I haven't been through all six pages so I haven't seen pics, but if you can build strong desks I think the world is your oyster.
I have an old steel (not alu) desk from the early 90s that I won't part with for love or money. It weighs in at just under 40kgs (cost a bloody fortune to bring it up from CPT), it has a sliding surface with a cable management tray across the width at the back, cable management built into the legs, etc, but it can comfortably support 250kgs.
My FIL gave my oldest a modern computer desk that wobbles when you push the side with two fingers. I sure as hell wouldn't lean on it, but I have danced a bit tipsy on mine. They don't make things the way they used to - if you make them the way they used to, you'll have a market for sure.
Yeah my stuff is sturdy, I'll be honest. You can ask anyone. I typically do the "sit test" on all my desks, and some of them far, FAR exceed that. The printer table with the thicker grey tops in my pictures above was made to hold a heavy printer, with some stuff under it, and that thing is superbly strong. Will easily hold 250kg as well, and while heavy, it's not THAT heavy. Strong doesn't have to be thick and heavy.
The desk I did for
@SirAfroPanda was made using regular 25mm square tubing, and it's 1.6m wide and 60cm deep. When I sent him the first pics of it via WhatsApp I could read his panic when he "just wanted to ask if it's sturdy enough". I assured him it is, and he's happy.
Some of the other stuff I've built I've done with much thicker steel tubing, like the coffee table using 50mm square tubing, but that's purely for looks. For what it is, it's totally and completely overkill. Making something sturdy isn't as much about the material you're using, it's about HOW you fix it together, and that's the golden part. I've practiced with my weld a lot now over the last few months and I'm at the point where I don't even weld the outside edges anymore as it's not required. SirAfroPanda can also check his desk - the outside joints aren't welded. They're merely filled up with spot putty to look neat, sanded down and then sprayed. I only weld on the inside and lower edges that aren't visible.
I have an idea for a PC stand. Simple steel frame, rubber feet, wood top (any sturdy, dark wood - even pine with a dark stain), around 730H x 340W x 680D. Maybe with a second, lower shelf ~200mm above the ground on which to mount a PSU. And (might be wishful thinking) a headphone hook on the front, screw-mounted so it can be removed if necessary.
Kinda like the second thing in this post:
https://carbonite.co.za/index.php?t...d-other-surfaces-or-racks.385487/post-2750068 But without a middle shelf. (Or with a middle shelf? Might be useful actually...)
Would that be feasible and not mad expensive?
Yeah sure, it's doable. It seems similar to the one I built for
@Eon a few months ago. Literally just a stand to sit a PC on. His was a bit of work and still a lot of practice went into it, but I know the process by now. Stained pine is definitely an option but I can do all kinds of solid woods in 25mm thickness as well. Kiaat is a popular (and beautiful) choice, and if you don't mind a top made up with various planks (150mm is the regular width) I can actually do it on a relatively neat budget as well.
Again, 25mm square tubing is a popular choice as it's relatively cheap (you pay for steel per weight), and if welded properly it's stupidly strong, specially over shorter distances like what you have in mind.
Have you found a way to make a desk Height adjustable as yet? not looking for anything crazy just like a 10cm adjustment for fine tuning.
@Toxxyc
Nothing that's really user-friendly, to be honest. I can do something, but it will either be a mission to set up each time you want to adjust it, or it'll be flimsier than I'm happy to hand over.
I'd recommend sitting at various desks and deciding what height you want. Alternatively I can make the desk at the max height you want, and cut it down if you want it shorter. That's a cheap way to check it out.
Actually, I just had an idea. Perhaps a thicker outside tube with a thinner one inside it, with different lengths to control the height. It'll be way less flimsy as well. Hmmm.... If you want to adjust the height, you just replace the feet.