Monitor X-Arm

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Greetings! My computer workstation was a mess.  A 2'x4' desk covered with enough computer to not even have room for a yellow pad!  Pic #1  Worse yet, to see the monitor well with my "short eyes", I had to lean forward a little on the chair, creating leg cramps when online for more than a half hour or so.  I needed to be able to lean back in the chair and pull the monitor closer for nearsightedness; and further away for those farsighted people!  Pic #2 is the monitor's original base.  The keyboard keeps riding up on it and has "sanded off" all the gloss.  And takes up half the desk.  That plate on top slides into a slot on the back of the monitor.  It's 14ga and about 2.5"w x 2"h and tapers in 1/16"each side.So ... I first remembered my old drafting lamp with the extension arms - Pic #3 - and thought "why not make one like that?"  Well ... because it's PRETTY DIFFICULT!  So I postponed that one in favor of K.I.S.S. - as in, "what was the minimum I could do?"  Exactly what was needed?  To be able to move the monitor closer or further; to clear off the desktop; and keep it about the same comfortable height and angle.  No need for fancy.  So it needs a strong mounting plate.  Something to allow it to pivot.  It needs an arm.  It needs some connection to the monitor, which also needs to pivot.  So I pooped an 8" pc of 3/4" Sch40 black pipe to a 6x6x1/2 plate.  Yuk!    Yuk!    Yuk!  That's .035 Esab Dual Shield 71 run at about 21v and C25.  Pic #4.  Dunno what happened - the practice beads before these looked good !  I did grind it out and do it over.Pic #5 same problem.    1x2x16ga tube to 1" and 1/2" Sch40 pipes.  That ground out well though!   Don't think it even had any (porosity) pinholes! Next post ... Attached Images
Reply:Pix #1 & 2 replace the tab on top of the base in Pic #2 last post.Pic #1 also looks horrible!    The top pc of 1/8"x1" strap is part of a "U" already welded.  This "weld" was to 3/8"x3/4"x2.5" cold rolled, chamfers ground all around.  The 14ga tapered tab was screwed to the CR.  It also ground out okay.Pic #2 is how the monitor bracket finished out.  I assembled and installed it and it didn't fit.    4" too short left the monitor bottom edge 4" above the desk.  The arm was also 4" too short and had me leaning left    to see the monitor!   Chopped off the end of the arm and welded in a 4" piece of 1x2 tube.  Pic #3. Switched back to the HH140 with .035 flux core, probably V=2 and speed 30. Pic #4  Added 4" to upright pipe, upped the voltage to 3, speed 40, NO positioner!    The nylon bushing was machined from a trashed futon bushing.  I had to move it up the post 4", but no glue would hold it there.  Drilled and tapped the pipe 6-32 and inserted 3 brass screws and chopped them off to match the nylon.  I also machined a "T" shaped bushing to fit in the top of the upright, with the top wider to fit inside the 1" pipe on the arm.   Unfortunately no pics.   Pic #5  1x2 tube extension finished out like this.  Sanded to 220.  Will be rattlecan primed and painted  black.Next post ... Attached Images
Reply:Pic #1  Finished bracket in monitor.  To slope the monitor back 5 degrees, the bottom part of the "U" is 1/4" longer than the top.  It's 3" tall.  The monitor rests on the top strap - a mistake -  - but it allows the monitor to be "rotated" a little so it's always level.  It's not loose.Pic #2  Here's how the back of the monitor looks.Pic #3  If I were farsighted, I could push it this far away - about 30".Pic #4  Since I'm nearsighted, I can lean back in the director's chair, pull the monitor about this close, and still reach the keyboard and mouse okay!  Forgot to say that the bottom plate is tapped 1/2-13 and bolted thru the desk with a 1/4"x3" round "washer" underneath.Thanks for lookin!  Hope this helps somebody out there.   Attached ImagesLast edited by Fabn4Fun; 12-30-2012 at 12:37 AM.
Reply:nice job! that really cleaned the desk up!
Reply:Nice job.  You would be reallllllly happy if you changed polarity and went with a gas mig.  Your beads would be so much better.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Ahhh... necessity is the mother of invention! Great job Fabn!Seeing your child exceed your expectations through a spark you created is the most wonderful feeling in the world!Miller Syncrowave 250 Millermatic 180Too much other stuff to list!
Reply:Cool design. Looks great all painted up.
Reply:Nicely done!
Reply:Where did all the crap go that was on the desk.... You know it will find it's way back. SO that isn't a fair comparison picture set.. HA nice, mine sits on the back of the desk and is 22 inch. I never thought about doing a new bracket HUMMM  now you started the thinkin. Bad you. ThanksMiller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:Hi, the end justifies the means.......who cares if the welds are a bit daggy here and there, the finish item is what you aimed for......looks good finished.BTW, why don't you wear glasses to see the screen at the proper distance?I'm 74 and wear #3 dioptre reading glasses when I read or on the computer, and I'm on the computer messing about for hours at a time.I think you have to be ruthless when it comes to desk clutter.....eventually the Gremlins pop out and dump all those bits of paper back again and you have to start all over again.....LOL.Ian.
Reply:Thanks guys!  And happy new year to ya!  Originally Posted by Drf255Nice job.  You would be reallllllly happy if you changed polarity and went with a gas mig.  Your beads would be so much better.