My imac is just too high for me on the wondeful large desk I have.  Of course I could ruin my desk for any other purpose and lower the computer that way, but is there a way I might lower the iMac itself?

Thanks all for this amazing site.

Evan

Don't think there is much you can do here. The foot is permanently attached on the 20"s. So the only way to lower it is to cut the foot, or stand it lower down. Maybe you could build a platform to raise your chair?

Thank you.  I wondered if there was a way to remove it and (oh so carefully) cut another slot in the case and place it higher up.  However, this would theoretically entail somehow opening the case and looking inside to see whether this is even possible without disturbing the electronics and hardware.

Yes, I understand the relative rediculousness of modifying the computer vs the desk. Here is a place folks dare to modify their computers. Quite radical in many ways.  But modifying is not wrecking and it appears that is what I would accomplish here. Best to not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

OK, here comes Desk Mods.
Thanks again,
Evan

i don't know about how to remove the stand and moving it further up the case, but i have a feeling that wouldn't work.

what i'd do is is remove the stand and make a new one. i'd be easier to mount that to the case than to remount the original stand in a different place. you could pick up a generic LCD VESA kit (since there is no VESA for the 20", only 24") and drilling some holes in the back of the chassis then bold it to the kit, and have your imac on an arm.

or another idea i just had... this might be kinda weird, would be to remove the orignal stand, cut it in half (right about where the wire hole is) and then drilling a couple holes in both the top and bottom half of the stand and mounting it to itself using nuts and bolts, but overlap a couple inches. it's a little bit of a redneck solution, but i like it.

isn't it just bent metal, the stand?  If so, you could straighten it out, then re-bend the metal to the height you like.

get rid of the stand completely.. and build/mod something like this desktop easel... notice the sliders to adjust the angle... you could make it look a lot slicker than this or just hack it together for functionality.

Forget about removing it. Firstly, you have to remove every other component in the machine. The stand is a part of the back casing (as a service part at least). Apple techs are not provided with the instructions to remove the stand from the casing on these units. While it must be possible to do it, it may be that it is glued or riveted, or possibly there is some high-tension spring involved like the necks on the G4 iMacs. If you can't get it all back together without any signs of having done so, your warranty will be void.

Likewise, any modification to the stand is going to be awkward, since you won't be (easily) able to remove it. Working metal that thick is not going to be a good idea with several kilos of fragile iMac attached to one end.

;D  Yes,  this is why I value this site.  Folks with allot more know how and savvy and expeience with the limits of what can and cannot or rather should not be done here.  :compute:

I guess the best option thus is to cut a slot in my desk wide enough to allow the bottom of the stand to be mounted below the current height of the desk about 3 inches.  That just might do it. 

If I made the slot a few inches deep I could still move the iMac back and forward a bit, and rotate it some what as needed, even take it out of the slot easily too.

It would not be a case mod but a desk mod.  What do you vets think?  I would take the stand off and use an easel but if it is that hard to both take off and replace better part of valor says don't improve till it breaks, something I have done on more than one occasion

changing the desk seems like the easiest solution.  You could even add in some wire clips on the under side of the desk to route any internet, printer, keyboard, etc. cables on the under side of the desk so they'll be completely out of the way.  I think it should look pretty good when done.

Thanks all.  Yes, did not get to do a case mod, but,  the desk mod worked perfectly. The 20" iMac screen looks even bigger at the lower height, my spous does not strain, and the wires are all hidden. I was very lucky that my super neat sliding keyboard support ( a hefty metal channeled affair) made the perfect platform under the desktop to safely and securely bind the set up.

THANKS!  Looking forward to watching the cool things done here.
evan

Post a pic or even a mod guide.