.

[Baazl]

I strongly second leaving the tower cabinet open. That's so much more hassle than it's worth.

[tikkus]

Kiely, I dig that design a LOT. I may scrap the connected garbage can idea completely and just build, you know, a garbage can.

Where it sits I'll put in drawers or something. Would still like a bookshelf on it somewhere, though, since I don't currently have one =\

[Hiro]

[sarcasm]

Build a fucking garbage can? God forbid you can't walk 6 feet into the kitchenette of your 350 sq foot studio apartment and throw your 12 mountain dew cans away.

[/sarcasm]

Sorry, someone had to do it.

On a serious note, go with birch. If you really want to invest time, have a good end product and build it yourself - don't use MDF.

[Froofy-D]

If you want a real computer work station, make the height adjustable so that you can either sit in a chair, sit on stool, or stand at the console. More like a Drafting table and less like a traditional business desk.

I've seen one before like that and it was made of some lightweight alloy. It had an adjustable height and a metal sling below it that could just about any size tower. Looked like something out of a sci-fi movie set.

Maybe put a laptop-docking station on it somewhere as well.

[Madrugan]

Along the back, create a recessed area for cords to rest. I hate having cords just drop behind the desk. A 2 inch wide trough in the back to the tower cabinet should work wonders.

[Seo]

the box should really be on the right hand side of the desk not the left hand side. if its like normal boxes. even more so if it has a side fan.

things a good desk needs.

1 box on right hand side.
2 drawers not mini shelves.
3 cut out area for cables to run thru to top of desk.

oh yes a place to secure your surge protector.

[Angerz]

Originally Posted by Seo

oh yes a place to secure your surge protector.

I would think of every peripheral you are going to plug in, find a place for it, and mount a surge protector onto the desk. A good way to keep down wire clutter is to keep the travel distance short. If the only wires leaving your desk are one or 2 from surge protectors, the look will clean up nicely

[Zistrix]

Originally Posted by Kiely

Cool program.
I dislike Computers being slotted in like that, you have to pull it out if you want to rewire something which is a pain in the arse because you have to unplug everything else at the same time.
Another nice thing is to have a shelf for Router/modem/console stuff, instead of having things on the floor or desk. Example of your desk with what I had in mind:

p.s. then put in a keyboard tray and it's good to go, I would much prefer drawers instead of small shelves infront of a bin compartment though.

Aside from the missing bracing, this is a slightly better mock-up. Personally, I would make the hold and space smaller for the trash can. I would go with a more oval or rectangle shaped can if you still want to go this direction. And, put a hinged & sealed lid above it. If the desk is built correction, the compartment for the can will be sealed with wood glue so smells should be minimal.

Also - Along with the vented glass door I suggested for the CPU slot, I would also suggest buying a 2nd pair of metal tracks for the CPU box itself. That way, when you need to pull your CPU out for whatever reason, it will be easily accessible.

[Zistrix]

Also, I would re-consider the open shelving in the front. Drawers will be more functional & they will look much better. And, it could double as a dresser if you ever needed it.