Has anyone ever built their own desk?

[Gooberlx2]

Yes.

This is my desk

Nice. Did you draw up plans for that, and do you still have them?

 

[ConwayJim]

Yes.

This is my desk

Cool lights, i just installed some on my couch too!

 

[zinfamous]

damn it guys....



:sneaky:

 

[cronos]

Check out this guy's thread over at Cases & Cooling forum:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2131141

 

[alkemyst]

My website is down but google still has my current one cached:
http://30moons.com/images/AlkemystDeskNewRight.JPG
http://30moons.com/images/AlkemystDeskNewLeft.JPG

When I was in a 500sq ft apartment temporarily I built this for under $300:

That is a 19" CRT and a fullsized HP 4C scanner on the top shelf.

 

[Fayd]

You can always glue together multiple pieces of plywood together stacked in order to laminate them where each layer has its grain rotated w/r to the prior piece. This should greatly prevent warping.

uh, you just described plywood..

 

[Jeffg010]

This is what I would get.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ku=00891654000

 

[BurnItDwn]

I built a desk a long time ago out of 2x4s, rough cuts of OSB, a 6 foot laminate countertop, and 2 file cabinets. It was sturdy (held 3 19 inch CRTs desk height, with a 27 inch CRT TV above, as well as my printer, and a box of paper ....

That said, I got rid of that desk a few years ago when I bought a cheap ikea desk to use instead ... 3 21inch LCD's 1 keyboard and 1 mouse (no tray since usually the trays break, and I only use that desk for gaming/pc)

 

[Moonbeam]

I hope somebody above had enough sense to tell you to fill the holes with a drillable putty so you can reuse the old screw holes and fix the one you have.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yes.

This is my desk

That actually is kinda cool. Are those just neon lights with some semi transparent plastic over?

 

[Dman8777]

A couple filing cabinets (or a saw-horse) and a 6 foot piece of MDF kitchen-counter top works too and doesn't look half bad. I've personally never been able to use keyboard trays. They're always too small and have no support for the forearm.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A couple filing cabinets (or a saw-horse) and a 6 foot piece of MDF kitchen-counter top works too and doesn't look half bad. I've personally never been able to use keyboard trays. They're always too small and have no support for the forearm.

I tend to rest my arm on it, probably why it broke and why I need to build it stronger. I find I need a keyboard tray as otherwise my hands are too high. Instead of being 90 degrees I'm at like 45 and my wrists are doing a weird curve. Though, I could also just build it lower... Or get a higher chair. On the other hand the keyboard tray does give you extra work surface as well.

Think I'll add a bit more extra bracing and go with my design. I'm no carpenter, but the more I think about it, it's a fairly simple design. I wont do anything too fancy like routed edges and such, I don't even have a router. Maybe later on I can always improve it. My biggest weakness is being able to cut straight lines with the circular saw. I'm getting better at it though, I recently built some shelves for my closet and I managed to cut fairly straight. Speaking of which I still need to finish painting those.

 

[Howard]

Yes. I have two 28" steel filing cabinets supporting an L-shaped custom top. The backside is supported by a wood 2x2 screwed into the studs of the wall.

 

[zinfamous]

damn.

maybe I shouldn't have gone fishing for Nik, since he is bannanated.

 

[KeithTalent]

damn.

maybe I shouldn't have gone fishing for Nik, since he is bannanated.

Know your audience bro.

KT

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Has anyone ever built their own desk?

Anyone else read this over and over and think "of course, what a stupid question, how else did they do it before manufacturing?!"

Poor Zin, everyone wants the secret of his hover-desk.

Why don't you tell them? holding out I guess...

what a jerk.

 

[bguile]

I think I'm going to go with this design:





I'm just wondering if that will be strong enough or if it will sag over time, more concerned about the keyboard tray as if it sags it will fall out of the rail. Going to use the thickest plywood I can find. I think 3/4 is usually the thickest. So think I should be ok. For the desk itself I might add some extra bracing under it to be safe.

The tray spans 95cm, the whole desk is 230cm. There's two trays, as I'll use the other side for working on PCs/servers etc so it's basically a separate work station.

I just need to figure out if any place here can deliver wood since I don't have a truck. I'll probably start on this like tomorrow if I can manage to get the wood here.

That thing is a monster. I would say it should be more than strong enough, and shouldn't sag.

If you are using 2x4's and plywood there is a post in general hardware titled 'bombproof desk' that might give you some ideas. However, if you decide to go with original design, I would love to see a picture once you finish it.

 

[zinfamous]

Anyone else read this over and over and think "of course, what a stupid question, how else did they do it before manufacturing?!"

Poor Zin, everyone wants the secret of his hover-desk.

Why don't you tell them? holding out I guess...

what a jerk.

hover desks are 2027 technology. I'd tell you, but then I'd have to reveal my time travel secrets.

 

[SNC]

I threw this together for an old friend wile I was building my office. It was done with one 4x8 sheet of 7 ply Baltic Birch and scrap 2x4s from the office build. The holes in the legs were for electric runs.

 

[alkemyst]

They sell 'butcher block' panels at many home improvement centers. Also MDF with laminate on top is pretty warp resistant if braced right, and very strong.

 

[Doppel]

Carpentry of this type is fairly fun and extremely satisfying, but to do it right you need to start collecting a decent number of tools, particularly a multitude of saws. Most of them are not that expensive and the entry level are a good starting point. Or, if you just want something very simple you could probably build a very functional if spartan desk simply with a screw driver and a miter saw to cut all your bits. Hopefully, bits includes only wood and not fingers and of course not naughty bits.

 

[Imp]

I thought about it, but considering all the time involved learning and actually doing it, the mess you make, the work, stress, etc... I just went and got me a Gallant at Ikea. Modular, adjustable height, easy to clean, customizable - fu*k yeah!

 

[Humpy]

My DIY plywood desk. Sometimes I roll it around just for fun. :wub:

 

[ThatsABigOne]

My DIY plywood desk. Sometimes I roll it around just for fun. :wub:

WTF. You sit side ways???

 

[Humpy]

WTF. You sit side ways???

Hell yeah I do! Sitting square to a desk is for tards.