Sitting is the new smoking, experts argue; stay sedentary for more than four hours a day and you might as well start digging your own grave, because you're nearly 50 percent closer to death. The statistics are scary — so scary that, even in this economy, people are willing to shell out upwards of $1,000 on a standing desk to ensure longevity.
MIT graduate students David Yamnitsky and Isabella Tromba didn't have that kind of budget, though. What they did have, however, was access to MIT's "How to Make (Almost) Anything" course, and it's there Yamnitsky learned how to build a standing desk using a computer controlled router.
The project went so well, the duo decided to take it commercial. "This is the sort of project Kickstarter was designed for," Yamnitsky said. And he wasn't kidding. The Press Fit Standing Desk has hit its $10,000 goal, garnering more than $15,000 with 26 days left to fundraise.
The popularity could be in the desk's simplicity. "Wood goes in and desks come out," Yamnitsky acknowledged, pointing to the power of the digital manufacturing process. The Press Fit is comprised of precision-cut parts that assemble like a jigsaw puzzle — no screws, tools or a 20-page instruction manual required.
An added bonus of digital manufacturing is that Yamnitsky and Tromba can create the standing desks locally in Massachusetts with high quality materials at what seems like a low quality price point. Each Press Fit is made with pre-finished maple plywood grown and milled in the Northeast that's 100 percent formaldehyde-free. Armed with a UV acrylic coating, the desk can defend itself against scratches and stains. But, as the team points out:
Unlike any other desk you've owned, if you accidentally damage the top, you can always flip it over, press it in the opposite way, and have a spotless second desk surface. It's like having a free insurance policy for your desk!
The pair have created a variety of products as rewards for Kickstarter customers, from a $10 "Made in America" keychain to a large sitting desk and stool for $279. For interested individuals looking to buy just the smallest standing desk, however, the cost rings in at a super early bird price of $149. For that, you're receiving a workspace that's 36 by 24 inches, which is still plenty of room for a computer, monitor, paperwork and any other tchotchkes you have lying around.
Given Yamnitsky and Tromba have only been working on Press it for "nights and weekends over a couple of months," according to Yamnitsky, the end result is even more impressive. Although the pair are still deciding on a manufacturer, they have promised to start shipping standing desks ordered on Kickstarter by mid-September.
Yamnitsky doesn't expect to be shipping a Press Fit to the aforementioned folks forking over $1,000, though. "The people who spend $1,000 are interested in ergonomics," he said, admitting the standing desk he's helped create is "for people who aren't fanatics about it."
Want to know if the Press Fit is right for you? Check out the team's promotional video below, and then take to Kickstarter.
