User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Wed May 24, 2017 6:55 pm

I love my Commodore 64 and use it almost daily these days for BBSing almost daily. Although lately I've been splitting up its time lately with my A2000 now that I've got one of Paul Rickard's fantastic little modems. In both cases, you just turn on the machines, fire up your terminal program of choice and hit the phonebook to start dialing. Within a about a minute you're online chatting with your friends. It's awesome.

One of the things that the older Commodore monitors always lack - let's be honest - is perfect desk ergonomics. Everything looks better that what these CRTs can provide, but unless you're rather short the viewing angle is not optimal to say the least. Sure, you could stick some books under one, but since Commodore machines are a permanent part of my life I wanted something better for my C64, and my back. My A2000's monitor is already at eye-level since it sits on top of the machine's case and the monitor is on a swivel-base.

I hired a talented wood worker named Jonathan Stager I found on Etsy to build a custom stand for me. It's very basic: 14"w x 16"d x 4"t made from ambrosia maple, which has a very beautiful and wavy grain to it. The grain has kind of has a shiny quality that's difficult to describe.

The base is slightly deeper than a C64 monitor, and the width is exactly the same width as the monitor. Both front and back ends are left open so I can put a few things below it. This gives me a little bit extra storage, which is not a bad thing if you've ever seen my desk. ;)

Check it out - not too shabby, eh?
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User avatar
Shot97
Detroit, MI, USA

Posted Wed May 24, 2017 7:46 pm

Good idea. Although, wow is that modem light ridiculously bright. I think I remember you saying before that you like that stuff; but that thing would get an immediate date with black electrical tape if I had it. I've got a similar stand I could use for my Amiga monitor. Gave me a good idea... Although the main problem I have with the Amiga is how low the desk itself sits.... Or rather table in its case.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Wed May 24, 2017 10:06 pm

Although the main problem I have with the Amiga is how low the desk itself sits
Yeah, my desk is a bit low, too, and small. But it fits the room.

That light is greatly exaggerated by the crappy low-light photo I took. It's not that bad at all. I don't even usually notice it. Plus, it sits behind the keyboard, so you don't even see it unless you scooch forward and look over the back of it.

Bad pic, but if I used the normal light the stand would have been too dark for you to be able to appreciate the wood grain.

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:13 am

Nice. I use something similar but a bit taller and wider so I can fit two drives underneath or shove the 64 underneath out of the way.

As for the bright LED light on the WiModem, you can change the brightness level with an AT command then save it.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:28 am

Nice. I use something similar but a bit taller and wider so I can fit two drives underneath or shove the 64 underneath out of the way.
That's a cool idea (the drives). Did you make it yourself?
As for the bright LED light on the WiModem, you can change the brightness level with an AT command then save it.
That's cool - thanks for the tip!

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:46 am

intric8 wrote: That's a cool idea (the drives). Did you make it yourself?
Yes. Just some plywood I had bought pre-sanded and finished with a clear coat which I used to make my desk surface in my office. There was some pieces left over so I used it to make a couple stands. A little iron-on wood veneer tape and some more finish and it is passable. Heh.

User avatar
TenLeftFingers

Posted Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:00 am

Now that I've seen this, I just have to do something about my own setup. It really looks great, what you've done. Im not that handy though, what did you cut it with? And did you use something to hold it steady like a vice?

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:50 am

I hired a talented wood worker named Jonathan Stager I found on Etsy to build a custom stand for me.
:)

By the way, this stand was taken on a very strange journey.

After looking at it closely, I could see that the corners had been bent and some of the edges of the wood as well. Basically, after sending closeups to the creator, he assumed the post office had used the shipping box "as a kickball". He quickly got to work on a new stand for me. Meanwhile, he filed a claim with the insurance company to reimburse him for the cost of the original stand.

The insurance company agreed that the claim could be filed based on the damage I showed in my photos. However, in order for them to cut a check, I was required to "destroy the product and send proof of its destruction."

I was stunned to say the least, but since I knew a new stand was on its way, I had a little bit of fun with it.

We took the original wooden stand out to the back yard. Then, I handed my kids a hammer and had them get to work while I documented young children destroying the stand for the insurance company. (I took a few whacks at it, too.)

It's funny seeing a kid use a hammer for destructive purposes - they were very tentative at first before they started to get into it.
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How could the insurance company say no? :)

If you look at the destruction photos closely, you can see little slits in some of the wooden joints. In these slits the creator had put wooden discs, which were used as extra support to hold two sides together with a strong wood glue. Pretty smart, actually, as no nails were required maintaining the clean look, yet the stand can hold significant weight.

I got the new stand yesterday, boxed in an indestructible wooden crate. It also had in Sharpie pen on the outside "Handle with Care, Not a Kickball."

The new stand is perfect. In fact, the wood grain is even better and shinier than before.
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User avatar
TenLeftFingers

Posted Thu Jun 15, 2017 1:16 pm

Ah, I was on mobile and missed the context. That is quite an odyssey alright :) I love watching the kids here trying out something new like that. The expressions on their faces are often comical :D

I see you have a TNG game in the background there too, very nice! I'm a huge TNG fan. The girls here are big into it too which is just such a treat. We all watch it together at weekends <3 We're half way through season 1 now.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:57 pm

My wife and I have watched STTNG 1-7 several times. When all of our new shows are in between seasons (Game of Thrones, Mr Robot, Black Mirror, Stranger Things, Walking Dead, Dark Matter), which doesn't take long as seasons these days mean, what - 8-12 shows? It's so annoying... Anyway, we go back to a certain core set of sci-fi goodness.

That includes:
STTNG
Voyager
DS9
Battlestar (new, not old)
Good episodes from OST

And we'll just watch an episode a night or so. These days we're sort of floating around with no rhyme or reason and I've been thinking of jumping back into DS9, and then Stranger Things again before Season 2 starts. I think we might give the newer Dr Who's a shot, too. I loved the old Tom Baker Doctor, but I wouldn't put her through that. I know her eyes would glaze over.

How old are your kids? I think my 10 year-old would like STTNG, but I think my 8 year-old (boy) might not appreciate it quite yet. Hell, he still prefers Scooby Doo and I'm good with that.





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