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Thread: a mostly hand tool project: portable/lap desk

  1. 12-19-2014, 11:31 PM #1
    Allen Jordan
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    a mostly hand tool project: portable/lap desk

    I just finished this portable/lap desk as a secret santa gift. It’s made from curly maple, African mahogany, walnut, cottonwood, and jatoba. I hand-cut the dovetails, most of the breadboard ends, and the wooden “shipwright-style” hinge in the back (except for the table saw slice holding the brass pivot rod). I used a lot of planes and other hand tools on this project, and did very little sanding (the top maple piece isn’t sanded at all) as a result . Finished with amber shellac, waterlox original, and renaissance wax.











    Last edited by Allen Jordan; 12-19-2014 at 11:43 PM.
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  3. 12-19-2014, 11:36 PM #2
    Allen Jordan
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    The full build album is here:

    http://imgur.com/a/4lH8T

    Here are a few good hand tool shots:

























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  4. 12-20-2014, 1:44 AM #3
    Winton Applegate's Avatar
    Winton Applegate
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    Oh MAN !
    Way to go.
    Looks great
    Thanks for posting this desk.
    Nice old router plane too.

    Are you aware of the Jefferson (as in Thomas) lap desk that he had made for him self that is in the Smithsonian and has been duplicated by a couple of craftsmen ? Lon Schleining did a great article on it. I love these things but have not built one yet.

    Lon Schleining lap desk
    The Jefferson desk is almost too much work. He says it is pretty involved.
    Last edited by Winton Applegate; 12-20-2014 at 1:48 AM.
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  5. 12-20-2014, 2:02 AM #4
    Allen Jordan
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winton Applegate View Post
    Oh MAN !
    Way to go.
    Looks great
    Thanks for posting this desk.
    Nice old router plane too.

    Are you aware of the Jefferson (as in Thomas) lap desk that he had made for him self that is in the Smithsonian and has been duplicated by a couple of craftsmen ? Lon Schleining did a great article on it. I love these things but have not built one yet.

    Lon Schleining lap desk
    The Jefferson desk is almost too much work. He says it is pretty involved.
    Thanks. I bought the router plane from Patrick Leach and it works great for such an old tool. I've seen the Jefferson writing desk design before, it looks great but I didn't have the time to make something that complex. Maybe someday I'll attempt it.
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  6. 12-20-2014, 2:59 AM #5
    Jim Koepke's Avatar
    Jim Koepke
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    Looks great.

    Is it still a secret Santa if your name is on the back?

    I have only done secret Santa at work and no one ever presented such a nice gift.

    jtk
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  7. 12-20-2014, 9:29 AM #6
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    Jim Matthews
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    Well done.

    I would be proud, if my meager efforts turned out half so well.
    Kudos
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  8. 12-21-2014, 9:24 PM #7
    Stew Denton
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    Allan,

    Extremely nice, and a lovely gift! I wish I could do half as well. Thank you for posting it.

    Stew
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  9. 12-21-2014, 9:49 PM #8
    Frederick Skelly
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    Great lookin' project Allen! Quite a fine Secret Santa gift.

    Fred
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  10. 12-22-2014, 12:53 AM #9
    John Crawford
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    Neat! How does the joint work, i.e. how do you fit it together?
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  11. 12-23-2014, 2:23 AM #10
    Allen Jordan
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    John, do you mean the finger joint hinges? They were invented by the user "shipwright" on lumberjocks:

    http://lumberjocks.com/shipwright/blog/23989

    They have a hidden brass rod for the pivot in a saw kerf that gets plugged after assembly with thin wood strips. They work great and are pretty easy to make.
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  12. 12-23-2014, 11:27 AM #11
    Will Boulware's Avatar
    Will Boulware
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    Awesome project! Thanks for the photo epic!
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