How standing desk legs actually work

Investigating how separately motorized standing desk legs stay in sync even with very uneven loads, then dissecting a 3-segment standing desk leg to figure out how it actually works.
E7Pro standing desk:
bit.ly/MatthiasUS
bit.ly/MatthiasCAN
More economic standing desks (desks or frame only) for smaller desks:
bit.ly/matthias_fs
Or buy on Amazon.
USA: amzn.to/3EGPdEC
Canada: bit.ly/3zv7ceQ
Buy the whole desk: amzn.to/3MeADJG

[@matthiaswandel]

E7Pro standing desk: bit.ly/MatthiasUS bit.ly/MatthiasCAN More economic standing desks (desks or frame only) for smaller desks: bit.ly/matthias_fs Or buy on Amazon. USA: amzn.to/3EGPdEC Canada: bit.ly/3zv7ceQ Buy the wholedesk: amzn.to/3MeADJG

[@flexispotus]

thanks for sharing this Matthias! you are such an ultimate engineer! but we definitely won't recommend others do something like this haha🤣 if you'd like to explore it, our customer service will stand by 24/7

[@JeffGeerling]

One easy way to spot good brands from bad is to see if they react well to a Matthias Wandel teardown :) engineers have to be sweating watching this 😅

[@flexispotus]

​@@JeffGeerling I have to say this was the most nervous 17 minutes in their life🤣

[@DJRockinRob]

I know Mattias doesn't like the desk... But honestly, I was super impressed with that unit! I very much enjoyed how "it" can kind of "auto correct". I work at a place that uses a "standing desk mechanism" but it jams all the time and I often feel like "I" am the only one who can get it to work again... anyway, I'm impressed and would like to use this mechanism for my own project coming soon... But think I need just a tiny bit more travel distance. (I need apx 30" of travel - Maybe we can chat, offline?)

[@DJRockinRob]

P.S. What is max weight capacity? I don't exactly need tremendous heft, but knowing the max capacity can help influence my design - I am super excited for this idea (my idea) to come to life.

[@Demolishionist]

@@DJRockinRob Their website shows this one has a 25" travel with a 440lb max load.

[@SLKompressor]

Matthias is the ultimate QA engineer.

[@sam-bn5hl]

i love this dude, i love the content. Matthias you are a lovely guy!

[@crashwg]

I hope FlexiSpot's next move is to send you just the mechanical extension portion that you didn't disassemble so we can see how close you were!

[@matthiaswandel]

Already asked. I think they would be willing to send a whole desk, but I'd hate to render a desk unusable just to look inside.

[@scrager4]

@@matthiaswandel In the end, the ruined part is the outer tube. i bet once it is apart you could figure out the dimensions of said tube and replace that part to put the whole thing back together again with new tabs/crimps

[@crashwg]

​@@matthiaswandelProbably an easier tax write off. 🤷

[@BNETT21]

@@matthiaswandel team up with the What's Inside channel lol

[@SomeMorganSomewhere]

@@matthiaswandel maybe they can send you a leg from a faulty return?

[@Dmitri_Schrama]

All these years and you have not changed a thing about your videos. Probably because they are still fun and informative. And you stayed true to yourself. I salute you Sir.

[@BoWhitten]

Knowing how this is made makes me like it more. Thanks for showing it.

[@jamescollier3]

Now I know why he has no pets😅😮😂

[@setSCEtoAUX]

Thank you for taking it apart. I try to do that with most things I buy, but I don't always do so with something as expensive as this!

[@matthiaswandel]

I would not have risked it if I had spent lots of money, needed it, and wasn't making a video!

[@wraith313]

I feel humbled every time I watch one of your videos. It was bad enough when you were making elaborate machines out of wood, now you're an electronics expert as well. I feel like I need to study

[@halsti99]

a german youtuber i watch did sponsorships with flexispot quite a lot. he eventually used the E7 to build a work table. it definetly has enough power for a big table with some drawers, and its apperantly really nice to have it lower for normal work and high for chisel work :)

Do you have a link? I really wonder how it stands up to mallet blows over the time ...

[@alskjflaksjdflakjdf]

The dual motor setup also lets Flexispot use smaller motors or lift more weight, whichever they choose.

[@flexispotus]

we are working on desks with higher weight capacity all time🥰

[@LunaticCharade]

Maybe a little bit smaller, if you have a table rated at 100kg/200pounds, as a customer you would probably be a bit upset if that was only true dead center. So if you have one motor, it needs to be able to lift 100kg and the mechanics will balance this. If you have two, they each need to be able to lift 100kg, since that's the worst case. There is some slack, since there is losses in mechanics and maybe some forgiveness from customers, but I'd estimate each motor in a dual setup to be at least 75% of a single. So 50% more in total.

[@ClanMcCormick]

I always love how upfront you are. Thank you for doing it like that and not like other slimy youtubers.

[@Spiker985Studios]

I've had my Flexispot desk for a few months now, and I've absolutely loved it. Dark Bamboo desk top, dual motor legs, 3 stored heights and an alarm for time based reminder for movement. The reason it wasn't bottoming out around 7:49, was because it was running fast enough that when it reached the bottom it hit hard enough to trigger the collision avoidance. That's why it kept reverting to the last static height you left it at

[@matthiaswandel]

yes, I figured that eventually, when I noticed that it reset when I hit bottom slowly

[@GordonGaz]

Seeing these types of videos actually makes you confident in a product

[@sjhall2009]

9:10 I like to think the engineers at FlexiSpot are watching and laughing, knowing how they put it together.

[@Jake9066]

"That seems a bit extreme"... one of the few guys in my branch to actually use their adjustable desk would've really appreciated this at the time. He was 6'7" and had to put a varidesk on top & extend it just to get it high enough.

[@Exgrmbl]

Matthias looks to be about 5'8" or so, so if we look at full extension and imagine him being a head and a half taller...yeah, i would say that checks out pretty much. They probably designed it for a max height of 6'8" or so.

[@kingofcastlechaos]

I think you made FlexiSpot look awesome! I have been around lift desks since they came out and all the issues you introduced to screw the desk up were already allowed for in their engineering. I can guarantee that many other desks would not have done so well. Well done- am headed over to their website now.

[@SamJantz]

I feel like you're unusually good at finding the edge cases for these sorts of things, and the flexispot seemed like it more or less handled them, not bad at all!

[@paulpardee]

That's a pretty impressive design. Very robust. It would be very useful for sewing. When you want to sew, you want the table fairly low, but when you're cutting things out, it should be at like counter-top height. Being able to handle a big table top would be good, too.

[@richbuilds_com]

I think you are the only bloke I know that can make a table teardown video interesting :)

[@chris_1337]

Most honest reviewer on KZbin - I'd watch you do reviews of anything Matthias!

[@nefariousyawn]

That gasp of joy and relief upon finally getting the thing taken apart was relatable.

[@andyb2339]

These ad videos are all so wholesome! Matthias is a model KZbinr.

[@roboman2444]

It would be interesting to see a DIY version made by you. Woodworking + salvaged steppers + threaded rod. Raspi or arduino or esp32 for controlling it. And of course, some wooden gears.

[@user2C47]

Nah, just use a reversible AC motor from the side of the road and a big switch. Anything more complex is overkill.

[@bobweiram6321]

If you can extend the legs, you might be able to use it to lift and hold plywood or sheetrock up to the ceiling.

[@matthiaswandel]

perhaps if put it on top of some boxes on a rolling workbench, yes.

[@medivalone]

​@@matthiaswandeljust stack two desks

[@greenmoxy]

They make a tool for that already so that would be silly

[@bobweiram6321]

@@greenmoxy It might cost less and its automated.

[@BoukeNagel]

I am very pleased that you tell the measurements in inches and cm. Your explanation is good and informative. I enjoy watching your videos. Lots of good ideas are given. Kind regards from the Netherlands.

[@mindkiller76]

It's a shame that Flexispot didn't include Matthias on their website, he's vastly more qualified KZbinr than the ones they did feature. Also these legs are suprisingly cheap.

[@toms2oo8]

I can understand it though due to likely not wanting to show pushing it to its limits or a tear down. Most customers are just going to want to see how easy it is to actually put a table top on it and use it as a desk. (Haven't seen their website though so no idea if they have other videos that are doing the same as Matthias but I'm assuming not).

[@Justin-C]

It's not surprising at all that they don't want to feature a video of their product being torn down... I'm more surprised manufacturers still send stuff to Matthias, lol

[@mrskwrl]

I mean, he did just tear apart their product hahaha

[@smoking.mirror344]

and Linus has managed to get the wrong product or otherwise have issues that are there own fault every time they have featured the product

[@tissuepaper9962]

​@@mrskwrlif you can't take it apart and put it back together in working order, it isn't worth buying.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

That is engineered great. The engineers were sweating bullets, watching this.😍

[@giuseppecardillo2363]

Simply fantastic! You are the only one who, in addition to showing the product in normal use, showed all the technology (electronic and mechanical) of the interior. Thank you

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

Some of the stuff in the video (re-aligning Z axis, for example) is stuff I've seen in 3D printers already, but it's good to see someone explain how all this works from a different angle.

[@ianbelletti6241]

It also makes sense that it would bottom out the lift mechanisms on both sides to zero out the system thereby resyncing the system. It probably uses locked rotor current detection to register that the motor has reached its limit.

[@Fidellio13]

Your mannerisms are just so cute. Your wife must love you very much

[@boog110]

Feels like it’s been over a decade since I’ve been watching this channel. I feel so inadequate and stupid while watching but I continue to come back. Probably my #1 KZbin that I watch. Keep pumping out content good sir.

[@nevkil]

Thanks for this video! I recently purchased their 63" model with a 4 segment top, but I was kinda blown away at the quality of the components. Your video about how the dual motors work (the motor units on mine have the same 6 pin connectors) gives me great confidence in the product I have.

[@Roger-O]

You are amazing and very analytical. I will say, without a doubt, that you put more into tearing that apart to determine how it works then I would have (because I was getting nervous in how to put it back together). Then you put back together, and it ended up working as well as before! You're gooooddddd. In the end, I feel that desk seemed like a good quality investment. And it provided a considerable number of adjustments for positions. If I needed one, I would get one.

[@ernestkirstein6233]

I'm actually pretty impressed how sophisticated that controller is.

[@dutchhank]

Thanks Mathias, I just got the same desk two weeks ago (only different brand-name) and hadn't taken it apart yet. This saved me a lot of time.

[@firesurfer]

You must be British. Nice dry humor. Not taking things apart, does save a lot of time.

[@dutchhank]

​@@firesurferThis was honest. I'm just as curious as Mathias, so I was planning to take it apart. But I don't have as many desks as him so I actually need to use it for work. (oh, and I'm Dutch, our humour is better, but less comprehensible)

[@tspike7]

Well this is the video that finally helped me pick a desk after a year and a half of looking. Subscribed, and I look forward to binge watchjng the rest of your content.

[@gamingSlasher]

That was some sweaty 17 minutes for the Flexispot engineers but I think they came out of this test with flying colors.

[@1123pawel]

Thank you for being so clear about your intentions in this review

[@333MrM]

I like your honesty with that disclosure at the very end

[@brianatbtacprod1989]

It's pretty impressive that they thought to make it self correcting if the legs get out of sync. This might be a better choice than the version with the coupling shaft if you have kids, or pets that could stick things in the coupling shaft. The fact that it can take a bigger top would be a huge consideration too. The two motor system would make it able to have a higher load on the top.

[@johnbuller6898]

Thanks!. I kanda lost track of you, but you were the first KZbinr that I can remember following. You're still as good as ever and I have some catching up to do.

[@matthiaswandel]

Thanks!

[@PhilippDo]

Just today I installed the standing desk legs on my desk at work and wondered how they work and stay synchronized. Funny coincidence. Danke Matthias!

[@samTollefson]

Matthias, inspired by your first standing desk video, I purchased a double motor frame base and built a heavy 3' x 6.5' top for my wife, a textile artist. She loves not having to work bent over on the dining table-type arrangement she had before. Over the last few months, I have noticed that she seems to keep the table at the same height and not make adjustments, I would not have known what that preferred height was though, without having the adjustable table, so now if she wants another standing table in her studio I will just build her an additional one at that fixed height. Thank you for your inspiration!

[@matthiaswandel]

yes, funny that. You don't now what the best height is until you can adjust to it

[@oogalook]

Even with you attacking its edge behaviors, that desk controller is pretty clever!

[@robertbamford8266]

Most comprehensive tear-down I can remember. Got a real laugh at M’s comment that if he grinds off the tabs he won’t be able to reassemble it - as we look at a workbench full if parts, tabs, wires, and scopes. But he’s right. Congrats to the desk designers and engineers for surviving!

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Product sent for review, Matthias tears it down, analyzes everything.😇 Only brave, confident companies send him things now.

[@bradley3549]

These things really have my gears turning. I've been using drafting chairs and 'standing' desks (otherwise known as workbenches) for a long time, before they were cool I guess. So I've kind of ignored the motorized units. However, you make a very compelling argument at the end! When I'm soldering or inspecting circuit boards, I do sometimes wish my desk wasn't at 'typing comfortable' height. And this unit goes so unnaturally high that even when seated in a very tall chair or standing, I could really bring the work up to my face.

[@matthiaswandel]

maybe you just need a regular chair to replace your drafting chairs to get lower down?

[@bradley3549]

@@matthiaswandel That's too easy and way less interesting. The regular chairs I have at my disposal are unfortunately too low even at the highest adjustment. The drafting chair is still quite tall even at the lowest setting. The best solution is probably to just put my work on a cardboard box on top of the desk.

[@DaveChurchill]

One of my favourite videos in a while, great stuff!

[@ChrisB_NC]

Hey, I’m not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but the link for the E7pro desk takes you to the standard E7. Thanks for yet another great video!

[@awholelotofnumbers45]

I finally decided to get one of these frames, and then had to go hunt down your affiliate link! It gives me way more confidence in a product after seeing you tear it apart and put it back together. I agree with your stance of not ruining a whole desk just to see what's inside. The fact that they don't have spare legs lying around from returns or warranty is interesting as well.

[@bernarddt]

Love the presentation of the video. Also amazing standing desk legs.

[@tiagoferreira086]

Now this is a proper review! Your content never disappoint! Those legs are nice piece of engineering, the whole mechanism seems to be very well thought! I also agree with your theory about whats going on inside that square crimped tube, that was my initial thought too.

[@robmckennie4203]

I had a metal shaper with a telescopic screw arrangement, a hollow threaded rod with a nut on the end and another threaded rod threaded into that nut, both with the same pitch. It worked really well, other than it being slightly annoying when you're cranking a long distance and it transitions from one screw to the other, there's a noticable difference in resistance because of the different diameters

[@HowP88]

So funny that you uploaded this - I just bought a similar dual motor standing desk, though it only has two leg segments. As such, the minimum height was also too high, so using your last standing desk video as inspiration I took it apart and made modifications to get it lower. I feel your pain with those end clips! You did a much better job than me of not getting lithium grease everywhere 😂 a three segment standing desk does seem to be the way to go, will consider this brand if I ever need another. Thanks for the inspiration 😁

[@StarlightStream]

It really shows how much engineering and thought goes into those kind of things when you try to trick them and there is kind of a solution for that problem.

[@BritishEngineer]

From the thumbnail, I could immediately tell that the table would have two linear actuators working in situ with each other, especially the size of that power supply and controller. The motor is basically rotating a worm screw on the shaft which is a 90° then rotating a big metal reed screw, and the actuators have integrated microswitches.

[@noobhunter3000]

I‘m so glad Matthias tested this mechanism. I was always wondering if my standing desk motors would stay synchronised if I disassemble it, move one motor with an external powersupply and reassemble it. Now my sould can find peace :)

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

Be it inadvertent or not? you promoted how well the Flexi was designed and put together. So in satisfying your curiosity. to did a sales pitch of a kind. So you stayed true to your convictions and theirs all at the same time well done Matthias! ECF

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Totally sold me on the quality of the Flexispot desk units. Taking it apart was a fascinating look into the design; I will definitely purchase one a some point. I think drill a 8mm hole in the plastic end that is crimped in and send in a 7mm USB cam 🙂 Or get Flexispot to send a CAD model or a dead returned leg, like others have said; we are curious.

[@Techno0908]

Great video to satisfy my interest, I just bought an IKEA Bekant desk with of very similar construction. Had to resist taking it apart to figure out how the dual telescoping mechanism works. Amazingly it only has one 3 pin cable between the integrated leg assembly’s, so there must be some sort of fast digital communicating with a closed loop controller in each leg.

[@veikkoimmonen7300]

Could still be a step signal if they assume the direction from applied power. Not quite as robust but very much adequate for applications like this.

[@MrBrax]

Very clever mechanism!

[@WhiteVaille]

Very cool, thanks for the teardown and explanation! Really neat how they seem to operate in tandem with such simplistic logic. And under normal circumstances, they probably won't have to deal with those more complicated failure modes you demonstrated. I'm not sure a moving desk would suit me at this time, but after this video, I do at least feel a bit more comfortable with the idea, and how reliable and safe it might actually be. Still might be nice if they had mechanical locks to prevent it from collapsing, but even as-is, I'd definitely consider these - like you suggested, for electronics and DIY work. I hadn't thought of using a standing desk with a sewing machine, but yeah that might be nice, too.

[@jeremyspecce]

Very impressive system of keeping level and height.

[@K.Huynh.]

Thank you for sharing this video!

[@limit22]

sometimes i wish you and Codi from Codi's lab would work together. you guys are genuine in the exploration in the things you guys do

[@matthiaswandel]

he's more than half a continent away

[@limit22]

@@matthiaswandel Shame, it would been epic in my eyes. If I had to pick people to colonize mars, you guys would be on the list

[@tehbieber]

Back in like 2013 or 2014 the company I was working for rolled out a couple thousand standing desks. On those early ones the controllers would occasionally get out of whack and drive the legs unequally, leading to someone's desk getting tilted

[@mikerodriguez5868]

I looked them up. The prices aren't as terrible as I expected them to be. I think the electronics workbench idea is a good one. I could see seetting up a drawer in the center between the legs as well.

[@abowyer284]

I tore apart an old C band satellite dish actuator motor and drive screw last week (to see how it works). The screw tube with crimped nut etc is very similar to what you showed except my tube was circular rather than square. A grinder and lathe (plus one blood sacrifice to the shop gods) got it apart finally.

[@swp466]

Very well designed controller.

[@sdcofer52]

At 12:43, Yes! I was certain that was the answer. I may be surprised after I watch the rest of your, very entertaining, video, but I can't think of any other way based on what I've seen so far. You, like my late twin brother, can never resist taking something apart. I love watching you do that. I am good at half of that equation.

[@NerveLindsay4187]

Like the way you ended the show , you are one Honest standup dude 👍

[@Afraithe]

We have those same desks here in europe, seems exactly the same. I believe they came with intructions that you should run them down to bottom when you first power them on to get them in sync.

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

That one also probably has programmable positions for exactly the reasons you mentioned. You just enter a number on the keypad or scroll and it will go to a happy place, or a serious work place or... You are right about the nested screws and there are 3. The top driven one is inside a floating one that has stops on the ends so it spins until the top screw bottoms out (up) then the floating one spins. As it spins against the inside of the bottom screw the top and middle act as one, so it can go almost 3 times the height of the lowest position. The bottom one is attached to the leg. The top one is threaded on the outside, the middle is threaded inner and outer surfaces and the bottom has inside threads. And many screws holding it together!

[@redKnight1992]

If I was FlexiSpot I'd invite Matthias to their factory and have him explain every step of the production process in detail.

[@matthiaswandel]

China is a long ways away. Plus the language barrier

[@TheMoonWatcher]

I have a similar style of standing desk mechanism(two separate motors, connected via cables and a control board - just slightly different design). Every now and then one of the sides will have a bit of a hard time going up or down, and the display would show rst. In that case, you're supposed to hold the down button(on mine I have to hold it for a few seconds before it starts moving, but in your case it seems to go down right away), wait for it to bottom out, keep holding and it goes up a tiny bit and then it stops. This is the reset procedure that I found in some document online and it seems to do the trick every time. Your desk seems to do just about the same thing - it bottoms out both motors and then goes up a tiny bit and then it shows the height on the display.

[@zxhoon]

fantastic breakdown as usual, interesting to see the wear surfaces inside the legs, they look well engineered to my untrained eye!

[@KSCPMark6742]

That was fun to watch, thank you.

[@gaspardvadot1692]

The bit with the wheels with black and white detectors felt like explaining minecraft redstone

[@scarface5546]

Free quality control! love it!

[@Lord_Void_Raven]

Company send a product for free, Matthias first thought "how can I take this apart?" always the best part

[@7cle]

Thanks for taking the risk of ruining an expensive piece of equipment for the education of mechanical nerds and the reveal of a clever design.

[@justinmiller3349]

To your point at the end about raising the desk up for precision work, you'll notice that jewlers and watchmakers use desk/benches that keep their arms and the work up closer to eye level for better vision and manual stability

[@ChrisCoulson]

I have a height adjustable desk just like this - it's interesting to see the plastic mechanical parts inside the legs. I had one leg fail mechanically on mine after a few months with a horrible knocking and grinding noise when it moved. Fortunately mine has never gone out of sync in 3 years as I wouldn't be able to bottom it out to re-sync it again without it hitting a radiator

[@kencarp57]

Matthias Wandel: the oldest 8-year-old boy in the world. He gets a free brand new high-tech electronically-controlled standing desk, and IMMEDIATELY takes it apart to see how it works. Well done, Matthias. Well done. 👍👍

[@nobuckle40]

I always learn when I watch. Thank you.

[@PaulNorman]

Once you get a thicker desk top plus some big monitors, additional weight capacity comes in handy. I have an Ikea standing desk frame, and I'd love one like the E7 which can take much more weight and not struggle all the time. When I get more stuff on my desktop, which I'm sure will happen, I'll probably upgrade to a FlexiSpot

[@MosquitoMade]

I've got a DeskHaus standing desk, and it's got the same reset procedure, run it all the way down and it resets itself. I'd assume almost all electric standing desks have a similar procedure. It was cool to see the inside though, I was often curious about that myself, thank you

[@timryder4036]

Best Matthias recommendation possible. "I have some interest in not making them look terrible."

[@kurtandlazanneilander724]

Interesting. I'd have suspected there would be one motor and a belt or chain running to each leg (like an automotive lift). I'm sure they probably thought of this at some point but the bean-counters added up all the parts and determined they could do it this way cheaper.

[@matthiaswandel]

No, the problem with that is that its width adjustable, so the buyer would have to splice chain links and get it all lined up together. A second motor could cost less than the support cost and returns for something a consumer can't handle.

[@fritzfahrmann4730]

great review and test, really liked it

[@ardwg_]

I'm on my way to make huge desk for my PC. The design of those adjustable legs are my inspiration. My build won't able to get up an down, it's okay. But because I want to match the overall layout/structure I realize I need to have a beefy plate to connects the legs with the "paralel bar" (?) Idk what to called it. But the plate what I mean is this plate that yoy put together 0:42 . Thanks to make this video !

[@GeorgeLeite]

Sewing is exactly what I was thinking about. My wife sews, and that would work great.

[@Firefox991gaming]

Very rigorous testing 😂👏 as an embedded software engineer myself i enjoyed this

[@ngl750k]

thanks for disassembling the telescopic threaded legs, im planning to powder coat my e5 but now i saw the internals and how hard it is to completely tear down gives me the reason not to do it lol

[@youtubeuser6100]

the Hero we deserve

[@keylitho]

I bought one very similar to this one and put a 6' Walnut Butcher Block Island Countertop from Home Depot on top... It is pretty great..

[@BNETT21]

I'm very tempted to get this. I have a DIY desk that I made from 2 office cubicles. 118"x36" and I have 6 monitors, 2 PCs, and a 12U server rack on it. I would actually feel safe stability wise with this desk lift. I just hope it can carry the weight.

[@BNETT21]

At 440lbs capacity, I could leave the drawer cabinets attached to my desk and lift the whole thing...

[@ML_314]

Wieder mal ein 1A Video von Dir, danke! :) Wenn jedes Sponsored-Video so wie dieses wäre, hätte ich auch kein Problem damit :D Aber was man auf anderen YT-Kanälen so vorgesetzt bekommt... Ne, da wird einem direkt speiübel... Viele Grüße aus Österreich.

[@hotfuzz1913]

Smart desk for a smart guy Excellent video Sir 👍

[@petergamache5368]

It's nice to see the EEVBlog Principle (don't turn it on; tear it apart) applied to furniture hardware!

[@mckenziekeith7434]

Funny I thought that was from AvE because I don't follow EEVBlog very closely. I guess AvE got if from EEVBlog?