Topic: New "Home" for my Shack.....

[Strgazr27]

I couldn't take it anymore! I had spent the last 5 months packed into a corner on a 33X20 inch desk. I was going crazy. I decided that a new desk was in order and began looking. I REALLY liked Andrew's desk and setup but was worried I wouldn't have enough storage space. I saw several online that I liked bu they started at about $400 which was WAY outside the budget soooooo.

I spent 12 years installing and refinishing custom Oak, Maple and Mahogany floors for a company back in the late 80's and early 90's for people such as Billy Joel, Bobby Nystrom, Dennis Potvin Joan Jett etc. so I decided I would build the desk I wanted. I could make it exactly how I wanted and the cost would be much less than buying new. I spent about 3 days designing and drawing out what I wanted, figuring material needs and finalizing everything. Between my shop at work and my tools at home I was good to go. I do not have any pictures starting with the raw material as I cut the majority of that at the shop at work and didn't have my camera with me. Here are a few pictures showing where I am up to at this point.

The longer side is 66" long and the short side is 48" long. There is space for my 2 towers along with the APC UPS that go with them. The monitor will hang on a tilt bracket mounted to the back wall. I can fit a 24" monitor in the space once it gets here. All wiring will be hid in trays that I built under the desktop. I splurged for a really nice slide out ergonomic keybaord tray and swing out mouse tray. You can just see it sticking out in the last image. I'm hoping to have it stained/painted and polyurethaned this weekend. It's going to be Ipswich Pine for the desktop and shelf tops with black for everything else all covered in 3 coats of oil based satin poly. I think it should look good!

Comments welcomed! If the images are too large and present issues for some of you I will try and resize them even more.

[upweather]

Looks like a very nice start, just needs the finishing touch..It's great you have the time time and skill to do that.

[mackbig]

Looking good.

Andrew

[W3DRM]

Bobby,

Yes, nice work. I'm sure the finished product will look even better! Don't forget to post some of the finished photos and then the placement of everything on the unit.

[DanS]

Looking nice there Bobby. When can you start on mine? I'd love to replace this old gov. issue desk I'm using.   Works o.k. but an eye sore. Your's looks so nice, even unfinished.

[Axelvold]

Looks very nice, keep us posted. 

[SlowModem]

Looking nice there Bobby. When can you start on mine? I'd love to replace this old gov. issue desk I'm using.  Works o.k. but an eye sore. Your's looks so nice, even unfinished.

That desk and chair is like a fine wine.  It gets more valuable every day.  It will be a collectors item before you know it.  

[DanS]

I think Fred Mertz used it in his apartment.

[Axelvold]

Looks like that seat is a bit worn, but it's not surprising, given all the time that Dan is online here on the forum.

[Strgazr27]

Thanks Guys!

Dan, I have that exact same desk pulling duty in my basement as my wifes craft table. She'd KILL me if I got rid of it. I will admit though that I spent about 2 weeks refinishing it for her after we bought the house. They are built like tanks and truly will last forever.

We still have 3 of them at my facility also.

[Anthony]

Bobby, Looks great. A custom dest is what I need. Something on the line of yours. Except it needs to acomodate 4 computers/monitors, USP's, room for a couple of printers, modem, hub, switch & my ham radio equipment. Two problems, I don't have the money, much less the knowledge to build it.

[Strgazr27]

Anthony,

Man I thought I had a lot of crap Lol......

I have $217 dollars into the desk as it sits and that includes the keyboard tray and monitor bracket. I really think this is a deal compared to some of the all wood desks I had been pricing.

After showing 1 of my co workers the pictures he's asked me to come up with something for his sons room which needs to hold 2 complete PC'sand 2 22" montiors, A PS3, an XBOX and a 36" Flat panel....Phew 

Thanks for the complimets !

[Cienega32]

Looking real good, Bobby! Can't wait to see the finished product!

[JOE]

Looks like there's a call coming in now. (Phone is lit up)

Probably someone calling to see if you'll build them a workspace.

Nice work.

[upweather]

those desks look all to familiar    Go Navy

Looking nice there Bobby. When can you start on mine? I'd love to replace this old gov. issue desk I'm using.   Works o.k. but an eye sore. Your's looks so nice, even unfinished.

[Strgazr27]

Hey Dan,

What would you want for that chair? I WANT it!

[DanS]

Your new desk.  heh heh, actually I got that pic of the internet 'cause that's the same style/model desk I'm using but I'd have to clean up around here befoe taking a picture of mine. Easier this way not that I'm lazy or anything. So I don't know who's chair that really is.

[Axelvold]

Your new desk.  heh heh, actually I got that pic of the internet 'cause that's the same style/model desk I'm using but I'd have to clean up around here befoe taking a picture of mine. Easier this way not that I'm lazy or anything. So I don't know who's chair that really is.

 

[scott71]

Mighty fine work!! That's a beauty!! Can't wait till we see the finished product.

[W Thomas]

Excellent design idea!!   The finished product will be excellent as well I'm sure!
Craftsmanship is great!

[port1]

   Bobby, that's nice, man!    I like the edgebanding...it finishes it off. Excellent layout...I can tell you thought this through in advance.
I do a lot of wood finishing and carpentry myself, and Ipswich Pine along with Cherry and Golden Oak are "staples" of mine.
I don't envy all the presanding you'll have to do though, and the stain conditioner, but I know it will be beautiful when you're finished.
Good Luck with it!!
 
Henry

[Strgazr27]

The DA sander got a work out and my hands are still tingling from the mineral spirits. My shoulders and elbows are KILLING me from hand rubbing 5 coats of oil finish but it's done    .

I wound up going a 2 tone route along with a hand rubbed finish. I love the soft look of oil rubbed finishes as well as how durable they can be.

The best part is my wife LOVES IT  

From L-R is a 200Gb external that acts as the storage device for the webcam machine on the upper shelf which is a Dell Inspiron 9100. It has 2 gigs of PC3200 as well as a ATI 9700Pro running XPPro "Black Edition". It's a big heavy laptop that basically is a desktop. It still runs like a champ and handles webcam control, capture, time lapse, converting etc. Next to that is a 500Gb WD that serves as the main weather machines backup storage drive. That machine is a modified Dell GX280 running 4 gigs of RAM, a 3Ghz P4 and a HP Lightscribe DVD Burner. This is also running XPPro Black. Next to the 9100 is a 1 Tb external that serves as the storage and backup drive for my everyday machine/media server which is also based on a GX280. A 3.2Ghz P4, 4 gigs of ram and a HIS H467Q1GHDAP Radeon HD 4670 1GB AGP card (AGP is Old School I know but it runs NICE!). The Samsung 21" LCD is soon to be replaced. A set of 2.1 Logitechs handle my audio. The PIXMA 470 does a decent job of anything I ask of it really.

On the corner platform is the VP2 console along with the Acu-rite 786 wireless which gives me my Rain gauge bucket temp when the heater is on. Up top next to the printer is a real cheap Radio Shack weather radio for when I travel to Oklahoma for job training.

Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Thanks for all the compliments!

[Axelvold]

That is nice, you have dona a great work Bobby. 

[SlowModem]

That looks very very sturdy and well designed.

[DanS]

Looks great Bobby!  Compliments the hardwood floor too.