Environment

Design is an integral part of my life, not just at work or in the shop, but also at home in my personal environment. I don't hesitate to modify and improve or create entirely new items to enhance my living space. From the sand-blasted glasses in my cupboard to the computer workspace that I'm writing all this from. It's all been customized by me, and I'm content with the result. Listed below are some examples of things I've created or improved upon.

I spend a lot of time working with my computer. Some of the things I notice that I would like to see improved I have not seen offered as any furniture or computing accessory. All of the pictured items, are fully fabricated by me to try and improve the overall usability of my computing workspace. On the left is an adjustable monitor stand. I have a large monitor that takes up a lot of space. While this item takes up a minimal amount of space itself, it is able to support a heavy montor and position anywhere along the supporting shaft. The monitor arm telescopes inward and outward and the platform rotates freely around. There are slots in the platform for wire management. Many of the components are intentionally hollow to allow for additional management of wiring.
The mousepad is a custom aluminum adjustable slotted bracket. I used custom urethane castings to exactly match the contour of the metal structure of the chair I intended to mount this to. This platform is able to adjust up or down as well as tilt to any comfortable angle. The pad itself has a gel-pad integrated wrist support and a textured surface to promote proper mouse operation.
The computer case shown to the left is my most recent work, and is a work in progress. I plan to fabricate the outside housing from perferated metal or possibly finished wood. The internal framework is a welded steel chassis from a much larger system. The motherboard, drives, and power supply are arranged inline, and the case as a whole is roughly 20% narrower than a typical computer box. The added height allows for conveninent access to indicator lights, and drives. I plan to complete this project soon.

To the right, you can see my entertainment center. I have a NEC video projector wired into my system as well as my computer. With this I can project an image up to 8' across onto the far wall of my living room. I fabricated a set of royal-blue movie theatre curtains with iron rods and trim to cover the screen area. I'm still considering installing a remotely controlled motorized open/close mechanism.

To the right and of the screen is a medieval sword from my collection. The original hilt of this sword is the only unmodified part of this decorative item. I crafted the handle with a custom textured rubberized coating, and re-shaped the formerlly dull blade. The cherry-stained plaque was cut, beveled, accented and lacquered by me as well. Finally, the steel hangars were added to complete the mounting.

I have a set of glasses in our kitchen which I found ideal for sandblasting my own designs into. This process makes for a permanent and attractive decoration in my opinion.