Dining Table to Computer Table Mod

[pierhogunn]

I have a crazy idea, I would like to turn an unused dining table into a computer table/workstation.

1. I use flat panel monitors for my work from home station, two of them
2. I use a laptop in a docking station
3. I use a wireless keyboard and mouse

the table that I want to modify is a 4 leg table with a 1" thick top, and a 3" deep skirt that runs from leg to leg, and is attached to the legs with a diagonal wooden piece that bolts to the legs. The table does not have any leaves. the table is about 36" X 48". The table is made out of para-wood ( spent rubber tree from maylasia that we got from an unfinished furniture place)

that said what I would like to do is

1. seperate the table top from the base of the table and hinge it at the back and mount the monitors to the underside of the table
2. remove the front skirt piece and add a drawer that spans the length nd width of the table, sort of like an oversized keyboard tray that holds the keyboard and the computer.
3. the front table-skirt piece would be hinged onto the keyboard tray, and fold down to allow access to the keyboard tray.

What sort of hinges would I need to employ for each of the parts of this whack job of an idea.



The ultimate goal is to be able to hide my office in my guest bedroom.

[LarryG]

There may be some details you're leaving out, but two possible problems I see are ...

1. The monitors will be about 36" from your eyes. Unless they're BIG monitors, that's an awfully long way for business apps.

2. If you remove the front skirt, there'll be nothing to hold the two front legs in alignment -- unless what you're calling a "drawer" would actually be fixed. In that case, the basic idea you propose could work.

[pierhogunn]

I have a modification to my idea, no keyboard tray

instead of a tray that slides out, just make it so that the front skirt stays attched to the table-top. and acts like a stabilizer on the front of the table, and then use some angle brackets to attach the front legs to the hidden table top under the first one.

[jackellis]

I'm not sure this is such a good idea, either. Another thing you'd need is gas shocks or springs to hold the table top up when it's open and allow it to open and close without a lot of effort. Two flat screen monitors probably weigh at least 30 pounds and then you have the weight of the table top.

Why not mount the screens to the back of a wall cabinet with doors you can either swing closed or attach when not in use? Or perhaps a better idea is to build a simple desk with a flip up top to which the monitors are attached (still need springs or gas shocks for opening and closing). Once flipped up, the panel can move forward a bit so that the screens are at the appropriate distance. Instead of multiple drawers on one side, have a cabinet big enough for the computer tower (don't forget the need for cooling air flow) on one side of the kneehole.

[pierhogunn]

I would love to, actually, I would love to just mod the closet in the room, but I don't have electrical there, or any clearance in the closet to such a setup

[JR]

the table that I want to modify is a 4 leg table with a 1" thick top, and a 3" deep skirt that runs from leg to leg, and is attached to the legs with a diagonal wooden piece that bolts to the legs. The table does not have any leaves. the table is about 36" X 48". The table is made out of para-wood ( spent rubber tree from maylasia that we got from an unfinished furniture place)

I think I have that same table! And I'm using it as a desk in LOML's office!! I'm much less ambitious than you are.

On my desk/table the skirt is attached to the top with pocket screws. I cut the skirt into two pieces about 6" long, each one attached to a front leg. This provides a landing place for the corner bracket and seems to have sufficient stiffness to hold the thing together.

In between the two skirtlets I hung a keyboard slide mechanism. It hangs from the top in free space. I do not have a way to hide the keyboard.

I have another desk that had a fake skirt, but it didn't work satisfactorily for me, but YMMV. It had simple butt hinges on top of the keyboard tray and catches like this on the bottom. You'd just tilt it forward after pulling out the tray, the fake skirt becoming a wrist rest.


You might try a tour through Rockler's desk hardware. They have a thousand little helpers in there.

For the monitors, how about a cabinet with tambour doors?

Still thinking about the docking station...

JR

[pierhogunn]

my goal is to make it look like there is no computer in this space, and that this is just a normal table. I was planning on using a tot-lock style lock ( I have a few spares) to make this a stealth office.

I was looking at a piano hinge on to connect the back of the table-top to the back skirt and some heavy duty quite helpers to support the lid

[JR]

So, what if your monitors don't move up to eye level when you open the top? Just lay them in trays fixed within the skirt space, angled a bit toward your eyes?

Hmm, you might need taller skirts for that to work. Still thinking...

JR

[atgcpaul]

Go to CS Hardware (cshardware.com) and search for item #H.1019879.
Their called column hinges and are used for the flip down drawer component
of keyboard drawers. I bought a pair for a desk I'm building but haven't
progressed to that stage of the build yet.

Paul

[pierhogunn]

thanks for all the input, SWMBO put the kibosh on the whole thing, pointedly reminding me that was only squatting in that space and not to make myself too comfortable...

I'm felling the love.