Desk Build in Ash

[Pete Schupska]

This isn't something for sale, but the girlfriend fell in love with a table at the Mercantile Exchange antique and resale shop in town and asked for something similar to use as a desk in our apartment. So far, I think this is the second largest piece I've ever built. It is built from ash, and was my first time trying legs angled in both directions. I left out the lower runner between the legs so we could push chairs in. Also my first experience hand planing a large table top. The grain on the wood was a little tricky and took a lot of patience to keep the tearout to a minimum.

The top is held on by wooden cleats glued to the frame with screws through oversized holes. The individual boards if the top are biscuited and the frame and legs are a mix of biscuits and pocket screws. The screws were overkill for the joint, but I was struggling to find a secure way to clamp everything. The legs are at a 5 degree angle in both planes, and I was I a bit of a rush.

http://imgur.com/a/54Mss

[Joe A Faulkner]

Very nice looking table. The sap wood in the ash adds interest to the piece. Good job. I like what the lower stretcher adds to the overall design, but understand why for practical reasons you decided to leave that out of your design.

[Daniel Morgan]

Awesome table! I absolutely love the simple style, clean lines and spare look. My wife thinks the table is beautiful as well.

Nice job on your work and the idea to take out the stretcher.

Well done

[Pete Schupska]

Thank you both. The sapwood in the ash really does add to the piece, though it was a bugger to work with.
I'll be honest, I was looking forward to trying a through mortise for the stretcher... next time, I guess.

[Andrew Kertesz]

Great table! Above what I could do at this point. Maybe it is just me but the breadboard ends seem to be a little wide.

[Jerry Olexa]

Very good results...Nice work!!!!

[Pete Schupska]

Thanks for the compliment. The breadboards ended a little wider to help get the total length I wanted. When I glued up the top, I ended up with some tearout and a not perfect joint at one end. The result was cutting the longer boards shorter, and widening the breadboards.