Everything Else

So moving into a new place and I will have room for a bigger desk. Current one is way too small for my workflow and for running systems off a KVM.

So I need help picking a desk that can do the following:

Has space for, or can support the weight of 3-4 heavy computers in some manner. This is for my Octane 2, HP C8000, planned Fuel and 4th workstation.

Fits a $250 budget

Has an ergonomic place to put my KB... Current desk doesn't have a keyboard deck.

Let me know if you have anything in mind. IKEA is close ish, been considering going there for one.

you wanna put the boxes on the desk?

Either on the desk or in whatver storage space it offers, new place has wood floor that scratches easily.

A table sold as a piece of office furniture will be more expensive than a plain old table. To maximize table for the money, how about a plain utility table or dining table and mount a keyboard drawer under it?

I have had the same problem(s) in the past. I'd recommend getting a bunch of steel-frame banquet tables @ $50 /ea, or possibly some used steel-desks built for the navy. I don't think 200 lbs of computer is going to go over well on ikea furniture.

I'm not sure how you type; perhaps something like this would work: https://www.schooloutfitters.com/catalo ... 202_CAT211

I can fit an octane, and a thinkpad on a 60" generic plastic table comfortably, two octanes if I really stretch the space, but afterwards rather useless for reading / reference material. I've tried finding nice desks for $250-ish, but they really don't exist at that price point. I found them too high for my wrists, and since they don't have keyboard trays, I cut the legs a bit with a conduit pipe cutter. ( will destroy your floor )

Maybe a cheap L-desk and some of these: http://www.officedepot.com/a/browse/woo ... =5+532593/

this is 30" high, so maybe you don't need a keyboard tray thing depending on your height:
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/4 ... aped-Desk/

surrealdeal wrote: I have had the same problem(s) in the past. I'd recommend getting a bunch of steel-frame banquet tables @ $50 /ea, or possibly some used steel-desks built for the navy. I don't think 200 lbs of computer is going to go over well on ikea furniture.

Reminds me that around 15 years ago I posted a photo online of some gear I had set up on one of those tables. Wound up being ridiculed by a bunch of Brazilians on a Portuguese forum as owning "a crappy table" or some such (saw the referral links in the logs)

I got my desk from my old university. Used to belong to some group's professor so it's really big (more than 3m x 2m), adjustable, good build quality, and came with matching drawer block. And the price was unbeatable: free. OK, I had to rent a trailer to take it home.

Desks on four legs are usually more stable than those with two "inverted T" legs, but have other drawbacks (harder to adjust, no power or cable management). But it varies, I still dare to climb on mine even though there's a Tezro, an Octane2, a heavy old CRT and a very heavy power amp sitting on it, plus the usual assorted junk.

I don't know how it is these days with the economy picking up again, but a couple of years ago you could get really fancy office furniture 2nd hand for next to nothing. Watch the bankruptcy auctions but beware of the small print and hidden costs.

I have an Ikea "L" shape desk from the Galant series. I think this configuration is within your budget, or maybe $10-20 over, I don't remember exactly, but it was certainly under $300. It has a steel frame, no worries with huge CRT monitors if you're into that sort of stuff. No worries with my 200-lbs self dancing all over it to hang up xmas lights in the window last winter. (the window is about 11 ft. tall, need to get some solar-shades for this summer.) The feet are adjustable and very sturdy in the L shape.. I don't know if it would be as sturdy with only 2 legs but I bet it is. They have accessories such as cable raceways and keyboard shelves if necessary.

Notice how it completely dwarves a 20" ACD. I need a new monitor Most of my tools and stuff I have been leaving at my shop at work, so it is kinda empty now. And if you need a sturdy chair for <$20 that won't fall apart, you probably want one like this



I have moved twice since that photo was taken (not by choice) but I have been at my current apt at for about a year now and just signed another 18 month lease so... Here's the old setup:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16721688&p=7360667&hilit=#p7360667

As for your floor, two simple options are either rubber feet for your boxes or a simple rug.

I picked up (via Craigslist) the corner unit guardian452 shows, plus a matching table that goes well next to it. Came with a keyboard arm fitted, I added cable races all along the backs of both surfaces, and a twin monitor stand out of frame on the edge closest to the camera.

Obviously getting it used was cheaper, and unfortunately you can't count on anything like that. But, it's an excellent setup.

Poor quality photo, that's a few years out of date now... You can tell because there's nothing piled up on the floor.

smj wrote: I picked up (via Craigslist) the corner unit guardian452 shows, plus a matching table that goes well next to it. Came with a keyboard arm fitted, I added cable races all along the backs of both surfaces, and a twin monitor stand out of frame on the edge closest to the camera.

Obviously getting it used was cheaper, and unfortunately you can't count on anything like that. But, it's an excellent setup.

Poor quality photo, that's a few years out of date now... You can tell because there's nothing piled up on the floor.

home-office-morning-1kx7.jpg

Do I spy with my little eye... A real Henry Miller Aeron?

I was standing before the same question. Finally I resorted to a customized table.

Basically I choose the table plate, one leg and one small shelf as the right leg. On the table plate I put another small board which is rested on three wooden pieces. This board carries the displays. Which leaves me with some storage place on top of the computers for their equipment, as you can see.

On this desk I can house a Fuel underneath, a Dec VLC4000, a Dec Multia Alpha, a G4 Cube, and a Quadra 700 (which has a MacIvory III inside ). Oh, and there's a MacBook Air—can you spot it? Originally I intended to place one Indy where the Multia is now, but then I got the Multi for such a low price, so plans changed.

But if you want to use you desk not only as a work area but as a storage area, too—then I can recommend these shelf like kinf of desks. The only drawback is, that this desk costs more than $250. But then, it's made of real wood instead of plywood.

I just stacked my computers on long bench tables.

I'm not married.

vishnu wrote: Do I spy with my little eye... A real Henry Miller Aeron?

Yeah, that was the one good thing I got out of my former employer for taking away my office and forcing me into the "work from home" program. And to the best of my knowledge that office still stands vacant about three years later - they haven't even reassigned my phone number.

Supposedly there are aerons aplenty in the surplus market but it hasn't seemed to drop their prices appreciabely, you're the only person I know who's got one, are they as good as is claimed?

I can't stand storebought desks. I find it easier to build your own workspace.

vishnu wrote: Supposedly there are aerons aplenty in the surplus market but it hasn't seemed to drop their prices appreciabely, you're the only person I know who's got one, are they as good as is claimed?

No question there are excellent chairs out there for much less than what an Aeron will set you back, but I find them to be quite cromulent. Very comfortable, and nicely configurable if you get all the bells and whistles. Just make sure you don't get the wrong size. I think they do three, A - B - C, or small - medium - large. I had a large and I was a medium, and the ergonomics were off enough to be irritating -- but that's surely true of any chair...

So I wouldn't recommend everybody rush out and buy one or anything, but yes they're very nice. I had a given allotment that had to be spent through the employer's purchasing system, so since I didn't really need anything besides a new chair... Wound up with the Aeron and a Brother B&W multi-function widget, since I couldn't have the company laptop speaking to the house networks while the VPN was up.


To the original point, building work surfaces out of solid wooden doors is also a good option. Get yourself some file cabinets for a base, and you're good to go.

My home office and favorite L desk disappeared with the arrival of children. I have a couch and a laptop now.

smj wrote: [...]since I couldn't have the company laptop speaking to the house networks while the VPN was up.

They didn't want to let you route your traffic so you could use both simultaneously? That shit would drive me up the wall.

VenomousPinecone wrote: My home office and favorite L desk disappeared with the arrival of children. I have a couch and a laptop now.

Why do you think I am happy that I am unable to have kids by virtue of genetics? That way if my woman were to get pregnant I know that she was cheating, and a little something called "child support" can never be thrust upon me.

But seriously, fuck having kids. My computers are my adopted children, and I have several terabytes of doujins and hentai just waiting to be read.

TeamBlackFox wrote: Why do you think I am happy that I am unable to have kids by virtue of genetics? That way if my woman were to get pregnant I know that she was cheating, and a little something called "child support" can never be thrust upon me.

But seriously, fuck having kids. My computers are my adopted children, and I have several terabytes of doujins and hentai just waiting to be read.

Wow. Just wow. You are not making yourself out to be a likeable person with your hateful tone, petty hatred of GNU and other things (I don't like them either, but not to this extent) and... this little rant.

Was partially joking in that post. Liven up