I know, I know, it sounds like a catch-22 and this contrariety is not lost on me but for when I stop to think about it. For years, professional PC builders, setup artists, and even IT, have been using “cable management” as a catch phrase for why they can do their jobs better. The phrase is so worn out that I myself cringe a little when forced to say it. The truth is that cable management has become another way of saying “hiding”. So, the next time someone says, “I’m going to cable manage for you”, be sure to repeat back, “oh, you mean you’re going to hide them for me.”
Managing cables is not just about moving or masking things to make them esthetically pleasing. It’s also about; can you actually reach your cable when you need to or does it turn out to be a small construction project. If you have ever encountered the latter then you now have the full perspective on the phrase “cable management.”
From my long experience dealing with PC related tech, I’ve found it’s almost always better to have cables managed in way that puts accessibility first, rather than aesthetics. That’s because I believe if you solve accessibility, you will solve aesthetics. Think about pruning a plant. You are removing dead material to make room for something new to grow. Really, all you are doing is cleaning up, and the plant does the rest. The pruning process can happen frequently or not, but it is always a different experience each time. What you clean may be different and the result may be as well.
To be able to treat technology with the flexibility of something natural like a plant means that you get both beauty and a properly managed workstation environment. I think this concept fits perfectly with the concept of Metal Flower and it really has been a positive game changer in the way that I am able to operate as an Artist. I have three Metal Flower stands currently setup around my home and they all provide unique functionality. The truly great thing about them is the peace of mind I get from knowing that I can service any cable, component, or device with ease.
All of the Metal Flowers have their own dedicated power running to them. Specifically, each one is powered by a single high-wattage Tripp Lite extension cable attached to a CyberPower UPS Battery Backup or Solar Inverter like a Jackery or EcoFlow. Each of the Flowers have a 4-Port Defiant surge protector attached to them which means I can cut the power to each stand individually when I need to.
The stand is so universal that it can act as a small enterprise solution, workstation, or kiosk that you can walk up to and interact with day or night thanks to always-on LCD lights by JellyBean. It can also be the notebook docking station of your dreams. The station that helps you charge and clear your storage onto external hard drives with at-the-ready cables and, by the way, why not check out that presentation, watch the latest movie, or fire up that console for some gaming on a best-in-class 4k Anker Nebula projector.
