Computer desk design and case (using AutoDesk Inventor 2010 professional)

[asusfan]

Computer desk design...

As i am obsessed with the design of things, i am currently designing a new computer desk for gamers, it will be made from a nice wood finish surface bonded onto a lightweight strong honeycomb center material, so its strong and light with a real wood finish, at the sided it has slots for nice machined alloy shelfs with a neat hole pattern to allow some air flow though them, the idea of the removable shelfs is for you to mount your case (either side) or a printer or router etc, then it leaves the desk clean space for your gaming devices.

A monitor shelf that alows for 2x 24" monitors side by side and at the perfect height.

Lots of holes for cable management and make it lighter.

I would like to have a workshop of my own so i could build the real thing and manufacutre them and sell them as a business.

make them at different sizes eventually, this first one is to be 700mm to the top of the desk and then 755mm to the top of the monitor shelf. this is a prototype and taken a lot of time to draw.

also done a new format size of PC case which i will talk about later.

What do you think, would you buy one???

now for a case i am drawing / designing (not finished)

This is a high quality light alloy case with a neat front facure with a power button that goes green when on, a red led strip that will flicker when HDD working, but changes to a moving across led / line of light when something is loading, with the option to change colour depending on the application, and a bright red flashing if something is wrong with the system on boot or when its running.

A small LCD panel with the temp and touch screen buttons to change fan settings.

fit a slimline PSU that sits on rubber blocks, lots of fan inlets for possitive pressure air flow, and a large upper fan for CPU liquid cooler.

Its not finished and a lot of work to be done, but i want it to be a clean open concept design and will eventually want to add some conduct pipes to feed cables though so its neat.

Also will have 2.5" bays for slim HDD and SSD's

all to do, it takes time and this is a prototype.

[Fawke]

This is a great idea! I would really buy something similar, just make some place to have your case maybe? Looks awesome so far though, good luck :)

[bradscoolio]

The desk isn't very practical nor useful. Sorry for being harsh but what are things sticking out of the sides for?

[bradscoolio]

The desk isn't very practical nor useful. Sorry for being harsh but what are things sticking out of the sides for?

The desk itself is fine but what breaks it is the things on the side. I'd just scrap them and make it wider

[bradscoolio]

The desk isn't very practical nor useful. Sorry for being harsh but what are things sticking out of the sides for?

Also could do to be deeper

[asusfan]

The desk isn't very practical nor useful. Sorry for being harsh but what are things sticking out of the sides for?

If you read the intro, it tells you there shelfs that simply slot in (optional) you can have none, 1, 2 ,3 or 4 shelfs with 2 on each side to place your case or a printer, router or even a plate for your snacks,

The idea is to keep a clutter free top.

[asusfan]

Disregard that program you have now. Solidworks all the way. It'll save you hassle in the long run if this whole charade does succeed.

As bradscoolio said, ditch the aluminium waffles at the side, if you were to manufacture this they would have no structural rigidity, you might as well sellotape tinfoil to the side of it.

Try and keep one clean aesthetic throughout the entire unit, don't make a lovely pine table then massacre it with ugly stained aluminium on the side.

The whole raided monitor stand is a nice idea, but perhaps as a secondary optional extra. I say this because it will alienate most of the market, you're effectively making it useless for people with 3+ monitors and you're making it too big for people with just one.

I'm not even going to mention the immense logistical problems that you would inevitably encounter, instead I'll aid your design somewhat.

It's by no means a masterpiece, it's just simple, it took 5 mins to model, it's what I'd use. You set your rig on the small step inside and that way your rig's floor fans aren't fighting to suck air through a carpet. You can have this one for free, everybody gets one. But no, seriously, less is more.

As for the case, you can't possibly enter that market without getting sued. Eventually some guy's radiator is going to fall on top of his titan because you cut the radiator holes incorrectly. If it's your lifetime goal to bring innovation to the computer case industry hand your c.v. and a portfolio into somewhere like corsair, coolermaster, fractal design, thermaltake. You'll get further that way, and save yourself having to pay for the guy's titan.

There you have my opinion, I wish you the best in your endeavors good sir.

-22a

Well i do think you have got the dimentions about right there and with 725mm is a good max height.

i designed the desk without the alloy shelfs at first and added them later but they don't have to be alloy, and if you look carefully the slots allow the shelfs to go on the inside or outside.

its a prototype. and thinks for the feedback, without feedback one would never know what people like or not like about it.

the shelves would be capable of withstanding a average person standing on them, as all the materials are high grade.

I can easy add dimentions to the desk and make the monitor shelf a reomovable item so depending how many monitors you run you can change it.

where did you get Solidworks from and how much does it cost?

Do you know how much Autodesk inventor pro 2010 costs? its the most professional inventor softwear out there, i wont be unistalling it, but if i can get a more basic softwear i would use that.

I like your design and yes its a must to keep a computer off the carpets.

[asusfan]

Ok here is the drawings without the side shelfs,

I didn't give out the full dimentions so to protect me ideas, someone said its not deep enough, the standard one would be 625 deep and 1250 wide, easy maths been 1/2 the depth to the width and 600 or 610 (needs more tests) height makes it more stable than ones sold in modern stores.

the material is not to be disclosed as i don't want to give it away, but it will be light and strong, but not to light that it will fall over, its will be just slightly lighter and better material than the crappy chipboard ones you buy.

have you ever tried to screw into chipboard it splits and peice of garbage.

anyway thanks for your feedback its very welcome. and no i don't get offended easy so non taken..

[bradscoolio]

The desk isn't very practical nor useful. Sorry for being harsh but what are things sticking out of the sides for?

Ok, but where does the tower sit? Could also lose a lot of the back wall under the desk as it won't increase structural rigidity, just price.

[Guest]

*snip*

Just looking at that design there, unless you're putting some serious steel braces underneath to attach the top to the side panels, if you try and drag that across carpet or even put any serious load on it, it'll fall apart. I haven't got the time now to draw something up but I'd recommend adding a panel across the back for increased structural rigidity.

@OP - What you've done isn't a bad starting point though and what the others have said as far as the shelving I agree with. Having designed and built a number of wooden furniture pieces as well as having a close family friend who is a chippy by trade, the biggest problem with the design of yours from a marketing and sales point of view is the product waste. I don't quite understand what you mean by a "honeycomb center material" but if it comes as a sheet you'll be loosing a huge proportion of it to scrap with the holes you're cutting in it.

If you want to make this into a solid career I advise teaming up with either a furniture company or a specialist company and doing it that way.

[Thecrazyswede]

Disregard that program you have now. Solidworks all the way. It'll save you hassle in the long run if this whole charade does succeed.

As bradscoolio said, ditch the aluminium waffles at the side, if you were to manufacture this they would have no structural rigidity, you might as well sellotape tinfoil to the side of it.

Try and keep one clean aesthetic throughout the entire unit, don't make a lovely pine table then massacre it with ugly stained aluminium on the side.

The whole raided monitor stand is a nice idea, but perhaps as a secondary optional extra. I say this because it will alienate most of the market, you're effectively making it useless for people with 3+ monitors and you're making it too big for people with just one.

I'm not even going to mention the immense logistical problems that you would inevitably encounter, instead I'll aid your design somewhat.

It's by no means a masterpiece, it's just simple, it took 5 mins to model, it's what I'd use. You set your rig on the small step inside and that way your rig's floor fans aren't fighting to suck air through a carpet. You can have this one for free, everybody gets one. But no, seriously, less is more.

As for the case, you can't possibly enter that market without getting sued. Eventually some guy's radiator is going to fall on top of his titan because you cut the radiator holes incorrectly. If it's your lifetime goal to bring innovation to the computer case industry hand your c.v. and a portfolio into somewhere like corsair, coolermaster, fractal design, thermaltake. You'll get further that way, and save yourself having to pay for the guy's titan.

There you have my opinion, I wish you the best in your endeavors good sir.

-22a

This design is interesting, tho i would need a wider area below for my future rig, ( 480 X2 external rad stand )

[asusfan]

*snip*

Just looking at that design there, unless you're putting some serious steel braces underneath to attach the top to the side panels, if you try and drag that across carpet or even put any serious load on it, it'll fall apart. I haven't got the time now to draw something up but I'd recommend adding a panel across the back for increased structural rigidity.

@OP - What you've done isn't a bad starting point though and what the others have said as far as the shelving I agree with. Having designed and built a number of wooden furniture pieces as well as having a close family friend who is a chippy by trade, the biggest problem with the design of yours from a marketing and sales point of view is the product waste. I don't quite understand what you mean by a "honeycomb center material" but if it comes as a sheet you'll be loosing a huge proportion of it to scrap with the holes you're cutting in it.

If you want to make this into a solid career I advise teaming up with either a furniture company or a specialist company and doing it that way.

I don't understand when you say "adding a back panel would increase rigidity" its the most solid design out there only the front is open, and i know i haven't shown in detail the way its assembles, but it has large dowls (steel and wood) some for locating dowls with the option to add glue to the wood dowls, plus pre fitted long threads moulded inside the panel structure and threaded holes through the surfaces where you screw stainless steel 3" machine bolts / screws. so everything fits snug, tight, aligned (use of slightly tappered dowls) and super strong. something you can't get with MDF or Chipboard as that splits.

when i get time i can always draw the fixing and assembly methods.

I wouldn't want anything weak as always like to over engineer something.

Its the holes and cable managment help keep it tidy and also reduces weight.

hope this explains it more...

[Guest]

*snip*

Just looking at that design there, unless you're putting some serious steel braces underneath to attach the top to the side panels, if you try and drag that across carpet or even put any serious load on it, it'll fall apart. I haven't got the time now to draw something up but I'd recommend adding a panel across the back for increased structural rigidity.

@OP - What you've done isn't a bad starting point though and what the others have said as far as the shelving I agree with. Having designed and built a number of wooden furniture pieces as well as having a close family friend who is a chippy by trade, the biggest problem with the design of yours from a marketing and sales point of view is the product waste. I don't quite understand what you mean by a "honeycomb center material" but if it comes as a sheet you'll be loosing a huge proportion of it to scrap with the holes you're cutting in it.

If you want to make this into a solid career I advise teaming up with either a furniture company or a specialist company and doing it that way.

Not yours, 22a's

[MxZeal]

Disregard that program you have now. Solidworks all the way. It'll save you hassle in the long run if this whole charade does succeed.

As bradscoolio said, ditch the aluminium waffles at the side, if you were to manufacture this they would have no structural rigidity, you might as well sellotape tinfoil to the side of it.

Try and keep one clean aesthetic throughout the entire unit, don't make a lovely pine table then massacre it with ugly stained aluminium on the side.

The whole raided monitor stand is a nice idea, but perhaps as a secondary optional extra. I say this because it will alienate most of the market, you're effectively making it useless for people with 3+ monitors and you're making it too big for people with just one.

I'm not even going to mention the immense logistical problems that you would inevitably encounter, instead I'll aid your design somewhat.

It's by no means a masterpiece, it's just simple, it took 5 mins to model, it's what I'd use. You set your rig on the small step inside and that way your rig's floor fans aren't fighting to suck air through a carpet. You can have this one for free, everybody gets one. But no, seriously, less is more.

As for the case, you can't possibly enter that market without getting sued. Eventually some guy's radiator is going to fall on top of his titan because you cut the radiator holes incorrectly. If it's your lifetime goal to bring innovation to the computer case industry hand your c.v. and a portfolio into somewhere like corsair, coolermaster, fractal design, thermaltake. You'll get further that way, and save yourself having to pay for the guy's titan.

There you have my opinion, I wish you the best in your endeavors good sir.

-22a

I don't really like having my case right by my legs.. easier to kick up dust and sometimes il kick it by mistake xD

i like it in the open so people can admire its beauty :)