Off topic: What I’ve been doing in my spare time
by Richardson ~ May 15th, 2007. Filed under: Miscellaneous.Reading a lot? Travel? Sending radios into North Korea on balloons? No, building a desk with hutches for two. Like other projects in the past (especially building a 30’x80’ pole barn that needed 21 post holes jack-hammered 3′ deep into sandstone), I’ve no desire to repeat this one any time soon, although I am pleased with the result.
The desk was started last year, but went slow over winter as my garage was often too cold to work in. Another reason it went slow is I’m far from being a carpenter and some parts took a lot of trial and error.
Its oak, both solid and veneer, and made to span one of our bedrooms that we use for an office. On either end is a hutch, though not to the back of the des as that would block the window.
- The basic frame
- With sides
- Starting to form shape
- The top with edging made via router
- How the top is held on
- Cable trays made from ½” copper tubing
- Being setup
- Top on
- With doors, printer on center console tray, etc.
- Cable tray in action – nothing on the floor!
- Starting the hutches with 34’ of 1”x10” oak
- Shelf slots via router
- Hutch shells
- With backs on
- With crown/foot moldings
- First coat of stain
- With polyurethane
- Desk and hutches (only one shown) complete
Glad I did it, works great, but again, won’t be building another any time soon.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
The proud father of a new office and computer station. Have you chosen a name yet?
May 16th, 2007 at 2:29 am
Nice job.
I wish I had the patience to work with wood on that level.
My outlet is “tuning” my 98 VW Jetta.
May 16th, 2007 at 7:02 am
No name for the desk! Having a hard enough time figuring out one for the kid on the way…
I found that I don’t really have the patience to do such work, but there is the escalation of commitment to consider; I bought a lot of tools, and oak wood I was using wasn’t cheap.
With a furniture project you can often walk away from it for a few weeks and no big deal. You can do that tuning a car, as long as it’s not the one you need to drive everyday!
But I did learn a lot. One thing I forgot to mention in the post was the utility of pocket holes (holes drilled in from an angle to hide the fact). This jig is available at Lowes for about $50 and is worth its weight in gold.
May 16th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
No made in China, bought at Wal-Mart for you, eh?
May 16th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Not when I can help it. Also no plastic, with the exception of what is on the rollers for the keyboard and printer trays.