OFFICE DIY
great resource.
My next stop was the discount “as-is” section of Ikea, where I snatched a display-model
Galant table, frame, and T-leg combo for $60.
2. Tear everything apart.
I began construction in the way that any good
mash-up project begins: by tearing everything
apart. I unscrewed and unplugged everything
I could find on the treadmill until I was left
with just the tread, the upright frame, and the
touch-panel control unit (Figure A).
One main control cable ran through a leg
of the treadmill from the control panel to the
motor below. There was also an audio cable,
a cable running to the hand-grip heart rate
monitor, and an extra heart rate cable that led
to nothing. The idea behind treadmill desks is
to walk slowly for long periods of time, rather
than to get your heart pounding, so I yanked
out all the heart rate cables and sensors.
A
3. Mount the tabletop.
Prying the rubber handgrips off each side
revealed horizontal supports at a good height
for the table. So I drilled a hole through the
posts and bolted on a 2× 4 that was long
enough to span the Galant table frame.
After removing the frame from the tabletop,
I chose 2 holes on the frame that lined up well
with the 2× 4, drilled holes through the 2× 4,
and bolted the frame on top (Figures B and C).
Things looked good except for the 2 upright
posts that would prevent the tabletop from
being installed. I had 2 options: either cut
off the posts or notch out the tabletop. My
tools and expertise were better matched to
notching the table, so I proceeded to carefully
measure and cut the holes with a drill and
jigsaw. Then I screwed the tabletop to the
frame from below.
C
B
TIP: When cutting through a laminated surface (like
most Ikea stuff), stick masking or packing tape over your
cut line to prevent the laminate from chipping.
4. Reconnect the control panel.
It was time to re-establish control of the
treadmill. First, I used a rotary tool to hack
away at the plastic enclosure containing the
touch panel and circuit boards until I had a
box just large enough to house them.
D
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