Hi
I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by Mat 
100 (argos desk that he shortened)

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291

What do I need?
4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then 
perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what 
would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot see 
everything might be too hard for me!

I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make the 
keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...

Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I want 
it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?

Cheers.

"mo" <nospam> wrote in message news:hLednX5bk7XDDrreRVnyhQ@giganews.com...

> Hi
> I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by
Mat
> 100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>
> What do I need?
> 4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then
> perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what
> would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot
see
> everything might be too hard for me!
>
> I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make
the
> keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>
> Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I
want
> it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>
> Cheers.
>

I built my own desk as follows.
For support I use two 2 drawer filing cabinets.
The top simply rests on the two cabinets at either end of the top with space
between for my legs.
The top is 5ft long- I find it essential to have a large work surface area
and is 1 thick
The wood is a composite of strips of wood which is glued together in the
factory and therefore will not warp.
My desk is 32 ins wide and the composite is supplied in 16 ins widths so I
glue the two together..
Finally varnish the wood and it looks great.
Everyone who sees it want to know where I bought it from
Wood supplied by timber merchants- look for them in yellow pages
Blair

"Blair"  wrote in message 
news:dg8b79$su6$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...

>
> "mo" <nospam> wrote in message news:hLednX5bk7XDDrreRVnyhQ@giganews.com...
>> Hi
>> I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by
> Mat
>> 100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>>
>> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>>
>> What do I need?
>> 4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and 
>> then
>> perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... 
>> what
>> would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot
> see
>> everything might be too hard for me!
>>
>> I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make
> the
>> keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>>
>> Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I
> want
>> it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>>
>> Cheers.
>>
> I built my own desk as follows.
> For support I use two 2 drawer filing cabinets.
> The top simply rests on the two cabinets at either end of the top with 
> space
> between for my legs.
> The top is 5ft long- I find it essential to have a large work surface area
> and is 1 thick
> The wood is a composite of strips of wood which is glued together in the
> factory and therefore will not warp.
> My desk is 32 ins wide and the composite is supplied in 16 ins widths so I
> glue the two together..
> Finally varnish the wood and it looks great.
> Everyone who sees it want to know where I bought it from
> Wood supplied by timber merchants- look for them in yellow pages
> Blair
>
>

Mine is an old single kitchen base unit without its legs - a length of 
worktop and a couple of tubular legs at the other end.

"mo" <nospam> wrote in message news:hLednX5bk7XDDrreRVnyhQ@giganews.com...

> Hi
> I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by 
> Mat 100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>
> What do I need?
> 4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then 
> perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what 
> would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot 
> see everything might be too hard for me!
>
> I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make 
> the keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>
> Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I 
> want it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>
> Cheers.
>


All of those desks look too small and very cramped to me.

My last desk was just big enough to have a keyboard, monitor and mouse on it 
and was a nightmare.

If you've got the space i'd make sure you make one with enough room to do 
writing, without having to shift every thing to one side each time. It's 
well worth it.

"mo" <nospam> wrote in message news:hLednX5bk7XDDrreRVnyhQ@giganews.com...

> Hi
> I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by
Mat
> 100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>
> What do I need?
> 4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then
> perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what
> would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot
see
> everything might be too hard for me!
>
> I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make
the
> keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>
> Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I
want
> it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>
> Cheers.
>
>


If I was going to put it in the same position as Mat has, I would not bother
with the side pieces or a back. I would just put some 1" X 1.5" on the wall
and rest the desk top on that.  Also curve off the left hand corner so that
I do not walk into it when half asleep. I used two sheets of mdf for mine,
cut into a large curve to take two PCs with lots of space. It does have lots
of supports and mdf would probably not be strong enough by its self.

 Simon

In article , "mo" <nospam> says...

> Hi
> I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by Mat 
> 100 (argos desk that he shortened)
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
> 
> What do I need?
> 4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then 
> perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what 
> would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot see 
> everything might be too hard for me!


You don't say if you want the desk to fit in an alcove - if you do then 
don't bother about uprights, just fix battens to the walls.  If it's to 
fit in an alcove but you can't fix battens to the walls (rented 
property, whatever) then as long as the top is a snug fit you don't 
really need rigid joints to keep everything upright and stable.

> 
> I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make the 
> keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...


Drawer runners are available in most DIY sheds for a few pounds.

> 
> Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I want 
> it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
> 

You don't say what finish you want - I've made a solid, aesthetically 
pleasing desk using chipboard with a couple of battens screwed to the 
underside to stiffen it up, covered with some spare laminate flooring, 
with the front edge finished with some softwood that I rounded over, 
polished with wax and glued on.  My current "compact workstation" is a 
quarter-circle of 19mm MDF fixed to the wall in a corner - I was going 
to paint it or cover it with leathercloth but I never got around to it, 
so it looks crap but it keeps the keyboard and monitor off the floor  
:-)

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 04:05:02 +0100, "mo" <nospam> scrawled:


>I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by Mat 
>100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>
>http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>

Jeez, and I thought my PC's and desks looked a right mess.


>What do I need?
>4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then 
>perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what 
>would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot see 
>everything might be too hard for me!
>

In that particular situation I'd be inclined to use some kitchen
worktop screwed to the wall and forget about the legs, just affix
battens to the wall.


>I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make the 
>keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>

Not sure where exactly, but you can buy the slidy bits to make your
own pull out drawer.


>Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I want 
>it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>

Piece of worktop, bit of something for the drawer, couple of lengths
of 2x1. I'd say 30-40 ish.
-- 
Stuart @ SJW Electrical

Please Reply to group

In message , mo 
<nospam@?.?.invalid> writes

>Hi
>I wanna build my own PC desk almost exatcly like the one posted here by Mat
>100 (argos desk that he shortened)
>
>http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17468291
>
>What do I need?
>4 pieces of wood - 1 large for the desk itself - 2 along the side and then
>perhaps one at the back whoc goes halfway down or is in the middle... what
>would be the best way to connect them - putting in dowels so you cannot see
>everything might be too hard for me!
>
>I will also need a pull out keyboard (an alternative to this is to make the
>keyboard at the height I want and to make a stand for the monitor...
>
>Any ideas on good places to get decent quality wood (Well half decent I want
>it quite solid) - perhpas homebase-  and how much might it all cost?
>

I would think that if you have to ask such questions, the first thing 
you need is some practice

You're probably best off supporting the back and side using some 2"x2" 
battens screwed into the wall front legs could will probably need some 
angled support for rigidity

Unless you want to pay a lot for the desk top, I think that faced 
chipboard would be the most economical solution, and you'll need 
something to face off the edges

I would have the desk at kbd height and raise the monitor

-- 
geoff

Sorry, my one wont be in an alcove it will be in an open space against a 
wall on the back side.

I am feeling perhaps that 4 metal legs may be easier to attach than wooden 
sides/back - any idea where I can get such things from?

If I took this route I would probably have to raise the monitor..

In article , "mo" <nospam> says...

> Sorry, my one wont be in an alcove it will be in an open space against a 
> wall on the back side.
> 
> I am feeling perhaps that 4 metal legs may be easier to attach than wooden 
> sides/back - any idea where I can get such things from?


Might be easier to attach, but it will be harder to stop movement - 
batten to wall at the back and legs at the front should be OK.  You can 
get tubular steel and fittings in various finishes in Wickes, B&Q ...

"Rob Morley"  wrote in message 
news:MPG.1d92bcedcca29317989812@news.individual.net...

> In article , "mo" <nospam> says...
>> Sorry, my one wont be in an alcove it will be in an open space against a
>> wall on the back side.
>>
>> I am feeling perhaps that 4 metal legs may be easier to attach than 
>> wooden
>> sides/back - any idea where I can get such things from?
>
> Might be easier to attach, but it will be harder to stop movement -
> batten to wall at the back and legs at the front should be OK.  You can
> get tubular steel and fittings in various finishes in Wickes, B&Q ...



I can see wooden sides being a pain to fit on - how do you suggest i 
'connect' them?

I could just buy really chunk legs...

In article , "mo" <nospam> says...

> 
> "Rob Morley"  wrote in message 
> news:MPG.1d92bcedcca29317989812@news.individual.net...
> > In article , "mo" <nospam> says...
> >> Sorry, my one wont be in an alcove it will be in an open space against a
> >> wall on the back side.
> >>
> >> I am feeling perhaps that 4 metal legs may be easier to attach than 
> >> wooden
> >> sides/back - any idea where I can get such things from?
> >
> > Might be easier to attach, but it will be harder to stop movement -
> > batten to wall at the back and legs at the front should be OK.  You can
> > get tubular steel and fittings in various finishes in Wickes, B&Q ...
> 
> 
> I can see wooden sides being a pain to fit on - how do you suggest i 
> 'connect' them?


Screws and a bit of square planed timber.

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> 
> I could just buy really chunk legs... 
> 

It's not the size of the legs that's the problem, but fixing them 
securely to the table top - consider the leverage applied.