This desk derived from a gift of black walnut from my uncle. He's close to 90, lives near the small town in which I grew up in rural western Illinois, and offered me two walnut planks he'd had in his garage for 25 years. I got them to California and began work. The top of the desk is from wood of his donation, and I bought additional wood from other sources to complete it. The desk was built with modifications to a plan given by the late Danny Proulx in his book "Build Your Own home office furniture". I strengthened the base using cross pieces similar to those in another desk in his book. Solid walnut was used throughout, with edges of the flat top surfaces built up to about 1 5/8" thick. The red vinyl portion in the middle forms the writing surface--it lifts from the front (Soss hinges in the rear) for access to a shallow pencil drawer. Blind dadoes were used to hold the vertical and horizontal divideers. The tapered legs are held with mortise and tenon joints and supported by the lower cross braces. Drawers have box joints all around and a bottom installed in a dado. Finish is shellac (blonde, 1lb cut), then two coats of Watco Danish Oil Dark Walnut, then two light coats of Varathane Professional 1000 semigloss polyurethane. All these were hand applied, then lightly sanded with white (0000) synthetic pads. For part of the construction during the winter I rented space at the Sawdust Shop, a DIY workshop with terrific resources (no affiliation or other relationships with me). It's a terrific desk to use, and it has the bonus of the connection with my uncle.
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