Weekend progress

I made some good progress this weekend, but obviously didn't get everything done (that was never going to happen).

After a quick trip to B&Q for a couple of sheets of MDF and some sawhorses I took the cockpit apart and carried it all down to the back garden, where it was sunny for once.

I cut 10cm off the depth of the top of the cockpit so it was the same width as the supports, and trimmed the edge where it was a little too long. I've based the cockpit measurements on a width of 6' (as MDF comes in this length it reduces cutting) but the top was an old piece of timber I had lying around, so it was a little too long.

The sawhorses made the cutting so much easier, as did a new wood blade for my jigsaw. I'm getting pretty straight cuts now.

Anyway, with the top reduced to 6' wide by 40cm deep (forgive my mixing of measurement systems) I cut the 6' x 4' sheet of 12mm MDF I had bought to the same size. I then trimmed the three upright supports so that the height of the whole thing would be the same as the back, which is made of 6mm MDF.

Once it was all reassembled it was much less wobbly, even without the battens I had been using to brace the upright supports when it didn't have a base.

I also reattached the MIP supports to the top using angle brackets instead of the Heath Robinson battens I had used before.

I doesn't look much different, but the whole unit is more stable, 10cm less in depth, and a couple of centimetres lower. This gives me a lot more room behind me, so I can sit further back and not be so cramped.

I decided not to make the monitor support until I know exactly how high it needs to be.

The consoles have had a rethink too, I'll post separately about them.

I've added some pictures.