Desk Overlay

[Matt Walton]

To start the story, the desk I am typing on right now is probably at least 15 years old, which means that it has a recess for a keyboard, but no mouse! So about a month ago, I decided that I should make an overlay to not only put the keyboard and mouse on the same surface, but also elevate the monitor to a proper height. So the time comes to build it. But not yet, as I have been really busy with school. But I did have time one night to plan it out, so I will be ready when I actually can.
This is what I have at the moment. Pardon the junk, but it is what it is.
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Notice how uncomfortable it looks to go from keyboard to mouse.

Here is what I want to change it to.
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There were a few things that I kept in mind when designing it. To start with, I wanted to elevate the monitors so that they would be at eye level, instead of looking down at them. Secondly, I wanted to make sure I could utilize the space efficiently, for example, I have the R/C flight simulator game RealFlight, so I wanted to make sure that the controller would fit underneath the riser. It will be made of MDF for a few different reasons. One, it's fairly cheap, and the whole desk will be made from one 3/4" 4'x8' sheet (about $30) with some left over for whatever. Two, I am thinking it will be fairly heavy, so I don't have to worry about it tipping over somehow.
I also attached the the sketchup file, in case you want to download it, look it over, and suggest changes.
Suggestions much appreciated.

[geoff wood]

maybe push the keyboard to the left and put a trackball to the right of the keyboard. trackballs are great when you have no space

[Jamie Buxton]

If you're building a whole new desk top, why include that lowered section for the keyboard (and maybe a mouse)? Make the whole desk top the same height -- the height of your present keyboard section -- and you can put anything anyplace. You don't get hung up in the issue of whether the mouse will fit, and you can slide the keyboard to any spot that feels comfortable to you. The edge on the existing top means there's areas where you can't put anything because it will fall over the edge. With a single-piece top, you don't have that problem so you have more effective space on the top.

[Matt Walton]

If you're building a whole new desk top, why include that lowered section for the keyboard (and maybe a mouse)? Make the whole desk top the same height -- the height of your present keyboard section -- and you can put anything anyplace. You don't get hung up in the issue of whether the mouse will fit, and you can slide the keyboard to any spot that feels comfortable to you. The edge on the existing top means there's areas where you can't put anything because it will fall over the edge. With a single-piece top, you don't have that problem so you have more effective space on the top.
I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean, but that is basically what I was I am going to do. My plan is to have the keyboard and mouse on the same surface, it is just the monitors that will be elevated. If you look at the actual sketchup model, there are cleats nearly everywhere, including around the recess for the keyboard. Once I am ready to set it on top, I will take the keyboard platform off, to make sure there is plenty of room for my legs.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean, but that is basically what I was I am going to do. My plan is to have the keyboard and mouse on the same surface, it is just the monitors that will be elevated. If you look at the actual sketchup model, there are cleats nearly everywhere, including around the recess for the keyboard. Once I am ready to set it on top, I will take the keyboard platform off, to make sure there is plenty of room for my legs.

Oh...you mean you're resting this whole new desk top on top of the old one? So the keyboard is going to be perhaps 3" higher in the air than it is now? If so, you might try mocking that up before you make sawdust. Put the keyboard on a stack of phone books or something to get it up to your proposed altitude. Some people don't like typing that high.

[Matt Walton]

I have and I love it. I can't wait until I have time to make it!

[Matt Walton]

And there's also the fact that the chairs go up and down if the keyboard is not the right height.
But today I was thinking about the top, and I realized something else. I bring all sorts of hot and cold items. the main problem is cold drinks like lemonade which will cause condensation. So I guess I will also need to learn how to glue laminate so I can avoid the MDF expanding and hilling up, for lack of a better word. I had a bench with an MDF top sitting in the leaky hanger, and the top looked terrible, because all the fibers swelled. I am also thinking about adding some t-molding, unless somebody else has a better idea altogether.