ᐅ VIKA AMON with recessed monitor can be built and has been built!

Update:
I have now completed the installation for both the display and the motherboard. Overall, everything is very stable!

Here are some photos:

To stabilize the tabletop and relieve tension from the display, I first built a wooden frame.

Next, I covered the area to be cut out with tape to protect the veneer...

... and then carefully cut it out with a utility knife (the inner hole was just for testing, but it was very useful when removing it).

The hole after cutting.

Inside view of the hole.

In the next step, the frame was glued in gradually...

... and I waited until everything was dry.

Afterwards, a reinforcing base plate was added to the bottom, with the construction plan drawn on it.

In the last step (so far), the display was screwed into the frame and concealed flush with the tabletop edge using a wooden cover panel.

This is how the table looks with the recessed display.

Since everything was still very stable, I dared to recess the motherboard into the tabletop as well.
I followed exactly the same steps as with the display (cutting out, building the frame, gluing the frame, etc.). Then a sheet of plexiglass was placed on top:

A photo of gluing the base plate for the motherboard.

The table without covers while playing music.

The motherboard under the plexiglass sheet.

The recessed display showing Office and an on-screen keyboard (this will definitely be useful with the touchscreen).

And here is the current status of the project.

It seems the tabletop is still just as stable as at the beginning (if you can call Ikea furniture stable).
Furthermore, there do not seem to be any heat issues under the plexiglass panel. After about one hour, the CPU temperature is still at 62°C (143.6°F).

Still to do:
- Attach aluminum trim
- Repair and paint the inside of the motherboard compartment matte white
- Install lighting inside the motherboard compartment!!
- Buy a large drill bit to make a hole for the VGA cable
- Order and install the touchscreen
- Possibly spray a pattern on the tabletop around the aluminum trim

Issues to solve:
- The cooler blows warm air directly through the cable management toward the display... probably not ideal
(I will likely seal around the cables to fix this)
- The power button is soldered directly to the motherboard, making it somewhat inconvenient to start the PC (though it is rarely turned off anyway)
Solution 1: Solder a cable and route it upwards (→ more elegant, but less desired)
Solution 2: Drill a hole in the underside of the table to allow pressing the button from below

Tips for anyone planning something similar:
- Since netbook LCDs usually have quite poor viewing angles, you should definitely test in advance where you can still get a good image while seated

The board has a wood layer that is only a few millimeters (inches) thick.
Therefore, I consider any tinkering with it to be unrealistic, or at least very fragile.

The panel has a wood layer that is only a few millimeters (a few tenths of an inch) thick.
So, I consider any DIY work with it to be unrealistic.
Or at least very fragile.

I know the construction of the panel. That’s why my biggest concern is that the desk might eventually collapse inward.
That’s why I thought of adding a wooden frame around the cut-out area to compensate for the missing top layer and to relieve stress from the LCD monitor.
I’m also aware that the remaining baseboard at the cut-out section is extremely thin, but a netbook without the casing and battery hardly weighs anything anyway 😉

The sagging should be preventable by reinforcing the underside of the panel along its entire length with, for example, several thin battens.

Update:
It is possible!

Looks good!

Great!