Trying to decide if I should add more plywood to the already reinforced crappy 3rd-hand particle-board desk I've been using as my home office for years, in the interest of not buying new things.

[scrivolical@nexus.torment.ca]

@sundogplanets Is buying Mennonite-made or Amish-made furniture a possibility in your area? Buying new isn’t benefiting a massive megacorp (less guilt), and their sturdy stuff lasts decades. They could probably deliver.

[greg_harvey@tooting.ch]

@sundogplanets As someone using a frequently repaired/modified 20 year old IKEA wooden table, that has served in two countries, as a desk I wholeheartedly encourage the reinforcement approach. All you need is a flat surface that's large enough and the right height from the ground, no?

[humtotable@sfba.social]

@sundogplanets Not frivolous at all! A good desk makes a difference. Especially for someone like you doing such important work. Treat yourself!

[rbmath@mathstodon.xyz]

@HumToTable @sundogplanets I would second this. With a couple questions that might help, how much time do you spend at your desk? How often do you get frustrated at the lack of space, or some other aspect of the deal? Can you, easily, modify the desk to address these frustrations? Can you get a new desk that addresses most of the frustrations?

[melkyway@fouroclockfarms.club]

@sundogplanets it is also hoof trimming day here; i hope this isn't foreshadowing...

[gdjp@mastodon.sdf.org]

@sundogplanets

Maybe this will be helpful information? Depending on where and what the damage is, plywood glued properly to the particle board would likely do a good job. The thickness of the plywood depends on what the actual repair is. I'm not a wood worker, but I am decent at repurposing materials for extended useful life.
https://woodworkingadvisor.com/how-to-repair-mdf/

[human3500@ottawa.place]

@sundogplanets We came for the astronomy, but the goats are keeping us here.

[mightybigcar@montereybay.social]

@human3500 @sundogplanets forget Shark Week - we're looking forward to Goat Week!

[johnjburnsiii@kzoo.to]

@sundogplanets

For about 20 years - I had a plywood desk that I built - but I tiled the top with ceramic 2" tiles. Still have it - but don't use it anymore. Fairly heavy and not easy to modify it.

If I were to do something like that again - I would likely use vinyl / laminate floor material - but smooth surface not fake wood grain.

Laminate would be easy and smooth. But you will need something to stop keyboard from sliding.

[jrp@hub.kliklak.net]

@Prof. Sam Lawler I'd get solid wood directly from a treecutter, and make sure it originates from a dead tree and has dried outside for some years at least.
Smoothly planed and naturally waxed.

This should have the smallest carbon footprint you can get.
Anything plywood is a chemical mess for the glue alone. And when it gets to MDF or plastic/vinyl/etc coated stuff it just gets dirtier and dirtier.

[djtoebeans@mendeddrum.org]

@sundogplanets Goat Chaos feels like a great name for a band or something.

[lisettedeboer@mastodon.social]

@HumToTable @sundogplanets I totally second this. Working circumstances are important. They add to your own wellbeing and work at the same time. Treat yourself to a large desk that you can sit and stand behind. I've invested in a fairly expensive Ikea one when the first lockdown hit and have not regretted for one second.

[gustavinobevilacqua@mastodon.cisti.org]

@sundogplanets

I found a good source of free plywood offcuts at the cutting service of our equivalent of Home Depot.
Not large pieces, but a lot of them.

[bashstkid@mastodon.online]

@sundogplanets Kinetic theory of goats says their mean free path will fill any container.

[human3500@ottawa.place]

@mightybigcar
We must have goat week. We must. #GoatWeek
@sundogplanets

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

@MelkyWay I have to spread out hoof trimming over several days, my hands can't do all of them. So this is day 2 of hoof trimming!

I got 19 out of 20 planned hooves done yesterday (5 goats, only one ran off before I was done). Today I gave up after the escape (which was only goat #4 and only got 3 of her hooves). So.. tomorrow I've got 2 goats who haven't been trimmed, and 2 goats who only have 1 hoof left but they are the escapees...

Hope yours goes smoothly!

[melkyway@fouroclockfarms.club]

@sundogplanets i got only one hoof to a sensitive area, and a single head butt, so i think I came out on top this time.

The small one, despite being only 30 or so pounds, puts up the most fight, but the big one just screams bloody murder the whole time, so it's really my ears that take the beating

[nxskok@cupoftea.social]

@human3500 @sundogplanets ah yes, not unlike marking exams (except that the exam papers don't normally run off)

[mycrowgirl@flipping.rocks]

@MelkyWay Your ears that take the *bleating.

I regret nothing. @sundogplanets

[famousringo@mstdn.ca]

@sundogplanets it is okay to have nice things.

A quality desk is useful for doing stuff and will last for decades. You can hand it down to your kids. I have very little furniture I bought myself, most of it came from my parents and grandparents.