We had serious problems to get it in Germany but it was worth the hassle. My son is a carpenter and he and his friends really love this tool - very easy to use and perfect for your purpose.
If you allow a comment on your design:
- Leave parts of ths back open - you have to be able to get to your cables. - Rethink the ergonomics, vereything vertical does not seem to be the solution.
- The rack on top of the table goes right down to the surface of the table - you will not be able to easily operate gear located there - there will alway be laying things in front of it in the way.
Good luck with your build!!
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Good points about the backs and top racks.
I planned on using something lightweight for the backs possibly attached with velcro just to keep the dust out.
Not sure what you mean about the ergonomics. Could you elaborate?
The desk work surface itself looks very flimsy to me. I would make it from heavier material than the rest...
I personally would make the 2 cabinets freestanding (using typical kitchen cabinet type construction), a heavy desktop to tie them together, and the bridge as a separate 4th unit. This should facilitate disassembly and moving.
It seems just a touch tall too, remember the monitors should ideally be at ear level. Do you actually need 6 R spaces on each side in the top?
I'm not trying to be over critical, just thinking out loud, if you get me.
There are a couple other desk build threads, you might search them out for more ideas..
The desk work surface itself looks very flimsy to me. I would make it from heavier material than the rest...
I personally would make the 2 cabinets freestanding (using typical kitchen cabinet type construction), a heavy desktop to tie them together, and the bridge as a separate 4th unit. This should facilitate dis-assembly and moving.
That approach has definitely has crossed my mind, guess I could double up on the pylwood or MDF and sandwich them together for the main desk. Would also have to redo the KB/Mouse shelf and possibly mount it under the main desk
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It seems just a touch tall too, remember the monitors should ideally be at ear level.
Thanks for making me think about this. Fact is, I'm pretty tall, but I did some mockups and it looks good.
Even if it's off a bit I can just move the speaker or my head.
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Do you actually need 6 R spaces on each side in the top?
Heh, definitely overbuilding this desk. Gonna be a lot of empty rack space at first but I want to leave room for expansion.
Quote:
I'm not trying to be over critical, just thinking out loud, if you get me.
Please be MORE critical, I'd rather get honest opinions.
The recommendation for a modular approach is right on. You'll be happy later on. I make my desktops strong by using hardwood stiffeners and a perimeter of hardwood trim. Thus, you can have a 1x3 of something like oak or poplar that is glued and screwed perpendicular to the tabletop, running across the width, then others running front to back. Those can also be used to attach the top to the equipment racks underneath and if those attachments use t-nuts, it's easy to unbolt and break it apart for moving. Having the equipment racks angled is the only way to go in my book. And have your bottom piece of rack gear a few inches off the floor - even 8" is good, in order to keep the random foot spaz from kicking a knob.
Those can also be used to attach the top to the equipment racks underneath and if those attachments use t-nuts, it's easy to unbolt and break it apart for moving.
Thank you very much Syncamorea for this suggestion. I've seen t-nuts before but didn't even think about them for this.
So, I've mocked up some changes.
First I doubled up the main surface with two 1/2 boards sandwiched together.
Next a brace for the upper and lower cabs that will have t-nuts sandwiched between the brace and the 2 main surface boards.
I'll probably just use dowels for the other joints.
Here's some pics, and again any criticism is welcome.
Was going to post the full sketchup file but it exceeds the forum size limit.
I'll try to compress it later.
Just to understand what you plan - is the gear you show the actual gear you plan to use and is it show int the position where it shall be later??
Yes and no, all the gear was downloaded from Sketchup's 3D wharehouse. So I had to use what I could find since I really don't want to model every piece of gear I have. Some of it is what I actually have, others are close, some is stuff I will buy once I have the space, others are there just for filler.
Initially there will be lots of empty rack space, but I'd rather overbuild and be able to add gear later on.
As far as where everything goes in the the racks, I don't think I can decide that until I get the desk in the room and start re-arranging everything.
I plan EVERYTHING in sketchup, my complete studio including all the gears etc.
Modeling the gear is very simpel, you dont have to draw all the knobs, take a picture of your stuff or get it from the internet and pull it over previously prepared blank 19" units (skp-files attached below). I aswell draw the prober depth, so I really have a basis for planning.
You have shown that you know to draw in Sketchup - use your ability to get the ergonomics right in the first place, then decide how to build it. As an example, when you use the patchbay in the place you've shown the patch chords would make it impossible to use the gear below this unit.
I'm an architect and I've build quite a few studios in the past 35 years. I'm currently finishing a more modular version of my studio as we move from Germany to Uruguay in 3 years and all the racks we build now have to be used there aswell (an image of my current setup is attached). The current control room is very very small for the desk and guitar gear in there.
To give you some ideas about ergonomical design, I have attached some fotos, showing furniture I think beeing quite good in that respect (not all are build nicely). The last foto shows a very good placement of the computer monitors - much lower than you have shown. I work with such a monitor placement since years - so much better - and they dont get in the way with you nearfield monitors.
Hopefully the ideas help to get your workflow improved a bit.
I plan EVERYTHING in sketchup, my complete studio including all the gears etc.
Modeling the gear is very simpel, you dont have to draw all the knobs, take a picture of your stuff or get it from the internet and pull it over previously prepared blank 19" units (skp-files attached below). I aswell draw the prober depth, so I really have a basis for planning.
You have shown that you know to draw in Sketchup - use your ability to get the ergonomics right in the first place, then decide how to build it. As an example, when you use the patchbay in the place you've shown the patch chords would make it impossible to use the gear below this unit.
I'm an architect and I've build quite a few studios in the past 35 years. I'm currently finishing a more modular version of my studio as we move from Germany to Uruguay in 3 years and all the racks we build now have to be used there aswell (an image of my current setup is attached). The current control room is very very small for the desk and guitar gear in there.
To give you some ideas about ergonomical design, I have attached some fotos, showing furniture I think beeing quite good in that respect (not all are build nicely). The last foto shows a very good placement of the computer monitors - much lower than you have shown. I work with such a monitor placement since years - so much better - and they dont get in the way with you nearfield monitors.
Hopefully the ideas help to get your workflow improved a bit.
Ok I get where your coming from, and I appreciate the advise.
Problem is, this desk is going into an already crowded small bedroom and will barely fit into the space I have in mind.
The 2 features that I need are a large main desk surface and rack space, so while I would LOVE to make it more ergonomic and incorporate features like slanted cabs, the fact is I just don't have the space for it.
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