On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 19:31:21 -0800, "Julie Bove"
wrote:

This isn't exactly a home repair but I figured someone here could help. I
purchased one of these desks back in Aug.

http://www.icebergenterprises.com/snapeasedesk.html

The specific desk I have is not pictured but to give you an idea, the
problem I am having is with the pullouts. There are two. One is the
keyboard tray. The second is the little mouse pullout at the side of that
tray.

My desk has exactly the same setup shown although the desk top is a little
different and it is bigger. I love the desk itself but... Clearly having
pullout problems.

To assemble, you merely snap the desk pieces together. As in the sides and
the top. You then turn it upside down and line up the metal pieces that
come pre-assembled on the keyboard pullout with the depressions on the
underside of the desk top. You then take two plastic pieces, snap them in
place and slide them over. Easy peasy!

The instructions did say that I might need to tighten the screws that were
put in at the factory. The screws are on the metal pieces of the pullout.
But... In tightening them, I have discovered that they prevent the pullout
from pulling out. I had to loosen them in order to slide it out because
they were hitting on something. Hard to explain because I can't see well
down there. But then over time, they will loosen too much and the pullout
will fall in my lap! I think I have solved this by putting the piece back
on, keeping the screws loose enough to pull it out, then tightening but...
Based on past experiences with other pullouts, this could well happen again.

Next problem? The snap on plastic pieces that hold the pullout on have
fallen off twice. I think this happens when I accidentally bump the pullout
from underneath with my knees. Easy to put back on when the desk is upside
down. Not so easy to do when you are working blind, underneath the desk and
trying to hold the pullout in place. I think I have solved this problem by
duct taping the pieces in place and by trying to be more careful.

Now the BIG problem! The little pullout for the mouse pad. I will try to
explain how it works. It came preassembled so even if I were able to get
replacement pieces, I don't think I could put them on by myself.

At the right side of the pullout are two white plastic tracks, underneath.
They are made of thin, cheap, brittle plastic. They are shaped sort of like
the letter O except that it is much skinnier. Picture taking the O and
pushing the top and bottoms towards each other so that you have a long, thin
track with a straight top and bottom and curved sides.

The little pullout has tabs that fit into this track and it can slide back
and forth. Technically you could slide it underneath the pullout if you did
not need it. But I always left it out because I always use it. Until...
The track broke!

What happened was that because the plastic is brittle, the top portion of
the front track, cracked all the way through right at the inside of where it
curves. I thought about this for a while. I cut off the thick top off of a
zip top bag, tied it around this broken top and tied it tightly to shore it
up. This after several failed Super Glue repairs. Then to make sure that
it stayed, I put duct tape on top.

Great for a few weeks! But then? The piece cracked again. This time about
a 1" chunk fell off of the top. There was no way to tie it back together
again because all that is left at the top is somehow attached to the bottom
of the pullout. There is nothing to wrap anything around.

So... I took the trusty duct tape and cut some shortish pieces, sticking it
to the underside of the mouse pullout and up around the broken piece to the
underside of the keyboard pullout.

The problem with this? Nothing is smooth or flat underneath. Especially
the little mouse pullout. Hard to describe but it is like there are ridges
of plastic under there. So I did the best that I could but after a week or
even a few days, the tape falls off and I have to start all over again.

I did notify the company. They told me they are no longer making any desks
with pullouts and they did not keep any parts. If they could send me a
whole new pullout, this would solve the problem, at least for now but...
Clearly a poor design and no doubt it would only be a matter of time before
the new one breaks.

I don't want to scrap the desk. It wasn't cheap and it is a sturdy desk and
the perfect size for me.

So... Any clues how I can repair this little mouse pad? Pretty sure it is
falling off because of the weight of my hand on it while using the mouse. I
am trying to be careful and not apply much pressure but as I'm sure you
know, this isn't always easy to do. The good thing is that that this part
of the desk is the exact color of your standard silver/gray duct tape. But
I need a more permanent fix. Thanks!

Post a picture on a free hosting site, with a link back here in a
reply. Sounds like a cleat in the back of the mouse pull out could be
adapted to support the weight of your needed support. Hard to say
without seeing it.

We love Duct Tape, here.