A computer desk is frequently a hive of activity, but one maker chose to take the concept literally. Full Stack Woodworking created an L-shaped desk that simulates the life of a beehive. This desk is a woodworking, technology, and art mix, featuring 74 hexagonal frames, unique electronics, and a Raspberry Pi 5 running a beehive simulation.
Building the desk started with a vision to mimic the hexagonal structure of a beehive. Full Stack Woodworking designed 74 frames, each made of 5 layers of laser cut plywood and Perspex, stacked to create a 3D honeycomb effect. The top layer is African Roco hardwood and gives the desk a warm natural finish that contrasts with the tech inside. Each frame is 120mm across and the process of cutting, staining and gluing them was a marathon of precision. The maker used an OMTech K40+ CO2 laser cutter to cut the plywood and acrylic, 222 operations for the frames alone. Staining the wood with natural oak and sealing the cells with epoxy gave a smooth durable surface that feels as good as it looks.
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Each of the 44 hexagonal cells has a custom PCB with addressable LEDs, connected by smaller linear PCBs that form “paths” for virtual bees to travel. These paths are marked by acrylic rods that act as light tunnels and glow to indicate bee activity. The 3,745 LEDs are controlled by a Raspberry Pi 5, which runs two Python programs. The first is a builder program that lets the maker map out the hive’s layout, designating active frames and pathways. The second is a simulator that brings the hive to life with rules that mimic bee behavior: a queen lays eggs, attendant bees feed her, nurse bees tend to eggs and forager bees gather food. The result is a dynamic display where cells light up in patterns that evolve organically, like Conway’s Game of Life.
Building the desk was a genuine endurance test, as he had to cope with a variety of challenges, such as varying thicknesses of plywood and the necessity for very precise routing to get everything to line up perfectly. Drilling 3,720 holes for the LED lights by hand was a monster of a task, and then they had to go pour epoxy on the hottest day of the year. Finally, everything came together: the frames were polished to a mirror sheen and rubbed with strong wax oil to highlight the grain and offer protection.
The desk is also really smart in terms of construction – not just the electronics, but the entire frame. So they basically repurposed an old IKEA desk stand to create a substructure, then utilized 80 mm plywood to fit around the major frames and hold everything together with meticulous routing. They also placed the wiring beneath a thin 6 mm plywood cover and routed all of the cables to keep things clean. And get this: the monitor stand doubles as the entrance to this digital bee colony, thanks to sophisticated laser-cut pieces and UV epoxy that make the LED light appear to be buzzing in and out. And in the front, there’s a unique panel with a power and reset button to keep everything running properly.
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