Need Input - Storage Table Design Ideas

[Flack]

Here is what I've got so far. I would like to hear some input from everyone. Do you think it will work well? What would you do differently?

LINK TO DRAWING HERE (http://68.12.156.214:533/temp/table.jpg)

What I'm trying to come up with is a gaming storage unit on wheels that can roll in between me and my projector screen whenever I'm gaming. The top two drawings show the front and the back. There will be shelves on both sides to hold multiple gaming consoles, computers, and their controllers. On the side there will be a switchbox and a hole where wires will come out and connect to my projector.

The third drawing down shows an aerial view of my gameroom, and the bottom one shows a side view of the table.

What do you guys think? LIke I said, what would you do differently? I want to put it on wheels so when we're watching movies or nothing at all I can wheel this table up against the wall out of the way. Also, being on wheels means I can rotate it depending on what system I want to play. I really want to try and work all the kinks out of this thing before I start sawing.

[chadtower]

URL not working for me.

[Mr. Smashy]

What I would do if I were in your position would be to leave the laptop out of the equation (for now, anyway). I'd also leave the top of the desk open and put the cartridge-based systems (and the Dreamcast) on the top shelves just to facilitate changing carts. Better yet, you could give it a top that's easily removable for when you'd want to place your laptop (or feet, pizza, whatever) on top of it.

The PS2, Xbox, and (I think) Commodore 64 don't need much top clearance beyond their vertical dimensions so it might suit them better to be placed on the bottom. Same goes for the standard NES and just about every other tray-loading CD-based system.

[Flack]

What I would do if I were in your position would be to leave the laptop out of the equation (for now, anyway). I'd also leave the top of the desk open and put the cartridge-based systems (and the Dreamcast) on the top shelves just to facilitate changing carts. Better yet, you could give it a top that's easily removable for when you'd want to place your laptop (or feet, pizza, whatever) on top of it.

The PS2, Xbox, and (I think) Commodore 64 don't need much top clearance beyond their vertical dimensions so it might suit them better to be placed on the bottom. Same goes for the standard NES and just about every other tray-loading CD-based system.

I toyed with the idea of making the top hinged down the middle, so each side could open up, but seeing as through simply cutting a straight line is pushing my carpentry skills, I doubt that's going to happen.

The laptop isn't really there, I just was kind of doodling and came up with the idea that on that one side of the shelf I need to make sure I have a LAN connection (for both the laptop and any other consoles that allow online gaming). PLus I want to have an easily accessable power plug in for my laptop. So yeah it won't be up there all the time, just when I want to play Ghost Recon or emulators on a big ass screen.

[Ed Oscuro]

Your link is water damaged! LOL

I like how you've got the right number of controllers from each system. That said, it's as if they're all supposed to be the same size. How tall would it be for you to put carts in easily? I personally like to have nothing but ceiling above myself when trying to swap carts...not that I'm clumsy or anything, just is nice to have some room. It's still a neat idea, just worried about space.

[Mr. Smashy]

I toyed with the idea of making the top hinged down the middle, so each side could open up, but seeing as through simply cutting a straight line is pushing my carpentry skills, I doubt that's going to happen.

I had considered that. It would be easy to pull off and might look pretty cool if you went with Plexiglas. To have the pieces cut for you if you, just go to Home Depot and they should be able to take care of it.

[Flack]

Oooooh. Plexy would be cool as hell. I don't know the first thing about working with it though. Plus if it's plexi-glass I can't paint that big ass Pac-Man on the top of the table I was planning. :)