By far, the Ergonomic Computer Desk project, has been one of the most popular projects over the years. I finally got our Sketchup Master, Sam Wender, to make a model for the desk. If you go to the project page you’ll be able to download the latest sketchup file as well as see a 3D model that you can spin on 3 axis.
When our customers come to us, they usually have ideas. We love ideas, and helping people to realize their project. Cletus O’Brian came to us with an idea for a shade structure made with pipe and aluminum Kee Lite fittings.
Sometimes, in order to better visualize the project, our internal SketchUp expert, Sam Wender, will produce a drawing. This drawing allows the client to clearly see how all the parts fit together. It also enables us to make sure that we have listed all the appropriate parts for building the structure. The drawing also serves as a basis for further ingenuity. In this case, Cletus modified the design further before he placed his order.
We produce a bill of materials for the project. The client purchases the materials from our web site and has them sent directly to the project location.
Once the ordering process is complete, the real fun begins, the construction of your project. Cletus attached his structure to deck that houses several picnic tables. The structure looks great, and is a tremendous example of what can be constructed with Kee Klamp fittings.
Here’s what Cletus had to say about this project:
Our small community has a beach park that used to have a wooden gazebo but that was destroyed in the hurricanes in 2004. We have been putting up cheap carport awnings for a few years since as the state will not allow permanent structures on the beach anymore. We would have to replace the tarp anywhere from 1 week to 6 months depending on the weather , and the frame would need to be replaced every 3 months to a year depending on how well the “foreign” manufacturer decided to galvanize his poles and fittings. I had seen your fittings used at jobsites for safety railings for years so I thought it might make a good awning. We have a local awning sewer who uses a welder to make awning frames but after talking to the welder it was obvious that the frames were not exactly an engineered product. I showed the awning sewer your sketch and he felt that his custom awning could be tightly snugged against the frame which would help hold the entire structure together. We hope the frame will last for years and the awning itself is rated for 40 MPH winds. We envision taking the awning down any time a tropical storm or larger is on the horizon but the frame is well fastened to our deck and should survive all but a category 3 or higher in our minds. We’ll see!!
Here are some pictures of Cletus’s completed project:
Sam recently designed this set of custom clothing racks for a customer that we are working with. The racks are available in our SketchUp Library so you can download and manipulate them to your liking. If you have any questions about building custom clothing racks like these, please contact us.
Related links: Custom Clothing Racks, More Custom Clothing Racks
Here is a PVC and/or Metal (Aluminum or Galv. Steel) shower stall design. You can check out this project in our Sketchup Library. We hope to do an "Instructable" on this unless someone else beats us to the punch. We ran into someone at the Maker Faire who thought that something like this done in metal would be great for Burning Man (the PVC ones blow away in the desert winds). Here's what Sam had to say:
Made from PVC pipe and fittings, galvanized steel pipe and fittings, or from aluminum pipe and fittings, this is a basic Outdoor Shower Stall. Easy to use Snap Clamps will work great with metal or PVC pipe to quickly and securely clamp tarp material to the pipe for privacy. Leave one side unclamped and you have a door. Another idea is to Snap Clamp tarp on the top/roof of the Shower Stall. Let the tarp sag in the middle, poke a few holes, dump a good five gallons or so of water on the tarp-roof, and you've got yourself a slick way to get clean when out in the green! Other ideas welcome. Hopefully this will get the ball rolling for better designs.
Here is a Soccer Goal made with Kee Klamp pipe fittings. There are several advantages of this configuration. 1) You can break it down and set it up. 2) You can effectively make the goal any size you like by varying the pipe lengths. This solution would work as a permanent or temporary solution. If you're interested in using this type of design to build a sporting enclosure of any type please contact us. You can download the SketchUp file of this setup from the Project Page. You can find netting for this type of soccer frame at Seamar.com.
Other Links: Sports Enclosure
Sam developed this great animation with SketchUp. This animation illustrates how quickly and easily railings made with Kee Klamp fittings can be constructed. For more information on building handrails with Kee Klamp fittings, please visit our handrail page. Sam can help you build your next handrail, please contact him with any questions you might have about building with Kee Klamp fittings.
We have just posted a new Kee Klamp coffee table project in our project ideas section. This project has complete step by step instructions as well as a SkechUp diagram that can be download on its project page.
Check out our other SketchUp Projects
We have posted our truck rack project in the Project Section of our site. In the project section you can download the SketchUp file and you can also see a couple of actual pictures of the completed rack. If you are interested in desigining/building your own custom truck rack please do not hesitate to contact us. For more information on our truck rack please visit the Truck Rack Project Page.
We have developed a new area of our web site devoted to SketchUp components. For sure we’ll be working the bugs for the next couple of weeks, but we wanted to allow you access. In this new section you can browse/search projects and components as well as upload your own. Please notify us if you encounter any difficulties, and like always, we are open to hearing your feedback about how we might make the library (or any area of our site) better. Enjoy!
Visit: http://www.simplifiedbuilding.com/sketchup.php
This is a desk / drafting table designed by Sam with Google’s free SketchUp program. The fittings make it possible to adjust and customize this desk in any way you see fit. The shelves can be swung out in any direction and can be raised and lowered. The fittings are durable so you can tear this down, move it, and it will last assembly after assembly. You might also use the pipe monitor mounts, mentioned in a previous article, to attach computer monitors to the structure.
Sam is our primary customer service rep, so if you have questions about the desk feel free to give him a call. He will be glad to help you design-build your own desk.
Here is a simple design for a bed side monitor stand.
Sam, our customer service rep. and SketchUp designer extraordinaire, has develop a couple of different Sukkah designs to help those who wish to design/build there own Sukkah. SketchUp is a free program available from Google. With Sketchup you can download and manipulate the files on this page. Please contact us if you are interested in designing and building your own Sukkah.
Sketchup Download Files:
Sukkah Frame
Sukkah Frame w/ Cloth
Sukkah Frame w/ Cloth and Bamboo Roof
Related Posts:
View Project and Download SketchUp File
Building portable, durable shade structures was one of the very first applications for the Kee Klamp. If you click on the link above you can download a shade structure designed in Google’s SketchUp program.
This is a 20’ long by 10’ wide by 9’ high simple
shade structure that can be made out of aluminum or cast-iron Kee
Klamp (weldless) fittings, schedule 40 aluminum or steel pipe (or other
kinds of pipe), and uv ray-blocking, and rain, sleet, and snow
protection shade material. Any size shade structure can be constructed
with Kee Klamp and pipe. And you can do it yourself.
We can help you design any size shade structure. Please contact us if you have questions about constructing a shade structure.
Related Entries
Here is an idea in SketchUp for a weldless structural pipe fitting addition. This was originally constructed as a structure to house an RV off of the back of an existing structure. The top and sides were to be covered with some canvas or tarp to protect the vehicle. Download the SketchUp File to see more on how the addition is constructed.
If you have a question about building an addition like this one please contact us.
We are in the process of building a library of Kee Klamp parts to be used with Google’s Free Sketchup Program. Below are three components that were used to build a Simple Shelf.
20-6 - Click to Download
61-6 - Click to Download
MH40-6 - Click to View in Store
Added handrails to outdoor stairs to satisfy home insurance requirements.
See All ProjectsTechnical information on Kee Klamp, Kee Lite and Kee Access components. Data tables and helpful project information included.
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