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Comment by mfkp | Hacker News Reader

The $200 price point seems a bit steep. I have the feeling I could build something similar for half the price using standard Ikea parts.

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You're not wrong, but like many of these sorts of things, how much is your time worth?

This sort of "I could do it myself, cheaper" reaction is pretty common for a lot of things posted on hn. I think it's natural for people (and especially hackers) to have this sort of reaction, I think we must be a lot better at analyzing dollar figures than time investments.

And frankly, it's not a bad impulse to have. We're not all generating income every waking moment. People do have free time they can use to build things for fun.

I'm not even really that big a fan of this design (doesn't really seem to have the ability to switch to sitting without disassembly), but I just don't like seeing things pooh-pooh'd because they cost more than something some of us could do ourselves.

For me, its not a matter of pooh-pooh'ing it because it costs more than something I could do myself. It's more like; damn! $200?! I don't really want to do it myself so I would pay for it but definitely NOT at that price point!

You definitely could. In fact my Ikea standing desk is essentially the same thing. Lack end table with a shelf as a keyboard tray and an extra monitor riser on top. Set me back less than $25.

I've got enough O'Reilly books around to make that without any Ikea bits :)

It is steep when you can buy an IKEA LACK table for $10-20.

http://www.fatjoe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Coffee-Ta...

http://www.fatjoe.co.uk/diy-stand-up-desks

Works for people around 5'9.

You could give them $25 and get the specs to make your own. Based on the design in the video, it looks like it would be fairly easy if you already own a jigsaw.

--EDIT-- After messaging the team, they say a router, some wood, and some elbow grease is all that should be required.

It looks like it doesn't take more than a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Could this be cut with an inexpensive router? If so, the materials and router would probably be like $40 + $80 = $120?

Add $10 for a router bit, but you are exactly right. This could be done by anyone with access to the tools and equipment. And that's ok. Not all ideas/products need to be so complicated that an assembly line needs to produce. Sometimes people just don't want to put in the work to make their own, or can't. I believe there is still a market for this product. They need to pitch this to large occupational health groups. As the creators said, proper standing desks available to most organizations are incredibly expensive and therefore probably not adopted as much as they should be. If you can provide a cheaper option, you will likely find a very successful niche market.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the future of manufacturing and easily manufactured consumer goods.

Why not sell a jig with instructions on how to build the desk, use a $90 router plus materials and create an instant crowdsourced mini standing desk factory? If I make one, I could easily make 5 more in probably half the time. And given the ease of manufacture, I have an almost zero risk chance to learn a new skill.

Sell the franchise (the jig plus instructions) and then others who just want the desk can pay the maker (at the source) an extra $20.

BTW, this design doesn't look stable enough. Needs either a tension wire or a wall support in the front and back.

I think your idea could work if you had multiple items to sell. One desk jig probably wouldn't create enough of an income for a single maker to make it worth it.

Agreed. The other option is the site could provide a way for a group of people to collaborate and make a bunch of items together at one time, co-op style.

Similar to a ceramic mug painting business. Customer walks in, chooses a piece of furniture from the display or catalog. They pick the type of wood they want (plywood to expensive mahogany). Get instruction on how to make it, use the common tools/equipment. Add customizations (paint, extensions, graphics).

Walk out with a new piece of furniture they made themselves but didn't require the huge upfront cost of tools etc.

How apropos because I make fun of paint your own pottery all the time. Ironic.

You still can when you are sitting on your throne made of plywood.

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