Ask Slashdot: What's Your Take On Stand-Up Desks? 347
An anonymous reader writes "I work at a non-profit that doesn't have the resources to automatically bend to each and every whim. However, I've been told that I can't use a cardboard box to put my computer on, for OSHA and fire prevention reasons. So the choice is, sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk to the tune of 500 bucks or more. Is this worth it? Can I make one myself? Anything to know before I get in deep?" There are lots of home-grown stand-up desks out there (search IKEA Hackers for "stand-up desk" if that's your aesthetic leaning), and some ready-made ones from plainish to very expensive. If you've used a stand-up desk, what are your thoughts?
Re:My take? (Score:5, Informative)
Standing for 9 hours is Very Bad.
I managed to give myself Plantar Fasciitis when I used a standing desk, due to a different injury that makes it painful to sit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_fasciitis [wikipedia.org]
Re:Hey buddy (Score:5, Informative)
Have you looked in the trash? People throw out perfectly fine furniture all the time. I picked up an extremely sturdy carpenter-built bookcase in the trash. It didn't have shelves but I found enough particle board to make shelves.
If your trash heap doesn't have what you need, have you considered Goodwill stores? I'm frequently amazed what I find in them. Money goes to good cause, as well.
Re:My take? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Hey buddy (Score:5, Informative)
The things most frequently offered for free off of Craigslist are matresses (eww!), couches, and desks. You should be able to get a couple of desks and use the materials to create a custom desk fairly easily.
IKEA Stand Up Desk (Score:2, Informative)
I built myself a cheap standing desk from IKEA. You get the Vika Amon table top (under $40) and the Vika Bysske table legs ($20 a pop) These legs work with the table but they are intended for the construction of a kitchen bar. 4 of these bad boys and you have yourself a standing desk. Mind your height - you want to have roughly a 90degree angle at your elbow when working. I am 6'3'' and I can get this at their maximum extension. Then I get one of those attachable shelves and tada my monitors are higher up so that I have them at eye level. Warning - this setup is not adjustable. Well it is but adjustment requires everything to be removed, desk flipped and about 20-30 minutes to re-adjust the legs so yes you can always revert to a normal desk but you can't alternate throughout the day.
I've been using my standing desk since July 2012. Things to note - I don't work at it all day everyday. I sit at work 9-5, stand at home. Expect serious leg cramps after a few days. Video games help forget the pain and condition your body for longer hauls. I can stand no problem for 8 hours+ now. I don't get tired in fact i think it keeps me more alert but I do take breaks after 4 hours. You feel it when you're finished working and take a load off on the couch/bed. You burn more calories - not sure if this is significant. You save TONS of space - great for small apartments or tight bedrooms. I've read that its healthier - so whether it is or not placebo effect bonus just don't analyze this too much... dammit I might have just lost the bonus!
Been standing for 2 years now (Score:2, Informative)
It isn't for everyone. I happen to like it.
1) Step 1 is to try it. Find some acceptable method to construct a standing arrangement. Try it out for 3 weeks minimum. Week 1 sucks. You will be sore if you are not used to this. I tried things out for about 6 months before I was sold.
2) Have a plan for what you are going to do when you are sick. I bought a geekdesk that has the ability to be lowered. When you are sick, you aren't standing.
3) Get a comfortable chair for your office. Don't do this until AFTER your 3 week trial period. When you do get tired of standing, and you will, you need someplace comfy to sit for a little while.
4) Be aware you won't like sitting as much afterwards. 8 hour meetings are hard now.
I have no idea about the health benefits. I prefer standing now to sitting.
Re:My take? (Score:4, Informative)
He could have saved a lot of bandwidth by simply posting:
Re:Hey buddy (Score:5, Informative)
Over a year later I'm sitting on it and my hand feels a small 'bump' between the foam seat cushion and it's zippered cloth cover. I tell him, we unzip it and I reach in and pull out a mostly empty tube of a sexual lubricant that (from the name on the tube) was obviously marketed to gay men.
If you've had the couch for over a year, I'm quite sure all of the 'gay germs' have died off and have instead been replaced by your 'homophobe germs.'
Have you ever stayed in a hotel? News flash: 500 people had sex in your bed before you slept there.
Classic option (Score:3, Informative)
The classic quick, cheap, solid desk is an old door across two dirt-common two-drawer file cabinets.
I've two of those. the main one actually uses a pair of old AT tower cases. Two dollar-store clamps hold a smaller piece of scrap for my keyboard tray. A single cheap particle-board rear shelf for the displays sits on various blocks. Power bars are just screwed into the back edge of the door. You don't need to be a carpenter, you just need to think (less) and make a solid block structure. Trim with toy blocks for cool points.
It's not rocket science to figure a taller system for standing if you want to try that. (Some love it, some loathe it - it's kinda like kneeling chairs and ball chairs -- people rave about them briefly, then everyone moves back to traditional options.)
Re:Hey buddy (Score:4, Informative)