Desk for my father

[alex grams]

Many years ago my father got permission from my grandfather (his father-in-law) to use the family cabinet shop to build himself a good computer desk. Well, as time went by and the shop finally closed down with the passing of my grandfather, my dad never got around to his desk. I made the offer to build him a desk, and we toyed around with design ideas for several months. Me making a sketchup model, sending him pictures, him critiquing it, sending back sketches of modifications ad nauseum. Finally we settled on a design and I went lumber shopping.

Here is the model of the design. The cabinet panels are curly/figured oak, the top will be a white oak burl, and the doors are crotch grain white oak, with all framing/rail/stiles being Quarter sawn white oak.





There are a lot of functional design aspects of the desk. He wants to be able to switch a modular drawer unit between the two cabinets, and put a computer tower/ups/surge protector in the other, with adequate ventilation. There are vent holes in the front bottom of the cabinet, and a removable panel which will have a USB powered fan pulling air through the cabinet and a cutout for running cables from the tower, along the back underside of the front of the desk, then through grommets on the main desk to his monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc. The holes under the desk will have slots to hold a 12"x12" air filter, so any air pulled into the desk will be dust free.

[alex grams]

Here is some work in progress. I got the veneers in a few weeks ago and started cutting up panels.



Two panels finished, and looking great! I am donating labor to my dad, but he is buying all material and I convinced him to buy me a vacuum veneer press kit as payment for the desk. All I can say is that I don't know how I ever managed to do veneers before I got the vacuum press. Easily the best tool I have bought in the last few years.



The corners are fluted 45 degree angles. I wrapped the grain around on the corners from a single board and fluted the fronts. I still have yet to find a good way to clean out the router burnout at the end of the flutes, but it may just take sandpaper and elbow grease.



The two cabinets glued up. You can see the removable access panel on the right. It is lipped at the bottom and will have some brass screws through it into threaded inserts in the panel from which to secure the panel with



Next was a LOT of panel accent moulding. Took a lot of patience, time, a 23 gauge micropinner from Harbor freight, glue and lots of wiping glue squeeze out with a wet rag.

Here is a closeup of a panel and its moulding also showing it wetted down to show the grain of the panel.



The desk will break into three parts, the front panels being a section and each cabinet being a section. These joints will be secured with thru bolts from the inside of the cabinets into the side of the stile on the front panel where I will put threaded inserts.

Here are some pictures of the joints and the threaded inserts. Excuse the burnout on the miters. When you are extra judicious and slow on the cuts, it is difficult at best to avoid having burnout. I just need to scrape it a little to remove it. It seems that these pieces had the worst burn of any miters I cut, maybe because they knew they would be visible, go figure.

Panel joint end:


Cabinet joint side:



Next is to put the foot and head moulding on the cabinets. This is, by far, the most tedious aspect of the project so far, and took a lot of patience making sure the miters were up to snuff.

Here is the front panel with the toe and head accent moulding.


Here is a cabinet with the moulding:


Certainly a lot more to do. I have started making sample finish pieces which I will mail to my dad so he cab pick a finish schedule/top coat. I am currently experimenting with the mission style finish schedule from Jewitt of transtint/sealer/gel stain, then topcoat(s), shellac then waterlox, Target USL, arm-r-seal.

I have the doors made and am working on the modular drawer unit, which is just tedious doing runners/kickers. I will post some more pictures when I get around to taking them.

Then once I get the drawer unit completed it is on to the top!

[Jeff Monson]

Wow Alex, that is a GREAT design, I like every aspect of the desk. Looking really nice at this point, looking forward to seeing more progress. Great work.

[Sam Layton]

Alex, that is a great looking desk. You are doing an outstanding job. Your father is going to be pleased. I can see your father saying, "Look what my son made for me", to his friends...

What type of panel are you using to glue the veneer to? Keep the photo's of your progress coming.

Sam

[John Thompson]

Excellent design.. post when finished as this is shaping up to be an extremely nice piece..

[Joseph D'Orazio]

That is beautiful. I would be proud to own that.

[Eric Woodruff2]

This is going to be a great looking desk. I am looking forward to the finished project pics. You can tell a lot of thought has went into the design details and lumber selection. Keep the pics coming.

[gary Zimmel]

Wow Alex, that is going to one very sweet desk when it's all done.
Looks like a ton of planning and it sure is going to pay off...
Thanks for the look see on this one.
Keep us up to date on the progress...

[eugene thomas]

great looking desk, but i wish ya all would stop showing use great tools to use like the vacume press. i finialy got the domino and all and told wife done buying tools for long while.

[Tim Mahoney]

Beautiful work. I hope your dad isn't going to stick the desk into a corner. Needs to be in the center of the living room. What veneer press kit did you get. I'm looking to get a press also.

[Dave MacArthur]

beautiful work.

[alex grams]

Sam, the panels are 1/2" cabinet grade oak plywood with veneer on both sides.

Eugene, the vacuum press kit is the Excel 1 from Veneer Supplies. I figured there would be very few times I would ever need the Excel 5 with a higher CFM, but now in hindsight, I should have gotten it anyways, though the Excel 1 will still do most anything I need it for. The Excel 1 can do up to 4'x4' bags, but I am going to have to do a couple of 4'x6' bag pieces when I glue up the top.

Hopefully this weekend I can get the drawer unit finished then move on to starting on the top. There will be some new challenges for me in cutting/jointing veneer that long.

I have slacked on pictures lately of the desk, but will try and remember to take some this weekend.

I started the job July 17th, so am making decent progress.

[Sam Layton]

Thanks Alex for the reply. I am looking forward to more photo's of your progress. You are doing a really great job. I have never used veneer, but I am interested in doing so.

Sam

[Tom Winship]

Alex, only the best for Ags.

Gig 'em!

[Joseph D'Orazio]

Did somebody say Gig Em? Heck yeah.