![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thisnewdayA few weeks ago, we were forced to invest in a new computer. Prior to that, we were using an HP laptop with 15" screen, which we'd bought for the Key West trip, as our all-purpose computer. The battery'd been shot for about half the time since, so it never left the desk. And because the house circuit it was powered from was configured for the electrical needs of 80 years ago, the breaker often tripped and shut the computer down without properly closing operating system and other programs. Which may well have contributed to some of the problems we had with it.
We decided it made more sense to buy a desktop computer - they're generally more computer for less money and we have little need for the portability a laptop offers. And to avoid the problems associated with unplanned shutdowns, we purchased a power supply that kicks in when the A/C source shuts off. (Beyond that, it's also programmed to close all programs and completely shut down should the power remain off beyond the capacity of its battery.)
Only problem is, a desktop computer comes with a lot bigger footprint than a laptop. The typical monitor, keyboard, and tower take up considerably more desk space, even without the addition of a power supply which is nearly as big as an ink-jet printer. So my project for this week has been the design, fabrication and installation of a shelf for the printer, etc.
To keep it as simple and inexpensive as possible, I bought a quarter sheet of 3/4" poplar-veneer plywood and an 8' length of poplar 1 X 2. I thought about edge-banding the plywood and staining it to match the table that the computer sits on but decided against it because of the extra labor and expense. Besides, it's not exactly a Thomasville or Ethan Allen environment.
The computer table sits in a corner of the dining room and the tower is against the wall on the left side. I cut the shelf in an "L" shape with the 2' side just above the tower and the 4' side against the back wall. I finally bought a decent hole saw to make a 2-1/4" pass-through near the back corner for the data cable to drop down behind the computer. All the corners, inside and out, are rounded with about a 2" radius, and 16" and 36" lengths of 1 x 2 are fastened at the left side and back edges, respectively, to provide mounting at the walls.
All the pieces are now cut and sanded although the 1 x 2 mounting strips still have to be installed and followed by a coat of primer-sealer and two coats of the semi-gloss finish that's on the dining room trim. The goal is to be unobtrusive rather than fancy, at least until someone figures out how to bang their head on it when getting up from the desk.
But to do that, they'll have to head-butt the monitor as well so I'll just invoke the "reasonable care" clause to avoid possible lawsuits. Either that or just invite them to look around and then ask if they can possibly be serious...
We decided it made more sense to buy a desktop computer - they're generally more computer for less money and we have little need for the portability a laptop offers. And to avoid the problems associated with unplanned shutdowns, we purchased a power supply that kicks in when the A/C source shuts off. (Beyond that, it's also programmed to close all programs and completely shut down should the power remain off beyond the capacity of its battery.)
Only problem is, a desktop computer comes with a lot bigger footprint than a laptop. The typical monitor, keyboard, and tower take up considerably more desk space, even without the addition of a power supply which is nearly as big as an ink-jet printer. So my project for this week has been the design, fabrication and installation of a shelf for the printer, etc.
To keep it as simple and inexpensive as possible, I bought a quarter sheet of 3/4" poplar-veneer plywood and an 8' length of poplar 1 X 2. I thought about edge-banding the plywood and staining it to match the table that the computer sits on but decided against it because of the extra labor and expense. Besides, it's not exactly a Thomasville or Ethan Allen environment.
The computer table sits in a corner of the dining room and the tower is against the wall on the left side. I cut the shelf in an "L" shape with the 2' side just above the tower and the 4' side against the back wall. I finally bought a decent hole saw to make a 2-1/4" pass-through near the back corner for the data cable to drop down behind the computer. All the corners, inside and out, are rounded with about a 2" radius, and 16" and 36" lengths of 1 x 2 are fastened at the left side and back edges, respectively, to provide mounting at the walls.
All the pieces are now cut and sanded although the 1 x 2 mounting strips still have to be installed and followed by a coat of primer-sealer and two coats of the semi-gloss finish that's on the dining room trim. The goal is to be unobtrusive rather than fancy, at least until someone figures out how to bang their head on it when getting up from the desk.
But to do that, they'll have to head-butt the monitor as well so I'll just invoke the "reasonable care" clause to avoid possible lawsuits. Either that or just invite them to look around and then ask if they can possibly be serious...
