Adding a desk to a desk?

[curtis rosche]

I just moved into my new place for this semester of college. (finally back to school and it feels good)
I'm in the process of getting everything arranged just right, I have my desk set up, but once I put my computer set up, theres no room left to work.

I need to add a work space in fron of the desk, like a slide out worktop or just a peice of plywood that attatches and comes off. so i can put a peice of paper to write on while doing work on the computer.

Another desk is out of the question, it was way to darn hard to get this one up to the loft space I occupy.
Any ideas what the easiest way to go about this is? Its an old desk so it doesnt mater if it gets cut screwed of drilled.
Also attached a picture of the canvas i painted and hung, thought it looked interesting.001.jpg002.jpg003.jpg

[Chris Kennedy]

What about a small hutch to raise the monitor up that would allow you to slide the keyboard in and out as needed?

Chris

[curtis rosche]

I thought about that, but being in the loft, the walls are slanted, Im already almost touching the ceiling. And Ive found it useful for many of my other classes to have the ability to go from writing to typing quickly. One of my classes requires computer work, but you must solve the problems on paper as you go.

[Chris Kennedy]

Completely different solution -- does your living arrangement allow for a whiteboard? I do a bulk of my work my whiteboards in the office and then go to my computer and back and forth as I need. In college, I got whiteboard material, put a french cleat on it and mounted the cleat to the wall. A couple of small holes in the wall were allowed under my lease, provided I spackled over them when I left.

Chris

[curtis rosche]

Completely different solution -- does your living arrangement allow for a whiteboard? I do a bulk of my work my whiteboards in the office and then go to my computer and back and forth as I need. In college, I got whiteboard material, put a french cleat on it and mounted the cleat to the wall. A couple of small holes in the wall were allowed under my lease, provided I spackled over them when I left.

Chris

Good idea, I have some left over frosted plexiglas I could use. My dad owns the house, so I can make modifications to the living area as long as its not major

[Rick Moyer]

How about a shelf on full-extension drawer slides, mounted under the desk in front of the chair area. pull out to use, push back to use keyboard.

[curtis rosche]

How about a shelf on full-extension drawer slides, mounted under the desk in front of the chair area. pull out to use, push back to use keyboard.

Thats also what I was thinking, but Im a turner and not sure about hardware and mountings for flatwork. What kind of Bracket or slide would I need?

[Bill Edwards(2)]

You can't take advantage of this space?

what.jpg

[curtis rosche]

You can't take advantage of this space?

what.jpg

Thats what I was hoping for, but Im not sure what type of braketry i would need

[Ben Hatcher]

You can add more real estate to the desk, or get rid of stuff that is currently occupying it. For example, you can put the cpu on the floor and move the monitor to the side. You can hang the speakers and monitor from the wall or ceiling. Even pulling the desk out from the wall a bit would give you a little more usable space since you can't push anything back further.

[Art Mulder]

You can't take advantage of this space?

what.jpg

I'm agreeing with Bill, but maybe a bit more....

- If I interpret the photos correctly, those drawer pedestals protrude 4-5" beyond the desk surface?
- Also there is a 3-4" vertical gap above the pedestals and below the desk surface?

If so, how about something like this: It would stick out, but wrap around on the sides to try to maximize the writing surface
desk1.jpg desk2.jpg

This is just a simple board with a cutout, and then under it there are 4 (or so) supports that wedge inbetween the pedestals and the desk surface.

Personally, I'd want something more like slide-out platforms above either pedestal. I have that at home on my desk and use them CONSTANTLY. However given your comments about being more of a turner, as well as a student, and wanting to keep this simple for moving up and down the stairs I came up with this simpler hack job.

hope this helps and maybe inspires you a bit.

[Rick Moyer]

Thats also what I was thinking, but Im a turner and not sure about hardware and mountings for flatwork. What kind of Bracket or slide would I need?

Google "keyboard hardware". At least that's what I had in mind.