Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

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Majones1
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Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by Majones1 »

This is not really a woodworking project, although it is related. Back in March or April I built a motorized standing desk for my spouse because of all the time spent in meetings on Zoom. Well, they’ve returned to campus so it’s time to build another one.

Back in the winter I found an excellent motorized stand, a 60”x25”x2” walnut butcher block style table top, a half decent sliding keyboard shelf, and a very good desktop mounted pneumatic activated dual monitor stand to support the heavy all-in-one computer and a wide-screen second monitor.

One of the projects I’ve had on hold, due to other more urgent projects getting in the way, is building a walnut keyboard shelf that will hold the large ergonomic keyboard with space for the mouse. The keyboard shelf mechanism is very good, but the shelf itself is not only too small, but it’s also a piece of crap. So, I’ve designed a shelf that is the correct size, will have a slight slope for the keyboard, and an inset mouse area that will help keep the mouse from falling off the shelf. I have designed and built the jig and patterns for routing the sloped keyboard area and the shallow mouse inset, but I still need to build the router sled before I do the actual work on the walnut board that I have. Anyway, that’s been on hold for several months.

Well, since the community college faculty and staff are going back on campus at least 50% of the time, and someone has been spoiled with the standing desk, another one needed to be built for the office. That is what I built today. I the same parts, but got a maple butcher block table top. I did have to use the ShopSmith to cut 6” pieces of 2”x3”, which were used as spacers to allow the base of the keyboard shelf to mount over the cross-supports of the standing desk frame.

Below are some photos of the the desk; first the underside of the desk, before mounting the sliding keyboard shelf, and then two shots of it completed (minus the monitor stand which is already on campus) with the desk at full height and as it is descending.

I think standing desks are cool, but I can’t see myself using one. My feet, knees, and back would not do well standing for very long at a computer.
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Marc Jones

Model 10ER (1952), s/n: 72883 (MickyD restored in 2009/10) / Variable Speed Changer / A-34 Jigsaw / Jointer-Shaper Fence
Mark 5 Model 500 (1955), s/n: 309828 (MickyD restored in 2008/09) / Magna Jigsaw Model 610, s/n 65001 / Yuba 11” Bandsaw Model 630, s/n 39807 / Magna Jointer Model 620, s/n 17792 (restored in 2021) / Magna 6” Belt Sander Model 640, s/n 13742 (to be restored)
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RCZ
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by RCZ »

Hello Marc

Nice project. My wife worked and taught from home for about one year. At first, she was conducting her classes from my shop and had her computer set up on my table saw outfeed table. Her students were somewhat amused and mystified at all the tools and lumber they could see in the background. She eventually wanted to work inside the house and liked the standup arrangement she had started outside in the shop. I ended up pulling my door installers bench out of storage, raised it to a standup work height, and built a flat work surface for the top.

Now, she is back in the school building and I built a small podium for her to use. Nothing fancy, but I did paint it with the school colors and put the mascot logo on the front.

Like you said, my knees wouldn't be happy working at a standup desk.
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dusty
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by dusty »

Marc, please consider sharing some info about the motorized bench. What brand is it. I'm guessing "Vestil".
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nuhobby
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by nuhobby »

Hi,
Nice project! My office has motorized desktops with hardware similar to the photos above, under the brand name AMQ Solutions / ACTIV bases.

Elsewhere in my travels I saw a coffee-table which had a manual scissors-like set of links to raise it up high. That also was interesting.

All said, though, I do computer work while sitting down, and woodwork while standing up....

Chris
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by davebodner »

My work monitor was on an arm that would go up and down, so I made a simple keyboard and mouse stand that allowed me to stand or sit when I wanted. It was nothing special, just a very light, four-legged table that stood on top of my desk. Standing proved good for my back back then. When I retired, that stand proved quite popular. It's been years and I wonder if it's still there.
edma194
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by edma194 »

dusty wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 9:10 am Marc, please consider sharing some info about the motorized bench. What brand is it. I'm guessing "Vestil".
I'd like to hear more details also, I think my wife would love something like that. Please, please, please share some pics with the monitor stand too, I'm sure she's going to be interested.
Majones1 wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 8:54 pm This is not really a woodworking project, although it is related.
I saw some wood there, so that makes it a woodworking project right?
Ed from Rhode Island

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Majones1
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by Majones1 »

edma194 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 5:08 pm
Majones1 wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 8:54 pm This is not really a woodworking project, although it is related.
I saw some wood there, so that makes it a woodworking project right?

It’s almost woodworking; I did cut some 2x3s on my ShopSmith (3 cuts) and drilled a bunch of pilot holes for the screws. I got the idea for this desk from a job I was involved with a couple of years ago where we moved a large client who had hundreds of a similar style of motorized desks. My job is typically working on servers, business class firewalls, and cloud servers, but the company I work for was tasked with setting up all the PCs at the new desks, so it was all hands on deck for this job.

First of all, it’s not a cheap desk but making it yourself is probably half the price, or better, than if you were to buy it from an office furniture store. I think we spent around $600 to $700 for the parts. One of the great things about this desk is that you can easily program three height settings; we set positions for sitting, standing, and then all the way up, which makes it easier to sweep under or work on the bottom of the desk.

The 60”x25” butcher block top was purchased at our local hardwood lumber yard. I don’t yet have the skill to build that myself, but you can certainly save some money if you can do that. The first desk I built was made from walnut, and I think it’s beautiful (see photos below). We wanted to save a little money on the second one so we chose maple, as you can see in my previous photos.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you build the desk. Unless your power outlet is right behind the desk, the power cable is a little short. Even if the outlet is close, you won’t really want all the cables draping down the back as the desk goes up and down. I mounted a surge protector to the bottom of the desktop, in the back, and close to the side where the outlet is located. This allows one power cable to drop down at one side of the desk and all the devices on the desk can plug in where you can easily hide those cables.

Another thing to keep in mind has to do with installing the keyboard shelf. Where the sliding keyboard shelf would mount to the bottom of the desktop, the frame of the motorized base is in the way. I just cut three 6” lengths of 2x3s and screwed them to the underside of the desk to act as sturdy stand offs. I placed the front edge of the sliding shelf mount about 5” back from the front of the desk so the keyboard shelf fully slides under the desk. Don’t go too far back as the keyboard may not fully extend out from under the desk. The sliding shelf hardware is heavy duty, but the shelf itself is some form of manufactured wood with a plastic wood grain laminate. It’s fairly decent looking, but I feel a desk of this quality should at least have a real wood shelf that matches, so I’ve designed one that I am in the middle of making. At some point in the near future I will post my design, photos of the jigs/patterns I am making, as well as the completed shelf.

Here are the parts I used for the desk:

Motorized Standing Desk Base - The price fluctuates, it was $279 when I bought it a couple of weeks ago, but today it is $359. It is good quality, and a decent instruction book. It has a motor on each leg to extend the legs.
Fromann Electric Stand up Desk... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DT8RHL2?re ... b_ap_share

Sliding Keyboard Shelf -
HUANUO Keyboard Tray Under... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CKZJ2WT?re ... b_ap_share

Dual Monitor Arms - They also have them with three arms.
ErGear Dual Monitor Arm, Adjustable Gas Springs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BHJP422/?c ... pldnSite=1#

Power Strip - I originally got this for my shop but still had not mounted it, so it was available for this project.
Metal Wall Mount Power Strip, 15A 125V 1875W
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081MZXG9L/re ... UTF8&psc=1


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First standing desk I built, showing the installed monitor arms, without monitors.
First standing desk I built, showing the installed monitor arms, without monitors.
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First standing desk I built, all setup and in use (side view).
First standing desk I built, all setup and in use (side view).
CA266678-28F2-4CBE-8ABB-70F125EAD3B5.jpeg (250.6 KiB) Viewed 1966 times

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First standing desk I built, all setup and in use (front view).
First standing desk I built, all setup and in use (front view).
6AA6331A-1500-4137-A6F1-238CD5E48E12.jpeg (435.69 KiB) Viewed 1966 times

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Sliding keyboard shelf, showing 2x3 spacers.
Sliding keyboard shelf, showing 2x3 spacers.
6D85034E-C650-472E-BF21-903C1178B060.jpeg (420.59 KiB) Viewed 1966 times
Marc Jones

Model 10ER (1952), s/n: 72883 (MickyD restored in 2009/10) / Variable Speed Changer / A-34 Jigsaw / Jointer-Shaper Fence
Mark 5 Model 500 (1955), s/n: 309828 (MickyD restored in 2008/09) / Magna Jigsaw Model 610, s/n 65001 / Yuba 11” Bandsaw Model 630, s/n 39807 / Magna Jointer Model 620, s/n 17792 (restored in 2021) / Magna 6” Belt Sander Model 640, s/n 13742 (to be restored)
Professional Planer Model M5082, s/n 003918
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dusty
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by dusty »

Nice Job. Thanks for the shopping detail.
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edma194
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by edma194 »

Thank you for all that info. My wife is into it. Just the idea I can get a pair of motorized legs like that with a control panel is setting my imagination on fire. I can see all sorts of uses for such a thing.

Thank you again, it will be the perfect distraction project for me right now.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
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Majones1
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Re: Another Distraction Project - Standing Desk

Post by Majones1 »

edma194 wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 4:07 pm Thank you for all that info. My wife is into it. Just the idea I can get a pair of motorized legs like that with a control panel is setting my imagination on fire. I can see all sorts of uses for such a thing.

Thank you again, it will be the perfect distraction project for me right now.
Here is another reseller of the same base, and is the one I used on our first standing desk. It’s $249 right now.

It was a fun distraction to build. I was so focused on completing the project that I hadn’t thought of other uses; you’ve given me something to think about. They claim it’s rated for a 225 LB max load. I don’t think we’ve ever had more than 100 lbs on ours, including the wood desktop, all-in-one computer, extra monitor, books, papers, and other small electronics.

After I set up the first desk I was taking videos of it going up and down, playing around with it to test it, and showing it off; after several minutes of use, maybe 10 minutes, it stopped with an error code. But that was a lot more than normal use. I had overheated the motors and it cutout for a few minutes to cool off. It also has a safety overload that is supposed to cutout if something is blocking it as it is descending, or if you put too much weight on it. But in normal use, even with several consecutive ups and downs, it has never done that again. You just have to be careful not to play with it too much.

I’m sure your wife will love it.
Marc Jones

Model 10ER (1952), s/n: 72883 (MickyD restored in 2009/10) / Variable Speed Changer / A-34 Jigsaw / Jointer-Shaper Fence
Mark 5 Model 500 (1955), s/n: 309828 (MickyD restored in 2008/09) / Magna Jigsaw Model 610, s/n 65001 / Yuba 11” Bandsaw Model 630, s/n 39807 / Magna Jointer Model 620, s/n 17792 (restored in 2021) / Magna 6” Belt Sander Model 640, s/n 13742 (to be restored)
Professional Planer Model M5082, s/n 003918
DC3300 Dust Collector (circa 1998)
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