Low-profile horizontal sliding mechanism

[Bert Coules]

I did look at those and others similar. In general they were either too bulky and almost industrial looking, or offered a wider range of movements than I need, or both. I do quite like the idea of having the monitors underslung though.

by > the bottom one in cantilever. I don't quite follow that, I'm afraid. I was thinking in terms of bracing for the vertical back panel, to prevent it from toppling forward.

Bert

[John Rumm]

I find that although bulky, I can't actually see any of it since it is hidden by the monitors:

(one or two cables dangle down - but that is just me being lazy with the cable ties!)

I was assuming your panel will be fixed to the wall by the runners. One at the top, one at the bottom...

[Bert Coules]

I find that although bulky, I can't actually see any of it since it is hidden by the monitors... I suspect that having one monitor in portrait mode would make the mount rather more visible than in your case.

I was assuming your panel will be fixed to the wall by the runners. One at the top, one at the bottom... Ah, I see. No, my desk isn't hard against a wall, nor close enough to one for monitors mounted on it to be at a usuable distance. I would have to fix a backboard to the desk and mount the sliding panel on that: hence my comment about imagining the whole thing falling over forwards.

I'm inclining to your suggestion of the liner-rod guide idea; I have to find out what height the top of the bearers would be from the desk, and calculate the advantages or otherwise of routing out the shelf a little to accommodate them. My skills or otherwise with a router haven't be exercised in a good few years...

Bert

[Bert Coules]

LINEAR rod guides, of course. Good grief. Apologies.

Also, what the devil is wrong with my formatting? Quoting a previous message seems to send everything haywire. I'm using Thunderbird and haven't (yet) found anything relevant in the settings options to try tweaking.

[John Rumm]

Perhaps - two single mounts might be better than one double. Also if you are not planning on rotating the monitor so that frequent height adjustment is required, then the more basic non gas strut style mount might be better and smaller.

(I don't actually rotate mine - but find it handy to be able to easily shove them about until I have the optimal position)

Monitor arms sounds easier :-)

But I suppose a desk privacy panel might also work (i.e. a floor length panel say 5' tall that is designed to sit behind a desk and give you some screening and noise insulation (and stop pervs looking up your skirt!)

How about a pole mount with monitors back to back... rotate 180 degrees around the vertical axis to swap which screen is facing you!

[The Natural Philosopher]

use 'Followup' then try Edit->rewrap

[Bert Coules]

Ah, but that removes the possibility of having useful stuff simultaneously visible on both. Nice thought though, as is the privacy panel if one would be sturdy enough.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

That worked, thanks. But it's not exactly instinctive: is there a way of setting it up permanently?

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Update: I decided to try the linear rods (thanks to John Rumm for the suggestion) and here's my first mockup:

It certainly does the job and though I've seen some semi-horror stories about the Chinese units everything seems well finished and smoothly running. I'm not entirely convinced though by the rather industrial look and the slightly harsh noise of the bearers on the rods (though I've added no lubrication in case I decide to return them).

I think perhaps the flat variety might be better suited:

I'll live with the current arrangement for a few days and then see how I feel.

Bert

[jon]

Looks good.

[Bert Coules]

Thanks, Jon. If I stick with the rods I might paint the supports to match the desk.

Bert

[The Natural Philosopher]

You should have used model railway lines and had the flying scotsnan to move them

[Bert Coules]

I would love to have done something like that. There isn't room for a loco sadly, but a low-slung flat truck with raised wheels at each end (to avoid setting the monitors too high) on a short length of 5" gauge track would probably have worked. And maybe it's not too late...

Thanks!

Bert

[Bob Minchin]

Why not use the under mounted type drawer slide that will be designed for a load in the same direction as yours.

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for the suggestion. I considered those but I've decided to try these:

Bert

[Clive Arthur]

<snip>

Just because it hasn't been mentioned - you could simply switch the monitor inputs and pretend you'd moved them.

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for the suggestion but I rather think the reason it hasn't heretofore been mentioned is the simple one that not moving the monitors is the exact opposite of what I want to do.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Final (I think) update:

With both round-rail and linear guides proving less than perfect for various reasons, I searched around again and discovered these very small but extremely tough rubber-wheeled casters which raise the sliding platform no higher than did the flat linear runners and unlike all the other attempted solutions slide gracefully and smoothly in beautiful silence. Thanks to everyone who chipped in with thoughts and suggestions.