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Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

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Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#111

Post by eclarkso »

hardwaresofton wrote: post #48

For those who can afford it, the Uplift Desk[0] is the best desk I've ever used -- very sturdy and there's even a reclaimed wood option. Huge sizes available (if you're into lots of table space) and the resale value is pretty decent (to other nerds/people who want lots of nice looking desk space). Also never had a problem with the motor/setup. You can often order them through local office supply mom & pops IIRC -- wa…

Another upvote from me. Purchased November 2016 for my home office and it's held up very well. I've found the (memory) motor controller a little cheap (it'll just stop and/or switch directions sometimes), but otherwise materials have held up well.

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#112

Post by lultimouomo »

notatoad wrote: post #33
dbcurtis wrote: post #9

Well, on the one hand, it is great to have a replacement for the original controller. At a previous employer I had a Bekant with the stock controller, and those darn things are dreadfully unreliable. We had enough of those desks to get good reliability statistics... and the statistics are awful. So an open source replacement is great. That said: Who the heck needs a motorized desk????? When it came to spending my own…

>In fact, I am pretty sure you can buy just the Skarsta hand crank mechanism. i would love this, but a quick google search suggests it's not true.

I bought the crankable legs only, no top.

The guy at the store did warn me that the legs "might not work with a different top" though, whatever that could mean.

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#113

Post by ar-jan »

xenophon wrote: post #75

I'm the co-founder of an office furniture startup called Bureau (www.bureauwork.com) and thought I'd chime in here. By far the most frequent complaint that came up in our research about cheaper standing desks is their tendency to wobble, along both the front-back axis as well as the side-to-side axis. Generally, there are four reasons a standing desk will wobble: 1) Frame materials: I'd highly recommend a steel frame…

Any comments on the durability and robustness of different lifting mechanisms? Somehow having the functionality of a piece of furniture depend on electricity feels wrong to me, plus there's the chance of the motor breaking.

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#114

Post by eclarkso »

tnorthcutt wrote: post #94
hardwaresofton wrote: post #48

For those who can afford it, the Uplift Desk[0] is the best desk I've ever used -- very sturdy and there's even a reclaimed wood option. Huge sizes available (if you're into lots of table space) and the resale value is pretty decent (to other nerds/people who want lots of nice looking desk space). Also never had a problem with the motor/setup. You can often order them through local office supply mom & pops IIRC -- wa…

+1, very happy with my Uplift desk after ~8 months so far. I would avoid their chairs (not built by them, I would guess) – I ended up returning mine b/c it was very uncomfortable. But the desk is fantastic and I'd buy it again without hesitation.

I think it depends on the chair. I got a Raynor Ergohuman chair and I've really liked it. Not cheap, but a cheaper than HM or Steelcase and I've been very happy with it (it's mesh, and it's hot here in the summer).

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#115

Post by trumped »

eclarkso wrote: post #111
hardwaresofton wrote: post #48

For those who can afford it, the Uplift Desk[0] is the best desk I've ever used -- very sturdy and there's even a reclaimed wood option. Huge sizes available (if you're into lots of table space) and the resale value is pretty decent (to other nerds/people who want lots of nice looking desk space). Also never had a problem with the motor/setup. You can often order them through local office supply mom & pops IIRC -- wa…

Another upvote from me. Purchased November 2016 for my home office and it's held up very well. I've found the (memory) motor controller a little cheap (it'll just stop and/or switch directions sometimes), but otherwise materials have held up well.

what kind of desk can't hold up for 2 years?

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#116

Post by [deleted] »

clairity wrote: post #108
jasode wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The conflicting anecdotes of "wobble" vs "no wobble" of the BEKANT desk in this thread are fascinating. Last year, I played around with the BEKANT standing desk on display at the IKEA store and (in my perception) it wobbled. It's the same type of wobble that a youtuber demonstrated[0]. There are others in this thread that complain about wobble.[1] And yet some people say there's no wobble -- and I believe them . My a…

wait, so do you really believe that all the bekants, after assembly, are perfectly identical so that the only remaining variable is the observer's subjectivity?

[deleted]

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#117

Post by underbluewaters »

sowbug wrote: post #68

Off-topic, but hoping this is the right group of DIY folks who can steer me in the right direction. I'd really like to automate some of the windowshades in my house. My two use cases are opening bedroom shades at sunrise, and closing living-room shades at times during the day when direct sun would heat up the room too much. Every time I've looked into it, there's a wide gap between DIY projects that are labors of lov…

I know you are looking for DIY, but I ended up getting Lutron Serena shades and they are really great. When I compared the cost of standard custom shades vs something with built-in automation it wasn't that big of a cost difference. Custom shades are always just damn expensive with or without motors. They have a 20% off sale very regularly if you order online, which I found my local big-box hardware store would match.

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#119

Post by linsomniac »

hardwaresofton wrote: post #48

For those who can afford it, the Uplift Desk[0] is the best desk I've ever used -- very sturdy and there's even a reclaimed wood option. Huge sizes available (if you're into lots of table space) and the resale value is pretty decent (to other nerds/people who want lots of nice looking desk space). Also never had a problem with the motor/setup. You can often order them through local office supply mom & pops IIRC -- wa…

Looking at the upliftdesk photos, it looks like the desktop and legs are identical to the "Jarvis" desks we got at work a couple years ago. I've had mine for a solid year, some of my coworkers are closer to 2 years.

We haven't had any problems with the ~8 that we've gotten, except one was missing a cable when it arrived and they sent a replacement. I do probably 4-5 up/down cycles a day, with 3 monitors on it, so it gets a bit of a workout.

Re: Open-Source Controller for the IKEA Bekant Standing Desk

#120

Post by Schattenbaer »

hardwaresofton wrote: post #48

For those who can afford it, the Uplift Desk[0] is the best desk I've ever used -- very sturdy and there's even a reclaimed wood option. Huge sizes available (if you're into lots of table space) and the resale value is pretty decent (to other nerds/people who want lots of nice looking desk space). Also never had a problem with the motor/setup. You can often order them through local office supply mom & pops IIRC -- wa…

OT but how does a site like this, selling premium items (all in the over $500 range), think it's a good idea to have a email signup popover dialog hide the actual content?

It's expected for the likes of Buzzfeed and similar clickbait-y sites, but it's a tacky tactic that detracts from the overall premium feel here.

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