Seeking information [building my own modular monitor stand]

[Big-E]

So basically, I am in the process of attaining dual 22" LCD Monitors for my new office set up and I want to set them up with a stand - however, if you look at the prices of stands they can get extremely costly. I do however have welding experience and access to tons of scrap metal at my uncles warehouse. I want to build a modular system, so that when I want to add or remove monitors, I can easily do so - so as follows, is what I really want to do.

Design Idea:
Here is a diagram of the idea:




So here is my issue, I've searched MANY DIY sites, include instructables, engadget hackaday ..etc and have not come across any tutorials or "howtos" or even documents on building such a system - I am looking for any ideas and resources which could give me ideas into developing the various parts for the swivel arms and expendable (perhaps telescopic) pole in the center to which everything is attached. Links, ideas and contributions of any kind, including criticism is welcomed.

Goal: Build this system, from scrap metal pieces (tons) and perhaps if required, purchase parts and do this all for under $50 - not because I HAVE to, but because it would be a fun and attainable goal. Plus, I don't want to go out and spend $600 on a manufactured one.

Cheers![/img]

[Big-E]

No one wants to shed light on any ideas, my way?

[ayu]

Well, the people who make these inventions, always start from scratch with little help... only a lot of imagination and some inspiration...

Take it to the desk.... get your pencil and paper, and starting doing some outrageous plans ^^

I can imagine a base stand that would look somewhat like a hat hanger... you know, cross feet with a simple pole where you hang your hats.

But make it "reach" over your chair or whatever you are going to use it for, so that it does not get in the way.

And in the pole, you will have some sort of hole, where you can attach "arms" that will reach over the chair (the "reaching over" that i mentioned earlier), and then on these "arms" you will attach the monitor holders, of course built so that you can add as many as the arms can handle.

Add a nice cup-holder, and you got yourself an awesome command central.

I'm not in my apartment at the moment, and I don't feel like doing any pictures on my lappy, so can't really give you an "image" of what I am talking about. But I just saw Ironman, so this kinda just poured out of my head as I was reading the topic...

Hope it helps buddy ^^

[Big-E]

Oh man, cup idea is kick ass except it needs to hold bee..um, tea cups good.^^

It would be pretty sweet if I could get it so I could lean back in my chair and the monitor comes back with me, that would be very comfy for long computer sessions. Sort of like the scene from Grandmas Boy - Unfortunately the best clip I could find of it:

My new goal. ^^

[bad_brain]

an inbuilt USB hub can never be wrong.....
for the beer/tea holder I have an idea you might like: use a Peltier element with a switch where you can change the power polarity....so with polarity +/- the upside is cool for beer and with polarity -/+ it gets hot for the tea cup...

[Still_Learning]

the above ideas sound cool, maybe to add to cats idea with the arms, maybe install some sort of joystick control that you can use to move the arms around with extra buttons you can use also as a mame arcade game joystick or at the top of the monitor rack add some kind of super power wifi antenna, or you can even use a xbox 360 joystick to control the monitor arms and such.. my friend hooked his trucks hydrolics system to a xbox 360 control , it was great

oh yeah another good idea, add a bad ass surround sound system on it, like speakers built into the chair with subwoofer in back of chair , tweeters by ears, mids installed to the monitor rack, ect.. that would be awesome

heres some cool setups i liked..

(since i do music production)


(for the gamer)



(really pimp set ups)


(sorry the last one reminds me of the diagram you made kind of, but looks pretty cool, i know you could create something better though)


i think if you go with the coffee/tea warmer slash beer cooler installed with robotic arms , super wifi antennae. with built in mame arcade with every old school game ever, awesome surround sound system, you will have all of them beat, you can even mod an old pc case to make you toast or pankcakes or something, usb microwave or fridge lol you will never need to leave your office again

[Big-E]

I wish all that was possible but I am on a budget with regards to money and intellectual abilities, I am not the greatest with the electronic type things - the actuator arms and motors might have to wait, though it would be pretty damn cool.