Keyboard swing-out platform

[jrbryner]

I have 2 computers ( soon to be 3 via KVM ) at my desk. Right now there is no deskspace with the 2 keyboards and 2 mice. I want to make a swing out platform for the keyboard and mouse of the non-main computers, like in the above sketch (forgive my 2nd grade scriblings, but I usually visualize it better than describing it).

Question is, how do make it rotate? What can I use to give it that ability. Making the platform, keyboard/mouse area is easy enough, I just don't know what to use for the rotation. Any clues?


PS. sorry if this isn't the right forum for this.. with all the desks floating around here, thought it was the closest.

 

[jamestime88]

door hinges?

 

[waynev]

Maybe a long carriage bolt, several washers and a piece of PVC pipe? You could use teflon pieces in place of the washers to give it more glidability if needed.

 

[dunks]

mount a 2 by 4 or a 2 by 2 and attacht the platform wiht hinges to the wood

 

[ewarz]

go get an old (or new) monitor arm. you know... those big metal support things that you clamp to the side of a desk to hold up a CRT. Get one, modify it for a keyboard. Or you can just take the post off of it and use it for your pivot. A lot of them are adjustable by height, tilt, and it will swing anyway you want it.

 

[phasmatis_nox]

Get two pieces of pipe (Copper, steel, PVC, whatever) that nest inside each other and rotate reasonably well. Grease if needed. For teh ubercoolness, get some huge diameter and build a router, printer, whole computer, etc inside.

If you have a friend who's a machinist, this will be easy. Just find two that fit within the limits of common sense, then have him lathe down the smaller one so it turns perfectly.

 

[d03boy]

if you just stuck a pipe in another pipe, it would probably suck ass, squeak, and be hard to turn. Find something worthwhile that has some bearings or something. Make it worth a damn

 

[phasmatis_nox]

Originally posted by d03boy
if you just stuck a pipe in another pipe, it would probably suck ass, squeak, and be hard to turn. Find something worthwhile that has some bearings or something. Make it worth a damn

Do you live around a lot of rusty steel?

 

[biomods]

I'm with d03boy on this if you realy want a smooth rotation the use of a thrust type bearing is in order

Ok I guess it's not that easy to do if you don't know what you're doing and it may be a little expensive but still it'd be kick ass


Or, for a cheaper solution you could use bushings... get some self lubricating ones tough

anyway if you have any questions about that feel free to ask...

I can't say I'm an expert but I know a thing or two...

Also what s you're desk made of ? Wood ? Glass ? What kind ? Hard wood ? MDF ?

 

[jrbryner]

The desk is one of those do-it-yourself kits from Office Depot, so MDF? i think.... that particle stuff.

I found this at Staples Monitor Arm that is fairly cheap and should do the job with a little tweaking. Might pick it up and give it a try. Thanks for all the ideas!