I need more desk space

I will be purchasing a used 5er next year and full timing.  However I've been thinking that I require more desk space than is typically available.  An example floor plan is at http://www.tripleerv.com/products/topaz/images/floorplans/FS340RL_full.jpg    In that particular jpg the computer station looks quite large but really the area to the top of the chair is almost certainly the TV.  Here's a typical image of desk space.  http://media.photobucket.com/image/fifth%20wheel%20computer%20desk/tucsonrv/2004_Holiday_Rambler_Presidential_36SKQ_5th_wheel/DSC02592.jpg Here's another http://media.photobucket.com/image/fifth%20wheel%20computer%20desk/tucsonrv/2006%20Montego%20Bay%2034RLB3%205th%20Wheel/DSC03108.jpg
 
I need space for my laptop, ergonomic keyboard and wrist rest which is 28", external 24" monitor and HF radio.  (Maybe 2 external monitors.)  Now the monitors will go on arms so they're above the desk.  The laptop might be able to go into a drawer if such is large enough and convenient enough.  I would be using an external DVD reader/burn so wouldn't require physical access to the laptop much.  (Although it would likely be powered down at night when boondocking.) 


Also I don't currently own a TV and have no plans of ever purchasing a TV.  If I want to watch a movie, I will put the laptop in my lap. 

So I'm thinking rip out the TV and some stuff and make a largish desk.  Maybe with a drop area for my keyboard and wrist rest.  HF radio off to the left.  The HF radio is about the size of a largish laptop but about 8" or 10" tall.

Finally, depending on the layout of the 5er which I would purchase, I might want to add small windows to the front and back of the slide.  That is the windows would be facing forward and back in the direction of travel of the 5er.  There will be a window straight out but I'm thinking I'd like to see sideways too just because I'd like to.

Comments?  Suggestions?  Criticisms?

I cannot speak exactly to your problem, but will tell you how I solved a similar one for me.

I am still prototyping this, but am using the space that was my dinette with two installed bench seats, which is originally approx 72 inches wide between the seat uprights with the cushions removed. I bought three 12" wide,  48" long melamine shelves at Lowe's and just laid them across my dinette table.

There is enough space for my keyboard, a 21" flat screen monitor (important because of the small table footprint), a second similar monitor, a laptop side saddle on one side and a scanner on the other, with two tower desktops at the left side sitting where the cushions were.

Obviously, this caused us to give up the dinette, which we did not use, and I need the office space because I work full time out of the coach.

What might be the most important information for you from this is that the 48 inches wide table space with 36 inches of depth would hold about anything you needed, and sounds like at least all of your gear. I use a standard office chair and I am extremely comfortable with this footprint.

Ultimately, I will have a new table top built when we get somewhere with a cabinet shop that is roughly these dimensions and have it designed with cleats to slip over the existing table top and piano hinges in the center to facilitate storage when we change locations. I have not destroyed anything to make this work, which was one of the design goals. The space can be returned to original in minutes.

This might not work at all for your spot, but I was amazed at how much space is actually available if you rethink what you use it for. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Kim

skyking4ar2 said:

I am still prototyping this, but am using the space that was my dinette with two installed bench seats, which is originally approx 72 inches wide between the seat uprights with the cushions removed.
<interesting idea snipped>
I have not destroyed anything to make this work, which was one of the design goals. The space can be returned to original in minutes.

Click to expand...

Hmm, I think I've seen you post on this topic once before and I forgot about it.  It is an interesting idea.  Now I don't need the extra towers.  I've been working on a laptop exclusively now for about 6 or 7 years.  I'm a software developer/programmer.  So maybe I should consider your approach for a while. 

Hmm, yes, I've been thinking that I didn't want to eliminate the dinette space because one of my goals is to visit friends and family and invite them over for supper/BBQ.  OTOH the gear could be packed away in just a few minutes.

I built a computer desk to meet my needs in the RV. I have a 20" monitor and use a mini-desktop system, which is under the desk along with my All-in-one printer. The space requirement isn't that much - I was more concerned with having a comfortable chair for the many hours I spend there.

In the photo below, the extension table on the side is fold down, to get it out of the way for travel. That's where the pizza & beer goes.  The top has plenty of room for 20" monitor, keyboard & mouse. The drawer holds the usual mish-mash of gear and the cpu and prnter fit easily underneath. I keep a laptop under there too, for the times I need to go mobile.

One of the reasons we are still prototyping is because of how the office came to be in the motorhome. Our decision to go full time was somewhat abrupt and I just moved my residential office into the motorhome with no changes (except for jettisoning my LaserJet printer because of the weight -  )

I do need a lot of work space because of the amount of notes taken during conference calls, documentation to pour through, etc., so just enough room for a keyboard doesn't work for me.

The next iteration will be to replace the towers. I have to have multiple connections to the database server farms because of different security issues, etc. so it's easier to have different processors on switches. I will probably end up with one tower, using VMware to replicate the different connections. I also have to have the redundancy of multiple disk drives, so the tower cases manage that.

If I can get the thing down to one desktop, one business laptop, and one personal laptop, I will be fine. Pretty sure I will be another 100#'s lighter in the bargain.

It's a process!

We will be able to restore the dinette to use, like you say, with piano hinges and a good design, we think. Seriously doubt there is just one solution.

skyking4ar2 said:

I do need a lot of work space because of the amount of notes taken during conference calls, documentation to pour through, etc., so just enough room for a keyboard doesn't work for me.

<snip>
If I can get the thing down to one desktop, one business laptop, and one personal laptop, I will be fine. Pretty sure I will be another 100#'s lighter in the bargain.
<snip>
Seriously doubt there is just one solution.

Click to expand...

Yup, sounds interesting and yes there is more than one solution.

Now I generally only work for 2 or 3 clients and they are usually 1 to 4 week projects so I don't need a lot of notes.  I also *LOVE* MS OneNote for random notes.  I just installed Office 2010 Pro and it looks like they've improved OneNoet significantly.

I do all my software testing using Virtual PC.  I use an external USB 7200 RPM hard drive for the virtual hard drives.  My laptop has dual CPUs so I don't even notice the process while the VPC sessions are starting up shutting down.  Now I can sorta see why you'd want a work laptop and a personal laptop.  Me, I'm self employed so that's not a concern.  But I'd do my best to get rid of all the extra systems. 

As far as hard drive space goes I will almost certainly be purchasing the DLink DNS-343 NAS and putting on monthly copies of all my backups for the last 10 or 14 year, DVD movies and so forth.  http://www.dlink.ca/products/?pid=667  Actually I will buy 2 or 3 and use the others as offsite backups.

And yes I will likely be getting rid of my HP Colour LaserJet printer.  I originally had purchased the LJ because mother wanted to do a family history and I figured what the heck, the duplexing would be nice for that.  But otherwise the 2 or 4 pages I need to print a month can easily be done by going to a Staples or whatever. 

Scanning is a bit trickier.  I might keep the the flat bad scanner in storage in the 5er and pull it out as required.    Which won't be often.  I purchased a Brother scanner/printer with a 10 page automatic document feeder for about $120.  I printed off of it until the ink ran out and have never refilled the cartridges.    Brother lost money on that sale.  ;D ;D  I wanted the ADF because there are times when that is quite useful.

Now if I did want a TV and if I did rip out the current TV I think I'd setup a projecter mounted in the center back, above the arm chairs, with a pull down screen an appropriate distance forward.  And move or setup speakers accordingly. 

Ok, so if I'm watching Lord of the Rings and I have to go to the washroom in between the DVDs I'd have to duck under the screen.  Oh well.    8)

I believe a willingness to compromise is a key element in this lifestyle. I don't think rigid works here very well.