ᐅ VIKA AMON with recessed monitor can be built and has been built!
Created on: 16 Apr 2012 19:21
A
adder23
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
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
E
EinrichtungsNiete22 Apr 2012 23:29Really cool modding idea, I like it!
Because of its tendency to scratch, I wouldn’t use acrylic glass at all.
How about glass instead?
For example, a piece from a picture frame—those are often already anti-reflective or slightly frosted on one side.
Or ask a glazier nicely if they could cut a leftover piece to size for a small donation to the coffee fund.
For mounting, you could then use an aluminum trim.
Instead of making a huge hole, I’d try something different:
Either a rectangular cutout or an elongated cutout with rounded corners.
Use a Forstner bit (15 or 20mm (0.6 or 0.8 inches) should be enough) to drill two holes so the plug fits through, then cut away the remaining section with a utility knife.
Best regards,
Stefan
Does anyone have experience with acrylic glass and can tell me how to make it more scratch-resistant or, alternatively, how to make it a bit matte so you don’t see every scratch right away?
Because of its tendency to scratch, I wouldn’t use acrylic glass at all.
How about glass instead?
For example, a piece from a picture frame—those are often already anti-reflective or slightly frosted on one side.
Or ask a glazier nicely if they could cut a leftover piece to size for a small donation to the coffee fund.
For mounting, you could then use an aluminum trim.
Still to do:
- buy a large drill bit to drill a hole for the VGA cable
Instead of making a huge hole, I’d try something different:
Either a rectangular cutout or an elongated cutout with rounded corners.
Use a Forstner bit (15 or 20mm (0.6 or 0.8 inches) should be enough) to drill two holes so the plug fits through, then cut away the remaining section with a utility knife.
Best regards,
Stefan
How about using glass instead? For the next project, that's definitely not a bad idea. However, the plexiglass sheet is already here and, so far, mostly scratch-free (mostly... even drying it after washing has left small scratches).
If the sheet continues to get scratched at this rate, I’ll have to look into real glass.
Instead of making a huge hole, I’d rather try something else Not a bad idea, but the hole for the other cables is already there and unfortunately quite torn out... so I’ll just make it a bit bigger. That way the VGA cable will fit through, and I’ll also get rid of the torn edges.
I
IKEA-Experte23 Apr 2012 17:15Does anyone have experience with Plexiglas and can tell me how to make it more scratch-resistant or, alternatively, how to give it a matte finish so that scratches are less visible? I think the only options are to use a protective film or to choose scratch-resistant Plexiglas from the start.Similar topics