Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I was moved to a new cubicle in the middle of the "cube farm" out of the suite we were in. There is a giant triangular space overhead where I sit, and the lights are pretty damn annoying. I was contemplating building a pergola/trellis type thing over my immediate sitting area. I have a bunch of plants a pathos in particular that I would like to drape over the rails at the top. Here is the area that I have where I'm going to put this thing. (My version of sketchup) I was thinking I'd build it out of some pine milled to 1" x 2" by whatever lengths I need (it's for something at work that I am not looking to spend a lot of money on) I was trying to think of the best way to build, transport and assemble at work. I don't want to glue anything while at work, and I don't really think a drill or electric screwdriver at work would be a good idea. I was thinking maybe build the panels with through mortises and slip it all together and lock together with tusk tenons and I'll just tap em in with a small hammer. It doesn't really need to support too much weight. Thoughts on quick ways to assemble panels while still maintaining some rigidity and strength that won't require power tools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Think half laps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Half laps no glue Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I was thinking of half laps for the grid panels. Those will be assembled in my shop and glued Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 How about an umbrella, with a bucket of cold coronas underneath? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Assuming ply for the top? I had to do something similar for work. I use a 3/4 splice piece under it. Just pull the seam tight together and then screw the splice piece on the under side. Mine held up well for about 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Cube farm.... reminds me of my first big company job. I started there in 1998, by 2000 things were going bad for the company and they were firing people pretty much every week. If you got fired, you had about 30 minutes to clean out your cube while security watched on. We hired a lot of Big 10 grads and they all had their cubes decorated in college paraphenalia - posters, big fuzzy fingers, penants, etc. You can take the boy out of the frat house but you can't take the frat house out of the boy. One guy had to make the decision between bringing home his gold fish bowl and his set of Illini bobble heads. After watching those poor SOBs do the corporate walk of shame I vowed to never be in their shoes. I have been at the same company for 14 years now and I last count I have moved offices/desks/cities 15 times. I can still fit all of my belongings in a single banker's box. If I ever get fired I will just leave it all behind. I have literally nothing I care about at work. But back to your original post.... build it from something you'd be happy to leave behind. You might not be able to take it with you Also, in our building it is some sort of infringement on the union building services people to do any work like that yourself. I can't even hang a picture or change a light bulb. If so I might get a giant inflatable rat outside my office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Haha we all turned out our lightbulbs. I wonder how long until facilities changes that. Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Maybe you could ask for a different ballast cover, different bulbs or just take the bulbs out (like you did). I think the pergola is a bad idea, to much work for improving a cube. But if you wanted to go ahead, dry fitting dominos could work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodbutcher74 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 You could criss cross some bamboo poles and zip tie them together. Kinda get the tropical feel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 It's gonna sit on the desk.picture a corner shelf with a trellis like grid Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Bolts and nuts for final assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I just want to see this thing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I just want to see this thing!!! Working drawing it up. I've got an idea in my head of what it's going to look like Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weithman5 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 get a cheap used sail and large dowel. set it up on the edge so it looks like a boat then the bucket of corona... more seriously why not just some cotter pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Tiki cube would be awesome Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I'm tellin' ya man, go all Gilligan's Island on this thing. Bamboo, palm fronds, install a hammock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denette Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Only on Woodtalk. Lol. You should sneak it in one piece at a time, then suddenly assemble it one day, then don a Hawaiian shirt and drink from a coconut all day once it goes up. Perhaps add a cd of some beach ambient noise. Sounds foolproof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Then you could bring MaryAnn to work ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I read this as hanging from the ceiling, Correct? Through tenons, rabbet the upper side, drop in your ply. on the bottom facing the floor rabbet in the ply, and use a little turning key to hold that in place.... Paint it, oil it wrap in in paper mache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Then you could bring MaryAnn to work ! This right here is why Steve is a mentor. Dude is always spot on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Just upsize this:http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Paper-Umbrella-using-posters-and-off/ Materials should already be at the office! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I'm envisioning something like this with no lower shelf. The side panels as a grid like a trellis, and the top semi open with beams running across the top like a pergola. The sides would be 4 feet wide, 3 feet tall the top would be a triangle with Maybe a smaller shelf, and mirror so I can see if people are behind me looking for attention or of they are just prairie dogging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Could you go in early and change the switch to a dimmer switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Lol the switches are locked away somewhere. To give you an idea of light spacing, there are 4 4 foot t12 bulbs every 8 feet in each direction. When I was at the help desk there were 21 banks of 4 lights in a room 36 x 32 Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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