Vertical PC Dock Final Report The What

For my final project in Aesthetics of Design, I wanted to create something that wasn’t just functional, but something I’d genuinely use every day, something that felt personal. I spend a lot of time at my desk, whether I’m working, designing, or just decompressing. And for a long time, I’ve been bothered by how much space my laptops take up. I use two regularly, and stacking them one on top of the other just doesn’t work. They overheat, they’re awkward to grab, and they make my desk feel chaotic. This project became an opportunity to clean that up, both visually and physically, while designing something that adds a sense of order and calm to the space I rely on most.

The idea didn’t come out of nowhere. About a year ago, I discovered Oakywood’s dual vertical laptop dock, a minimal, polished accessory made from wood and steel. I really liked the design but couldn’t justify the price, so I settled for a cheap Amazon alternative. It worked, but it didn’t feel great to use, and it definitely didn’t add anything to the space. When I was reviewing the project goals for this class, I happened to be sitting at my desk, looking at that same plastic stand, and realized immediately that this was the perfect opportunity to fix the issue properly and make something better.

My room already reflects a lot of who I am, with books I love and objects that have stories behind them, but my desk has always felt like it was missing something. I like to keep things simple and uncluttered, so every item on the surface needs to feel intentional. It’s hard to make something personal without it becoming visual noise. This stand became a way to introduce meaning without sacrificing simplicity, a functional sculpture in a way. The goal was to build something that not only organizes but elevates the space, a dock that feels like it belongs, that does its job quietly, and adds just enough texture and warmth to make the desk feel finished.

Aesthetic:

The core aesthetic for this project is rustic minimalism with a heavy influence from wabi-sabi, the Japanese design philosophy that finds beauty in natural materials, imperfection, and the passage of time. I’ve always liked the contrast between raw textures and precise geometry, and this was a great chance to lean into that balance.

Wabi-sabi embraces the idea that things don’t have to be flawless to be beautiful. That shows up in my material choices—wood with visible grain, cracks, and even small imperfections like wormholes. Rather than hiding those, I wanted to showcase them. But I also wanted the piece to feel clean and refined. So the goal was to strike a balance: raw on the outside, but intentional in every detail.

Visually, I was also drawn to Scandinavian modernism for its clean lines and warm wood tones, and to industrial minimalism for its honesty in materials. I explored both early on—considered using untreated steel or polished pale wood—but they didn’t quite match the warmth and rugged authenticity I was going for. In the end, I took bits from each and created something that feels uniquely mine.

Initial Ideas and Design:

My initial ideas for the design were driven entirely by the aesthetic I had in mind. I was really motivated to use old wooden beams, something with character, history, and texture, and combine that with a clean, modern look. I wanted to build something that felt new but was grounded in something aged and imperfect. That’s when I started thinking about using the CNC router table. It would allow me to add modern design features like clean slots and sharp venting cuts while still preserving the natural feel of the wood. I didn’t want to hide the knots, cracks, or grain. I wanted those features to stand out, to be part of the story.

The very first sketches were rough. They helped me think through basic scale and proportions—how wide the base needed to be for stability, how much space two laptops would take side by side, and where airflow openings might go. After that, I moved quickly into CAD to get more specific with dimensions, spacing, and tolerances.

At first, the CAD model seemed solid. But once I started working with real materials, a few things didn’t feel right. The footprint was too narrow, some of the tabs were too weak, and overall, the sizing didn’t translate well into physical space. So I made changes. I thickened the base, strengthened the structural tabs, and refined the slot layout to better support the weight and balance of the devices.

One of the biggest improvements was adding adjustability to the center panel. I designed it to slide by loosening two screws at the bottom, so the dock can fit different device widths without compromising the overall look. I also added venting cutouts along the interior faces, both for airflow and as a visual detail that supports the overall rhythm of the design. These choices reflect the balance I’ve been aiming for—letting function and aesthetic work together so that nothing feels out of place or overdesigned.

Manufacturing Process:

The manufacturing process started well before I ever touched the wood. I spent a lot of time refining the CAD model, making sure every dimension, feature, and slot placement was exactly where it needed to be. Since I planned to use a CNC router, the model also had to be clean and compatible with 2D DXF file output, which the router software required.

The first real step was sourcing the material. This ended up being more difficult than I expected. Most reclaimed or rustic beams are expensive and typically sold in large quantities, which didn’t make sense for a small project like this. After some searching, I finally found a barn wood specialist near Denver who sold me an offcut. The piece had beautiful grain and the kind of imperfections I was hoping for.

Once I had the wood and my finalized CAD drawings, I went to the woodshop to start cutting the pieces to their rough external dimensions. This turned out to be more challenging than I thought. Because it was old reclaimed wood, the shop wouldn’t let me use the table saw due to its SawStop feature, which could be triggered by hidden nails. Instead, I had to use the bandsaw for all of my cuts. While it worked, the blade can flex slightly, and some of my cuts weren’t perfectly straight, which added some complications later on.

After prepping the pieces, I moved on to generating the DXF files for the router table. The machine at the Idea Forge uses its own toolpath software, so I worked with the technician there to program the paths and depths based on my CAD drawings. I was fortunate that he was able to help with the setup. I provided detailed drawings and explained exactly what I wanted, and he handled the rest.

This was actually the first time that particular router table was being used for a student project, so there were some calibration issues. Unfortunately, this caused some of the machining to be slightly off-center, which made the slots misaligned. Even though some parts were slightly misaligned I still got very close to the final product I envisioned. I also used the lasercutter to cut out the base plate to which all the parts are mounted too.

Final Product Images:

Sources and References:

1. Oakywood. Dual Vertical Laptop Stand. Retrieved from:
   https://oakywood.shop/products/dual-vertical-laptop-stand

2. House of Forme. The Art of Wabi-Sabi. Retrieved from:
   https://www.houseofforme.com/mood/the-art-of-wabi-sabi

3. Vintage Wood Floors. Solid Wood Beams. Retrieved from:
   https://vintagewoodfloors.com/products/solid-wood-beams

4. Time Graphics. Timeline Editor. Retrieved from:
   https://time.graphics/editor

5. OpenAI. ChatGPT. Used as a writing refinement tool.