traditional drafting desk with hand crank mechanism

[erictsay]

hi guys,
I am trying to design a traditional drafting desk operated by a hand crank, but i am not sure where can I get or what elements that i need to put together this desk? any advce is greatly appreciated.

 

[MintJulep]

Crank for what motion?

It's been a long long while, but I recall that most desks used a spring counterbalance system with a friction lock for tilt adjustment. Crank was sometimes used for height adjustment.

Best bet would be try to find an actual old drafting desk, and strip out the mechanisms for your project.

Failing that, there are many companies that produce lead screw mechanisms that could be adapted.

 

[erictsay]

hand crank for up-down motion
the idea is to create a retro look of the drafting desk, that's why I want to use hand crank. I agree it's easier to modify an old desk to fit my need, but they are really hard to find and costly these days.
is the lead screw mechanism can be interagted with a hand crank to control the vertical motion?
thank you for your help.

 

[MintJulep]

Depending on your design, you might need two lead screws, linked together with a chain or timing belt. Probably a small right-angle gear box as well, as you will probably want the crank axis perpendicular to the lead screw axis.

You might also want to look at some woodworking web sites like rockler or lee-valley. Might be some device for kitchen cabinits or hidden TV consoles that could be adapted.