New Custom Music Desk

[pekbro]

Just search for "PC Built into a desk" heh. There are tons of them,
mostly gaming related machines, but audio workstation would be a great
aim as well.

An early build video, give you some idea of what would be involved.
Assuming you want to be able to see it anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQXn-1ryDnU

Here's a how-to pdf for more ideas.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Desk-with-Built-in-PC/

The best thing to do would be to figure out what would work best for yourself.
For an audio desk, I would think about having an array of hot swappable drives
within easy reach. Maybe a built in USB hub, I dunno, whatever else you
would tend to use allot. Building yourself will allow for custom cooling and
dust protection / cleaning as well.


This guy is a good resource for custom wiring...
Mostly sleeving related, but he shows you how to make extensions and other useful things.

https://www.youtube.com/user/lutro0

Your probably going to want some custom junctions and quick disconnects
basic electrical stuff. Keep searching PC modding stuff on You Tube.
People have already done nearly anything you can think of.

-Cheers

[pekbro]

BTW Ebay is probably the best place to look for rackmount cases.
The Taiwanese make tons of electronics items like that and just sell them directly on ebay.

You can buy the parts to build just about anything on Ebay actually...

*another thing to do is just go down to your local welding shop and have one made
for you to your specifications. They are fairly uncomplicated and shouldn't cost that much.

[Vintage73]

I think I've settled on a standard PC case and not incorporating my PC into the desk, whether building in directly nor as a rack-mount.

I have samples of laminates from two different companies, and I'm REALLY liking the Nevamar from Panolam Industries. I found them through a local lumberyard.

I think I've also decided that I'm going to make the actual desk from 13-ply Baltic Birch, which, unfortunately only comes in 5-foot-by-5-foot sizes. I've also decided to use some uniquely-CNC methods of building it. Because of reasons, I'm taking the essence of what this desk above is, and redesigning it for both modularity and a snap-together approach. I'm using it as a test-bed for new system.

[pekbro]

Another fine way to go, I like Silverstone cases. Expensive but worth it IMO.
Particularly the aluminum designs. I got tired of buying a new inexpensive case
every time I built a new machine. I will just rebuild in my FT02 from now on...



-Cheers

[Vintage73]

Another fine way to go, I like Silverstone cases. Expensive but worth it IMO.
Particularly the aluminum designs. I got tired of buying a new inexpensive case
every time I built a new machine. I will just rebuild in my FT02 from now on...



-Cheers

I'll have to look them up, but there's a chance that I'll be using a brushed aluminum veneer on the sides of my desk (and a mahogany or black desktop), though I'm kinda leaning toward blue for the sides, still. I guess I need to save some chips from their various websites and post what I'm thinking of, here.

About the desk top surfaces, I'm a little upset that Baltic Birch is only available in 5x5-feet where I'll be purchasing. I'll call around to other lumberyards, but I'm sure there's a reason for it. Not only does that create a broken surface for wider desks, but it also means that I need to have them chop off a foot from one side so that I can transport it flat. I should probably build a level bed for my van, but the factory bed is high enough as it is (definitely NOT a European-style van).

[Vintage73]

I assume this is the one you're talking about. It's no longer made, apparently.

silverstone_sst-ft02s-w_left_front_34.jpg

[pekbro]

You can still get it I'm pretty sure. I got the black one from Amazon actually.
For me it was about the layout. I live in a tropical climate and I didn't want
to go with water cooling. In my opinion this is the finest air cooling set up
available. Well possibly no longer available heh...

Lian-PC makes some very nice cases as well...

-Cheers

[Vintage73]

Actually, you're right. I found them on Amazon still. ...And cheaper than on eBay.

[pekbro]

Its a great case, and quite intelligently designed. All your ports are on top,
and you can actually read your mother board startup codes right-side up.

I suppose they stopped making it due to the shift from air cooling to
water cooling in the enthusiast market with the advent of affordable
self contained water coolers.

Couple things to bear in mind, it requires a left hand position on your
desk if you want to be able to see through the window. Also, you will
need the reference or blower type video cards for airflow to move as
intended. Those cards being generally more expensive.

-Cheers

[Vintage73]

I'll give it a think.

As far as the desk goes, I believe I've dropped the idea of snap-together for now. There's just no way for me to do it in the style that I was thinking without it turning out to look like Kindergarten furniture; not good.

I've been asleep more than I've been awake the last few days, and the time I've been awake I've been spending on Pinterest looking at various audio desk designs and construction methods, as well as other furniture, for inspiration.

It's still a bummer that I can't get 4'x8' sheets of Baltic Birch at my lumberyard, but I believe I can still work with 5'x5'. The longest 88-key controller I've seen is under 60". I can split the desktop itself into three pieces (the above desk is 72" wide).

I guess no more talk. Design. I'll post something when I have it.

[Vintage73]

For combining the individual modular pieces together, we're going with snap-fit. For the towers, notsomuch.

I said I wouldn't post again in this thread until I had something to show...here goes:



I have a couple more edits to do on this version, then I'll take it to 3d space and see how it looks, then.

I like the little cutouts that I have on the side view, but I'm not settled on them, yet. The only time they'll be seen is when I roll my desk out to the middle of my studio space.

It's all 13-ply 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood with Wilsonart laminate. They've sent me enough samples; I kinda owe it to them to purchase some of it.

[Vintage73]

One or both of the side towers on mine will be drawers instead of racks on the bottom. I simply don't have that much outboard gear, and I'm short on storage as it is.

[pekbro]

Looking good, be nice to see a 3d rendering when your ready.

-Cheers

[Vintage73]

I agree.

I've just been so unmotivated lately.

I'd like to have a render in the next week or so.

[Vintage73]

I'd like to have a render in the next week or so.

Obviously that didn't happen yet. I may need to set this project aside again whilst I figure out the correct parts for a Davies (Eccleston, Tennant) Dalek to cut on our CNC. Mark's getting pretty perturbed that I haven't finished that project yet.