Building a " Computer Desk "

[Fesbian]

Hi Guys

Now that my new PC build is finished. I'm looking into building myself a computer desk.

I would like to have a USB 3.0 Hub, a Power Bar and some video and audio inputs ( HDMI, DP, VGA, DVI, Audio Jack ) embedded into my desk. So if I want to plug in anything to my screen or computer, I can just plug it into the desk and don't have to reach around and crouch below a desk !

I can't seem to find any tutorial or info on how I could achieve this !

Would love some input or links from the community !

Thanks !

 

[USAFRet]

Hi Guys

Now that my new PC build is finished. I'm looking into building myself a computer desk.

'build a desk'...
How far into building a desk do you want to go?
What tools do you have?
What sort of workspace?

 

[MU_Engineer]

Hi Guys

Now that my new PC build is finished. I'm looking into building myself a computer desk.

I would like to have a USB 3.0 Hub, a Power Bar and some video and audio inputs ( HDMI, DP, VGA, DVI, Audio Jack ) embedded into my desk. So if I want to plug in anything to my screen or computer, I can just plug it into the desk and don't have to reach around and crouch below a desk !

I can't seem to find any tutorial or info on how I could achieve this !

Would love some input or links from the community !

Thanks !

I think you are looking for something like this. You simply cut a square opening in your desk's top and run the cables from the bottom of this access panel to your computer.

There are many ways to cut the square hole but two are pretty simple to do. You will need to mark out the hole you need to cut on your desk carefully for either of them.

- Simplest way is to drill two decent sized holes such as 1/2" diameter at opposing diagonal corners so that the edges of the holes stay right inside of the lines. Poke the jigsaw blade through one hole and cut down the line until you reach the un-drilled corner, stop, then cut down the other line from your first hole. Repeat for the second hole and the scrap will fall out. Clean up the round edges of the two corners where you drilled the hole with a chisel and you are done.

- The next way I would do it is to make a template out of Masonite that is the exact size of your hole. Use carpet tape to attach that to your hole. Drill a hole larger than the bit somewhere in the middle of the piece you want to cut out. Use a top bearing pattern bit in a router to cut the hole- you will poke the bit in through the hole and proceed outward until you get to the template, then ride the bearing along the template. Route about 1/4" deep at a time so it will take a few passes. You will need to clean up the round corners with a chisel.

 

[Fesbian]

Sorry, I don't think I was clear enough ! I don't want to actually build the table, I would like to pimp the table !

The goal is to buy a simple wooden desk then do some work on it to have the things I want embedded in the desk.

So a simple rectangular desk, drill a hole for the USB hub, drill a hole for cable management, and then figure out a way to have audio and video inputs coming out of the table too.

Similar to what you see in the middle of the picture there. Except I would like it to have video and audio inputs. Then I'll do the same thing but with a USB 3.0 Hub with like 4 ports on there.

The question is what cables do I need and how could I do it ?

Thanks guys !

 

[MU_Engineer]

Sorry, I don't think I was clear enough ! I don't want to actually build the table, I would like to pimp the table !

The goal is to buy a simple wooden desk then do some work on it to have the things I want embedded in the desk.

So a simple rectangular desk, drill a hole for the USB hub, drill a hole for cable management, and then figure out a way to have audio and video inputs coming out of the table too.

Similar to what you see in the middle of the picture there. Except I would like it to have video and audio inputs. Then I'll do the same thing but with a USB 3.0 Hub with like 4 ports on there.

The question is what cables do I need and how could I do it ?

Thanks guys !

What I mentioned is exactly what you would need- it is a jack panel that you can configure with jacks/receptacles for power, audio, video, data, etc just like in your middle picture but with more options. I mentioned how you would cut a rectangular hole in an existing desk top to install the panel. What you would need is the panel I linked or something similar. You would cut the rectangular hole in the top of the desk as I described and then simply plug the cables from the back of the panel into your computer.

I was not assuming you would want to make a desk yourself as to make a very nice desk and have it turn out well should not be anywhere near the first project of an aspiring woodworker. You will want to have made quite a few (as in probably 10 or more) increasingly difficult and large pieces before attempting something like a desk. Take it from somebody with an increasing number of gray hairs that has been doing woodworking since he was a little kid working with his Dad in the garage making birdhouses. I fully intend to pass that on to my daughter in a couple years once she is old enough to be safe in the shop, if she is interested.