Sarge's 8 Legged Mutt... desk-hutch

[John Thompson]

47351.1 (http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=47351.1) Eight legged computer desk-hutch using random design elements from 4 A & C designers with twist and turns from me. An attempt to blend old design with modern electronics. Indeed a challenge for me with no plans other than crude notes made on a note-pad. My 8th carcass piece in 21 months and at this point my jar of bent 16 penny nails is almost empty. :)

QSWO solid carcass with shop veneered back frame panels. Full extension drawers in maple.. hickory inner supports.. ebony buttons. 8 quad-linear legs (QS fleck on all 4 sides of leg) which doubles my pleasure.. doubles my fun. Final fascia trim all done with hand tools just because I can and time is no issue. A secret compartment to hide surge protectors.. wires.. etc.

It meets the functional requirements I set out to achieve. 180 hours of challenge in this one as it was basically designed and built "on the fly". I have never used a set of plans and I suppose I'm set in my ways at this point and probably never will. Senility in it's finest hour. ;)

Where have all the bent 16 penny nails gone.....
Gone to Sarge's "hunks of southern fried junk"... everyone
Oh when will he ever learn... when will he ever learn?

Please excuse the photo's as I did around 15 this morning. All had very bad glare from a window to the right of where the desk sits. I deleted all the pics and waited until afternoon. Still bad glare but a little better. The desk surfaces to the right is lighter from that glare.. so visualize a tone darker over-all as my cheap digital is not a precision instrument much as my tools.

Sarge..
Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia

[Mike McCann]

Sarge

I like it. It looks very large. I really like the qswo and the box joints on the draws

Mike

[Walt Caza]

Hi Sarge,
Fantastic piece!
I think it turned out great, and was well worth all the love and hours you put into it.
Quite an accomplishment from crude chickenscratchings.
You obviously fly well, by the seat of your pants!
Care to share how you achieved such nice colour on the oak?

I like the drawers, very tidy.

I would love to hear how you approached the quadrilinear legs?
keep up the good work,
be well,
Walt

ps bonus marks for your handtooled trim
pss What are you building next?

[Ed Sallee]

Sarge! That is a very beautiful piece! I know you put a lot of thought in to this one...

Very Nice!

I'll have to come over and take a closer look! Last time I saw it, it was looking like this!

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn88/evsallee/DSC07320.jpg

[John Keeton]

Aaahhhhhh...... the much talked about, long anticipated, often cursed, final product!! Absolutely a great job. I love the hybrid design. The QSWO is perfect for this piece. And, the box joint drawers blend beautifully with the design. It has great balance, and I agree on the color - very nice.

You played it down way too much during construction - this is some fantastic work, Sarge.

[John Thompson]

[QUOTE=Walt Caza;1171869]Hi Sarge,
Fantastic piece!
I think it turned out great, and was well worth all the love and hours you put into it.
Quite an accomplishment from crude chickenscratchings.
You obviously fly well, by the seat of your pants!
Care to share how you achieved such nice colour on the oak?

I like the drawers, very tidy.

I would love to hear how you approached the quadrilinear legs?
keep up the good work,
be well,
Walt

First.. thanks Mike for your kind words....

Walt.. the color on the oak is a secret formula I brew up down at my moonshine still. :D Just kidding of course as there is no secret to Bartley's American oak stain. I did the Mission coffee table in Bartley's mahogany stain which if a lot deeper brown as you probably guess. The final tint comes from Liberon Medium Oak wax that is applied with 0000 Liberon steel wool after the finish had cured for two weeks. Takes care of the rub out to knock down sheen and the waxing all in one step. I usually let em sit for another 2-3 days allowing the wax ot gas off before moving a piece in place.

If you take a look at the picture Ed posted when he was over a while back to have his spanish cedar re-sawed... the legs are kind of self explanatory. Poplar core with QSWO laminted to it. Cut into strips and then run the strips through the TS at 45* degrees. No machined lock miters as the boys at the Stickley factory used to quad-linear their legs.

The four pieces are laid out side by side with packaging tape strips under them. Glue applied and the tape keeps the same form you laid out in when you wrap the 4 pieces into a bundle. Another piece of package tape to hold them steady temporarily... then wrap the now square with surgical tubing which can be drawn very tight to close the miter line.

Any further questions on that.. ask.

[John Thompson]

Aaahhhhhh...... the much talked about, long anticipated, often cursed, final product!! Absolutely a great job. I love the hybrid design. The QSWO is perfect for this piece. And, the box joint drawers blend beautifully with the design. It has great balance, and I agree on the color - very nice.

You played it down way too much during construction - this is some fantastic work, Sarge.

Thanks Ed.. any time as I was going to take the summer off as I am tired at this point. But.... she pointed out the empty wall where the old computer desk was and spoke... "A book-shelf would look nice there" as her finger pointed in the general direction of Suwanee Hard-woods. As the finger dropped more words came from her mouth... "No hurry on getting started, Monday will be fine". I get no respect. :D

Thanks very much John. I don't believe I have ever used box joints on a drawer. I now use them on the rears with hand cut DT's up front but... my fathers oak desk he sat behind at the Post Office (he was the accountant) until his un-timely early death in 59" when I was 12 had drawers with box joints. So.. this was a sentimental thing with that very deep bottom drawer and the fact....

Edit to add... BTW John... the hybrid is based on a G. Stickly hunt-board. Delete the splash board in the back.. substiture open space for legs.. key-board and a hidden electrical hide in the back and opened up an additional 5" or so to provide more mouse movement space on the key-board shelf. The top is a modified design of a Liberty & Co. (English department store with their own designers but all just branded Liberty & Co.) that allows a small printer center over the monitor.. speakers and DVD and computer back-up DVD's right and left. The bottom drawers are also for computer related items as my wife sells high end crochet baby shower items she makes on-line.

Thanks all who have commented...

[glenn bradley]

That is beautiful. The leg method is very cool too; that could save me some material from the way I do it now. Thanks for sharing a great piece.

[John Thompson]

Your quite welcome Glenn and Thank you for the kind words.... I got the idea from the boys at the Stickley factory as it was theirs originally. They used a core to save wood but used a mitered and machine cut lock miter. The saving wood is premium these days as this monster took around 130 bd. feet of QSWO and another 20+ of maple as it is.. and that is consdiering panels and veneer are re-sawn from the amount mentioned

Not exactly cheap and frankly.. the price of lumber now keeps me from using some exoctics as cocabola I would like to use more often. You have to do what you have to do and especially being in the shop everyday as I am.

[John Keeton]

Sarge, regardless of the various inspirations that came to being in this piece, you combined them masterfully! I am serious about that - they come together with harmony, and that is not an easy task.

[Jim Becker]

Very nice, Sarge!

[gary Zimmel]

Now this style is right up my ally.

I love the way you did the legs.
Beautiful job Sarge. Real beautiful job....

Thanks for sharing with us.

[Thomas Pender]

Sarge-

I like it a lot.

As I have said before, I like QSWO (my material of choice) and this kind of style. If Harvey Ellis were designing for computers I think he would have done what you did. As for large, well, so what? This looks like a functional work or as they used to say - "the best that I can."

I really appreciate how you support the book case and the finish. Now, please come clean - how did you finish it?

Tom

[John Thompson]

Thanks very much Gary and Jim....

John... I spent countless hours sipping coffee and scribbling notes on the design as everything had to be acounted for before the cuts. You only get one chance before the blades go into action as you know without pre-tested plans. I knew the dimentions of the electrical components.. I knew the diementions of the wall at the intended rested place... I knew where she wanted X.. Y.. and Z located on the piece. It was some job determining dimentions from a visual sighting of two pictures and then modification to make it all come together.

There were complications. I had decided to insert the cabinet doors 3/16" back off the legs as all the panels in the frames are done. No problem with off-set hinges. But.. both cabinets were to be open as I ask in advance if she wanted drawers. NO.... After the cabinets were built to allow the 3/16" in-set.. she decided she would like drawers in the left cabinet. :mad:

So.... I basically had to field engineer a box inside the left cabinet box to house drawers that would not hit the open in-set door when open as it will not swing back out of the way fully with those in-sets. So.. what is already pretty complicated became more so. But.. southern field engineering prevailed in the end and I also like the harmony. But better still... she loves it for whatever reason. :)

Regards....

[John Keeton]

I love the way you did the legs.Now you've done it! Jim Kountz will be jealous over someone else's legs - even if they aren't cabriole:D

[John Schreiber]

A great piece of work. I don't know arts and crafts well, but it looks like the style picks up some art nouveau influences.The naturalistic curves contrast nicely with the solid rectangles.

I can't imagine doing that by "seat of the pants." I draw up my own plans, and I modify them along the way, but I need to have them fully detailed before I cut wood. If that's what you call "southern field engineering," I'd settle for that any time.

What's in the back panel with the knob? Where do the wire runs go? You said they are hidden, but you can show us can't you?

[John Thompson]

Sarge-

I like it a lot.

As I have said before, I like QSWO (my material of choice) and this kind of style. If Harvey Ellis were designing for computers I think he would have done what you did. As for large, well, so what? This looks like a functional work or as they used to say - "the best that I can."

I really appreciate how you support the book case and the finish. Now, please come clean - how did you finish it?

Tom

Just about to log off. Thanks for the kind words Tom before I explain the finish.

I normally lay shellac on any piece not intended for bath-room or kitchen that is exposed to water.. steam and will not take abrasive abuse as a kitchen table. But... in this case my wife has a female cat that loves to explore. Miss Abby is at this moment napping in the right upper small compartment so....

I used Bartley's American Oak gel-stain which is the one she chose after giving her several samples. I don't fume these days as I hate using harsh chemicals and the fumes that result. I have been exposed to one too many at this point of life. Easy on... easy off.. let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Then I used Mini-wax gloss poly for the first TWO wipe on coats cut 60%-40% cut with naptha to aid drying time. Naptha evaporates quicker than mineral spirits. A light rub-out between coats with Abralon 500 to knock down some sheen at that point. The gloss cures harder than satin so I want a very hard base under satin. Then 3 coats of wiped satin poly cut to 50%-50% and then allowed to cure for at least a week or until the whole thing gasses off and the finish has cured or hardened.

Still too much gloss sheen at this point for a piece as this which doesn't look right with too much shine. So.. next.. a coat of Liberon Medium Oak wax but.. applied with Liberon 0000 steel wool witht the grain. You kill two birds with one stone here as the 0000 takes down the sheen while you are applying the wax. A rub out to remove the wax and the use of a horse hair shoe brush in tight spots. Let the wax gas off for several days and harden before subjecting the piece to abrasion as say... a lovely little cat with a mind of her own. :)

BTW... I do apply finish before assembly by taping off male and female joint components. I have done this so often it really doesn't take me long to tape off with with the aid of an Exacto knife to trim. I siimply find it easier to avoid tight corners with finish and avoid any dribbles that might occur. I used to hate and was terrible at finish but in the last 5-6 years have finally come into my own and really don't mind much anymore.

So.. no great revelations on finish. Most hate poly because they apply to thiick and it leaves a plastic look. But... if you understand it and take steps to counter what you know will happen it can become your fiend in lieu of your enemy and avoided at all cost. ;)

Regards...

[John Thompson]

A great piece of work. I don't know arts and crafts well, but it looks like the style picks up some art nouveau influences.The naturalistic curves contrast nicely with the solid rectangles.

I can't imagine doing that by "seat of the pants." I draw up my own plans, and I modify them along the way, but I need to have them fully detailed before I cut wood. If that's what you call "southern field engineering," I'd settle for that any time.

What's in the back panel with the knob? Where do the wire runs go? You said they are hidden, but you can show us can't you?

First.. thank you for the kind words. I probably need a word of explanation on hidden wires here, John. The wires to the monitor.. printer over it and the speakers will not be completely hidden. I do believe the knob you refer to in the back panel is the lower hole cut for the monitor wires. You cannot see it on top as I took the pics from a mid-level but there is a hole on the upper shelves for printer.. speaker wires so all is not hidden even though the monitor.. printer and speakers will hide the exposed wire once in place. I cut a 1" hole up about mid point of the stretcher then hand sawed from the bottom of stretcher to from an arch which gives some geometric resemblance to the rest of the hutch.

But.. when I say hiidden.. I am referred to the Jungle of wire I currently see laying behind my open space for the keyboard on the floor. I see surge protector.. a box for my son's games which flashes a blue light and I have often thougth about emptying a clip from my .45 Auto into to put that light out.. and a tangled mess of wires that could snarl a tiger if he walked across them. I hate those wires.. components exposed and I intended to find a better way.

There is a hidden compartment about 6" deep and the width of the lower center leg area behind the key-board you would only see if you were on your knees viewing. It's closed on the front and looks lie a strethcer. This is where the surge protector and all the other things I have no clue as to what are as I am somewhat computer illiterate will go out of my sight. Any wires traveling from that compartment will be tie strapped and stapled to the back which is conveintly paneled by my design and not seen. Part of my game plan to get those wires I hate out of the picture. ;)

BTW... I hate to build a piece of furniture and then cut a hole in my design to run an electrical wire. I had to sit drinking coffee before I performed the dirty deed gathering courage to do so. After the deed was done... I came about as close to being ill as I am going to get as wires and furniture are not a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned. But.. this is the new world and this old man is doing his best to step into it regardless. I owe it to my family I suppose. :D

[Don C Peterson]

Very nice work Sarge...

I'm working on designing a dining room table in the A&Cish style. I've been toying with how I should tackle the legs and I may just borrow your (Stickley's) method.

[John Thompson]

Very nice work Sarge...

I'm working on designing a dining room table in the A&Cish style. I've been toying with how I should tackle the legs and I may just borrow your (Stickley's) method.

Thanks Don.. let me caution you on how to rip those long pieces at 45* degrees if you are not overly familar with that rip cut which you may be. You must IMO use support left of blade that will pin the stock firmly to the fence during the rip. You must IMO use over-head support clamped to the fence to pin the stock to the table. And in advance of ripping.. make a sacrificial push stick long enough to push the stock through with your hands no closer to 6' and one slightly thinner than the stock and over-head hold down to avoid bumping the over-head's lower lip.

The key is one steady movement of stock through the blade so be sure you feed it with the grain of the stock. A slight tilting action can cause the stock to ride up or over toward the blade and if those teeth touch the edge it will gap your fine miter line. I use a sharp 24 T rip blade on all rip cuts. You could use a 40 tooth if.. if.. the stock is not too thick. If the combined height of the stock used for one piece is more than 1 1/2".. I would use a 24 T for sure. And.. doing a few practice pieces from scrap stock will enhance your technique.. give you a better idea of what to expect and confirm your supports are properly positioned before you run the cored stock through. And.. not a bad idea to make a couple of extra pieces of core as I do with most components periid. If something goes wrong.. you already have a back-up sized and prepped as it takes much too much time to start from scratch when you could have done back-ups with little lost time before the fact.

Got if? Good.. I gotta take this computer down shortly as I'm going to attempt to move the works to my "honey's" new desk-hutch. I spent 180 and dry times creating but not that it has been created... it's "hers" according to "her". ;)

Good luck on the dining table and BTW... if you haven't got an abundance of clamps.. start accumulating them. I had over 70 working at once on this thingy I just posted and always was one short of the lenght I needed. How many is enough cannot be answered as you are always one short.. always. ha.. ha...

[Jim McFarland]

Very nice piece! I really like the design, your use of QWSO stock, craftsmanship and the finish you used on it. Great job!

[Ed Sallee]

How many is enough cannot be answered as you are always one short.. always. ha.. ha...

....but, you manage to get by when that "southern field expedience" kicks in!!! :cool:

[Don Bullock]

Hey Sarge,

It's great to see the final project. I really like the way it came out. Congratulations on a job well done.

[John Thompson]

Thanks kindly Jim and Don for your kind words of encouragement. It has been a pleasure but frankly I'm glad it's done. This one spanned almost 5 months and most of the carcass work I do takes two months average. But.. this was like two projects in all respects I suppose.

Hey Ed.. with you headed to Minnesota with the bounty of gifts and the clamp shortage that always exist... I certainly hope you locked your shop and the gaurd dog doesn't over-sleep. :D

[Thomas Pender]

Sarge-

thank you for your detailed and useful answer.

When I do not fume, I do something similar to what you do. However, I do not use Naptha - now I will give it a try. Faster drying is very desirable.

Suggestion - consider trying poly acrylic or the Target coat that is similar - there are some threads on it - used to be URL. I like it better than poly now that I use it. Looks good on oak. but, you have to dye or stain first if that is what you want - I have had good luck with Danish type oils like Watco.

T

[John Thompson]

Sarge-

thank you for your detailed and useful answer.

When I do not fume, I do something similar to what you do. However, I do not use Naptha - now I will give it a try. Faster drying is very desirable.

Suggestion - consider trying poly acrylic or the Target coat that is similar - there are some threads on it - used to be URL. I like it better than poly now that I use it. Looks good on oak. but, you have to dye or stain first if that is what you want - I have had good luck with Danish type oils like Watco.

T

I am very familar with Danish oil (30 + years of using it) and often my choice with nothing more than it and wax in some cases where wear is not a factor. I just needed abrasion resistance on this piece as her feline just loves to nap on the desk and hang from the cubbies when you are on the computer. I would like to try the Target or similar as I hear good words spoken about it.

I have good things about the General Finishes also and might give them a try in the abrasion resistent class. I did try Behlen's Rock Hard Top finish Varnish once and would not use it again personally.

Thanks for the suggestions and hope you like the naptha mix. Pour a bit of naptha on a piece of glass beside a bit of mineral spirits and see just how much quicker the naptha evaporates.

[Todd Young]

Hey John, I’m not sure what impresses me more about this:
I’m a sucker for box joints in drawers. Like Walt said, very tidy and very nicely done.
The leg design to me is amazing. Glad you explained the design and that there are also photos to boot. That technique surely never would have come into my mind without someone putting it there, but I’m sure glad to see how you used it and for the detailed explanation. This’ll go in the notebook for further reference, that’s for sure.
Then there’s the hand tooled trim. Hearing you guys talk about hand tooling and having projects come out this nice leaves me somewhat speechless. True craftsmanship IMHO.
And the kicker…… not only seeing the finished product, the box joints, the wood combo’s, the amazing leg design and hand tooled trim… but then knowing you designed this “on the fly” with “crude notes made on a note pad” and “no plans”…..that to me is the most impressive part of this impressive piece.
Don’t change your ways a bit. If this is senility, I hope to be senile soon and I’m only 42.
A seriously fine piece of work and like others have said, thanks for sharing it.
Todd

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad you like the outcome. On the fly can be a hit or miss but... in this case I got lucky IMO as my visualization met my expectations as I really can't think of a thing I would change and that is rare indeed. Every piece starts with high expectations but sometimes end in poor results. I just keep pluggin' away and I refuse to quit trying anyway. :)

Hope you get a chance to try the quad-linear legs... just be reminded of some of the tips I gave on cutting them on the TS as even a small error can lead to a throw away and try again. With a little practice you get quite confident at it.

Again.. thanks mucho.....