Project: The Ultimate Computer Desk

[Hellriser]

Wow, surfed the thread a little and your idea is pretty awesome.
This could turn into mass production, where a desk is not only a place to put your hardware on, it's where you put your hardware IN

Best of luck to you. Total curious to see the end result and the final costs.

 

[ultimatedesk]

First Staining Attempt

Awesome looks pretty good

Thanks

Wow, surfed the thread a little and your idea is pretty awesome.
This could turn into mass production, where a desk is not only a place to put your hardware on, it's where you put your hardware IN

Best of luck to you. Total curious to see the end result and the final costs.

Thanks - I do know it must have been done before, and I'm sure there are reasons they are not commonly available, but hey, who knows, right?

So - it's been some time since my last update (What has it been.. 2 weeks? Geez!) but I haven't been idle at home, it's just that I was really busy (There are kittens running around now!) and I've been working with some staining techniques, which has been a long, learning process.

I did a bit of research and came across a good video over here: Link and I opted to give it a shot, because there apparently, is a tendency for maple to come out a little blotchy due to the tight grain, or something or other like that.

So I picked up some supplies:

Made up a test board - some wood filler, some real maple trim, and one side sanded to 120 and the other sanded to 220:

And, apparently, I was supposed to cut the shellac with some denatured alcohol. Something I was not able to find, and subsequently, I found out that it is actually quite difficult to obtain here in Ottawa. I did not realize at the time, that I could have cut it with methyl hydrate, which is something quite commonly available at the local Canadian Tire.

And, this is where things start to go wrong. Here is the shellac applied:

Ok, not bad. Full strength. Ended up closing the grain structure completely, most likely. Here is the gel stain I chose:

And, onto the wood:

Wait 5 minutes, wipe off...

Gross. Seriously? This is why you test on samples first. Look at that colour - it's practically pink!

How about a second coat.

And why the heck not, we'll stain the back as well, where it hasn't been shellac'd.

Huh...

Now really. That was not quite what I was expecting. Time to get a new sample piece - no shellac, but sanded properly to 120.

What's going on here? This is not really the expected "richness" of a dark gel stain like this, is it? Hmm..

Doh! Looks like keeping the gel stain in the basement, where it is freezing, separated the contents. There is a visible layer of clear liquid on top of the stain - that shouldn't be there.

Staining attempt number 1? Failure.

1. If you're using shellac to seal, to avoid streaking and blotching - you MUST cut it
2. If you're going to use a gel stain, don't keep it in a cold environment before you're about to use it.

Well, time to put the stain upstairs for a little while, and maybe another trip to the hardware store... And just an fyi, this took me about a week just to do the 2 samples, since it's so cold, I can only do 1 coat per day, as it takes a long time to dry.

And here's a little something else:

Cute, no? A litter of 5 - the first one was stillborn, so we've got 4 kittens, pretty exciting stuff.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Yep grain was completely sealed. I would try diluting to almost a watery mixture and putting it on with a padded up cotton t-shirt section lightly sanding then laying on the stain in test sections with different times to let stand like 1-2-3-4 minutes then wipe off/rub in. Or you can stain the wood sand lightly, tac rag then mix some of the same stain in the top coat or second to top coat and and brush on in a warmer area or day. You need at least high 60's f to get good spread, IMHO.

 

[profdlp]

...And here's a little something else:

Cute, no? A litter of 5 - the first one was stillborn, so we've got 4 kittens, pretty exciting stuff.

Let me see if I've got this right:

Build a nice computer desk and you'll get more of that than you can handle.

Right? I'm going to try that this summer.

 

[ultimatedesk]

Second Staining Attempt

Yep grain was completely sealed. I would try diluting to almost a watery mixture and putting it on with a padded up cotton t-shirt section lightly sanding then laying on the stain in test sections with different times to let stand like 1-2-3-4 minutes then wipe off/rub in. Or you can stain the wood sand lightly, tac rag then mix some of the same stain in the top coat or second to top coat and and brush on in a warmer area or day. You need at least high 60's f to get good spread, IMHO.

Yup, the video link I posted was pretty clear about diluting the shellac, I just couldn't find the right stuff to dilute it with. You'll see I did a much better job in my second staining attempt.

...And here's a little something else:

Cute, no? A litter of 5 - the first one was stillborn, so we've got 4 kittens, pretty exciting stuff.

Let me see if I've got this right:

Build a nice computer desk and you'll get more of that than you can handle.

Right? I'm going to try that this summer.

Hehe, yup, build a computer desk and the whole world will be charging to your doorstep - make sure you're prepared lol. The kittens are a handful - that pic was taken several weeks ago, so they are actually starting to run around right now


Some of you may have wondered - "You stained 2 small pieces of wood in the past 2 weeks?! That's all you have to show for progress on THE ULTIMATE DESK?!"

Well, not quite... Really - I did more, I swear.

As you all know, the first staining attempt went really poorly, so I immediately went out and started on a second staining attempt. This time, I purchased some pre-stain wood conditioner, as well as a traditional oil-based stain. I also set out to do this the right way. If I'm going to spend a week staining small samples, I might as well have something to show for it. I cut 8 small blocks of wood, and sanded them all to 120 grit, just like before, and tacked them all off.

I had a plan this time - I was going to see what kind of colour combinations I could get with just 2 stains, and 1 wood conditioner (The gel stain, for what it's worth, had been mixed several times, and had been kept upstairs for a few days). Here is the wood conditioner I used. You can see in the background that it tints the wood just slightly.

Here is the oil-based stain I picked up. It's a Minwax product, Red Mahogany.

And of course, the Varathane Gel Stain that you've already seen, also, Red Mahogany.

In this picture you can see a bit how the oil stain reacts to the wood conditioner. The wood conditioner seemed to have hardly any effect on the gel stain, most likely because gel stains don't really penetrate the wood the same as an oil stain.

And in this picture you can see the whopping difference between the oil stain and gel stain, which are, strangely enough, supposed to be the same colour. The one on the left is the Minwax, and the one in the middle is the Varathane. Neither the first or second piece have wood conditioner on them. The piece on the right is wood conditioner + the Minwax oil stain.

Here's the production line, the stain is still wet, I haven't wiped off the excess yet.

And here is the result of 2 days of staining. (First day sanding, tacking, wood conditioner, first coat of stain, second day some of them got a second coat).

From left to right, here is what I did to get the different results (Some of them obvious, some of them pretty darn subtle).

1. Minwax Red Mahogany Oil Stain
2. Varathane Red Mahogany Gel Stain
3. Wood Conditioner + Minwax Red Mahogany Oil Stain
4. Wood Conditioner + Varathane Red Mahogany Gel Stain
5. Wood Conditioner + Minwax Red Mahogany Oil Stain + Varathane Red Mahogany Gel Stain
6. Wood Conditioner + Varathane Red Mahogany Gel Stain + Minwax Red Mahogany Oil Stain
7. Wood Conditioner + Minwax Red Mahogany Oil Stain x 2 Coats
8. Wood Conditioner + Varathane Red Mahogany Gel Stain x 2 Coats

Wow! It's pretty amazing the different shades you can get when using just 3 pretty simple substances.

I then set about the next 4 or 5 days applying one coat of high gloss polyurethane each day (That was a long and boring process). Basically, get home from work, go downstairs for a whole 5 minutes, do a quick sanding, tacking, and another light coat of poly, done for the day, wait for the next day.

Here's the final result of Staining Attempt Number Two. Please keep in mind, they are not in the same order that I mentioned above.

There's no doubt that I will use this method again in the future. I also now have a great set of staining samples for maple plywood that I will surely fine handy in the future (They are all marked on the back what the process / stain used was).

Guess what though. None of them really came out the way I wanted. I'm still in search for that rich, deep, red mahogany / cherry look, and these just won't cut it (Though I admit, I do like #5 and #6, but maybe only because of their really spectacular grain pattern).

See you next time for Staining Attempt Number Three! *sigh*



Oh - and here's another snap of the kittens - they are 20 days old when this picture was taken, and they had just opened their eyes only a couple days beforehand.

I won't be posting another update until next week, as I've decided to take a trip to the East Coast to celebrate St.Patricks day! I'll be in Halifax if anyone wants to go for a few pints! Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Add desired red stain into the clear poly coat and apply to base stain to add depth and add red richness?

 

[Trickeh]

Wow can't wait for the results O: All the best!

 

[Jaime74656]

you sir have inspired me to start my own project, ok more take it from idea to start planning it out and actually start making sumthin...

 

[kool1zero]

totally awesome! wanna make me one? i haz very little moneyz but i'll pay you somehow.

seriously though, its awesome. some things you might want to consider, an integrated KVM switch, ethernet switch/router, integrated speakers and/or speaker ports.

 

[crazyeyeschase]

I havent been around much but i come just to see how this project is going so cglad you decided to do samples before mving to the finished produst saves you some time good luck be back next time.

 

[DocBrown]

Excellent work on this project Your talent is appreciated

 

[DaGooN]

Amazing what you have done sofar. just hope you got the Ultimate Computer to go with that Desk when you are done. and not just put a Dell setup on it

 

[Markus]

Woah! That is quite the dedicatian!
You have given me inspiration. But I I cannot follow it...

 

[simmo]

check this out..Computer Desk LED Plexiglass Case Mod | Hack N Mod
pretty nice imo.
site prolly has more but I haven't checked it out...mat give you some other ideas tho

updated...I did just check out some more of it..there's some bloody unreal mods there guys...

 

[ultimatedesk]

Third Staining Attempt

Add desired red stain into the clear poly coat and apply to base stain to add depth and add red richness?

I considered doing that, but I think that that technique works best with spraying, which, I did not have the equipment for. I was also concerned about mixing small, consistent batches, since I cannot stain the entire project at once (It has to be done in steps due to space considerations)

Wow can't wait for the results O: All the best!

Thank you

you sir have inspired me to start my own project, ok more take it from idea to start planning it out and actually start making sumthin...

That is really awesome to hear, can't wait to see it!

totally awesome! wanna make me one? i haz very little moneyz but i'll pay you somehow.

seriously though, its awesome. some things you might want to consider, an integrated KVM switch, ethernet switch/router, integrated speakers and/or speaker ports.

Hehe, thanks kool1zero, I'll send it over, asap! I have made considerations for speakers and a router, however, I do not think I'll be going with a KVM, as the second computer will be used at the same time sometimes (When a friend comes over for some multiplayer gaming, for example)

I havent been around much but i come just to see how this project is going so cglad you decided to do samples before mving to the finished produst saves you some time good luck be back next time.

Thanks, I hear you - I did not want to mess up my 80 hour project in a half hour worth of staining lol

Excellent work on this project Your talent is appreciated

Thank you DocBrown!

Amazing what you have done sofar. just hope you got the Ultimate Computer to go with that Desk when you are done. and not just put a Dell setup on it

Thanks DaGooN - the hardware is still up in the air, but hopefully I'll have some money left over after all the construction for something sweet

Woah! That is quite the dedicatian!
You have given me inspiration. But I I cannot follow it...

Hehe, thanks Markus - you never know!

check this out..Computer Desk LED Plexiglass Case Mod | Hack N Mod
pretty nice imo.
site prolly has more but I haven't checked it out...mat give you some other ideas tho

updated...I did just check out some more of it..there's some bloody unreal mods there guys...

When I was originally researching this project, I took a look at that desk several times. Some very cool stuff there. For this project however, I did not want something so "blingy". It's very awesome though!

For those of you interested in seeing how the kittens are doing, I've been keeping a bit of a video log on them - ie. I have been taking quick video clips of them every few days, since day 0. You can check them out here:
YouTube - MrAderome's Channel

Also, here is a bit of a sneak peak, as far as actual computer hardware is concerned - I've been slowly acquiring bits and pieces, since I'm still not entirely sure what will end up in this Ultimate Computer Desk.

Kingston has decided to sponsor me, and has sent me this really fantastic SSD drive. I am PSYCHED!

As you are all aware, my first 2 staining attempts were successful in the sense that I learned a lot, however, I was still not achieving the result I originally wanted.

I decided to try something other than the tried-and-true local Home Depot, and I hit up a custom furniture store - Randalls. Let me tell you - it was a truly great experience, and I will be returning there many more times in the future due to the incredible service I received there.

I walked in with my backpack full of my 2nd attempt samples, and immediately a salesperson started talking with me about what I was there for. I explained to her the stains I tried, along with the techniques, and she asked to see my samples.

I pointed out the ones I liked, and why, and why I didn't like them, and she came back in a few minutes with a couple stains that might interest me. She then asked if she could do some sample stains on the back of the pieces I brought in. She took the pieces behind the counter, sanded them down, stained them, and came back in a few minutes with actual, real - this is what they're going to look like - samples.

How cool is that? I could have just gone there in the first place and spent the whole extra 2 dollars, but would have walked out with 1 product - the right one - the first time. Amazing - I'm really happy I discovered that place.

I can't imagine Home Depot opening up any of their products for a test piece.. I've never asked though, so who knows. Randall's is my goto place for stains now, however!

Once again, I decided to see what variety of colours I could get with what I had on hand, so I setup 8 samples once more:

1. Old Masters
2. Wood Conditioner + Old Masters
3. Wood Conditioner + Minwax + Old Masters
4. Wood Conditioner + Old Masters + Minwax
5. Wood Conditioner + Old Masters x 2 Coats
6. Old Masters x 2 Coats
7. Wood Conditioner + Varathane + Old Masters
8. Wood Conditioner + Old Masters + Varathane

I worked on the samples for about a week (1 coat per day, did 5 or 6 coats of poly on top, light sanding between poly coats)

Here are a couple close up shots while staining was in progress

And a comparison with the previous samples, once everything was nicely glossed up

Look at the difference in colour! Now that's more what I was looking for. There's no question that the gel stain has "muted" the grain a little bit, however, the colour is unquestionably closer to what I was looking for originally.

Here is a shot of my previously favorite samples from the 2nd round, against the new samples

And a closeup of the 2 samples I think I like the best. The differences between this batch are quite subtle, as the Old Masters gel stain has a very strong dye which mutes out the effects of conditioner, or any other stain applied before or after.

Now that's what I call progress! I think I can call it quits for testing stain now. Time to move on to the dreaded motherboard tray / I/O Slot stuff...

Until next time!

 

[Lordbob75]

Looking good mate! I personally would not have chosen a glossy finish (HATE glossy things), but it certainly is a nice shade of red.

I only wish I had the space/time/room/money to do a project like this.
Congrats on the sponsorships by the way.

~Lordbob

 

[JDobbsy1987]

This is an awesome thread... Great Updates!

keep up the good work.



Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[JDobbsy1987]

I think you should get yourself over to http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/128170-custom-made-sig-avatar-5-a.html and get your own 'Desk Project' Signature/Avatar

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

 

[Jaime74656]

ive now started reworking my old design to bring it up to date with more modern elements as well as thinking of putting plexi glass in it some where to add some nice touches to it!

 

[ultimatedesk]

Some New Hardware

Looking good mate! I personally would not have chosen a glossy finish (HATE glossy things), but it certainly is a nice shade of red.

I only wish I had the space/time/room/money to do a project like this.
Congrats on the sponsorships by the way.

~Lordbob

Thanks Lordbob75 - we'll see how the full-on gloss goes in the future. The nice thing about going with a gloss finish is that you can always change it to semi or satin pretty easily.

This is an awesome thread... Great Updates!

keep up the good work.



Regards,
JDobbsy1987

Thanks JDobbsy1987!

I think you should get yourself over to http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/128170-custom-made-sig-avatar-5-a.html and get your own 'Desk Project' Signature/Avatar

Regards,
JDobbsy1987

Ah yes, I had a lookie over there and I will consider getting it done sometime soon

ive now started reworking my old design to bring it up to date with more modern elements as well as thinking of putting plexi glass in it some where to add some nice touches to it!

Sweet! There's nothing like a good desk to increase productivity. Anyone ever hear my Computer Hardware analogy before?

Computer = Small Home Office
CPU = You, the Worker
HARD DRIVE = Filing Cabinets and Shelving Space
DESK = RAM

You do the work, sometimes you're fast, sometimes you're slow. Your filing cabinets are where you store everything - your files, applications, maps, letters, etc. Your desk is the area where you do work - if you have a bigger desk, you basically have more RAM - you don't have to go back and forth between your desk and filing cabinet all the time because you have room to just move your current task over to the corner Think about it - with a small desk, you have to spend so much time LOADING! Oh, and junk mail just sitting on your desk is just as bad as ad-ware!!

VIDEO CARD = The pretty pictures on your wall, and the sweet stain on your desk



Sorry about the lack of updates everyone, it's not that I haven't been working on the desk much, but it's more that I've been using the camera a lot (You know.. kittens) and I haven't had time to sit down and sort through all the photos, re-size, crop, etc for some real proper updates.

I've had this update sitting on the back burner for a little while now and I've been meaning to squeeze in it somewhere. I had been talking with some folks at Danger Den because I was looking at their motherboard trays and I/O panels, and they've decided to sponsor me!

Big thanks go out to Danger Den, as these are critical components required for a professional end result - you've all seen the mangled results of the cases I tore up earlier in the project.

Let us help you be cool!

Everything came very nicely packed - not much loose play, and plenty of foam to absorb any shipping issues.

I had these PSU support brackets custom made:

I sent them a higher resolution image of this, that I threw together in Sketchup:

Also included in this little shipment were some momentary switches for power and reset. (These are really popular these days, aren't they?)

And some real nifty motherboard trays:

All the acrylic is 1/2" clear - I will leave them wrapped up until the project is close to completion. With these parts -finally- settled, I can cut some holes in the cabinets and actually put them together -for real- !!

Stay tuned, I'll sit down this weekend and sort through the next round of updates