Anyone here ever build their own computer desk?

[Cuda1447]

Well I'll be moving in 10 days from Michigan to Florida, and I can't take my current computer desk with me. Besides that my new room is a bit more limited in space then my old one. So what I was thinking is I will build myself a custom computer desk, but I wouldn't know where to start. I could draft up some plans, but what materials to use? Anyone have any ideas, ever done this?

 

[Lizardman]

Start by drawing out what you want on paper. A good starting point is using wood and nails for materials.

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: Lizardman
Start by drawing out what you want on paper. A good starting point is using wood and nails for materials.

Heh. Well the reason I asked that was cause I saw in another thread someone mentioned something about his desk (I think he built it himself?) and he had like an aluminum top on it, so that he could spill nuclear acid and not have a problem. Or something like that, dunno but it seemed cool.

 

[Ornery]

These "work stations" are optimized for mousing. I've GOT to have my elbow supported or I ain't happy!

• Den Layout
  12 Year Old's Desk
  17 Year Old's Desk
  Wife's Desk
  Mine minus current clutter

 

[TheCorm]

if you don't have wood and nails use cheese and biscuits.....

How much Nuclear Acid you gonna have sitting around your desk?

Would the entire top be Aluminium or would you use an Aluminium plate bonded to a flat peice of wood?

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Ornery
These "work stations" are optimized for mousing. I've GOT to have my elbow supported or I ain't happy!

• Den Layout
  12 Year Old's Desk
  17 Year Old's Desk
  Wife's Desk
  Mine minus current clutter

That's pretty sweet Ornery! Is it attached to the wall?

 

[HokieESM]

Well.. what type of desk do you want? And what tools/skills do you have? Those make a big difference. If you have a full-fledged wood shop, the sky is the limit.

One EASY possibility is using threaded pipe cut to length (Lowes/Home Depot will do this for you, sometimes) and using brackets screwed into a top of your choice (old/new counter-tops are great--you can spill anything on Formica and its hard enough to write on, too). Then use elbows/T-joints along with extra lengths of pipe to stiffen the system, if necessary. You can do this with a cordless drill and a screwdriver, easily. And there are a million and one ways to "fancy" it up. Very industrial looking

Oh, and just a random note: standard desk height is 30".

 

[Ornery]

Thanks. It is a permanent solution. Formica tops and maple wall cabinets, with birch plywood mousing surfaces. All attached to the wall with 1"x2" like so. Really an inexpensive way to go.

 

[Thump553]

Very nice job Ornery.

One tip: Go to Home Depot / Lowes /etc. and check out the countertop returns and clearance area. You can get some really good desktop material very cheaply this way.

My brother in law converted a closet to a computer hutch this way. He took off the top, put in support ledges like Ornery pictured above, cut the countertop surplus to fit and drilled a large hole to feed the cables through. He had a very decent complete system for about a half-hour's work and very few dollars.

 

[dman]

I think you'll be needing some power tools. IE a table saw, drill, router maybe (if you want to get fancy).

If you don't have that stuff, it'd be cheaper to buy a desk.

 

[Eli]

Sure.

Cinderblocks and a sheet of plywood.

 

[helloedchen]

i personally haven't, but this guy on our forums did:

Text

 

[thebestMAX]

A good cheapie is the folding woodgrain tables that Office Depot has on sale almost always.

$20 for ~48" x 24", Just slightly higher than a desk if at all and Looks nice too until the real thing comes along.

Using one now for my gaming computer.

 

personally, I would use screws instead of nails.