Bubinga Desk

[Kevin L. Waldron]

Bloodwood will often work well with Bubinga...... (we've used a lot of both)....you will need to hand pick your boards...... it varies greatly in color and grain pattern etc.

Side note: Bubinga is a wood that many can have an allergic reaction with...... be sure and wear respirator.

Blessings,

Kevin

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[Brian Holcombe]

Gorgeous! I'd love to see the wood on that guitar as a door front

[Bud hill]

Thanks for the comments. The live edge is on one side only. This will go towards the front of the desk. The bubinga is 12 feet long. I plan on using 7 feet for the top of the desk and about 4-5 feet for a credenza behind the desk. At this point I already have enough cherry for the base and have started making the legs using 6/4 with a lock miter bit. I could change the figured maple for more bubinga but that would make for a very dark office. I did think of making the desk more modern and lighter but the wife said no she wants a more traditional desk. I could make the maple more red. I also thought about ebonizing the cherry and leaving the maple as light as possible. I am also making all the cabinets in the office.

[Yonak Hawkins]

That's going to be a really attractive office set, Bud. Remember cherry will naturally darken over time. Instead of ebonizing, you may want to make the cherry just dark or brown enough to look good and then let it darken, increasing the contrast, over time.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks for the comments. The live edge is on one side only. This will go towards the front of the desk. The bubinga is 12 feet long. I plan on using 7 feet for the top of the desk and about 4-5 feet for a credenza behind the desk. At this point I already have enough cherry for the base and have started making the legs using 6/4 with a lock miter bit. I could change the figured maple for more bubinga but that would make for a very dark office. I did think of making the desk more modern and lighter but the wife said no she wants a more traditional desk. I could make the maple more red. I also thought about ebonizing the cherry and leaving the maple as light as possible. I am also making all the cabinets in the office.

Bud, I think you were right on the money to consider a modern structure for that slab, here are my thoughts for what they are worth;

I would consider removing the live edge entirely, it will fit more with a traditional style desk. A live edge is similar in feel to a 'peeled' post in timber frame and in the same way fits a rustic context. This is why it is so common to find a live edge with a structure which utilizes a timber frame style, or to see if with other rustic structural members such as cast iron, cast bronze or fabricated steel.

In traditional architectural one would cover the beams and framing members by building upon it with a series of moldings and panels to create a facade which hides the structure. In the same way that it would be odd to see a peeled post in the middle of a renaissance church it is comparably odd to see a live edge on a traditional desk.

[Mel Fulks]

I made pretty much the same point as Brian, except in reverse ,because I know how much some love those live edges.
Raised panels are traditional and live edges are edgy.

[Bud hill]

Brian you are right on about the live edge. I have spent some time searching the net and I see what you mean. I will remove the live edge and use a router bit to give me a nicer edge. Thanks for everyones help.

[Yonak Hawkins]

There are no rules. If you like a live edge, it's your choice to include it or not. You can't be wrong, whatever you decide. If the live edge interferes with the working side of the desk, maybe you could put it on the other side.

[Brian Holcombe]

Brian you are right on about the live edge. I have spent some time searching the net and I see what you mean. I will remove the live edge and use a router bit to give me a nicer edge. Thanks for everyones help.

Cheers! Post up the results as you build.