Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#31

Post by stephenapple » Wed, Aug 01, 2012, 7:09 AM UTC

tgasson wrote: post #26

ktizo wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given that almost everyone has their screens too low usually, I'm not so sure. Middle of the screen should be eye level if you sit looking to the horizon with a straight back, would be nice if it was vertically adjustable admittedly. The chair is a little low in that picture though for the height of the keyboard maybe.

Conventional knowledge says the top of the screen should be eye-level. Just google monitor ergonomics.

Thanks! Yes, first time I sat down to use it I thought, "Uh oh..." But now I find the experience to be quite immersive with the monitor close and vertical. Right, now that I look at it the chair is low. Usually the arm rests meet the height of the desk which seems to be the optimal height.

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#32

Post by pacomerh » Wed, Aug 01, 2012, 7:31 AM UTC

stephenapple wrote: post #29

pacomerh wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah, I recently replaced my piano with an Williams Overture 88 ($500), midi out, headphones, weighted keys, sounds just like the real thing.

Nice! This was my first thought... digitize it! Didn't want to spend the cash for the keyboard though so it ended up being a desk. I would love to convert it into a digital keyboard one day.

Yeah, and that wouldn't be that hard, you can get a roland controller, one of the slim ones and just hook it up to the computer with some vst plugins.

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#33

Post by re » Wed, Aug 01, 2012, 7:41 AM UTC

There are pictures of a few piano desks someone else made here: http://www.tinkertunes.com/upright-furniture-co

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#34

Post by ktizo » Wed, Aug 01, 2012, 7:48 PM UTC

tgasson wrote: post #26

ktizo wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given that almost everyone has their screens too low usually, I'm not so sure. Middle of the screen should be eye level if you sit looking to the horizon with a straight back, would be nice if it was vertically adjustable admittedly. The chair is a little low in that picture though for the height of the keyboard maybe.

Conventional knowledge says the top of the screen should be eye-level. Just google monitor ergonomics.

I did ergonomics as part of my course at uni. Having the top of the screen at eye level means your gaze is always from level and down, this is not good practice and encourages a hunched posture as you will tend to aim your head at the middle of the screen and use upward eye movement to look at the top of the screen. Having the center of the screen at eye level keeps your neck straight and there is plenty of movement in they eye itself to look to the top of the screen without having to tilt your head back, even when fairly close to a screen. The major exception to this is when wearing bifocals.

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#35

Post by ktizo » Wed, Aug 01, 2012, 11:26 PM UTC

ktizo wrote: post #34

tgasson wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conventional knowledge says the top of the screen should be eye-level. Just google monitor ergonomics.

I did ergonomics as part of my course at uni. Having the top of the screen at eye level means your gaze is always from level and down, this is not good practice and encourages a hunched posture as you will tend to aim your head at the middle of the screen and use upward eye movement to look at the top of the screen. Having the center of the screen at eye level keeps your neck straight and there is plenty of movement…

However I am re-reviewing the literature and might be able to be convinced that having it slightly lower is better, but I still think that having the top of the screen at eye level is too low. Has been ages since I looked at this properly, so I might be suffering from reality-distortion.

Re: Show HN: Recycled a piano into a work desk

#36

Post by malbs » Thu, Aug 02, 2012, 12:59 AM UTC

ebun wrote: post #27

malbs wrote: post #24

Years ago I recycled an old 8-ball table into a desk. Utilising a claw hammer to take off one side of the table rails, so as to be flush with the table surface. I threw away my mouse pad. Best table ever, it was amazing for FPS gaming.

Any photos?

Nah sorry - it was 19 years ago!