Desk Design, Comments Please

  • Thread starter Thread starter technominds
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Two words...cable managment. I'm a nut when it comes to keeping the cabling clean, out of site and servicable. I would also add, power distribution.

Good luck.
 
This is my man question really, i would like to get some sort of black finish like the argosy desks, but i dont know how they achieve it
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Hello tech. Thats why I asked. I didn't think you really had anything in mind. Ok, I AM a designer myself, and a fabricator...damn that sounds nasty :D Ok, this is also why I asked you if you have any section drawings. If I saw how YOU are going to fabricate it, then I can tell you what to use and how. See, without knowing your skillset, tools, space, material availabilty etc, it is useless to spend the time. Let me know some things and I will try to help you.
However, here is how I would do it. I use Black melamine. And either edgeband 3/4"(1.91cm) edges with Black Melamine tape, or if thicker, I use a number of different materials and designs. IF I want a black edge, wider than 3/4", I laminate the edge with a black laminate that matches. There are a multitude of laminates though. Which is another thing. You can edgeband in an opposing color, or material. I've used hardwoods, hardwood veneer, paint, mylar, chemetals, and my favorite, aluminum extrusions. As a matter of fact, if you will look in the DIY thread, I've got a post or two about my computer "iso cabinet". And since I see a computer in your desk, you might interested in what I'm doing. About the aluminum extrusions, I'm using a variety of special extrusions on the iso cabinet. I'll post some pics tonight of the fan/plenums. You might be interested in that also. :D Unless computer noise is not a problem. For me it is.
Anyway, the problems with melamine is availability in black. Moving it. Cutting it. Machining it. Finishing the edges. Just to cut a sheet requires special blades if you don't want the black damaged. The melamine layer is a laminate, which is very thin and brittle and will chip along the edges if not carefull. Use masking tape on the cutline if need be. And you need a space to do it. A full sheet of this stuff is heavy, and the edges sharp. And carbide router bits for machining and flush cutting laminates. I ALWAYS machine the edges. You can even cut the parts with a router and clamped on guides. Especially for angled cuts. Melamine is really MDF with a thin laminate baked on. Which brings up the next material.

Some surfaces are WEAR surfaces. Black melamine can be used, but for decks, and some other parts, I use laminates. Man, they come in a 1000 colors, various sheens and finishes. Even GLOSS. And in metals too. easy to work with IF your design/circumstances allows it. This is where sections come in. IF you can lay the parts out, there are other options. Like having a shop cut/laminate the parts, and you assemble/(finish) them. With standard materials and techniques, you could concievably recieve FINSHED parts, whereby the assembly is a KNOCK DOWN unit. Simple screw assembly. You could even have holes drilled. This is all hypothetical though, unless you can provide the assembly drawings, and parts/machining drawings to a shop. I might be able to help with those if you need.
Another area, is KNOWING where and how to expose edges in the design. Your design VISUALLY looks like all your edges are about 1 1/2"(3.81cm) thick. That requires additional parts, assembly and finish/ food for thought ;) .
Paints can be used as a finish as well. Lacquer is best. Acrylic enamels, Stains. For painted surfaces, plain MDF offers the best substrate surface. Same machining/edge requirements as Melamine. Prime before painting. Even latex. MDF is also an excellent substrate for laminating veneers and or laminates.
That's another thing you can use. Veneers. Some are available as a stock item. Birch, Baltic Birch, oak, walnut and a variety of others are usually commonly available, and some places even stock exotic veneers or will custom order them in what ever thickness you require. Some spiecies can be found in a roll form for edgebanding. Some veneers come on plywood, some on MDF. It requires the same machining/edges conditions. Same edge finish suggestions. You can even use 1/8" or 1/4" ply with a veneer AS a laminate.

And then there is "T" mouldings, which have a "spline" with serated edges. These come in many forms, widths, colors, and as vinyl or rubber. Even metalics. Requires a carbide SLOT CUTTER router bit and a hammer. Easy. Then trim both edges flush with the surface.

And finally, there is the old "spray can". Use MDF. Prime. Even automotive paints look great when prep work is done correctly. Be carefull with automotive paints. Some are lacquer and require lacquer primers.

Well, theres some options. Lots to think about. When you get it ALL figured out, THAT is when you have a finished design. ;) Drawing pictures is the easy part. Making the finished product come out like the picture is ...well, you know.

Good luck with the project.
fitZ
 
hmmm...
would the backside of a door support the weight of that mixer?
 
Thanks Rick! Definately all the stuff I was thinking about. Basically, im not a keen DIYer, by dad is and he will help me a bit on the project. One set-back is that I will want to build this in once place and then construct in another. I will be able to get hold of basic tools but I dont want to be spending a fortune on this desk as im only 17 and I just want this thing to look neat. Im thinking of building it all from MDF then using either a finish or using a seperate 'outer layer' of some kind to finish it off. Either that or use paints, but I dont know if that will give me a particularly 'finished' effect.

As the construction goes, im going to build the lower half first, get my two rack unit's sorted. Then follow with a single layer of wood on top of them to create your basic desk. I will place my mixer's on this desk as support and then build a frame around the mixer's and work this way. From bottom to top. This should rule out a few construction problems. This desk could be built in a very simple way, and thats the way im going to go about it, no metal construction for me!

One other problem, the desk is very wide considering. It will be about 3 meters wide. If i cant find wood that is big enough, il have to have some kind of joint in the middle so it rests on the 2 racks properly. Oh well, i better get on and start getting this all on paper. Luckily we were taght technical drawings in graphics aswell as how to make fancy image work.. so il give this a go and keep you guys posted. As for MDF with a paint finish, is that a good idea or should i use MDF with an outer coat of another wood/thin plastic of some sort maybe?

Thanks for huuge help, means alot to me!

Techno :cool:
 
remember, with MDF, wear gloves and a mask or resporator... i just did a desk a few months ago from MDF... ugh! Dust everywhere!
I used drywall primer for the mdf - cheap and does the job quickly. Then used Krylon Black spray paint.
 
no metal construction for me!
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:D

It will be about 3 meters wide. If i cant find wood that is big enough,
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Your picture shows the "support deck" as about 3/4 the length of the whole unit. At 3 meters, thats about 9' or 108". A typical door is about 80"(203.2 cm) That should be about right. If you plan on just setting the mixers on the deck, then a hollow core door with mdf or veneer skins(1/8" ply) will work fine because the interior is a honeycomb with a outer frame, and the 2 skins glued to the face sides of the frame and honeycomb(cardboard.) These are usually very stiff and can support quite a bit of weight without deflection. If need be, just screw a strongback along the bottom front edge. Either metal angle or wood. This could also support a pad if done correctly. See my drawing. If your mixers are VERY heavy, use a SOLID core door. No matter if you use 3/4" MDF, you STILL will have sag. Even plywood. Thats why I suggest the door. With MDF skins, you can paint or use laminate. It comes out better than ply, although birch ply works really well too.
 
This was a problem that came about in my mind. But considering two fo the mixers are very lightweight controllers and the main mixer is on a piece of thin wood at the moment.. im not sure if i will get a dip. Although the idea of using a doro is a great idea especially as i could pick one up for next to nothing. For all the front panels, i was thinking about using very thin piece of re-painted wood.. i cant remember what this kind of wood is called but im sure there is a name for it.. its what alot of cheap wardrobes are made out of.

So basically im going to have 3 steps to contruction.

Build the actual 'Desk'
Build the frame and 'skin' it.
Build the bridge over the top.

Thanks again Rick!
 
your 17? when you build it keep in mind you may have to get it out the door some day. so make sure it can come apart with out breaking it or make sure it fits through the door with out scratching it all up.
 
altiris said:
your 17? when you build it keep in mind you may have to get it out the door some day. so make sure it can come apart with out breaking it or make sure it fits through the door with out scratching it all up.
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Im actually building this in a seperate building, so it will have to get in my room as well as out!
 
Ive been finishing designs and finding materials, but I cant seem to find metal rack strips that arent 22U. I need something around 12U strips otherwise my desk will be at neck height :S

Does anyone know where i can buy 12U rackstrips in the UK?
 
I dont have any way of cutting metal... damn my restrictions...
 
Got round to getting some line drawings down today, only the rack units have mesurements on. Nothing is to scale.

rack.jpg

rackright.jpg

frame.jpg

overlay.jpg

bridge.jpg

bridgeoverlay.jpg


Let me know what you think...
 
Just a suggestion. I see in your plan view frame drawings, the "partitions" run through the front and back stringers. Do the opposite. Make your stringers continuous. Depending on your final finish, you won't have "end grains" to deal with on the front if you paint. If you are laminating a material over the front stringers, then it doesn't matter, but generally speaking, stringers are usually continuous for strength. However, untill you post some vertical sections, I can't tell if these are narrow stringers or full height panels in some places. It depends on your design which without sections is impossible to see. Nice drawings btw.
fitZ
 
The reason i didnt bother drawing the other views was because everything is on the same level. As it is a desk I want everything to remain one flat surface. Might make me seem stupid, but I dont know what stringers are?
 
yeah looks nice, i design my desk, and have 14 spaces on bottom sides and 6 rack spaces.
 

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