I decided to make my own when i was in school. I didn’t want to spend much money either, so i just designed one on my own, we are designers after all. It probably didn’t cost me more than $100 to $150 and it is very big. I can have my computer on it and two projects if i want b/c of the size. But the size is also it’s drawback b/c it takes up a lot of space. But it can be designed to whatever size you are looking for since you are the one building it.
Mine has a storage area in it the length of the table and it is able to be tilted up too allow you to work on a angled surface. To make it, i went to Lowe’s and bought a wood door (that is why it is so big 7×3′), some 4x4s for the legs, some 2×6’s for the frame and storage area, cheap ply for the bottom of the storage, henges and bolts, and then some 2x2s for the top frame ( two frames so it can be lifted from the front for storage and from the back to tilt the angle of the top).
It is also built like a tank, unlike the ones we had at school. I have had it for 3 years or so now and it still is like new. The only thing i have changed is the top. The door didn’t allow me to get into the storage area easily since it had to lifted up to get in there. This required the whole desk to be cleared to lift it. To fix the problem i wanted the top to be two sections and i couldn’t cut the door b/c it was hollow. So, i just bought a nice piece of smooth wood for the top and cut it in two sections so that i can get into the storage without clearing the whole desk off. It looks a lot nicer without the door also.
So i say be innovative and design your own perfect table to your own specs. Mine has worked out great, cost little and will last forever.
Thanks,
Henry M. Dalton
