PC DESK
PROJECT TIMEFRAME
Fall 2020 - Summer 2021
PROJECT PURPOSE
To create a one-of-a-kind workstation with top notch style and performance for CAD, media, and gaming.
TECHNIQUES USED
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CAD modeling
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3D printing
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CNC machining
SKILLS LEARNED
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Dissimilar material interactions
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Liquid cooling fundamentals
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Acrylic tube bending
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Sleeved cable fabrication
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General woodworking
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Wood finishing
As with the majority of my projects, I started by building a complete CAD model in SolidWorks. Everything was meticulously laid out - from the bolt holes for the motherboard to the lengths of each individual wire from the power supply. More detail in CAD means fewer surprises during fabrication.
With little experience building furniture, I kept the design focused on simplicity and manufacturability. A flat acrylic floor panel and basic wooden box structure would keep things easy to build.
The CAD model could reduce much of the risk of such a complex project, but not all of it. It couldn't determine the best places to position cable clamps, or demonstrate whether it was possible to bend coolant tubes into their intended shapes. It also wouldn't catch any dimension or bolt pattern fitment issues on the components.
To accomplish this, I built a complete mock-up on a wood board with a paper template. This template also featured guides for wire placement and tube bending. If everything fit here, I knew it'd fit onto the machined acrylic floor panel.
With the design finished and validated, it was time for fabrication. I leaned on some friends for access to woodworking and CNC tools so that I could incorporate advanced manufacturing techniques.
There's a 24" x 60" CNC-cut acrylic floor panel, complete with hundreds of straight and tapped holes. There are walnut side beams with grooves, reliefs, and mitered corners. There are machined fiberglass and aluminum panels for mounting ports and connectors, all inset flush into the wood.
Despite the relatively simple design, the build is a technical tour de force.
After adding the legs and finishing the wood, it was time for final assembly.
The earlier mock-up made this a breeze - components could be transferred from the template right into the final structure.
The end result is a head-turner for sure!
