Mixing desk....build or buy?

[Seeker of Rock]

Forgot to ask earlier...I what laminate is, but honestly have never bought or applied it. I would like to use a black laminate around the 3/4" edges of the Oak. Anybody familiar with it? Does it come in sheets and you cut it to size, or are there ready available strips in common sizes like 3/4" and 1/2"? I would think if popular widths are not available and it comes in sheets, that a razor knife is the preferred cutting method? Does it come with an adhesive back or do you have to apply one?

 

[alexfranke]

It's even easier than that. Edge banding comes in 13/16" wide rolls that can be ironed on (heat activated glue) and trimmed to fit with a hobby knife or an inexpensive banding trimmer (much faster and more accurate).

Here's what you need at Amazon:
* Black Melamine Edge Banding: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000F6UT6E/104-9704051-2423153?SubscriptionId=02QHAM120KCM4A1JDQ82
* Trimmer: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00004RJZT/104-9704051-2423153?SubscriptionId=02QHAM120KCM4A1JDQ82

Edge banding also comes in oak and other woods. Home centers might stock oak or other common edge banding material, but you'll probably need a specialty shop (or Amazon, Rockler, etc) for the melamine or fancy woods. It also comes in a variety of widths, all slightly oversized so they can be trimmed to a perfect fit.

Jusst noticed that Grizzly has 50-foot rolls which maight make more sense for you. http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000M66VBE/104-9704051-2423153?SubscriptionId=02QHAM120KCM4A1JDQ82

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

One word of warning Seeker. SPAN. I built a similar desk as you are envisioning back in the 80's. It sucked. As soon as I loaded the equipment, because of the span between legs, it sagged, eventhough I had a rear vertical perpendicular ply support to reinfoce the bridge. Its the front edge that wants to sag. Given your span is about 7' leg to leg, I suggest doing a mockup with the ply deck and place your equipment in it. Of course, if you are building support racks that shorten the span, they will help. But if not...well, thats why I went to steel. My console will support over 400lbs now. Good thing...that 3700 is fucking heavy. Another thing is your connection to the legs. I don't know what your design is, but connections are very important, especially using wood as your primary material.
fitZ

 

[Track Rat]

Rick is correct. That's why I centered the legs on mine and cantilevered the load to the left and right of the legs.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

One word of warning Seeker. SPAN. I built a similar desk as you are envisioning back in the 80's. It sucked. As soon as I loaded the equipment, because of the span between legs, it sagged, eventhough I had a rear vertical perpendicular ply support to reinfoce the bridge. Its the front edge that wants to sag. Given your span is about 7' leg to leg, I suggest doing a mockup with the ply deck and place your equipment in it. Of course, if you are building support racks that shorten the span, they will help. But if not...well, thats why I went to steel. My console will support over 400lbs now. Good thing...that 3700 is fucking heavy. Another thing is your connection to the legs. I don't know what your design is, but connections are very important, especially using wood as your primary material.
fitZ

Yeah, the span is something that concerns me to. Even though it is Oak, a hard wood, it is still ply. Most of the weight of the board should be centered front to back. It is the middle I am concerned about, which is why I'd really like to have some metal legs with a center bridge support that spans the distance. I'll figure something out.

 

[alexfranke]

Yeah, if your span is 7 feet, that could definately be a problem. If you use racks as the base to support the desktop (decreasing the span by about half) then you'll reduce sag by about 3/4 (e.g. a 2-inch sag would turn into a 1/2-inch sag, so you get a lot of bang for the buck by reducing the span).

You'll get the same kind of benefit by doubling the width of the desktop -- glue two pieces of plywood together (the bottom one can obviously be cheaper) for a 1.5-inch thick desktop. Lots of furniture makers double up like this for desktops and table tops. Don't double up with MDF, particleboard, or even OSB unless the OSB is maximum stiffness -- MDF and particleboard (pressboard) are especially poor performers in the sag department, even when doubled up.

Another option would be to attach a few "beams" to the bottom like fitZ did -- perpendicular to the desktop and running the full length, supported by the legs. Plywood is an okay option for this, but you're probably better off with real lumber. Don't shrug off softwoods (some softwoods are much harder than some hardwoods, douglas fir versus balsa, for example). A local lumber yard can probably help you pick out a very economical option for this. Just be sure it doesn't get in the way of your knees. A slight arch can help with this and not affect the strength too much.

Here's something else you might try. Go to a large home center (HD, Lowes, etc) and see if they any solid core doors that have been returned for minor defects, misorders, etc. Especially if it's an odd size, the aisle manager will probably give you a great deal just to get rid of it, and they're quite strong. I got one for I think $10 the last time I asked. Hollow core doors are also strong (they're basically torsion boxes), but very easily dented and punctured and not easy to fasten legs to them securely so they don't make as good of desktops.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Hi Seeker. Here is a suggestion. Instead of the 3/4" plywood for a deck, go get yourself a 24" HOLLOW CORE door blank, with an oak veneer for a skin. These are really strong for their thickness, because the leafs are glued to a HONEYCOMB on the interior. If you need more support, screw a 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" metal angle to one or both long edges. This was actually the basis for my metal framework. After 3 prototypes, it dawned on me. The metal edges are actually part of a frame. These might give you some ideas.

 

[Track Rat]

The only thing I can't do is weld. Rick, that looks bullit proof.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Alright, a modesty panel is what I need to bridge the legs for stability as well as provide central span support for the 3/4" Oak desk. If need be widthwise, I can add angle brackets (which will be out of view under the desk), but will try without them first.

 

[randy0288]

I built my Mackie console Sesk

I built mine out of solid oak and maple. The measurement I came up with looking at rack mount demisnsions and the contractors specs of a mackie 8 bus

 

[randy0288]

the pic did not load first stime

https://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q182/randy028/Studio01.jpg

I also downloaded some plans and tips from Alex Franke

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Nice desk Randy! I dig the multi-tone wood colors/types. Mine is a little different but same concept; will not have near as much rack space as yours, but oh well. I got the edge banding in the mail yesterday, have the banding cutter and legs on order. Leaving now to Home Depot for stain, sporting store for foam, craft store for vinyl.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Photos from last weekend before the finish was applied and before legs. I'm working on braces/lateral supports between the legs and they are drying as I type. I'll post the semi-finished product (without rack rails and gear) soon.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Same shit, different angle

 

[Seeker of Rock]

And one more for good measure. I'm not extremely happy with the padded armrest so I may re-staple it. Not seen in these photos of course, but just in case I post some in the next day or so with it.

 

[Neito]

Seeing this stuff in the works is inspiring. Seeing people do this (and all the other stuff you guys have posted), I feel like I could build a house.



Okay, not really. But I am inspired to build stuff.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Hey Seeker, that looks fantastic. Great job. Looks almost exactly what my second console looked like. Hows the legs coming?

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Legs are done as of today Fitz. I took into consideration what you said about sag and think I've made a solution. I ran (2) 1x12 pine panels (vertical of course) between the legs and bolted to the leg frames at either side, crossbraced at two points along the way. That way the span of the board is supported by a joist system. Seems rock solid, but my father-in-law just left back home for Indiana this morning and I'm afraid the only one available to help me lift the beast of a deck onto the frame is my pregnant wife

Anyway, here are some photos of the top assembly after applying the black edge banding and after the finish was applied. Btw, alexfranke, thanks for the lead on the banding. The pre-glued stuff works great! The photos below show it as it is now, before I trim the edging, and I'm still going to fix the armrest. Still have a few details to take care of, but almost there.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Another pic

 

[Track Rat]

Fan-fucking-tastic!