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The Ultimate Computer Desk?

Roonster asks: "I've just moved into a new house and I am now lucky enough to have a separate room to use as a computer room/office. I have been searching for a new computer desk but most of the standard offerings seem to be lacking in imagination and design. I also tend to sit in a reclined position with my feet up on the desk beside the monitor, this eliminates a lot of the corner and U shaped designs. Have any of you come up with unique yet functional desk setups? I remember seeing some really wild (and expensive) workstations a few years ago, but have been unable to locate them recently. Any Ideas?" This topic was last discussed some 2 years ago. I figured it was time for a rehash.

7 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. Simple but effective by djmitche · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My cheap desk is a large piece of frosted glass intended as a tabletop, supported by two tripods. I got it from IKEA. I believe the glass was $80 and the tripods $25 ea. I have a dual-head system, but they're both flat panels, so I still have lots of space.

  2. I've always liked the Antro stuff by shooz · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.anthro.com/_applications/ContentCreatio n.asp

    -shoOz-

  3. My DIY Office Desk Plans by thecampbeln · · Score: 5, Informative
    This is mostly a rehash for my very first /. posting (attached to Building a DIY Home Office, which was the real last time this question was asked like a year or so ago), but it right in line with the topic...

    I designed my own computer desk and after using it for nearly a year now, I must say that I really like it a lot! I decided to build my own after realizing a few things...

    After much searching around town I came to the realization that I wanted the look and functionality of a cheap desk but made out of hardwood like the expensive, god awful ugly unfunctional executive style desks. So from this I realized that I would have to make my own. Luckily, my grandfather is very skilled at woodworking and has made pieces of furniture before. So after talking it over with him I began making plans for a computer desk with enough room for:

    • 3 Desktops
    • 3 Towers
    • 3 Printers (a DeskJet, LaserJet, and Scanner/Printer/Copier dealie)
    • 1 17" Monitor
    • 1 21" Monitor
    • 10 Feet of Bookshelf Space
    • 2 Telephones
    • 1 Stereo Receiver w/ Speakers
    • Enough room for a friend to setup his laptop for network gaming

    I did the plans in MS Word 2000 (yea, try to keep the laughing to a minimum) in 1/12th scale (i.e. 1 inch = 1 foot). The plans show only the left side and the printer/server island. The second desk is a mirror of the left side. The plans are available here in PDF and Word 2000 versions. These plans are a little different from desk we eventually made, but the desktop area remained unchanged.

    If you are truly interested in this design, I can take some photos of the finished product and provide modified plans for the version we built, along with a parts list (not to mention the "what not to do's" you only know after building one =). If you are so interested, just write a replay to this posting and I'll see what I can do. The approx cost of my desk for both sides and the server island was about $550-600 I believe (which included nearly $100 for some really nice drawer rails/slides/thingys).

    Anyway this is the DIY home office solution I've came up with so I hope it either gives someone else ideas or the guts to do it themselves!

    --
    "1984" was ment to be a warning, not a guidebook. You hear that Kim Jong-il!? BushCo?!
  4. what about DIY by paradesign · · Score: 3, Interesting
    if you have an idea of what you want, make a quick sketch, it dosent have to be any thing fancy. or start by writing down all of the qualifications for it, it seems like you have a few in mind. take that to any reputable hardware store ( the local one, you know with the old man thats always there) and talk to the guys there. they will be able to show you what materials and fasteners you have to work with. if you go in with a little more direction (read a small 'blueprint') theyll help you cut your materials and set you up with everything you need. building what you really need is infinitely more satisfying than buying a premade solution.

    or if you have no mechanical abilities, and thats fine, you can go to IKEA and buy kits at a reasonable cost. plus theyll look good.

    --
    I want 2D games back.
  5. Get a real desk... by sudog · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A Poetic Desk!

    PoeticTech Desks

    All others pale by comparison and the amount of comfort and human convenience is mind-boggling. There's even room to put in tiny little fridges!

    There is nothing better (that I've seen) than what these guys can do for you. A computer desk with air conditioning; a power swivel--for the whole desk just to track the sun (no sun-glare for you); specially-designed ambient lighting; ultimately adjustable seats! What more need be said? This Ask Slashdot is answered.

  6. ObSimpsons Quotes by phillymjs · · Score: 3, Funny

    Quote 1:
    Bart: According to three-time soap box derby champion Ronny Beck, "Poorly guarded contruction sites are a gold mine."

    Quote 2:
    Marge: Homer, we have a perfectly good bookcase.
    Homer: Yeah, but this is what they're doing on campus. Besides, it isn't costing us: I swiped the cinderblocks from a construction site.

    [At the site, a worker walks forlornly up to his boss]
    Worker: Sir, six cinderblocks are missing.
    Boss: There'll be no hospital, then. I'll tell the children.

    ~Philly

  7. Ultimate `stands' and ThinkerToys by yandros · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A company called Ultimate makes keyboard stands and `studio equipment stations' that are quite popular in the music world. After poking at some of these in my local Mars Music, I decided that they were almost what I wanted, and then found the `ThinkerToys' stuff -- basically, Ultimate sells the individual pieces used to construct these stands, so you can design your own. Mine is a 3-tier, sitting next to a 6' wire rack shelf. I made the `desktop' myself, from thin pressed wood (Mmmmm, luan...) sheathed in corrugated plastic (available at any decent art supply store). The displays sit on a row slightly above this one, and there's a utility shelf above them. There's also a side-shelf mounted on the right support, slightly above the kayboard, that holds my laptop when I want it and swings out of the way the rest of the time. The wire rack shelf holds the CPUs, printer, scanner, and other junk.

    My setup was a little pricey (about $400 total, I believe), and took a while to get `just right', but I enjoyed putting it together, and I'm pretty happy with it.