If you are a person who needs to use the computer while laying in bed or knows someone needs this capability, then this is the desk especially for you. This version of our in-bed computer desk is designed specifically for a notebook computer. expansion base, and keyboard. It features one large swinging shelf and casters. This detailed plan with eight pages of illustrations and these construction notes is available free.
This desk is designed so that it can be built by amateur wood workers using only a few hand tools and at a reasonable cost.
All the materials can be bought at your local home improvement store for about $150.00. The base of this desk runs under the bed. If your bed does not have space underneath it, then you need a different version of an in bed desk. Please email us with your exact needs.
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This design includes eight detailed sketches. You can get them with this little form. Look for "3 In=bed computer desks".
You can make this desk by:
After you download the sketches, these notes will help you understand them more completely.
The sketch shows the side and end views or the desk with the moving shelf. The base is on casters like a grocery cart, it is weighted, and it pushes under the bed. The computer with an extension base, keyboard, and mouse sits on the wide shelf. The desk is pushed around with a large diameter dowel handle. The same desk can be used from The left or right side of the bed.
The wide shelf extends out over the user's lap area. This shelf rotated around a support rod so that it can easily be pushed out of the way. The shelf can be adjusted in height.
This sketch shows two top views of the desk with the shelf and then without the shelf. There is a small fixed shelf beside the bed and a large dowel handle.
This sketch the side and end views again with all the hidden lines drawn in. This sketch will help you understand the construction of the base.
This sketch shows the bottom view of the frame with the plywood frame separate. The plywood bottom closes a central area where you can add gravel for weight. Also shown is a bottom view of the top fixed shelf that shows its construction.
The specific notebook computer for which this desk was designed is also shown. it is a HP Pavilion Notebook With xb2000 Notebook Expansion Base, a separate standard HP keyboard, and a mouse.
The moving shelf is made from pieces of plywood and trimmed with small molding. The area around the shaft is thickened and stiffened with four more layers of plywood. The first plywood piece below the shelf extends out under the self to stiffen it. The first piece on top is long enough to hold the mouse pad, if you like the mouse on this side. These plywood pieces also help counter weight the shelf. The plywood can be cut with handsaw or a jig saw.
The shaft hole is enlarged and made octagonal in three of the plywood pieces to accept a long metal tie nut. The end of the shelf is cut out to make horns that are easy to catch with your finger to pull to you.
This sketch shows the wooden parts that make up the base. The sides are the standard width of 3.5", but the internal parts need to be ripped to 2.5" to allow room for the plywood top and bottom.
The central cross piece has a half-lapped for the upright that supports the metal shaft.
This sketch shows the wooden parts for the upright and top fixed shelf. The upright support for the metal shaft is made from one piece half-lapped at both ends, two narrow upright pieces, and one piece of plywood. The plywood piece clamps the rod in place and is held with bolts.
This sketch shows the layout of the one piece of .5 inch plywood used for this desk. The cuts shown can be made at the store so that you can more easily get the plywood home The Cut #1 through Cut #3 can be made at the wood store to make the plywood easier to get home.
This desk is made of a lumber frame with plywood panels and trimmed with moldings. The parts are assembled with glue, wood screws, and finishing nails. The mechanically parts are simply made from a large threaded rod. The cost estimate below is clear pine and fir plywood.
Plywood:
Boards:
Molding:
Wood Subtotal: $62.00
Fasteners
Special
Hardware Subtotal: $ 37.00
Finish Subtotal: $32.00
This is only an estimate (made in the July 2006). The price may vary in your area. Getting a good price on the lumber and plywood is critical to keeping the price down.
This desk was designed to be build using only a few hand tools that a home owner might have, purchase at reasonable cost, or borrow. These tools are all useful for general around-the-house maintenance and can fit in a tool box.
You will also need sand paper, paint brushes. etc. It would be nice to have a block plane and a four-in-hand rasp.
This is your desk and you can build it to suit your likes and needs. This is a big piece of furniture, but don't get in a big hurry.
You will need to cut the large plywood sheet. You can accomplish this in a number of ways:
If you want the supplier to make the cuts, have the drawings with you and double check the measurements. You will to buy the plywood even if you make a mistake. Mark all the pieces with the sheet number and description using a pencil by writing on the 'C' side. Keep all the scrap pieces.
You can get the nut to runs very smoothly on the rod by lapping it with water based valve grinding compound. This paste is available at auto supply stores. mark the nuts top an bottom and the direction that is up with a punch. Put a little compound on the treads and run each nut back-and-forth over the top foot of the rod. This process takes about 15 minutes per nut and works very well.
Remove the nut and clean it with soap and water and a scrub brush. An old tooth brush works well inside the nut. All the grit must be washed away. Dry the part thoroughly. The nut will now run smoothly over the rod. After final assembly you can apply dry lubricant (graphite) to the rod if you like.
The base pieces are shown in Sketch #6. The outside is made from 1-by-4 (3.5 inches wide)pine. The inside pieces have to be ripped to 2.5 inches wide to allow for the width of two thicknesses of plywood. These pieces can be easily cut to length with a hand saw and miter box.
Make the up-right pieces as shown in Sketch #7. Four 1-by-2 pieces are notched the at the bottom and top. The center piece for the rod is half-notched at both top and bottom.
Trial fit the pieces.
Cut out the lower base plywood top and cut its notches to fit the upright pieces. Assemble the outside frame. Add the inside pieces. Glue and nail on the plywood top.
There are four wheel wells at the corners to accommodate the casters. These are made from extra pieces of scrape plywood that are doubled up to put the casters at the right height.
Cut and fit the bottom plywood, but attach it with screws only (no glue).
Assemble the top fixed shelf much like the base. Glue and nail this shelf. Trial fit the uprights.
Screw and glue the up-rights in place.
The shaft support consists of four pieces. One long upright with half-lapped ends. To pieces of 1"x2" that box the sides of the shaft. One piece of plywood that clamps in the shaft and is held with bolts.
You can adjust the height of the rod by placing a filler piece under it if you want it taller or cutting it off with a hacksaw if you want it shorter. Drill holes for the six bolts through the center upright assembly. The plywood plate should grip the rod tightly so id does not turn when the bolts are pulled down.
Cut out the five plywood shelf parts and drill small pilot holes where the rod will be.
Glue the three center shelf pieces. Place a finishing nail through the pilot holes.
The nut can be strongly anchored inside this assemble by the following steps:
Drill 3/4" holes in the last to shelf pieces. Bevel both top and bottom edges of the hole so that the outside layer of plywood does not touch the metal rod. You may need to work with the chisel to accommodate the nut on the inside. Glue these two pieces in place. It is a good idea to put the threaded rod through the assembly while gluing.
When the glue is set, drill two cable holes through the whole assembly. Holes 1.5" in diameter will just accommodate most video connectors, but the holes can be bigger.
Install the trim along the front and back of the shelf with brads and glue. Drill a .75 inch hole for the rod in the wooden knob.
Test assemble the entire desk. Do not yet put the weight in the base or glue on the knob.
Install the rod and clamp it down. Spin on the shelf and check the height limits. The shelf makes a wide swing as it goes on.
If possible trial fit the computer equipment.
Dissemble the shelf, base, shaft, and knob for finishing. Round off all sharp corners with a rasp, block plane or sandpaper. Fill all nail and screw holes and the crack around the top plywood. Sand all flat areas.
You may finish your desk any way you like. We recommend sealer and two coats of oil based enamel with an accent color down the sides. This seals the wood completely and makes it easy to clean. The plywood edges of the shelves need a little more preparation work.
The exposed plywood edges of the shelves take some effort to seal. The end result should be uniform in texture and not have holes one place and excess filler another.
First fill all visible holes with glue and wood splinters. Do not force the splinter in, they should be a loose fit. Toothpicks work well. Let dry and sand with course paper over a wooden block. Fill with wood putty. Let this dry thoroughly and sand again. Seal with a spit coat. Sand again and refill. Sand again, seal again, and sand with fine sand paper. In the process you can round the edges of the plywood a little bit. The edges are now ready for an extra spit coat.
A spit coat made of one part 3-pound shellac to five parts shellac thinner makes a good wood sealer and primer. Here its use is important in getting the paint to stick and in sealing the plywood edges.
You can, of course, finish the desk to suit yourself. We recommend a two color treatment. The body of the desk should be a light color. We made the prototype a very light blue. The sides of the base can be a complementing color.
All that is left is to reassemble the desk, and install the computer cables.
Turn the base upside down. Remove the plywood bottom. Fill the front pocket in the base with about 40 pounds of clean, dry gravel. Rake the grave flat so it does not interfere with the bottom plywood. Reinstall the plywood base with a screw about every 4 inches around the edge and down the center board (no glue).
Install the casters and be sure that the swivel casters do not touch the sides. If you put the swivels in back the desk will handle like a shopping card.
Be sure to print your name, the date, and who the desk was for on the bottom of upper shelf.
Spin on the two shelf and adjust them to the desired height. Glue on the knob.
This desk will probably need extensions for all the cables that run up to the shelf. You may wish to install a a power strip on, or under, the fixed shelf. Do not install the cables pulled tightly and check that the shelf can turn freely.
Place each piece of the computer in the In-Bed Desk. Route and connect the cables. Dress the cables neatly through the holes in the shelf and inside the up-rights using tie wraps. Do not pull the tie wraps too tightly. The cable should be able to slide back-and-forth a little. Trim off all the tie wrap ends.
Thanks again for using a Woodware Computer Furniture Plans. We very much want to know how you are getting along with your project and would be happy to answer any questions by email.
If you send us a picture of your finished desk, we would be happy to put it on our web page. We need pictures of desk with real people standing beside them.