desk and PC - mod concept

Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:10 pm

I just thought of an awesome mod, and I'll slowly be making it. It's integrating your PC into your desk, well somewhat, the ideal is that you still want to be able to remove your PC if you go to a lan party or something.

Part1: Setup a small panel of switches on my desk which control the fans. I'll wire them in paralell with the existing switches. In terms of wireing I will be using a printer cable that I will cut accordingly. And the two ends plug into each other. so one end will go towards the switches and the other end towards the PC, so I can unplug them to bring the PC elesewhere, or if I ever want to move my desk.

Part2: Not sure if I'm brave enough for yet since there's cutting of perfect circles which renders my desk fubar if I mess up. It involves integrating the speakers right into the desk. I would cut a round hole on each side (centered with monitor/keyboard position) and mount the speaker coils inside, and the amp would just be connected and screwed in somewhere under, he volume knob would probably go where the switch panels are but not sure since the 12V would maybe interfeer with the sound. To make it nicer I'd probably put some kind of small tubing circling the cutted wood, maybe some rounded IDE sleving or something, or even a ccfl fan (just the round light part) since my speakers are fairly small, about 80mm. But not sure if I'll attempt this part or not.

I'll keep you updated as I progress through this mod. Part 1 I will do for sure since I already bought the stuff at radio shack such as the switches, and the printer cable, and went to walmart to get a switch box (for house electrical) and one of those switch plates that are just blank. I'm just planing out stuff right now such as the position of the switch box and how I will be mounting it which is sort of tricky since these are usually nailed by the side to the studs in a wall, but this is a way different application for it's use. I also got the switch positions marked on the switch plate and I'll probably drill tomorow and grind it with my dremel. It's only plastic so it should go well, but I have to be very careful not to crack it, it's sensible plastic. I wish I would of found a nice metal one but walmart did not have them.

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 11:59 pm

theres an arcitect? mispelled i think?

in north caroline or georga that has done this to a none removing point.

he put the computer in side the huge 30 to 60 foot long 3 feet wide counter he has in his house he pushes a button and all the stuff pops up like star trek

looks cool.

no i am not talking about that guy that built his whole apartment to look like the bridge of the ship.

this guy made the desk / counter out of wood. the whole house looks very much like a frank loyd wright house. as it should his mom is also an arcitect and she studied under frank loyd wright so she must have help build the house.

but everything is kind of hiden away very nice to see.

so keep up your idea red it is not going in the wrong direction just using new brains to think of some more designs in the right? wright direction.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 6:32 pm

Yep I'm sure when I have my own house lot of stuff will be high tech like that. One thing for sure, I'll want to have a computer controlled heating and cooling system, my school has that and it's sweet! Same with the lights and stuff.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:24 am

This is a pic of me drilling the start hole to cut out the rectangle with my jig saw. To avoid displaying my horrible skills of doing straight cuts, pics of the hole will not be posted now.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:25 am

And this one is...... I'll let you guess.

It was quite weird to do.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:05 pm

I'm attempting to finish this tonight, all I have to do is wire it. This is tricky since I have like 30 wires to play with (thank god they are color coded.

) somehow I need to make it look nice inside my case. So I'm plotting some way that I can have a central connection point instead of a bunch of loose solder joints with tape which looks ugly.

Oh and the box is installed in the desk.

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:52 pm

Looks like you got some serious help there!

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:02 pm

Haha yep! She gets negative and positive wrong less often than me.

I just finished the mod and it works like a charm. I'll try to get the article up by tomorow.

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:57 pm

Oh goody, we get to see your new project.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:17 pm

I'm almost done the article but meanwhile I thought I'd post what the final product looks like.

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