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Almost Done Executive Desk (long)
I started an office remodel for my wife quite some time ago.
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=31969
Part of the package included an executive desk. She laid out the overall look and
I went at it. I wanted to continue the cherry theme so this desk is also in cherry.
Because solid cherry boards and even cherry plywood can vary in color, I
decided the only way to control the final color was to veneer everything from
one flitch of veneer I bought off eBay. Also, I wanted all the face veneers to
run vertically. I think I'd end up wasting store bought cherry ply to achieve
that effect. I veneered any surface that was visible or touchable so the insides
of the drawer carcasses are not veneered and neither are the tops or bottoms.
All the facing panels and drawer fronts are inset 1/8" because I thought it
looked better than being flush with the sides.
This is what you see of the desk as you enter the office. It's actually 2 desks.
The small part of the L shape is the computer desk. The large monolith in
front of you is the main desk. The main desk is 3 separate boxes. Screws
secure the middle unit to each of the side units.
A shot of the computer desk. That is the printer's temporary home. That's
my next project. The horizontal piece of wood that holds the computer drawer
unit to the right side is attached with some knockdown hardware. Very easy to
install. When I finish the solid tops, there will be a sliding keyboard drawer.
It's not so easy to achieve the vertical grain patterns and conserve wood if
you don't veneer. The drawers on the computer desk and the main desk were
veneered with one sheet of veneer so it looks like it was cut from one solid
board.
A shot of the drawers on the computer desk. Inset drawer fronts are not my
favorite thing to do. Very fussy work.
A few weeks ago, I posted how I made the curved door from bending ply in
this post. http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=35560
This is the final product with finish on it. All the carcasses sit on a 4" subbase
of plywood that is veneered and joined with biscuited miters. I didn't feel
like doing another bent lam for the curve under the door, so I pattern
routed 8 pieces of 1/2" MDF to follow the curve with an 1/8" inset and glued
them up to make a 4" stack. Then I veneered the stack in my vacuum press.
I thought I had a lot of momentum going after building that curved door but
I lost it for a while trying to figure out how to make that door. After I built
the door, I thought I'd sail to the finish but I hit another stumbling block
when it came time to install hinges. The door tapers to an edge on either
side so there is very little material to hold a screw. All the options that came
to me would either be very visible from the outside or would compromise the
structure of the door. I took a chance and made my own hinges.
Because one unit of the desk is blocked by the computer desk, I made a door
that is accessed from the other side. It's not very obvious that door is there
until you get close. It's operated by a touch latch so again, no visible
hardware on the outsode until you open the door and see the cup hinges.
I used shelf pin sleeve supports and 1/4" metal rod for the hinge. I placed
the door where I wanted it, said a prayer, and drilled through the top and
bottom of the carcass into the top and bottom edge of the door near the
tapered edge. I didn't have a brad point bit that matched the outer diameter
of that metal sleeve but I made out OK with a standard twist bit and a steady
hand. There's a metal sleeve at ever point where the metal rod enters and exists
the cabinet and door (6 total). There's also a small washer between the metal
sleeves at the bottom of the door. That's the only visible piece of hardware
on this whole desk. The door opens and closes VERY smoothly. I had to cut off
1/4" of the tapered door edge to allow the door to open freely but I don't
think you can really tell. I used cherry veneer tape to cover up the newly exposed
plys. I will drill a recess in the underside of my solid desktop to allow that
rod to stick up. If the door ever needs servicing, I just need to remove the
top, pull out the rod, and I can take the door off.
A shot of the open curved door. In the end this door was an exercise in
patience. Not very usable space inside, but on the outside, the curve will
prevent people from knocking into the corner. I also think it adds a nice
design element and a good building challenge. I was getting so frustrated
that the completion of this door was holding up the completion of the desk,
I nearly glued it onto the desk.
Finally, the drawers slide on concealed undermount slides. It didn't seem right
to go through all the effort to hide hardware and have side mounted slides.
This is the one area I regret not buying higher quality slides. They are OK
but there appears to be some stiction to overcome the force of the self-
closing mechanism. The Blumotion slides Norm is using on his current kitchen
project don't appear to suffer from that problem and appear to slide much
smoother. These undermounts don't have much tolerance for slop either.
The drawers are simply 1/2" Baltic birch ply held together with a locking
dado/rabbet joint with 1/4" bottoms.
To wrap up, I need to finish the solid cherry tops. I wanted solid wood there
instead of veneer. The tops are glued up and sized. I need to decide on an
edge detail and then finish them.
The finish for everything is BLO, followed by a seal coat of dewaxed shellac,
and then Resisthane WB lacquer sprayed on. It's all rubbed out with steel
wool and wax so it's slick to the touch.
Thanks for looking,
Paul
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=31969
Part of the package included an executive desk. She laid out the overall look and
I went at it. I wanted to continue the cherry theme so this desk is also in cherry.
Because solid cherry boards and even cherry plywood can vary in color, I
decided the only way to control the final color was to veneer everything from
one flitch of veneer I bought off eBay. Also, I wanted all the face veneers to
run vertically. I think I'd end up wasting store bought cherry ply to achieve
that effect. I veneered any surface that was visible or touchable so the insides
of the drawer carcasses are not veneered and neither are the tops or bottoms.
All the facing panels and drawer fronts are inset 1/8" because I thought it
looked better than being flush with the sides.
This is what you see of the desk as you enter the office. It's actually 2 desks.
The small part of the L shape is the computer desk. The large monolith in
front of you is the main desk. The main desk is 3 separate boxes. Screws
secure the middle unit to each of the side units.
A shot of the computer desk. That is the printer's temporary home. That's
my next project. The horizontal piece of wood that holds the computer drawer
unit to the right side is attached with some knockdown hardware. Very easy to
install. When I finish the solid tops, there will be a sliding keyboard drawer.
It's not so easy to achieve the vertical grain patterns and conserve wood if
you don't veneer. The drawers on the computer desk and the main desk were
veneered with one sheet of veneer so it looks like it was cut from one solid
board.
A shot of the drawers on the computer desk. Inset drawer fronts are not my
favorite thing to do. Very fussy work.
A few weeks ago, I posted how I made the curved door from bending ply in
this post. http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=35560
This is the final product with finish on it. All the carcasses sit on a 4" subbase
of plywood that is veneered and joined with biscuited miters. I didn't feel
like doing another bent lam for the curve under the door, so I pattern
routed 8 pieces of 1/2" MDF to follow the curve with an 1/8" inset and glued
them up to make a 4" stack. Then I veneered the stack in my vacuum press.
I thought I had a lot of momentum going after building that curved door but
I lost it for a while trying to figure out how to make that door. After I built
the door, I thought I'd sail to the finish but I hit another stumbling block
when it came time to install hinges. The door tapers to an edge on either
side so there is very little material to hold a screw. All the options that came
to me would either be very visible from the outside or would compromise the
structure of the door. I took a chance and made my own hinges.
Because one unit of the desk is blocked by the computer desk, I made a door
that is accessed from the other side. It's not very obvious that door is there
until you get close. It's operated by a touch latch so again, no visible
hardware on the outsode until you open the door and see the cup hinges.
I used shelf pin sleeve supports and 1/4" metal rod for the hinge. I placed
the door where I wanted it, said a prayer, and drilled through the top and
bottom of the carcass into the top and bottom edge of the door near the
tapered edge. I didn't have a brad point bit that matched the outer diameter
of that metal sleeve but I made out OK with a standard twist bit and a steady
hand. There's a metal sleeve at ever point where the metal rod enters and exists
the cabinet and door (6 total). There's also a small washer between the metal
sleeves at the bottom of the door. That's the only visible piece of hardware
on this whole desk. The door opens and closes VERY smoothly. I had to cut off
1/4" of the tapered door edge to allow the door to open freely but I don't
think you can really tell. I used cherry veneer tape to cover up the newly exposed
plys. I will drill a recess in the underside of my solid desktop to allow that
rod to stick up. If the door ever needs servicing, I just need to remove the
top, pull out the rod, and I can take the door off.
A shot of the open curved door. In the end this door was an exercise in
patience. Not very usable space inside, but on the outside, the curve will
prevent people from knocking into the corner. I also think it adds a nice
design element and a good building challenge. I was getting so frustrated
that the completion of this door was holding up the completion of the desk,
I nearly glued it onto the desk.
Finally, the drawers slide on concealed undermount slides. It didn't seem right
to go through all the effort to hide hardware and have side mounted slides.
This is the one area I regret not buying higher quality slides. They are OK
but there appears to be some stiction to overcome the force of the self-
closing mechanism. The Blumotion slides Norm is using on his current kitchen
project don't appear to suffer from that problem and appear to slide much
smoother. These undermounts don't have much tolerance for slop either.
The drawers are simply 1/2" Baltic birch ply held together with a locking
dado/rabbet joint with 1/4" bottoms.
To wrap up, I need to finish the solid cherry tops. I wanted solid wood there
instead of veneer. The tops are glued up and sized. I need to decide on an
edge detail and then finish them.
The finish for everything is BLO, followed by a seal coat of dewaxed shellac,
and then Resisthane WB lacquer sprayed on. It's all rubbed out with steel
wool and wax so it's slick to the touch.
Thanks for looking,
Paul
Black wallnut
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