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Doublehelix 7 January 2003

Well, I have embarked on a journey from which there is no return... I am building my own studio desk! Arrrrrggggg... :)

This has turned into a major pain in the ass, but when I finally get it finished, it should be worth it!

I realize now why I never went into the furniture building business...I SUCK at it! Hehe... Man, there are so many mistakes, blemishes, warts, hiccups, and screw-ups on this thing, it just amazes me! Plus, the weather is so damn cold, it is taking forever for each coat of the polyurathane to dry, and my wife won't let me do it in the house because of the smell... This thing probably won't be finished in my lifetime...

I am taking pictures as I go along to keep a journal of the progress...when I am done, I will post them on my web site...

It will look similar to this:

http://www.omnirax.com/content/Workstations/audio.video/force%2012.htm

Here is a quick overview:

  • The entire desk is made from oak plywood, stained, then coated with 4 coats of polyurathane.
  • The top of the desk itself is 3' x 6'.
  • On *each* side of my sitting position, below the desk surface, is a 12-space rack on casters that can roll in and out from under the desk (two 12-space racks total).
  • There is also a shelf to put a tower PC onto to get it off of the floor.
  • I have a "shelf bridge" along the top back that houses 2 more 6-space racks, along with the the shelf for my computer monitors (*not* speaker monitors!).
    It is certainly a learning experience!

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    Comments

    knightfly Tue, 01/07/2003 - 22:51

    James, know whatcha mean about ALL your comments - I've been trying to complete a design for similar goody for a few months now - basic unit will be made from 1-1/8" waferwood T&G flooring, braced with 2x6 spine across the underside of desk surface, tilt-out racks under each side, space for 4 19" flat panels/3 KRK nearfields, (hopefully) all at correct heights, etc...

    BTW, where are your nearfields going? Not at midpoint between floor and ceiling, right? (Not nagging, just a friendly reminder...)

    If you can find a way to fly 6 or 8 250 watt Infrared bulbs in those clamp-light fixtures evenly over the surface, drying time should be greatly reduced (not too close though - about 3 feet minimum or you'll get hot spots) - You can use up to 8 of those bulbs on one 20 amp circuit, I'd use two separate 12 ga. cords though...

    Hang in there - if it was easy, people like Britney Spears would be stars - Oh, wait, she is... :=)

    Doublehelix Fri, 01/10/2003 - 04:49

    That was a great link Eskimo, and gave me lots of ideas. Look at pictures 5 & 6 in the gallery. This is a similar design to mine, but has the monitors lowered in the middle.

    I will do some thinking and some drawing and see if I can still devise a way to move the monitors.

    I have read that the top of the screen should be level with your eyes according to "accepted" health and safety standards. In my design, the monitors are *much* higher than that, and it has bothered me since I first started with this project.

    knightfly Fri, 01/10/2003 - 06:15

    I second the low, angled monitor approach - I set up one desk with the monitor high in order to get some things under it (built an articulated arm, actually) and it SUCKS - can't stand to look at it for more than about 1/2 hour without a break, and even then my neck hurts.

    That's a lot of what's taking me so long to come up with a good ergonomic design for a mix desk - finding the right positions for 4 19" flat screens (2 computers, 1 for Sonar/soft synths, 1 for Samplitude), digital AND analog mixers, L,C, and R nearfields, and a couple of video monitors while maintaining both good eye angle and proper height/minimal early reflections on the audio monitors - man, what an excercise in patience.

    NONE of the high priced "look like they should work but dont" pre-built ones really get more than half of it right, so you either live with half-assed or build it yourself and hope you don't forget anything... Steve

    anonymous Fri, 01/10/2003 - 10:16

    2 observations for those in design phases:

    1. The Ikea option. I chose a 30"x60"x1" birch butcherblock tabletop with radiused corners and edges and mix 'n match black tubular legs. I added my black tubular Ultimate Support gantry on top for speakers, flotsam and jetsam. I used a set of heavy duty full extension drawer hardware and mounted a 3/4' plywood carrier for my 76 key controller under the tabletop. There is still room under that for my under-construction MacSilencer box which will hold the new Dual 1.25 G4 Mac I ordered yesterday (WOOHOO!)

    2. I tried changing beds (helped my back), changing pillows (helped the decor) and increasing my jacuzzi time (helped my attitude) but nothing fixed my neck until I took my monitor DOWN off the Ultimate Support gantry and plunked it on the tabletop where (duh) "the top edge of the screen is AT or just BELOW eye level" !!!. The old 17" CRT and the new 17" flat panel display will be a little crowded there, but THERE THEY WILL STAY.

    If you are currently suffering neck problems AND you are leaning forward to squint UP at your monitor -- well, all I can say is, once I was blind but now I see....

    :cool: RW :roll:

    Doublehelix Fri, 01/10/2003 - 17:18

    OK...OK...I "give"!!! :)

    Hehe...you guys are right (as usual), and I will spend some time tonight re-designing my desk (again!!!). I have no idea how I am going to create the angled monitor setup like Eskimo suggests. I have one 17" CRT and one 19" flat screen...

    Thanks everyone, I am sure you have saved me from immeasurable pain!!!

    anonymous Sat, 01/11/2003 - 15:46

    I just put a piece of wood on the back of the shelf. My construction is not really like that one. I prefered having it standing on the floor instead of hanging from the table. two sidepieces with an angled shelf inbetween. looks like the letter 'H' when u watch it from the front. I thought my desk was to weak so I didn't dare to have the monitor "hanging".

    Doublehelix Tue, 05/13/2003 - 07:43

    Nice job dude! I like it. So, when are you building mine!!!!!

    Yeah...whatever!!! Never again!!! :)

    The one thing you can't tell from the pictures is just how big this thing really is! The desktop itself is 6'6" wide, and 3'6" deep (not 3' x 6' as I originally posted)...this thing is a MONSTER! It is solid as a rock however, and I am just so glad to be rid of the piece of crap I was using before, it is like Christmas all over again! :)

    I do need to finish up the cabling and tidying of the cables (separating the audio from the electrical cables), and then move all the acoustic wall treatments from the old location to the new one...lots more work to do...Grrrr...

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