New Chair and Computer Desk

We qualify as spoiled Americans, having two computers up and running in the same room so we don’t have to share. I recently bought a wireless keyboard and mouse for my laptop and liked it so much it was a shame to have to sit at the dining room table; my back prefers slouching rather than good posture.

I looked around to duplicate the good recliner we already have; but those kinds of office chairs started out expensive and worked toward outrageous so I went to IKEA and got an inexpensive substitute with foot stool at on tenth the cost. I also found a well made inexpensive stand at Staples, similar to the kind you see in hospitals when they serve a meal to somebody in bed.

Both items had to be assembled; but they’d been engineered so well as to make the process almost enjoyable, each piece fitting exactly as it was intended. One issue with the tray table, the surface for the mouse was too high and not adjustable independently from the surface of the laptop.

It took a bit of doing and a trip to Home Depot; but I assembled a stable secondary platform, one which would allow for my hand to rest at a comfortable level and be attached to the original stand. I should extend my thanks to the fellow at Home Depot, the one I bugged until he took me to each item needed all across the store, not sure until I put my hands on each item that they would work in unison. I literally assembled this in my head as I went along collecting pieces.

I used a pre-finished 12 inch corner shelf board intended as a brick-a-brack in a kitchen setting because it closely matched the finish of the computer’s stand shelf. I had to cut away a corner so the shelf would match to the upright rectangular support. The shelf is attached with half inch tubular conduit, the same as used by electricians, pre bent to 90 degree angles, held to the board with “U” brackets with rounded stainless steel screws. The whole thing is mounted to the upright tube of the stand with large automotive adjustable hose clamps, bracketed along side the tubular conduit with pieces of wood intended to act as trim for the original corner shelf board. I wrapped the exposed ugly hardware with black electrician’s tape.

It would have been nice for the original product to have included such a secondary platform, one which was adjustable or even removable; but this spoiled American was able to make do with a limited amount of effort and very little expense. It works the way I’d intended so I’m calling this a success. For the record, this is not a paid advertisement for Home Depot, Staples or IKEA; they just happen to have what I was looking for.