A Small Modification, Done Just Right

One of the studio modifications I’m still rather proud of is the construction—if you can call it that—of the computer keyboard tray attached to my second production desk.

On paper, it sounded simple. In reality, it turned into a small puzzle.

The space was tight. The desk had an underlying metal structure that dictated where anything could be mounted. There was very little clearance between the underside of the desk and the rack-unit extension I was trying to incorporate. Every measurement mattered, and there wasn’t much room for error.

Finding materials that could span the width of the desk was another challenge. They had to be thin, lightweight, and strong enough to meet the desk’s load requirements—while still fitting into the narrow space I was working with. This wasn’t a project where overbuilding was an option.

Making the Pieces Work Together

The manufactured metal keyboard tray introduced another complication: its design required spacers to keep everything aligned properly once the tray was modified. Without them, the tray wouldn’t sit correctly or move smoothly.

There were several ways I could have fastened the newly modified tray in place. Drilling holes and securing everything with nuts and bolts would have been the conventional approach. Instead, I went with something far simpler—double-sided Gorilla Tape.

At first, the plan was temporary. I fully intended to come back later, drill holes, and permanently fasten the tray. But once the tape was in place—applied carefully at the key stress points—the tray became completely solid. It didn’t flex, shift, or move under use. At that point, there was no practical reason to redo the work.

Sometimes the “temporary” solution turns out to be the right one.

Focus Comes with Progress

What struck me while working on this modification was how smoothly it went—almost exactly as planned. That wasn’t always the case earlier in the studio conversion.

As the transformation progressed, I noticed I was able to focus more deeply on individual tasks. At the beginning, the studio felt like a blank canvas. Everything needed attention, and it was easy to feel scattered. Later on, when most of the major decisions were already made, projects like this keyboard tray became more contained, more intentional.

I even noticed the difference when editing the video series. The later episodes were easier to edit—not because I’d suddenly become more skilled, but because the projects themselves were more focused from the start.

A Question for You

Was there a project in your studio—big or small—that you were particularly proud of?

Maybe it was a custom stand, a cable-management solution, or a piece of furniture you adapted to fit your space. Can you remember how you went about completing it, and what made it satisfying once it was done?

Those moments—when a problem is solved just right—tend to stick with us.

I wish you the best on all your projects, whatever stage they’re at.