my dream is to one day be serious enough about art (specifically drawing) to justify purchasing a drafting table so i can actually sit with a healthy posture so i don't keep doing bullshit to my ribs and spine
in case it's helpful, I combined this instructables post with a tilt mechanism similar to this to make a removable drawing surface for my existing desk.
The tutorial uses just a drill and screwdriver, but the beefier tilt mechanism would need at least a hand saw and another hinge.
I've found the speedball clips are helpful to keep the surface at the desk edge but tbh an L shape (see carving bench hook below) would probably work just as well if you have the supplies/ability to make it I added the (very basic) tilt brace as I like to put a bit more weight on the surface than the clamps liked while leaning forward but ymmv etc
I used thinner mdf since was cheap enough for a prototype and we have tools and space to use them. It's not pretty but it works well.
The effort/time/money scale really depends on what tools you already have - less than "now bring our your 19th c loom" and more than buying ready-made).
i LOVE flexible set ups like this, and it’s what im currently using! (Although I don’t use the carving bench hook, which is genius!)
that said, i think the issue for me personally with this setup is that it successfully positions the ART, but since it’s not a furniture piece, it doesn’t help position the BODY when it comes to posture and weight distribution bc this tool is intended to be used on a flat table, which is not the ideal position for bracing. the reason i’d ideally like to upgrade to an actual whole drafting table is that you can use the tabletop to bare some weight while keeping the torso tilted forward BUT with the spine straight. it’s a little more low-impact on the joints imho!
