Everybody’s building a desk – I did too!

[chris carter]

I wish I’d taken more photos when I built this thing, but I was never planning on making a thread about it. Seeing everyone with their desk threads made me want to post.

My main purpose of my desk was to make it ergonomic. I’m very tall and my back suffers from time to time so I put a lot of time into designing this thing to be comfortable for me to work. Aside from general measurements this almost meant three important things:

1) No bulk under the desk. This way my long legs can move about freely. The back bottom support rail on the frame doubles as a foot rest for me when I want to stretch my legs which helps with proper pressure on my lower back in the chair.

2) Computer monitor stand. I tend to hunch over at the screen, which is bad. The two space rack in the center gets the computer monitor up high enough for me (I’m 6’5”) and is large enough to allow me to slide the monitor closer when I’m doing detailed editing.

3) Angled in sides. This made the whole project a pain in the ass, but definitely worth it. Plus, it looks VERY cool in person. Those 10 degree sides basically affected nearly EVERY measurement of the whole desk. It hurt my brain at times.

[chris carter]

Here’s the google sketchup of the final plans, minus routed edges, armrest padding, rails, and screws/nails/bolts. But it’s really the only way to see the construction.

The joints between the legs and feet are paired lags. All other major structural points are all paired bolts. Also, the leg to top frame joints are half-lap joints. Suffice to say that the desk is damn sturdy. The side decorative pieces are also attatched with bolts, which you can see in the photos. The rest is assembled with screws and, where invisibility was necessary, finish nails.

The table top is 1/2" plywood. The structural stuff is mostly 3.5x1.5, but they aren't 2x4s - I ripped down 2x6's so I could make sure everything was clean. The big piece under the armrest is like a 1.5x5 I think. And then there are other structural smaller pices. The racks are all 5/8". Everything except the plywood was pine. Since it all got several layers of paint and poly I didn't feel the need to blow the money on a heavy hardwood.

[chris carter]

Here are some construction pics, the only ones I have... sorry.

#1 - This is the desk minus the racks and the frame for the armrest.

#2 - Ready for painting. The racks are installed. The only thing not there is the frame for the armrest because it didn't need to be painted.

#3 - the side pieces stained.

#4 - painted

#5/6 - assembled and moved into the then under construction control room.

[Gdupproductions]

As a Woodscraftman i gotta say nice work....i realy like it. Can you make me one xD.

[pathdoc]

Looks killer. Great job.

I built my own desk about 5 years ago. Hold my Mackie control universal as well as a big knob and has an integrated trackball.

Can be seen at www.vinecrestaudio.com

[chris carter]

Here it is in action.

#1-3) Pretty self-explainatory.

#4-6) Cable runes are tied onto eye screws that run along the the underside of the desk frame (4/5) and along the bottom support beam (6). Because of the open design it's very easy for me to wire things up. I can just lie on my back with a flashlight kind of like working under a car.

#7-9) These show some interesting things with the armrest. The actual armrest is two pices of plywood at a 90 degree angle. Then neoprene is wrapped over the front of that and glued down. Then the leather is wraped over the neoprene and then stapled onto the backside of the armrest frame. Then that whole unite is screned onto the front beam of the desk with three screws. They are covered with brown plastic caps. Designing the armrest this way makes it a really strong unit and less prone to padding slippage. It also makes it easy to take off and replace the padding, or the leather, should they ever wear out or get damaged. It also make it really clean on the topside where the armrest meets the desk because the leather actually goes below the surface of the desk.

#10) As much of a top-view as I could fenagle without killing myself while standing on a rolling chair (not smart). But it shows the angled sides pretty well.

[Guitarman28]

Very nicely done.

[chris carter]

Thanks for the kind works folks. I'm VERY happy with it. I know see why people with custom desks are so happy. It's incredible having it fit my body and have everything laid out so comfortably.

Interestingly enough, we need a coffee table for the house we bought recently and my wife has decided, after seeing the finished desk, that I have authority to design and build the coffee table from scratch. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing LOL, but I'm up for it.

[Syncamorea]

Nice job! How are you liking the ergonomics?

[chris carter]

I really LOVE how the desk is working. Ergonmonically it's great. My back isn't sore after long mix sessions and I have the leg and knee room I always wanted.

I used the skills I learned to refurbish an 130 year old dining room table too

[sineborg]

Nicely done. congrats.

Is it hard to do and glue on the arm rest?

[chris carter]

Originally Posted by sineborg

Nicely done. congrats.

Is it hard to do and glue on the arm rest?

I did the armrest differently than most people do it. I think I explained it in my post on the 9th of Feb. But basically, the only glue with the armrest is a) the two pieces of wood that make the armrest which are glued and nailed at a 90 degree angle; b) the neoprene was glued onto the armrest. I used some 2x4s under clamps to get even compression while it cured. The whole armrest unit is screwed onto the desk with three screwes covered with caps.

I've been driving my pointy elbows into the exact same spots on this desk for three months now and the armrest shows absolutely no sign of it

EDIT: when I glued on the neoprene on I did it oversized. Then after the glue dried I used utility scisors to cut off the excess.

[sandking782]

Congrats chris, it looks really nice!

[Grahamdwc]

Originally Posted by sandking782

Congrats chris, it looks really nice!

+1 that, great job

Graham

[chris carter]

Thanks. I'm really really happy. I've been swamped working nonstop for the past couple months and the desk has been incredible.

[jsipich]

Chris, good job! It looks KILLER! Love the design. I'm in the middle of making a "minimal" style desk where I can have several components I use during composition to be shuffled out of the way during mixing/mastering. It will be 2 separate desks.

Love the black - you inspired me to do the same color scheme - looks amazing, sir!