The Desktertainment Proposal

Secretary Desk Unit

This is designed simply and is intended to be simple to construct, and to use inexpensive materials. I estimate I can make it (badly) myself for around $1000, including purchasing some tools.

I intend to put some electronic music equipment on the top ‘drawer’ and leave the bottom drawer as bare workspace. It is used either as a desk with a laptop on the sloped surface, or, with the sloped surface raised, as a music workstation. When not being used, it sits in the living room and is acceptable to my wife.
The component pieces are:
 A base of 1800 x 450mm.
 Two symmetrical end walls, 450 base x 230 height, with a large triangular truncation from 60mm height on the front edge to 200mm from the back edge. This is about 124 degrees.
 A two-part front panel joined at a long piano hinge.
o The upper part 1775 wide by290 deep.
o The lower part 1800 wide by 75 deep, mounted so as to be flush with the bottom of the base, protruding slightly above the line of the upper part.
 Two desk-surfaces mounted as drawers, able to slide out for use as workspace (loaded with about 10kg, so fairly strong drawer slides would be preferable). These are 1770 (allowing 10mm for each end wall and 5mm for each drawer slide etc) x 410 deep.
 A 110mm deep fixed internal shelf mounted on the back wall 80mm from the inside top.
 A back structure with two long windows (for power cords) one above and one below the fixed internal shelf. Overall 240 x 1800, but this could be made from parts.

Materials:
 Inexpensive real wood – probably Pine? This is a prototype more than an heirloom.
 The design was drawn using a standard 10mm thickness, which was probably a mistake. It will be workable with material up to 20mm thick.

Joinery:
 This plan makes no real allowances for joinery. I have assumed that dowels, nails and screws can be used that require no additional volume (e.g. corner bracing). It is box shaped, so as long as the material is stiff enough, it should be reasonably strong.
Finish:
 a translucent white (blue-grey tint) wash which is matt and allows some of the wood grain pattern to be seen. This would match some existing furniture. If not, I can paint it a basic white myself.
 Chamfering: either none, or simple 2x2mm 45 degree chamfer.
Variations:
 Given the low budget, changes to use standard cuts of wood are desirable.
 Any stupidity on my part should be corrected.

In situ on filing cabinets / Ikea Alex drawer units. With home entertainment center. An earlier version with a three-part front panel. A good piano-stool / coffee table combo is needed.

This view shows the cutaway and the kit slid out for use.

Ahh, detailed drawings.  These are from a second version of the model.  The lid is in the 'open position'.

Back view, showing windows for power cords etc:

This rather confusing image shows an endwall foregrounded for some dimensions. There are better images further on.

The lid has simple studs at each end which run in the track at the top of the endwall:

Front view with front panel raised.

Some of the dimensions are slightly out, probably because I picked off the wrong point. 229.8 should be 230. 79.8 should be 80, etc.  I'm hoping that when downloaded, this detail is regained.