Custom Motorized Standing Computer Desk

[MarkLip]

Hey Everybody!
My name's Mark and I'm working on a custom computer desk for my home office/entertainment/hobby room.
It will be a motorized convertible standing desk using an Autonomous SmartDesk 2 DIY - Black Frame - Business Edition base, and custom built hard wood and epoxy river table top. The top will be approx. 32"W x 84"L (81.25cm x 213.35cm).
We started with started with 2 with pieces of raw pecan from the same tree from a local raw lumber supplier. After cutting the two boards to the approximate length I wanted, we quickly decided that we needed a third board to achieve the width I desired without having to make a HUGE epoxy river in the middle. Epoxy is EXPENSIVE. Luckily, there were several more boards remaining from the same tree that we could choose from. I bought two more. One for the desk top and another for a monitor shelf. The new wood boards were cut to length and the front and back pieces given a straight edge. The bark was chipped off the raw edges, shaped, and sanded down. Then all the boards were planed to get a nice flat surface on both bottom and top. Next was the prep for epoxy. The boards had several knots and cracks, and a bunch of worm holes that need to be filled with epoxy first. After that was done, we built a frame/mold for the epoxy pour using plexiglass for the bottom and sides sealed with silicon around the outside edges, and backed by some lumber that is stuck down with some double-sided tape. Epoxy will not bond to plex and it's fairly easy to release. Plus, you don't have spray all the surfaces with a releasing agent. We just did the epoxy pour early this weekend, and let it sit to cure for approx. 48 hours. And, tonight we removed it from mold.
More pics to follow below.

[MarkLip]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White metallic powder was mixed into the epoxy to make it slightly opaque and diffuse any lighting. Plus, I think it gives the epoxy a really cool texture and look. Especially when light passes through it.
The table top will now have be planed or routed back down to raw wood surface and sanded, and edges cut, routed, sanded. I don't want the shinny epoxy surface on the wood. It will be oiled or sprayed with a matte polyurethane. Epoxy will then be polished back to a shine at the rivers.
I'm planning to light the back edges of the desk, and the rivers from underneath, with some form of programmable RGB light strips that will sync to the colors on my computer monitors. Right now I am doing research into what lighting to use. One of the products I am thinking about using is Phillips Hue LEDs along with the Hue Bridge for full control. However, the Phillips solution is pretty expensive. I've also thought about using ASUS Aura Sync products.
Anybody have any recommendations for programmable LED lighting?
 

[MarkLip]

1 hour ago, James Evens said:

WS2812B are the obvious choice if you want the easy solution as you could just connect them to the mainboards aRGB port.

If you want better quality you won't choice those but there isn't a need to discuss this if it isn't a option.

I'd rather not run wires to the computer MB, and I don't mind paying for a quality product.

[kilcmd]

This look's amazing!

[MarkLip]

13 hours ago, James Evens said:

A little deeper. As far as I know any phillips hue LED which has is per LED addressable so different controller/apps: APA102, SK9822, LPD8806, WS2813 (upgraded version of the WS2812B)

more interesting option would be APA-109B or  SK6812 RGBW which has additional white led for better white quality.

 

If you don't want indiviual adressable LED but Hue compatibl controller the Gledopto (RBG-CCT version of this controller) which also works with RGBWW strips which have additional warm and cold white LEDs.

 

The third option would be a virtual hue bridge. Basicly you have a Pi with a zigbee stick presents itself as a hue bridge to the app but you can connect nearly every IOT device you can think off to it.

 

I think I do want individually addressable LEDs.
I'm new to the whole RGB game. Any links you could provide to websites or such where I can learn about RGB lighting would greatly appreciated.

[MarkLip]

1 hour ago, James Evens said:

I remeber that there was one but I don't know how I found it.

there are some parameters like Datarate which is neglectable for you.  More interesting for you is:

- density (LED/m) which can get upto 200 LEDs/m with 2020 package-

- refresh rate (flickering) a higher frequency is better WS2812B are on the low end with 400 Hz or so and higher is better, especially if you are sensitive to this

- I would go with addressable LED which have a additional white led. The benefit you get better white light

- now another detail while APA102 is well defined the common WS2812B aren't just one led. There are multiple version from different seller each one is a little bit different. If you decide on them make the sharpie test. 

 

I cant help you with the controller as I always use them with a µC and own software.

Thanks for all your help. I'm looking into the SK6812 RGBW light strips. There are a bunch of kits on Amazon with controllers.