DIY standing desk add-on

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Those things are expensive for a reason.

I'd consider making something like pic related. You're not going to be able to fiddle with it constantly, but you will be able to adjust it.

I just use a standing height desk and a drafting chair (any tall adjustable chair works) for when I want to sit down. Much simpler.

>>1018690
what are you going to use the desk for? how much weight does it need to hold?

>>1018690
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOk8bs6zEW4
This man makes a convertible standing/sitting desk out of plywood, palletwood, and welded square beams.

There's also a linear actuator or two in there and some control electronics, but you couldn't possibly be so sad as to be unable to figure that out.

>>1019063
Also, I am obligated to tell you that standing desks are a cancerous fad and will give you varicose veins after long periods of standing.

This is because in normal situations, the force that does the majority of the blood pushing in your veins are your skeletal muscles. It accomplishes this by simply contracting (walking). No movement, (minimal) no cycling of blood.

Over time, the pressure built up by the blood pooling in your lower extremities will burst the valves in your veins, causing varicose veins.

Incidentally, the occupation with highest risk of contracting varicose veins are school teachers due to their habit of standing for long periods of time without moving.

If you want to have a standing desk that doesn't give you painful bulging veins, then you should install a treadmill. It provides all of the advantages of standing desks without any of the downsides, except for fatigue if you're a tub of lard.

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>>1018690
The usual problem with building an adjustable-height standing/sitting desk is that it's pretty difficult to build a mechanism that can adjust in height and that won't be wobbly.

If you have access to metalworking equipment (a milling machine, or a drill press and angle grinder) and welding equipment, you could maybe do something that would work well. You will be using steel for the mechanical parts, not wood.

You are wasting your time if all you have is hand tools and wood.
You'd do better to just build a couple boxes to put your normal desk on top of to raise it to standing level, and then just get a high chair (as someone else said).
This way the desk will still feel solid and will have all the drawers at a convenient height--plus you can use the lifting boxes for storage space too, if they're built with one side open.

pic unrelated

>>1019067
What about those balance boards?
I expect that is enough movement to keep your blood pumping and a lot smaller than a big ass treadmill under a desk.

>>1018690
Get some piano hinges and a sheet of plywood.
Then scale up the design of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBXn-0MjiQI

You'll probably want three wings for stability. They'll stick out about 8".

You have to figure out a locking mechanism, and perhaps a dampener system for lowering it.

>>1019978
Maybe. It's certainly better than standing, but people have a tendency to... balance on a balance board.

A treadmill is preferable because it actually forces you to move to stay on.