Desk Project

The preface to this project was the years spent behind desks that didn't fit my posture at all; I wanted to celebrate becoming a grad student by making my life easier. The main functionality of this desk is fitting my sitting posture as best as I could figure, with ample room to move my legs around and enough desk space to complete projects, write, and hold my computer on. More than a normal desk though, I wanted passthroughs to more easily integrate the digital world into the physical world, a design space where the panels on the bottom originated.

The desktop and large under-desk components had me use woodworking tools much larger than I had before, which was a fun technical challenge. For the computer power on switch, modeled after fighter jet switches, my final design was designed for waterjet to make manufacturing simple. Connecting the power switch to have all of the components work with my computer took some circuit design, and on the left side of the desk I used 3D printing to house the screen connecting to a Raspberry Pi. Overall, it took a multidisciplinary effort to build the desk.

Completing this project let me practice and think more critically about design for manufacturing. A lot of the initial designs I had for parts sounded great in theory (and looked great in CAD), but were harder to manufacture. Final versions balanced aesthetics, function, and manufacturability in a much more reasonable way. Similarly, I focused on continuous improvement in my designs, making improvements in them before building them, and even leaving room open for more in the future as my needs change so the desk can too.

Completed desktop, finished with polyurethane and with drilled holes for charging outlets