Base unit holder / under-desk mount?

[pete]

I'd like to mount mini-tower units underneath some desks, using some kind of (ideally metal) strapping and wondered if someone had a recommendation? I've considered a homebrew approach, but would prefer an existing solution.

Crude ascii diagram

--------------------------------------------------------------
Desk top
--------------------------------------------------------------
                  | |________| |
                  | |        | |
                  | |        | |
                  | |        | |
                  | |________| |
                   =========

I've seen a couple of similar things so far, but they had webbing straps and quick-release buckles, which would be sub-optimal.

[Sirbendy]

We have pods with cages in them, and side desks with the same...we just took one to a local metalworker and said "make us some of these"..I'll try and get some pics tomorrow..

[john]

A local school has done this with some heavy duty nylon straps I think they are, haven't seen them for a good while so cannot remember. They were sold for this job though and designed for it. I will see if I can get some information on them.

[Andrew_C]

CPC sell a half decent nylon strapped version. I'll see if I can survive their web site long enough to find a part number...

[meastaugh1]

We've been using DuoFlex mounts for the last year.

[john]

CPC sell a half decent nylon strapped version. I'll see if I can survive their web site long enough to find a part number...

UNBRANDED | CPU-72BN | Case Accessories | Computer Products | CPC Could be what you are thinking of and could be what I was thinking of, anyway it looks like what I was thinking of even if its not the same make.

[EduTech]

We have something like what you want currently at our school.. now its not a bad idea but just dont get anything that sits flush with the back of the boards under the desk.. as its a bugger when everything gets tangled and you have to replace say a mouse for example during a lesson

But the ones meastaugh1 linked you too seem a better idea might have to think of them in the future

James.

[pete]

Of the people using straps with Nylon webbing, how robust are they? Or, how many have been knocked out of the stapping / had buckles released / etc?

Bonus question: How well do they stand up to a kid swinging round on a chair and slamming their legs into the side of the base unit?

[meastaugh1]

They're not too bad provided the straps are done up tightly (obviously). We haven't had any come out as yet. I would say it's quite difficult to undo the strap whilst they're in position. The worst they've done is just loosen out the excess strap which we'd cable tied up out of the way, so it's not hanging down on the floor.

[klawd]

We bought 70 of these a year ago.

LCD Monitor Arms, Plasma Display, Projector Mounting Solutions - Ergomounts UK

_Very_ heavy duty and sturdy. I have a sample with straps that I thought was too liable to be fiddled with by pupils, resulting in the PC on the floor. For health and safety reasons we went heavy duty, with a lever that can be fixed by putting a screw in so you cant move it back. It was a very good investment.

I think they were around £70 each, but based on the quantity we wanted, it was pretty much a 50% discount.

We still have some left (5x) boxed and ready to go that we never used, if you only wanted a couple.

[altecsole]

We had some under desk mounts, but they just proved to be very popular foot rests. After a while they started to pull out of the underside of the desk; the looser they got the more they were kicked/swung. In the end we had to remove them and put the computers back on the desk.

[torledo]

Have a look at ergotron, they do a number of underdesk mounts for PC base units....imo towers under the desk mounted vertically are not very elegant....if you can get the PC(s) onto it's side or better still use SFF base units the ergotron mounts disguise it very nicely indeed....

can normally get most ergotron stuff through Dell.

[Gibbo]

Check out this:

Computer Mounts - Quality Computer Mounting Brackets for your PC

I'm trying to remember the brand we used last year.

[leco]

Since these under-desk mounts are reliant on four or 6 mounting screws, does the desk have to be fairly robust? I have three users who insist on having the CPU on the floor, because they need the desk space, but the desks are only made of MDF/chipboard and are not very thick. Would the screws actually hold the weight?