What I'm Working On Now! / merged topic

[SwampDonkey]

Here is a pencil sketch of my new desk I'm working on this week.




Click for larger view (100 kb)


The desk bottom is 48"+2"(bread board) long x 30" deep x 28-7/8" tall

Top is 32"+3"(molding) tall x 48" long x 12" deep, top is removable.

Going to use biscuit joints on the desk top and side panels.

Using more butternut and ash this time.

cheers

[SwampDonkey]

I have modified the drawing a bit, the placing of the drawer guides on the left half of the desk had to be lowered to the bottom edge of each drawer, because of the drawer slide system I chose. The boxed in sides of the desk are extended down to the 3 " turned feet.

Going to make shavings tomorrow from plaining. Might get to turning the legs (6). I have some almost perfect butternut boards for the desk top. Had to dig them out from underneath 3 feet of cherry. 

[Furby]

You may want to make only 4 legs OR cut the two center ones 1/4" or so shorter.
It's really hard to get a desk with more then 4 legs to sit steady, more so in an old house.

[Furby]

Also, I'm trying to figure out why you have the recessed area over the desktop offset from the area you would place a stool or chair?

[SwampDonkey]

You are very right about the # of legs Furby and uneven floors. I need to cogitate a little more on that design. I think I will make the main drawers a little narrower to 18 " wide instead of 22-1/4"

The top section that sets on top of the desk is only 12 " deep Furby and the desk top is 30" deep. The half above the main drawers is where a printer sets, plus I have about 15 inches of free space to sit books and papers in front.

Modifying

[Furby]

Now I'm following ya!
My Grandpa made a desk for my Grandma to keep some of her sewing stuff in. Used 6 legs and had some trouble with it on their old floor so he trimmed the two middle legs.
At one point my Grandma upgraded her sewing stuff and didn't have room for the desk so it was given to me to keep it in the family.
Brought it over to my place and couldn't keep it level no matter how hard I tried. Had to trim off a bit more from those legs, but it really don't show.

[Furby]

Leave the drawers as wide a ya want.
Use a nice solid piece across the back.
Between the back and the top, the drawers should be just fine, with or without the center legs.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah I did narrow the drawers up a bit to 18" from 22-1/4". I like more maneuvering space under the desk (side <--> side). What I'm going to do is have a petition come down the back and front, but not to the floor. This will be boxed in on the side next to where you sit.  Four feet is not a very long span for 7/8" thick hardwood, I don't expect any sag since there is a 4" wide mold along the front. 

[SwampDonkey]

Lengthened the table another 6" + 2" (end bread boarding), wasn't quite wide enough for a good sized chair I have envisioned for that space. 

[pigman]

That top is not going to be big enough. Don't forget that you will need enough room for all of your junk work and some food. Mine is 72" X  30" with a 20" x 24" pullout shelf and it is still too small for everything.  I suppose I could remove something from on the desk, but it will not be the food.   My desk top does not have breadboard ends since I was afraid they would just remind me of food.

Bob

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, true. But, part of the scene here is that I have a desk/counter already 80" x 22" beside the new desk to be built. Then another desk on the opposite side about the same dimensions and it still ain't enough. 

[PineNut]

Don’t you know that no matter how much space you have, your needs will expand to exceed it. That is my problem also.

[SwampDonkey]

Well, I planed lumber for 3 hours, not sure I have enough yet.   



Planed butternut



Planed ash


Got a nice pile of shavings though.



Barrel is full to.

Nice stuff for starting fire in the mornings.

[metalspinner]

Those are some beautiful boards.  Your project is a great place to store them for the next 100+ years.

[SwampDonkey]

                                

I turned the 4 legs today and the two mid braces of the desk. I also dovetailed them. On the second leg, the dovetail bit snapped in the ash, so off to the store. Hard stuff that ash.  I also experimented a bit with my Craftsman Pro biscuit jointer. First time I had it out of the box since I bought it in 2001.  It's pretty idiot proof to operate, just have to be sure of the depth you want, trying to centre it in the piece. There is a guage to set which biscuit size your using. I'm using #20's. I will begin to box in the desk tomorrow if the dovetail bit holds up. Need to plane some more butternut for the back side of the desk and the shelfing that mounts on top. The side pieces need dovetailing on the ends and biscuit jointed on the edges. Takes time ya know.

 

[pigman]

My Porter- Cable biscuit  joiner was not idiot proof. I knocked it off the table and broke the depth stop. I had to make a home made stop that almost works.

Bob the idiot

[SwampDonkey]

Now how was I gonna cut the dovetails on those long boards? Aside from climbing into the loft of the barn and clamping the piece to a joint, I had to figure out a jig for the purpose. 

Now it turns out, it wasn't so hard to come up with a proper jig. Although, I do not recommend it for the inexperienced tool user. If using this method make sure you wear eye protection as the chips/sawdust will fly up/exit from the dovetail. Also, be wary of wear your feet are planted and be sure your legs are not in the path of the router as it descends down the work piece. Hold the router flush with the end of the jig and workpiece and keep the router fence flush/square with the jig edge. I keep a foot on the bench to keep it from moving, a heavier secure bench is recommended. Lots of multi tasking, not for the inexperienced.



I setup on a Craftsman work bench that you can clamp the work piece with using cranks. Use sacrificial pieces on each end to keep from marking/scaring the work piece. The jig is nothing more than a couple squared pieces of wood with the same dimensions and thickness. It is nailed with space enough to place the work piece into. The edge of the jig is flush with the end of the board and the jig also provides stability and extends beyond the width of the board (up<--> down) to stop the router from rounding over the edges as the fence of the router passes beyond the work piece.



A better view of the jig setup.



The finished dovetail.

I've used that little craftsman bench to make a lot of stuff. I got it for Christmas one year, many moons ago and first thought I'de never use it. Boy, was I wrong. 

[pigman]

Looks like that would work S D. I am not as talented as you are so if the board is not too long I run it vertical on my home made router table with a high fence. I can't multi task very well with a one track mind.

Bob

[SwampDonkey]

No pics tonight, but I have been gluing and sanding and biscuit jointing my boards together. I have to bring parts up to the house to connect together here. A 4'6" x 29 " long desk is fun trying to squeeze through a space with barely an inch clearance between the door frames. Haven't sanded the longest section of the back yet. Will be cutting the ash molding for under the top edge of the desk. That reinforces the suspended middle section and helps keep the desk square. Also, there is a brace that secures to the underside of the desk top as well as reduces any movement in the 30 " wide desk surface which is made up of 5 boards. A brace runs down the inside surface of the back piece to reduce movement and help secure the mid section more, and a brace runs from the left side to the middle section to stop side to side movement.

[SwampDonkey]

Progress pic on the desk.



Remember, I added another 6 inches to the length of the desk and removed the centre legs, since the original sketch.