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Zuye Zheng
09-06-2015, 11:54 PM
Desk for the wife. Walnut and hard maple, stuck with hand tools for most of the build, cheated a little running the boards for the top through my table saw once I had one edge joined.

Finished product:
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Dovetailed storage with a sliding till inspired by tool chests.
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Saw a post by Chris Schwarz of a table with a sliding dovetail leg assembly. Always wanted to try a sliding dovetail so took a crack at it, wasn't as daunting as I first thought.
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Started with some "rustic" walnut.
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Zuye Zheng
09-07-2015, 12:06 AM
Glued and smoothed.
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Test fitting the sliding dovetailed leg assembly.
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Drilling holes for the mortise.
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Housed mortise.
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Ripping the legs.
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Wedged tenons for the legs.
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Almost there!
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ken hatch
09-07-2015, 12:21 AM
Zuye,

Very nice. I expect your wife will feel pleasure every time she uses it

ken

Brian Holcombe
09-07-2015, 12:29 AM
Nice work! Very cool to see the sliding dovetail stretchers and wedge tenons.

Jebediah Eckert
09-07-2015, 9:24 AM
Great looking desk. I love the storage area, neat idea. I'm a huge fan of you posters who go through and photograph their handtool steps. Very enjoyable to follow.

Brett Robson
09-07-2015, 9:39 AM
Beautiful work! The storage compartment really is a fantastic touch!

Christian Thompson
09-07-2015, 10:02 AM
Looks great! I like the way you attached the storage drawer with the dovetails.

glenn bradley
09-07-2015, 10:21 AM
Thanks for all the pics of the build. Sure to be a treasured piece.

Reinis Kanders
09-07-2015, 10:50 AM
Nice table, love the till.

Mel Fulks
09-07-2015, 10:58 AM
I have not seen anything like that, interesting idea. Makes a modern lean piece but obviously strong and providing some storage for real desk work. I'm betting it never gets covered with magazines and laundry baskets.

John Kananis
09-07-2015, 12:21 PM
Beautiful desk. Would you share the method used to attach the 'compartment' to the top? A bit confused how those dovetails are incorporated...

Scott DelPorte
09-07-2015, 12:49 PM
Beautiful piece. And thanks for all the construction pics!

Zuye Zheng
09-07-2015, 12:50 PM
I glued the first 4 boards of the top, then built the box and attached to the last board before glueing everything together.

James Pallas
09-07-2015, 1:20 PM
Very nicely done. The attachment of the till is very creative. I can not recall ever seeing that done before. How much reveal did you leave where the hatch (door) meets the main desk top?
Jim

Jim Koepke
09-07-2015, 1:51 PM
Wonderful piece.

Is she going to let you buy some more tools now? :D

jtk

John Kananis
09-07-2015, 7:17 PM
I glued the first 4 boards of the top, then built the box and attached to the last board before glueing everything together.

I think I worked it out. Thanks again for the info.


Wonderful piece.

Is she going to let you buy some more tools now? :D

jtk

Fantastic!

Frederick Skelly
09-07-2015, 7:42 PM
Looks great Zuye!

Zuye Zheng
09-08-2015, 1:05 AM
Thanks for all the support guys!


Very nicely done. The attachment of the till is very creative. I can not recall ever seeing that done before. How much reveal did you leave where the hatch (door) meets the main desk top?
Jim

About 3/4" on the sides showing the dovetails. Thought the little detail would be a nice little accent to tabletop.

Christopher Charles
09-08-2015, 1:48 AM
I also really like the lines and the till. How did you waste out the dados for the sliding dovetail?

Cograts on a fine piece and welcome to the creek.

chris c.

Thomas Schneider
09-08-2015, 6:14 PM
Sliding Till, sweet! I love the pile of shavings all over the floor in the "ripping the legs" photo, Thanks for taking the time to post this!

Tom.

Stan Calow
09-08-2015, 7:58 PM
Great idea! I've been looking for a table design with storage, but w/o drawers.

Matthew Serra
09-08-2015, 10:48 PM
Beautiful. Can you tell us a little about how you finished it?

Also - I see dovetails in the desktop. Can I assume that is how the compartment is hung from the desktop? If so that is pretty neat. A nice detail.

Zuye Zheng
09-09-2015, 2:00 AM
Beautiful. Can you tell us a little about how you finished it?

Also - I see dovetails in the desktop. Can I assume that is how the compartment is hung from the desktop? If so that is pretty neat. A nice detail.

2 coats of "golden oak" Danish oil, saw this on YouTube with walnut and looked richer than natural Danish oil so gave it a try. Regret a little using it on the stretchers as well since I liked the lighter natural maple color a little better. Finished with 3 coats of wipe on satin poly.

Yep on the compartment, pretty much a simple dovetailed box except the sides are a little taller to be dovetailed into the top.


I also really like the lines and the till. How did you waste out the dados for the sliding dovetail?

Cograts on a fine piece and welcome to the creek.

chris c.

I sawed down the sides and chiseled about 1/2 inch to depth along the sides. This allowed me to get a scrub and #6 in there to take down the rest to depth, with the chisels sides acting as depth stops ala shooting board. Also had a rabbet block for cleanup. To get the angle I cut a 2x4 matching it and clamped as a chisel guide.

Barry Dima
09-09-2015, 4:32 PM
This is all I'd ever want a writing table to be. Wonderful work.