Quick Electric Sit-to-Stand Desk

Sitting at a desk all day can lead to poor posture, health problems, and back pain.  Unfortunately, electric sitting/standing desks are expensive.  So, I decided to build my own!

With four linear actuators from eBay, I started by sketching the layout in Autodesk Inventor, found some appropriately wide scrap in the yard at the TechShop, and fabricated bracket blanks.

I wanted the brackets to be useful in a variety of ways, so I designed the layout carefully to allow for mounting at a variety of angles.  Wrote a bit of G-code and drilled out the patterns on the Tormach CNC mill.

Used some leftover 80/20 aluminum extrusion to bolt together a quick table frame, then added the actuators using bolts and t-slot nuts.

I got a four port controller to go with the legs.  It keeps them in sync and prevents the table from getting misaligned or wrenched.

Unfortunately, I didn't check the motor travel of the linear actuators closely when I purchased them and they didn't lift high enough for me to stand comfortably.  TechShop to the rescue!  I purchased a set of furniture risers and using the mill, drilled holes to match the mounting holes on the bottom of the legs.

Bolted the risers to the legs.

Added a Ikea tabletop and a monitor arm, and, BAM!, I'm ready to start working.

Oh, and in case it wasn't clear, I made it at the TechShop.

http://techshop.ws