Project Information
Between working, watching TV, and driving, we spend something like half of our waking hours sitting down.
My wife's job requires a lot of computer-based work. A few weeks ago she let me know that she wanted to spend less time sitting, so she took action. The next day I noticed her laptop perched precariously atop a stack of textbooks and empty cardboard boxes. It was a solution - though not very graceful.
Time for a custom solution provided by the engineers and designers at Brentmore Labs (me and Baxter the dog).
The legs are lifting columns made by a Danish company called LINAK. The company names comes from the fascinating device in them that's responsible for all the motion: the linear actuator. Linear actuators can be found in adjustable beds, patient lifts, dental chairs, and lots of heavy duty applications. These particular actuators have a thrust rating of 700 Newtons each, which translares to a lift capacity of over 300lbs. There are also some anti-collision safety feature thanks to some built-in Hall effect sensors. I got the pair on the interwebs.
Sourced separately, but fitting perfectly, are the controller box (which is hidden away behind the stretcher), the lift controls located at the front of the desk and the metal feet.
The pièce de résistance, and part that qualifies this as "woodworking", is the desktop. I had lots of 8/4 mahogany waiting to be chopped and glued. Unfortunately there were no pieces long enough that could be used for a desk, so I had to figure out how to fit lots of shorter pieces. I ended up using 8 2ft sections arranged in a brick-like pattern. The mahogany planed beautifully and glued securely. The finish is 1 coat of boiled linseed oil, 2 coats of dewaxed shellac and 4 coats of thinned poly.
My wife's job requires a lot of computer-based work. A few weeks ago she let me know that she wanted to spend less time sitting, so she took action. The next day I noticed her laptop perched precariously atop a stack of textbooks and empty cardboard boxes. It was a solution - though not very graceful.
Time for a custom solution provided by the engineers and designers at Brentmore Labs (me and Baxter the dog).
The legs are lifting columns made by a Danish company called LINAK. The company names comes from the fascinating device in them that's responsible for all the motion: the linear actuator. Linear actuators can be found in adjustable beds, patient lifts, dental chairs, and lots of heavy duty applications. These particular actuators have a thrust rating of 700 Newtons each, which translares to a lift capacity of over 300lbs. There are also some anti-collision safety feature thanks to some built-in Hall effect sensors. I got the pair on the interwebs.
Sourced separately, but fitting perfectly, are the controller box (which is hidden away behind the stretcher), the lift controls located at the front of the desk and the metal feet.
The pièce de résistance, and part that qualifies this as "woodworking", is the desktop. I had lots of 8/4 mahogany waiting to be chopped and glued. Unfortunately there were no pieces long enough that could be used for a desk, so I had to figure out how to fit lots of shorter pieces. I ended up using 8 2ft sections arranged in a brick-like pattern. The mahogany planed beautifully and glued securely. The finish is 1 coat of boiled linseed oil, 2 coats of dewaxed shellac and 4 coats of thinned poly.