Studio Designs Vision Craft and Drawing Station - 35.5" W by 23.75" D Silver-Blue Glass Top Drafting Table with Pencil Drawers, Side Trays, & Built-In Pencil Ledge - Angle Adjustable Work Surface

As others have said, this is a good buy for the price (I paid $150 for it). The quality is far nicer than similar products that I have paid the same price for. Unboxing: Well packed. Got it fulfilled by amazon, mine was shipped box within a plain cardboard box. The delivery box was heavy and awkward, so if you are of small stature get help carrying it. For me it would have been easer had I taken the inner box out before trucking it up two flights of stairs, but a helper would have been nice. There was only a little bit of that crappy white styrofoam that breaks and gets all over (it was over the glass) so that actually made me pretty happy. Assembly: Not too bad. For the first step it might help to have another person or kid around, a good quality screw driver, and maybe your own small crescent wrench, but you can probably fly solo on this. Just gotta pay careful attention to the holes when you put it together as you can reverse a few things if you don't pay attention.. The instructions seem daunting at first since they show what first appears to be a million screws in each step, but it is actually pretty simple. See the drawers note below regarding assembling those. Took me about 30 minutes without rushing. Size: Its height is about the same as a standard office table. My non-height adjustable office chair is the perfect size. The desktop is great for doing sketching but still small enough to not take up too much space and is easy to move around. For some reason it looks bigger in the picture to me. Probably because the drawers are actually pretty small. Adjustment: You have to pull this alligator jaw looking thing on the back to adjust the angle. It looks like it has the potential to cause limb mangling if you are not careful, so I have told my kids to stay away from it, but haven't messed with it too much to be sure. I can't imagine me needing to change the height all that much. Plus I used the wheels so its not hard to get behind it anyways. You have the option of leveling casters or wheels. Drawers: The drawers are so so and a touch small, but they are definitely useful. I cracked some of the plastic snapping them together since they were slightly warped, so be careful with that. They still work fine. For the price I am not going to complain. Sidetrays: It comes with 4 trays, two if them look like paint trays of some sort, but would work great to hold a pile of pencils or other stuff. The other two have 6 pencils holes each and what looks like two dixie cup sized beer holders and a smaller square holder in each. I was able to comfortable fit 4 decent size erasers into the small square thing and a round pencil sharpener into a round holder. Secondly, the trays snap together end to end. You need to snap them together to get them to seat in the brackets properly. It took me a bit to figure this out and they seemed really loose at first. Bottom tray: The bottom tray is a good size metal pencil tray. All the drafting tables I have used in the past have had a little teeny tray or just a metal edge at the bottom. This thing is very roomy and I like it. Tabletop surface: Its nice glass. But a touch slippery. A cork bottom t-square might be a good idea. Its not frosted, I already had to clean my kid's fingerprints off of it. However, it looks like it will make a great ghetto light box if I place a light under it. The rest of my office desktops are similar glass, its not too big a deal to clean it. Pros: -Great for the price overall. - I am just an amateur hack at drawing and I think this will be perfect for the kids and I and probably my wife for scrapbooking. - A lot of other pros are listed above mixed in with my other review points. - Looks pretty cool. - Lots of storage. Cons: - The trays are raised above the glass surface. This is not an issue unless you want to use a T-Square. When I tried my T-Square I had to use the trays as the guide on the left. Thats not going to be accurate enough for actual drafting since they flex and I wouldn't trust it to align say a photo that you are about to permanently glue into a scrap book. Good enough though if you are just dicking around. I might try dropping the 4 tray brackets on one side with washers and longer screws, or just remove all the brackets and trays on one side. I'll post photos if that works. - A second issue with the trays being raised. If you put a T-Square on it horizontally, it will not be fully touching the surface since the trays raise it, this causes it to slide (even at 30 degrees the T-Square wants to fall off the table) and you have to push and bend it down to actually be able to draw a straight line. - The pencil tray at the bottom is also raised above the glass surface. If you have a T-Square over say 25.5", and are using it vertically, you will hit this tray. I purchased a 30" T-Square for this table and when I use it vertically I again have to press it down and bend it in order to get a straight line, or use it horizontally with a triangle (assuming you fix the tray issue above). I will also try to fix this with washers and longer screws, or might just get a 24" T-Square to use vertically. I suppose I could bend the tray down a bit, but if I didn't do it straight it might look bad. - The pencil holders in the trays are pretty small. They are good for pencils for sure, but will not hold my Sakura micron pens nor Faber Castell Pitt brush pens. - Some pins sticking out of the sides to hold a roll of tape or a T-Square would be nice. I guess thats not really a con, would just be nice. Perhaps I will add those myself. Overall impressions. I am glad I got this. It might be a bit of a pain for me to get it to work good with a T-Square, but for what I got for $150 I am quite happy having to mess around with it a bit.

Assembly: My desk arrived yesterday, and although it was easy to assemble, it did take a good bit of time. I might add that there were no extra screws, etc. so be careful not to misplace anything. The directions were pretty clear. Pay attention to the details so you know if the legs, center bar, etc., are facing the correct direction. The only thing that I found somewhat difficult were the eight brackets that get screwed to the edges of the table top (4 on each side). To make it easier, I screwed the screws directly into the hole (just a little), then removed them. The screws and brackets then easily screwed in by hand. By the way, the only tool NOT included was a Philips screw driver. A super thin wrench was supplied and will work if you don't have anything else, but if you have a standard 12 point wrench it will speed you up considerably! Also be careful when you put the drawers together, it seemed as though they could break or crack if not handled properly. I would like to address a couple of the questions/complaints I saw. The first is that this desk can't be used with a T-square. Although I do not use a T-square, myself, I think this desk can be made to use with one. There are four plastic compartments (2 on either side) to hold pencils, erasers, paint, etc. If one wishes to use a T-square, all that needs to be done is remove the side compartments on one side -- leaving the 2 compartments on the other side for necessities. The pencil ledge could also be removed at the bottom of the table if it is in the way to use the T-square vertically. Remember, there will still be a pencil compartment on one side. Another question/issue mentioned is not having a way of keeping one's paper on the table when it is in the lifted position. I tried a quick experiment that seems to work. I removed some shelf liner in my bathroom medicine cabinet, place it on the glass, and laid my 18"x24" drawing tablet (with 21 sheets of 80 lb. paper) on top of it. Unfortunately, I didn't have a piece of liner as large as my tablet but the paper still held securely to the table in the 1st - 5th positions. When I turned the paper horizontally, the tablet still held, but the paper itself "hung low" on the unbound edge (see photo). My smaller 12x9" sketch book contains 75 sheets of 75 lb. paper. When placed on the shelf liner, this tablet held fast in the 1st-6th positions. Only the 7th (last) position was too steep. As I mentioned, my desk just arrived, so I haven't had a chance to put this experiment to use for long periods. One might not want to lift the desk and walk away, but I have complete confidence that this will work while I am drawing -- and I will be able to continue to use my tablet and not have to tear individual pages out and tape them to the glass. By the way, the desk is well made; and I love that I can push it from room to room! At this point, there is not one single complaint to make! [I included pictures but apologize for some of them turning on their side.]

I bought this for my pre-teen daughter for both homework and to work on her art. It is the perfect size for her and to grow into a little. This is not high off the ground so if you are like me when working on some art project and like to stand as well as use the chair at times, this is not the right table. It took me about 1.5 hours to assemble and 20 mins of that was my "Durrr" moment when I was looking for the washers not realizing they are part of the clear rubber/plastic package rather than metal. The instructions are easy to understand and the breakdown of steps, easy to follow. Having put together many a desk from packaged products, this was one of the easiest for sure. On top of that, it is very sturdy. I didn't put on the drawer caddy since she has a full artist caddy next to the table but when I got done I decided to use the drawers to organize the in-house emergency hardware "go-to". Putting the drawers together, I instantly saw what other had talked about in their review. The first "snap together", I honestly had to line up correctly and tap gently with a hammer to get it to snap. After that first though, if I looked on the underside, lined up the edges right, the assembly would snap with a gently push. If it is not lined up (and you do have to wiggle it a bit to get there) it won't go in without a struggle. My only complaint is that the side caddies for pencils and paint are a bit flimsy. I knew they were plastic but maybe I just expected a little stronger of a plastic. If it becomes a problem though, I can take them off and the table is still a great buy.

This was purchased for my daughter who is 14 years old. It is a desk that will work well for her throughout her high school years and beyond. (She plans to attend an art college) When we were assembling the desk I was at first worried about the plastic used for the trays on the side of the table. I'm still not keen on them and wish they were thin metal, but for the price of this desk a few compromises are to be expected. The trays snap into place, requiring some force, and afterwards they feel quite sturdy. Lining them up for proper placement took a few minutes to figure out, too. The rest of the desk was EASY to put together. The table moves up and down easily. Dropping the table back to be a flat surface is a tad tricky still. I expect it will be easier as my daughter gets more comfortable with the movement. The only thing she wishes it had was a pencil tray that COULD be positioned so the rim is slightly higher than the table so she could prop this up when its at an angle. And, the ability to raise and lower the entire table top from the bottom legs would have been a 'bonus'. Again, its a matter of getting an excellent table at this price point!

I did a LOT of research (probably more than a month) on Drafting/Crafting Tables and this was the highest quality at an unbeatable bargain price. I didn't factor in several things. I am used to a stationary desk and this is NOT stationary, so you need a side table/desk to put your desk items on. In addition, it is hard to place a swing arm lamp in the right angle for maximum lighting. This is NOT an issue with a desk, but things I didn't think out too well prior to purchasing. It wasn't too hard to assemble, I was able to put the frame together, despite being disabled, but needed some help with the glass, pencil holder and the moving element. The side trays are flimsy and you cannot put too much pressure on them or they come off. Also, the pen holes work for pencils but not markers. There is a way to attach a lighting box and I'm excited about that. And, the adjustable angles are amazing going all the way to a 70 degree angle. The frame and glass are really high quality--you cannot beat it for the price. The casters are great and the desk moves pretty easily. And it does come with the option of not having the casters on, which is nice if you want it in a stable position. Also, it is really a nice height for an averaged size adult. Overall, probably one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Very nice drafting/craft table. Took me about two hours to put it together (I'm old and slow - but it wasn't hard). The packaging was terrific. I have put together a lot of office furniture, shelving, etc. and this was by far the best packaging. No damage. No scratches. Very nice. The only thing I ran into was that the kit is one #28 screw short. The drawing shows that the ledge at the front of the glass top has three screws, when it has four holes. If you use the screws there, you run short of one on the drawer assemble. I had a spare so it was an inconvenience, not a big deal. I agree with the reviewer that said a good solid Phillips screw driver was needed. Other than that the tools provided were adequate. I had seen this on display at the local craft box store and it felt shaky. However, I find this one stable, so I attribute that to poor assembly.

I wanted a drafting table to make my crafting a bit easier. I did a ton of research and finally decided to try this one out. IF YOU ARE A DIAMOND PAINTER, I have tons of stuff to say about how I love this for diamond painting. See section for DPers below. OK so in general, this was a good buy. the box was heavy but I was able to manage lugging it into the house it on my own. The item was really well packed, and all pieces were accounted for. Don't be stupid like me and mix up all the hardware. Keep it separate. I was able to assemble this myself in under 2 hours, which is pretty good considering I am the least mechanically inclined person ever. The instructions for assembly were very good (better than IKEA!) and pretty easy to follow. As someone else said, pay a lot of attention to details... you need the pieces facing the right way, holes facing the right direction, etc. I only made one mistake, but if you really pay attention, you shouldn't make any. I did have a couple of instances where I had trouble getting the screw or bolt into the designated hole. It was almost like it was the wrong size and I had to really work to make the hardware fit the spot. That said, it DID fit, and I am overall pretty pleased with the fully assembled product. It's very stable, doesn't wobble, rolls smoothly, wheels lock correctly, etc. The little side trays WERE a bit delicate. I see how you could easily break one by pushing too hard. But I was able to get them together no problem and I have actually swapped them around configuration-wise a few times and been OK. I like that you have the flexibility to change the position of the trays (I found having the large compartments closest to me works best. But you do have to be careful when assembling this component. The only thing that would make this table better IMO is if it had built in USB chargers. Maybe the next version. But overall pretty darn pleased with this for the price. OK NOW IF YOU DIAMOND PAINT: I love this desk for DPing. It's so wonderful. -Obviously it tilts and the top is glass, which is great for being able to see what you are doing. Holds all sizes of light pad easily. -The little gray metal ledge that sticks out from the front takes a little getting used to. I kept knocking it at the beginning. BUT once you get used to it being there, it is AMAZING and one of the best features of this desk. First, it catches loose drills that fall down. I have even managed to save myself when I flipped a tray of drills over since 90% of them landed in the ledge and not on my lap. It also is the exact right size to fit the green "boat" trays. You can get six of them across. I also use it to hold my containers when I'm putting new drills in trays, etc. I'll line them all up in the ledge and work from there. -The little side trays turn out to be wonderful too. I've learned that the little round cut outs are the PERFECT size for a small like shot glass size glass or a dixie cup. I have one for trash drills and one for "sort." It's perfect. The longer compartments are perfect for holding the containers of drills I am currently using... like an easy "stash" or a mini kit up area. -The drawers in the desk for release paper and snacks (dogs want the snacks so the drawers are great). -I use this in my work station right next to the couch and I love that I can wheel it right over and choose to work on the couch too if I want. -I plan to attach a kind of scroll bar to the back (dowel with some attachment mechanism) so I can scroll up the extra canvas on the back of the table and then it will be perfect!

I was kinda skeptical at first, to be honest. But no, I really like this desk. There's some minor alignment issues and whatnot, but it's easy to clean. Seems sturdy (I've had it for months now, none of the bolts have "walked" themselves out). ~ Only one issue so far and that's one of the tabs on the plastic accessory trays got a bit mangled when I bumped it into the edge of my other table, but that's no fault of the product. Just be sure to read the instruction booklet, and use some common sense. Like with any threaded bolts/screws, do not over tighten. I assembled this by my self but some users may find the top ... not exceedingly heavy, but unwieldy. I didn't, but you might be well advised to have a helper standing by just in case. Because, it is glass after all. The tilting mechanism it's self can be a bit annoying because you need to lift it all the way up before you can set it flat again. However I don't mind because the slots that it locks into are very deep and sturdy, no chance of an accidental release.