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[canada]

Does anyone have any tips for making a desk?  I don't have a couple g's to spend, but I do have alot of tools sitting around, as well as free time.

What kind of wood should I use?  Know where I can find cheap metal stands to mount the desk on?  How about where I can find free/cheap blueprints for one?

I'm sure this question has been asked, and if you could direct me to any old threads I'd certainly appreciate it.

Thanks!

[floodstage]

Do you have a table saw and know how to use it well (and safely!)?

Here's one I built.  Be glad to make you some drawing if it suits your fancy.

[canada]

Wow, nice work!

I wouldn't want you to go through the trouble of making a drawing for me, but what kind of wood did you use?  What are the dimensions of the rack spaces?

[josh]

http://prophetsandpoets.com/olivetree/the_desk.html
http://prophetsandpoets.com/olivetree/joshs_last.html
http://www.theolivetree-studio.com/control_room.html

Made it predominantly out of 3/4" MDF.

I do have drawings (visio, can turn them into pdf easy enough).  Of course I made this one custom-fit for a DA7 and my Yamaha console, but it's pretty much adjustable to fit whatever, with rack space etc.

[canada]

My biggest concern is the ergonomics of the console height and the height of my monitors.  That looks perfect though.  Would it be trouble to PDF the drawings so I can get an idea of it?

I have a newer Photoshop CS and Illustrator, I dunno if I can open Visio format.

Did you upholster the armrests yourself?

[josh]

The height was somewhat adjustable...  although what I thought was good turned out to be too low for my coworker so we compromised and thus I added the "feet" to give it 2" of height.

However, since the top sections are made as separate units from the bottom, the height was pretty much adjustable... just make a mark where you want it, drill the hole and attach the base pieces at the height you prefer with screws.

PM me an email address and I'll get you the drawings.  

So here's how I made it:

I used a combination of a table saw, a sabre saw (jig-saw) and a little rechargeable circular saw, and used a 4' long aluminum straight-edge (piece of a drywall square) clamped with spring clamps as a cutting fence. for the little rechargeable saw.

If you notice, the four shaped top pieces are all identical (roughly).  So I made one  by hook or by crook, used it as a template, and then traced it on the pieces to make the "real" ones.  For straight line cuts I clamped the fence onto the board and used the little circular saw against the fence.  Used the sabre saw to clean up the inside corner cuts.  Table saw to get the back edges done, and to do the base pieces, etc.

It's all held together with drywall screws, predrilled and countersunk.

The consoles are supported underneath with 1x3 wood furring material turned on its edge.  I wish I had a better picture.  That's not in the drawing.  I sort of improvised.  Hey, you build a recording studio, you learn to improvise.

[josh]

http://prophetsandpoets.com/olivetree/major_progress.html

that page has pictures of us putting the base of the thing together.  The "tops" were assembled separately and slipped over the base and drive a screw.  There are about 5 screws holding each "top-side" piece onto the base.

[josh]

oh, and yes, we upholstered the arm rests.. I didn't do it MYSELF.

[canada]

Wow, mucho props.  These "drawings" (actually well-designed computer layouts) are excellent.  I will let you know how it turns out!!

[floodstage]

canada wrote on Thu, 01 September 2005 10:15

Wow, nice work! I wouldn't want you to go through the trouble of making a drawing for me, but what kind of wood did you use?  What are the dimensions of the rack spaces?

I used 3/4" oak veneer plywood - m.d.f. core (cuts smoother, stays flat).  The edges are covered strips of solid oak.

3/4 edges conered w/1/4 x 3/4 oak flat screen mold.  
When 2 pc of 3/4 are next to each other I take 5/16" x 2" square edge oak flooring, rip it to 1-1/2" wide and use that to cover the 1-1/2" edge.  

The stain is minwax cherry.  Final coat is sanding sealer.  Brush applied.  

My methods are pretty low tech, but still pretty effective.  You have to measure carefully, and cut VERY straight.

I make my racks 19-1/8" wide on the inside, so when I use 3/4" material to make them, the racks are 20-5/8" wide.  The other dimensions change depending on how many spaces, how deep you want, etc, etc.

Argosy posts their dimensions on their website if you want to use their design/sizes.

Like I said before, I can draw you plans if you want.  Draw up what you want it to look like or at least tell me how many spaces of racks you want where and how big your console is and I'll draw it up for you w/dimensions.  (May take me a week or so to fit into my schedule, but really, it's no big deal)