Desk Caddy Build

[Mike Allen1010]

In an effort to use of some of the smaller pieces of lumber hanging around the shop that aren’t big enough for more substantial products, I’ve been working on some smaller scale projects.

This is a build thread for a “Desk Caddy” –term I saw in Wallace Nuttings “Furniture Treasury” book of early American furniture. As I understand it, this is a kind of small box that sits on your desk and contains desk stuff the like pencils, paper clips etc. Not sure this is particularly relevant today, but I guess back in the day people carried their office supplies from one workplace to another, probably much the same way we shelp our laptops around..

I confess I don’t really need something like this, but I just finished a marquetry panel and I thought this might be a piece where it could fit. OK if I’m being completely honest, there might be one other motivation – I recently read one of those “professional development” books that said it’s good to let your coworkers know you have other talents. Personally, that seems to me like a gross lack of humility and is antithetical to all leadership principles I learned in the Navy, J&J etc. Nonetheless, I’m approaching the sunset years of my professional career and am increasingly sensitive to the idea that the values I hold be fundamental, may not be shared by the younger generation. Thus I’m giving this a shot (that and the idea I don’t give a rats ass what my professional colleagues think about my woodworking skills, but this piece might be something the next generation might use as a jewelry box or something similar ).

Here’s my rough plan sketch start on the flipchart paper. As will become apparent later, I didn’t really think through all the design considerations – I kinda like to build things by the seat of my pants. However that came to bite me in the butt later on.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/876/40353893444_1f2d0cd931.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfBw)1 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfBw) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Because I was trying to make the most the limited material on hand I re-saw the walnut I had on hand and glue up with the idea of trying to wrap the grain of a single piece of wood from the last side, cross the front and down the right side. Turned out that didn’t work out so great.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/820/41062617941_4f66bf20f3.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDHp)2 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDHp) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/871/40353893394_56dca78d36.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfAE)3 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfAE) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

6 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfxy) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Here’s squaring up the top with the shooting board where the marquetry panel will go. I try to be financially responsible when it comes to buying tools. The Lee Valley shooting plane is one of more expensive hand tools I own and I absolutely don’t regret it.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/902/27191326368_e2c2927446.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNDZS)4 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNDZS) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Sawing the side of the carcass for the slope the top will fit on.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/783/40353893214_e4a19e648e.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfxy)6 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfxy) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Sawing the dovetails that will join the sides of the carcass to the front and back.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/797/40353893184_5fbc056302.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfx3)7 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfx3) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr




Because I want to include 2 levels small drawers on the front, and because I didn’t really think through all the design elements, the layout is kind of weird.
These are the dovetails for the top rail of the front and a dry fit of the carcass.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/40353893034_d96cc6d241.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfus)9.5 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfus) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/809/40353893084_67ff2070eb.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfvj)8 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfvj) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

[Mike Allen1010]

My apologies – I'm having real problem trying to coordinate/edit the text so it fits with the pictures. I confess the IT software here completely eludes me.

These are the dovetails for the top rail of the front and a dry fit of the carcass.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/785/40353893004_3a53423e82.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWftW)9 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWftW) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Here is the stopped dado in the carcass back that will accommodate the bottom of the box. Paring chisel and router plane works well for this. I don’t really like stopped dadoes – much prefer a rabbit planes just go through the whole thing.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/786/40353892914_f0ba0643b5.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfso)10 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfso) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/797/40353892754_838ac164a9.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfpC)11 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfpC) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Here’s the fit of the bottom of the carcass into the stopped dado in the carcass side. You may notice doesn’t fit especially great - came back to be a problem.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/41062616821_4a8ca9de32.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDo6)12 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDo6) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/40353892694_688aa15feb.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfoA)13 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfoA) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

These are the 3 vertical dividers for the drawers. There are 2, wider drawers at the bottom of the box and 3 narrower drawers on the upper row. This is a great bench appliance I got from Jim Tolpin's book “the new traditional hand tool woodworker)” (or something like that). Great for getting identical height dimensions so that theoretically everything ends up even.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/816/27191329118_fbdb6d0afd.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEPh)15 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEPh) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/40353892424_561743b996.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfiW)16.5 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfiW) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Here is the dry fit of the 3 horizontal dividers.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/875/40353892604_13ce0705ea.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfn3)14 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfn3) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

You’ll note the top divider is quarter-inch plywood with walnut veneer on the top, which means there’s not a lot of room to work with here. If I had any brains I would have glued up this subassembly at this stage and incorporated into the glue up of the carcass.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/808/27191328968_7aedbbf1e0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNELG)16 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNELG) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Regrettably I tried to glue up everything all at once. The next picture shows the chaotic train wreck that resulted. This led to a number of errors I had to try and hide/ fix later in the build.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/27191326238_85ecf46a0d.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNDXC)17 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNDXC) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

[Mike Allen1010]

Here is planing the carcass sides so they will mate with the top.


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/40353892244_921b1878e1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWffQ)18 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWffQ) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Here is the board contiguous with the left and right carcass sides that I plan to use for the drawer fronts so grain will wrap continuously around the box. Turns out that didn’t work so great either.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/867/27191328818_4618af8525.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEJ7)19 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEJ7) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Next was building the drawers – one of my favorite parts of any project. Here is fitting the drawer sides and drawer fronts/backs into the box openings.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/895/40353892114_6b97571e81.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfdA)20 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfdA) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/881/27191328618_01acb7acd2.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEEE)21 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEEE) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/868/40353891964_3651de77cb.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfb1)22 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWfb1) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Here is using a small LN Fenced rabbit plane with shooting board to create the rabbits in the drawer sides/fronts for the drawer bottoms. Because the drawers are so shallow I didn’t really have enough room to plow the grooves abroad the drawer bottom my typically like to use.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/27191328438_685242538b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEBy)23 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEBy) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Sawing out the dovetails for the pine drawers and cleaning them up after assembly. Once completed their ready for coat of shellac.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/41062616611_4983fd2b39.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDjt)24 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDjt) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/884/40353891814_58f1c0b86b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf8q)25 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf8q) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/875/27191328298_3fbce5ef2f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEz9)26 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEz9) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/808/40353891614_8a70637512.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf4Y)27 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf4Y) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/791/40353891514_fbeaac453a.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf3f)28 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf3f) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/901/27191327958_e52856d89e.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEth)29.5 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEth) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Drawer bottoms are ¼” thick aromatics Cedar. I always have difficulty gluing up thin stock like this into panels so use masking tape to try and pull the joints together which worked out fine.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/863/40353891384_ec64cef7ab.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf11)29 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWf11) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/41062616441_ee4bae1fa0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDgx)30 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDgx) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

[Mike Allen1010]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/871/41062618551_c5462f7443.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDTV)31.5 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDTV) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr



I intentionally made the drawer boxes small in the openings with the idea that I would rabbit the Walnut drawer fronts to precisely fit the openings. This involved marking the drawer fronts directly off the openings and scribing, sawing and chiseling the rabbits to get a precise fit. This reminded me how much I appreciate my paring chisels for small components like this as compared to rabbit planes.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/804/27191327618_49f472f5f5.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEnq)31 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEnq) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/878/41062618431_dc285a42ea.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDRR)32 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDRR) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/864/27191327578_41ef1e1f2a.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEmJ)34 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEmJ) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr



Here is rough idea how the drawer fronts fit into their openings.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/40353888604_f77dac69d3.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24tWeb5)35 (https://flic.kr/p/24tWeb5) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/41062618381_b7447f0a36.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDQZ)36 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDQZ) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Next step was creating raised panels for the front of the drawers. For small-scale work like this the LN fenced rabbit plane is ideal. Once initial panel reveal is established, next was planing the slope of the raised panels.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/881/27191327478_605bbbaabc.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEk1)37 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEk1) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/41062618331_c1c2d9f5a9.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDQ8)38 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDQ8) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr




Here’s the initial fit. As you can see trying to squeeze the components of the limited wood I had on hand resulted in top drawer drawers too narrow which required me to glue in filler strips to try and fix the mistake.


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/787/27191327378_1b22a423e7.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEih)39 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEih) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/805/41062618251_bfe93ffccf.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDNK)40 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDNK) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/895/27191327218_f01ae949e0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEfw)41 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEfw) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/27191327128_58ffbb1601.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEdY)42 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEdY) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr

Because my initial design was flawed, the horizontal rails of the box front were significantly proud of the thickness of the drawers once the panels were raised on the drawer fronts. My compromise fix was to create rounded profiles on the mating horizontal rail components to create transitions. Probably not an ideal solution but all I can do at that point.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/27191327128_58ffbb1601.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEdY)42 (https://flic.kr/p/HqNEdY) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


Next will be finishing the beveled top of the box,

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/41062616231_6c8f0cdf7b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDcV)43 (https://flic.kr/p/25yyDcV) by Mike Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157847244@N02/), on Flickr


adding the inlay, a base molding and drawer pulls. I’ll post more pictures as I complete the project. Thanks for looking.

All the best, Mike

[Christopher Charles]

Hello Mike,

Great to see you building again and thanks as always for sharing. Especially the train wreck as it gave me a laugh recalling my own derailments and lack of consistent ability to learn from them!

Looking forward to seeing more.

Best,
Chris

[ken hatch]

Mike,

As always a beautiful and interesting build. I expect we all wish we could do as well.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

We often learn more from a misstep than when everything goes as planned.

Looking forward to the rest of the build.

jtk

[Chet R Parks]

Mike, What a great leaning experience. Thanks for sharing the build and the mishaps and a way to fix them. Looking forward to the finished product.

Chet

[Mike Kreinhop]

Mike, thank you for posting this, and especially for taking the time to photograph the process as you go. I look forward to seeing the finished caddy.

[Chet R Parks]

Mike,
On the 3 drawer dividers can I ask how you created the female groove on the end grain of the pine. The male tongue in the Walnut would be easy but I would have trouble with the female groove in the end grain. Great pictures showing all the details. Thanks
Chet

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike,
On the 3 drawer dividers can I ask how you created the female groove on the end grain of the pine. The male tongue in the Walnut would be easy but I would have trouble with the female groove in the end grain. Great pictures showing all the details. Thanks
Chet

Hi Chet, always great to hear from you!


To make the female portion of the tongue and groove joint that holds the front, Walnut showpiece of the vertical drawer dividers, to the rest of the pine divider I use my old, cheesy Marples plow plane. It required a really sharp blade that worked pretty well.


To make things easier, I cut the joint on a larger piece of wood that was wide enough for me to rip into the 3 final vertical drawer dividers that I needed for the project. There was a lot of blowout at the back end of plowing the groove, but I was able to rip/discard that piece. new graphic you look closely you'll see I didn't get the groove centered. But I made the show and caps over thickness so I was able to plane them after assembly to be flush with the rest of the verical dividers.


I'm almost finished with this project and will post pictures when it's complete. Spoiler alert – I had a near disaster with the marquetry panel it works so hard on making but found a track at an art supply store I was able to use to hide most of the damage.


All the best, Mike

[Chet R Parks]

Mike,
Thanks for the info on the female groove. I've thought about doing that but have been reluctant because of the blade being at 45* and sheering that end grain with such a little blade, not to mention centering and blowout. I guess it goes without saying a VARY sharp blade and light cuts are a must. Looking forward for the rest of the build. Thanks again.
Chet