In search of a project idea...

[steven c newman]

Although I have a plan for tool storage for the shop....I would rather not use "good" hardwood for it. So, until I get a full sheet of plywood to the shop....:rolleyes:

Today was a road trip....my supplier of hardwood had returned home! Picked up a few planks of Ash....five 1 x 6 x 6' and a 2 x 4 x 8'.....$17.:D

Letting the boards sit a spell, they were stored in an unheated garage, while I figure out what could be made from this stash...:confused:. Will be researching for a few days....

[steven c newman]

Just watched a Follansbee/Underhill show....a Carved Oak Desk Box......hmmmmm..since I do not carve......and have a supply of Ash, ......An Ash Desk Box?

Need to do a bit of figuring.....and sleep on this a bit....let the Single Brain Cell Sketch Up have a little time to work...

Maybe resaw the 2 x 4 stock down for the thin drawer parts....might be fun....and maybe keep me out of trouble....Will have to figure out the overall sizes.....

May get made as a stand-up desk?

[steven c newman]

Hmmm....maybe a blend between a desk box, and a standing desk......Have drawn a bit on some paper....working on a cut list for a base....one that someone could sit at.....

Need to start cutting for a top for the base, and glue up a panel. Mill a few aprons....and four legs. Tapered, or square? Lower stretchers?

Get the base done, first.....then see what sort of Computer Hutch to build....May hinge the sloped lid a bit differently.....where it can open towards the front, to allow a keyboard/laptop to sit...

Hmmmm...glue up a panel for that? Almost like a Secretary Desk?

Methinks this may take a few weeks to build....

Trying to bring something like this..
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Into the Computer Age....

Stilling thinking things through.....May glue up a panel...but not for the hutch to sit on.....may "picture frame" a 3" wide frame for the top of the base....mitered corners?
Instead of hinged at the top, like this..
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Maybe hinge it to the front?
Stay tuned....:D

[steven c newman]

Sitting here, tired and soaked....never needed a fan in the shop, this time of year...either it is too warm, or I was working way too hard...

Drawing a few lines on paper,,
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Going with what lumber I have..
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Trying to save back the "better stuff"..
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May save this for a lid....hauled stuff to the shop...cleared the bench..
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Needed to clean off the saw...
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Hauked the 2 x 4 x 8' to the shop...one end was nasty looking..
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Firewood? Managed to get enough for the legs blanks, anyway..
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Got the saw moved around, set up the rip fence for 1-1/2" strong...
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Rip cut until square ( almost)
Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Had some scraps leftover....may find a use for these, yet..(trim ? )
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Got a chance to try out the new vise, and the dogs...
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May look into something to make the jaws sit parallel...The WR 62 was for clean-up, after the ..
400235
After the Stanley No. 6c, Type 10 got done.....4 legs...@ ..4 sides each....=
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Between me dripping on things, and me nose dripping...made a wee bit of a mess...then looked over and saw the fan sitting there..unused...anyway, got the legs milled to size..
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Taking a break for a while...need to make a few aprons, and stretchers, new time..
Stay tuned:D

[steven c newman]

Well, after a nice long break...plan WAS to simply haul one plank to the shop...that was the plan....wound up cross cutting the plank for both the long aprons and the short aprons.....then reset the rip fence
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Blade was set to exactly the middle of the two boards...one edge was a tad wavy, ran that edge through, removed the waves. The leftover 2 x 4?
Well, reset fence to around 3/4" or so....and ran the 2 x 4 through..
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And now I have enough stock to make the lower leg stretchers....one or two will be a foot rest...we'll see. Plane to smooth these out, later..
Decided to layout for tenons, wound up doing a bit more..
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1/2 pint can of stain, to lay out the curves, bandsaw to make the cuts...
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Plane to make them match...spokeshave for the lowlands...used one of these as a pattern..
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All set to mill the tenons, even set up the "machine" for that..
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All shoulder cuts will be done here.
Mother Nature then decided I was "needed" upstairs....so this was as far as I got this evening..

Maybe tomorrow, I can get something done? Stay tuned...:D

[steven c newman]

Ok, tenons are usually done first in my shop...YMMV. I set a combo square to 1/2", lock it down tight....as it will see a lot of use. Spent 2 hours in the shop this afternoon...got a little bit done:rolleyes:
Set up the mitersaw
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Half the shoulder cuts needed these set up...also set up a stop block
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So I get a 1/2" tenon length...marked a few layout lines..
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All these marks are from the same setting on the square...rather than keep changing settings..
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Trying for a 1/4" thick tenon..Once the first shoulder cut looked good for depth...I could set the depth stops of the mitre saw
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Which are holding the saw up....back one was being a bit..difficult, had to keep an eye on things...
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Shoulder cuts are done...so, that leaves the cheek cuts...
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Again, same square to lay out a couple lines...
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Backsaw to make the cuts..helps if I wax the blade a bit. Thumbnail on the left hand acted as a saw guide, so I could saw straight across, and down.
Wide, sharp chisel to clean things up....
Stay tuned, part 2 is coming right up..:D

[steven c newman]

Part2....each tenon needed a couple more cuts made. laid out with the same square..
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Then a backsaw to cross cut, using the shoulders as a guide, then the chisel to "pop" the waste off....somehow managed to get all the aprons done..
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And set aside. Legs needed trimmed for square, and at least close to all the same length....one leg had a bulged out spot...#3 plane to "un-bulge" it. Then, set up a bead plane
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It WAS set up as a plough plane. reset into a bead plane....ran two edges, which ever were the "outside" show corners...you can see a couple ..
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Was able to hold each leg between the dogs, while I ran the planes. Dug out the mortise jig..
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Went to screw it to the bench....every drill in the shop had a dead battery?:mad: Then noticed I needed to tenon two short stretchers, after I had milled them for size...:rolleyes:
Supper time....may head back later, with a charged up battery, and see what else I can cobble up..
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Now have two stretchers cut to size, S4S....and ready for tenons in the morning...

Plane used? Millers Falls No. 11. Has zero camber, BTW...

[steven c newman]

Pictures....
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Made a mess, didn't it?
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Jointed both edges, until both boards matched each other...note the grain?
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Didn't need a BIG jointer plane for this job...
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Nor a real fancy one.....may meander towards the shop, in a bit, mill some tenons, chop some mortises....get the base ready for a glue up, maybe...

[steven c newman]

Shop time today...1300 to 1600hrs....about 3 hours worth...and I am tuckered out. Cleaned that mess of shavings up, set up the Joinery Bench
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Nice when I can just sit a spell :rolleyes:
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Just like yesterday...mitersaw for the shoulder cuts, backsaw for the cheek cuts, chisel for clean ups
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Use the shoulders to guide the saw, chisel and a tap of the mallet to remove the extras....set up to chop a few mortises
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Usual suspects rounded up...once a mortise is laid out..
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Then chopped out..
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Then a test fit..or two
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Will do for now :rolleyes: rotate end for end,,,and lay out for the stretcher's mortise...bottom edge of the stretcher is 5" above the end of the leg (sweeper clearance )
400434
Set this aside, on to the next leg..and the next...and..
Tried to keep the tenons in the center of the legs. had to keep checking, to make sure I was using the correct "face" for each leg..
Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Got to the point I could clamp one side together as a dry fit...
400435
Set this aside, out of the way. Worked on the other side assembly...
400436
They are both dry fitted. And, they are standing there on their own 2 feet.

"Mickey Mouse" said it was 1600 hrs....time to close the shop....not too bad of a day? Even got the long aprons sanded until they matched each other...need to chop mortises for those...tomorrow...

I am plumb tuckered out....maybe I'll get some sleep tonight?

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Hey....pulled an "all nighter" last night.....yep, slept straight through until this morning....must have been tired.

Part of this "design" is a lid you would open and lay down towards the front of the desk, like a Secretary style of desk...to provide a place for the keyboards to sit. When the lid is closed, it will look like a writing desk...complete with a "stop" near the bottom, to keep books/laptops from sliding down.....may use that "stop" as a prop when the lid is opened.....as soon as I figure out how to hinge the lid....will be a 1 x 2 across the front, where the lid will get hinged....

Sides of the hutch/desk? may only be 6" tall, as a shelf top to hold the monitor will need to be about eye level.... Need to figure out how long the sides will be, thinking maybe 1/2 to 2/3 of the depth of the desk? Keyboards only need about 6" or so? 8" at the most? May see about a way to attach the keyboard to the lid....or just leave it loose?

Desk sits on the base I am building now. Does it NEED a solid top, or just a frame, wide enough for the desk to sit on ( plywood panel inside the desk?)....maybe mitered corner frame? Splined, or Tongue & Groove miters ?

Trying to get the base glued up by this evening.....then work on the above "details".......at least I don't have to make a chair to go with this....
Stay tuned....

[steven c newman]

Have 24 photos from today's workout.....trying to arrange them into some sort of story....didn't even get to the shop until after 3pm ( ravens/chargers were just into the 4th..) and didn't get back upstairs until after 7pm....when I had to do a Forrest Gump..( I gots to go.....) 2 glue-up were done, couple other dry fits were done....IF I am not boring anybody....I'll see about writing something....
Tease, for now
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Corner blocks....
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Needed to S4S a couple boards..
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Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Lets see...coves were made ( I don't have a cutter for the Stanley 45, yet)
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Use a router lift to set the depth of the cut..
Legs got two coves..
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Leg stretchers did too..
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Only on the outside "show" sides....aprons got a single cove

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Once all the coves were done, I chopped the 4 mortises to install the long aprons...had to keep everything marked, as to who went where...then a couple glue ups

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Had to "adjust" things a bit, to get these squared up...after the second end was in the clamps, a dry fit for the long aprons
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No glue on the long aprons....needed to make a few other parts. 4 corner blocks were sawn, drilled, and countersunk.
The two 1 x 2s for the foot rest needed a lot of work....jointed one edge of each board with a No. 6c....set the rip fence @2" width, joint that sawn edges. The the #6c and the No. 11 face plane both boards, to get to S4S....ends were cut for square. Will install these with counter-bored screws, and cover with plugs.
Just over 3 hours of shoptime, today....
400563
For some reason, I am a little tired this evening...
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Have now been informed by Grandson#3, that he has a decent computer desk....so....we will change the intended design a bit....GrandBRAT Diva loves to sit and draw,,,and sit and watch her ipod. Does not have a computer of her own...yet....so this desk will be more for her. Like a Underhill "Rachel's Standing Desk" but one she can pull up a chair to.....

This being a Monday...shop is closed. I can do a little re-design work....mainly on the desk part. Right now, I still have about 12bf of that Ash....four 1 x 6 x 6' planks,,,,should be enough..also have a decent stack of cut-offs....
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Sitting back there on the sanding center...have a brand new 1/2" wide bandsaw blade, in case I need to do any resaws...don't have to worry about fitting a keyboard into the desk, now. Which leaves the entire inside of the desk to build "cubbies" into, for drawing supplies...

First, I need to get the base done...one thing at a time, right?

[steven c newman]

Last night, while down in the shop on Laundry Detail (clothes from the washer into the dryer sort of thing) removed a few clamps. Added some glue, added some corner blocks..
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Used a hammer/driver to install the screws....
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2 screws to each blocks seems to do just fine. Drill will drive the screws in, then will hammer them tight enough to raise a bead of glue.
Diagonals show things were a tad out of square....maybe an 1/8"......
400685Pulled the "long" side back a bit
Thought about shop clean up....pile of sawdust was swept up...bench was cleaned off..
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Shop Cat likes a pile like this, to take a nap on.....
After the Boss gets her errands ran today....I need to add the cross stretchers that will serve as a foot rest....then start on the reading/drawing desk parts....
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

This may be a two-parter....not boring anyone, am I?:confused:
Anyway, clamps came off this afternoon...Laid out and drilled two holes..
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One center, the other about halfway to the back leg...Counterbore first, then a pilot hole. 1-1/8" screw and some glue...will mill a few plugs later...while the pilot hole drill was handy..
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Made a slotted hole in each corner block...set the base aside...
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View from the front of the desk. Brought a plank down to the shop cross cut for lengths needed...had to find the exact center of the boards..
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Center of the saw blade at 3"....had to joint one edge, set up the rip fence, and rip two longs and two shorts..then the fun could begin..
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Mitered the ends...mill a tongue on the ends of the shorts
400717
Fun part was doing the matching grooves
400718
Trying to get it the right wide....
Need to clean the grooves out..
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Stay tuned for part 2....:D

[steven c newman]

Part 2: cleaned out the grooves..then had to do a bit of trimming on the tongues
400720
Then a test fit...
400721
Repeat for the other corners...tried some old corner clamps...and some other clamps, and a bit of glue..
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Will let this mess sit a spell....I even swept the floor, today!:eek:
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Even put this old Buck Brother chisel to work....

Next time in the shop? Build the desk/hutch.....something like this one..
400724
Hmmmm.....

[steven c newman]

Ok, frame is out of the clamps, slotted holes in the corner blocks aren't needed ( missed anyway)....8 counter-bored holes drilled...screws installed, plugs made, glued in place, and trimmed flush
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Plugs?
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There IS a plug there..where?
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Why, right here, of course. Ran the cove bit around
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May fill in the joint, later....dug up a piece for across the front..
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needs trimmed for length, edges jointed....the usual S4S thing....need to bring the last 2 planks to the shop....and cobble up a few sides, and a back....and the lids....need a plywood panel, set into a rebate I need to mill around the inside of the frame...FUN is about to begin....after I get rid of this chest cold...

Stay tuned....

[steven c newman]

had 3 boards still upstairs....picked out one, and hauled it to the shop....used that narrow board to figure out the lengths needed....and, once the issues with a mitre gauge were ironed out..
400831
Used these two to mark out the lengths for two side/end pieces...fought the mitre gauge again...about ready to toss it....used a 3-1/3 to 4" as the top shelf wide....draw a diagonal down to where the 2" wide front is....bandsaw to make a cut..
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Used this as a pattern to lay out the other one..
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Now, all 4 parts are still a bit rough sawn...had to S4S all 4 of them...the ends were ganged up, so they would match...

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After a while, that old #6c started to get a bit heavy....set all 4 parts aside..
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Until tomorrow...too tired and sore...battling a chest cold, too boot...
Stay tuned...may try some through dovetails, next...:rolleyes:

[steven c newman]

Dovetails have been started...would have been completed, except for a very bad Maigraine Headache attack
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Dry fits
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Nay try to finish the front ones..whenever the eyes return to normal..
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Spent last night in Lima Memorial Hospital for Observation ( possible light stroke) Not a "fun" evening..

[Mark Rainey]

Hope you get well soon Steve!

[steven c newman]

Trying to....somehow lost an entire day....Friday....Now have the computer "issues" cleared up....what I have from the shop is from Thursday's efforts....before I had to stop...

High stress levels = High BP....triggers the Migraine attacks....to the point they act like a T.I.A. mini stroke....throw in a chest cold....not a fun day..

Anyway, this is about building a desk of some sort....GrandDaughter loves to sit and draw....Grandson doesn't need a new computer desk....so....we be doing a Rachel's Standing Desk that GrandBRAT Diva can sit down at, and draw all she wants. She will have to provide the chair of her choice....

Through dovetails: needs a few toys laid out, to do the layouts, so..
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That bevel square? Seems the end had been trimmed to almost the exact angle I needed to start laying out the pins. I thought about using those dividers...merely marked off the spacings from each end, towards the center. Blue knife to do a "knife wall", marking gauge to strike a line or two...combo square to mark the cut lines for my dovetail saw..
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As I do pins first. Then a bit of chopping, first one face..
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Halfway down, leave the tab for support, flip the board over..
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Clean things up. I also worked on the other end of this board, tried to match the pins on each end...tried. Marked the sides for which side goes on which end...stood one end up, traced around the pins..
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I used the bandsaw for these cuts, mainly because I could see ( barely) where I was cutting, trying to leave the lines, cutting on the waste side.....extra cuts to help in chip removal..same as with the pins, chop halfway down from each face....finally..
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Added the board to save the top of my bench...then a dry fit...
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A little snug, better than too loose...got the other end done..
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Then tried to get the pins done for the front rail....and this was as far as i got....vision issues, was only seeing 1/2 of what was going on...closed the shop...

Then lost Friday...not much going on today...beyond sitting and watching it snow.

Stay tuned...will start back when I feel better...

[steven c newman]

Not much in the way of photos, this time....more of a plan session.....need a lid made....I had a fancy grained plank for the lid.....had. IF you sight down an edge of the board, you will see way too many waves going on....grain was a bit too wild, I guess. May cut the flatest section out, and use it as the top "shelf" where the lid will hinge to. I have a second plank that does look a lot straighter....

Need to do a glue-up. 2 pieces 30" long, or at least that long....width of the panel needs to be 11-1/2". Plank is 5-3/4" wide, and 70" long...should be enough. The "fancy grained one will be cut for the 30" long shelf. May be able to save a couple strips for use as a bread board edge (2) maybe 1-2" wide?

Still working on the inside plan....not sure what I'll have to use.....will need some LONG, but thin stock...we'll see.

[steven c newman]

Back at the start of this project, when I was cutting stock for the legs....I had a stack of thin pieces that were resawn off the legs. Decided to keep them around, at the time....have now found a use for most of them...couple might be a tad too thick....we can fix that. Need a shelf at the back of the desk, with a front "rail" to keep things from rolling off. Need a "pencil box" up at the front....may get pencil grooves?

Some versions have a couple drawers at the back....Follansbee had four tiny drawers. I have enough cut-offs, I can resaw a few into drawer parts...and can just nail them together...maybe the size of pens?

Well. I have the long thin taken care of....need dados for them to sit in..then do the full glue-ups..by about next weekend...brain ain't bad to full speed..yet...may give it another day...
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Decided to try a bit...work until I get tired out, then head back upstairs.

Needed to at least finish up the dovetails on the front of the desk....
Used the pins to lay out the tails..
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Make a few cuts on the bandsaw..easier for me, than a handsaw....do a bit of chopping from both faces..
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Not the easiest things to clamp down....then a dry fit, or three..
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Until things fit. Then repeat for the other end.....then dry fit all the sides..
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A look at the side?
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Just a dry fit. Clamped to hold things still, while I get some of the thins cut for length...thins needed to be planed S4S
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Had some 1 x 6 scraps....needed ripped..
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Will resaw these to 3/8" or so, to build a couple simple drawers. Also sized a few pieces for the pencil well....
That was about it for today....been coughing hard enough, ribs are hurting...

Stay tuned...will see what an hour tomorrow brings..:D

[steven c newman]

Inside the front of the desk. Will be a pencil tray/well. Got pieces milled for the pencil holders..
4011683 pieces.
These will go on the inside. Two will get a pencil groove or two, center square will not. May dig out the old router table :eek: and set up a fence and a small cove cutter bit. Run the holders through a few times.
Holders and the center will be glued in place. There will be a thin "backer" strip behind them. Ends of which will set in a stopped dado, then glue and nails to attach to the holders.
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Surfaced S4S, may round the top edge a little bit. Need to change the bandsaw blade...1/4" to a 1/2" wide 6tpi....and rip drawer parts for thickness. Then surface those S4S. Follansbee merely naile his drawers together...may do the same.

Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

OK...dug the router table out of storage, tracked down the 2 wrenches to change the bits with...set it up with my do-everything fence/guide...
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Added a small cove bit..
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Set up to mill a couple pencil grooves..
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Had a second piece that also needed these done..
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And that was it for the router table....used the wrenches to take the bit back out..
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As this $5 router needs them for it's collet
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When was the last time B&D made all metal routers? Metal part of the table is by SKIL...so, all done, put this away
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Until needed again. Rest of the limited shop time today? Involved chopping these..
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Will cover this in Part 2...coming right up
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Part 2.....Decided to chop out places for the "thins" to go into...
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This one was a bit easier to do...saw and chop until a decent fit occurred,,,
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This is for behind the pencil holders. The other "thin" was chopped out, as well...
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Drawers will ride on this one. Doesn't NEED to go all the way to the back....drawer sides will be long enough. I want the drawers to slide out enough that you can get into them, without taking the drawer all the way out..Had a bunch of chisels at work, today...
401201
Much better than a screaming router....

Got this one side done. Decided that was enough for today. IF I get bored, and rested up....I may go and do the left side's mortises...
Stay tuned..:D

[steven c newman]

Going to pause for a few days.....Mom passed away this morning.....I have a Funeral to get ready for....and a cold to get healed up from...

[Mark Rainey]

Steve, I am saddened hearing about your mother’s death. I am glad you had your mother for much of your life. I love mothers and had a great one too. I was an adult when she died and felt she had prepared me to meet the challenges of life. Take care of yourself, you have had some health problems recently. I will look forward to seeing your activity on the forum in the future.

[steven c newman]

Mom was 87. We lost Dad back in 2011. Now, they are back together.
Can't just sit and mope....have to carry on.
So...picked some hinges..
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A 1/4" x 24" x 48" plywood panel, and a Poplar Project board. Poplar to replace the thin ash strips...had to trim to fit..
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A wide place for drawers to sit.
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Ends to fit a stopped dado
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Have both ends done....even did a full dry fit...
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May try a glue up, later today....going to take a lot of clamps..
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Anyone want to stop in and help out? More than welcome to...

[steven c newman]

Forgot to post about grooves.....Pencil grooves.
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Dug out this old router table.
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Set it up with my homemade guide/fence, and a small cove bit. Aim was a safe way to mill two grooves, to hold pencils in..Stanley 45 has the right sized cutter, yet. Didn't want to freehand the router, without any way for the edge guide to be used. Took longer to set up, than actually use.
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First two....
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Second two. Also chopped a couple dados
401361401362
Then adapted these for the Poplar thins, and chopped slot into the other side's locations. Hardest part is getting the thins the right length..
Tried to resaw the drawer parts...brand new 1/2" wide blade....didn't go very well.....will set up the tablesaw instead....and use the leftovers from that Poplar board...

[steven c newman]

Traded out the Ash thin boards for Poplar....have all the mortises done....drawer shelf has been notched to fit.

Dry fit?
401410
More of a way to make sure everything fits....drawer shelf needs a small trim on and end...laying out clamps, to make sure they are close to what I need...
401411
May need a few cauls, too. As soon as I get a spot cleared off...
401412
And set aside those big c clamps....the cussing will begin.....looking to glue this up, and let it set, overnight. Need a small glue brush,,,lots of nooks and crannies to get into...
Bring your own ear plugs....may get a bit "loud" down there...

[steven c newman]

Yep, it got a bit loud....bench was cleared, except for a few clamps...
401420
And needed every one of these....old saying...IF a hammer doesn't work, get a bigger one....had to coax a couple pieces into the spots....
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Mainly the parts for the pencil holders...Used a few cauls, to keep the clamps off the pins...pressure was onto the tails...
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I trimmed the drawer shelf a bit...still wasn't enough...dividers between the drawers should be able to rid it of any bow..
401425
Will let this mess sit overnight...and see how it looks in the morning....
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Getting a LATE start, today.....Tomorrow is not going to be a "Shop Day".....closed for Funeral.:(

May run the router around, after I change to a rebbetting bit.....maybe cut the plywood to size, as well....will see what other tasks I can get done....

Stay tuned....:D

[steven c newman]

Well, got 2 hours in...then Mr Gumption left the building....got the rebate milled
401469
Plywood installed..
401470
Nails and glue...not too worried about around the edges...
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As this will cover the joint. Came out of the clamps without any issues...sanded everything smooth..
401472
Pencil holders?
401473
Crosscut one plank, trying to see about the top..
401474
Meh....see what the other half looks like..
401475
Need to joint the edges a bit..
401478
Intend to run the other board through a few rip cuts..
More on that in a minute..stay tuned

[steven c newman]

Thinking this will do for a few bread board edges..
401479
Rip down the middle, then trim back the curvy edges...

Last plank was hauled to the shop...cross cut for length...about 30" long..
401480
Flipped and flopped these two, until the grain about matched. Big "X" to mark how they go together....No.6c to joint both edges at once. Glue and clamps..and cauls
401481
Let this sit for a while....might be Saturday, before I get back to the shop.
Laid out a scrap block and a bevel gauge, and getting ready to "deduce" a few angles..
401482
Fun part will be...when I attach the case to the table.....screws come up from underneath, and into the bottom edges of the sides.
Jointed the board for the top..
401483
No. 6c was a bit busy today...
Doubt IF I get back to the shop before Saturday....stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Funeral this morning...don't really feel like doing shop time....Will see how Saturday goes....weather-wise, it might just be a decent day to stay in the shop...

Stay tuned....

[Don Orr]

Sorry about your mother-my condolences.

[steven c newman]

Thanks..

While researching about bread boards...stumbled upon Underhill doing the Tool Chest from Bristol's lid.....might be worth the effort to try?

Need to change into some work clothes, and get busy....weather outside will keep me inside all day...might as well do a wee bit in the shop....

[James Pallas]

Sorry about your Mom Steven. Hard thing to loose your Mom. Lost my Mom in ‘87 it seems I remember her for some reason every day.
Jim

[steven c newman]

Using shop time to cope....

4 hours today....wasn't one of the better days....quit when I ran out of Mountain Dew in the shop, and had to leave for the little boys room....besides, I was starting to throw things across the shop...not a good sign.....
Traced a line around the desk unit, after I got as centered as I could,,,,then removed the unit, drilled a few pilot holes...
401703
Hopefully I drilled where I could get to the holes from underneath...half were good...half were hidden by the corner blocks...tried to clamp the unit in place....fought the clamp...found a 3 x 3 to help out
401704
Drove screws where I could, had to go back and carefully drill a few new holes...fun part was getting this thing to where I could do the work.
401705
Dang legs were getting in the way...when done, finally...I set this back on it's own 4 feet...and noticed the Poplar back of the pencil tray had split..:mad: Cut a square block for the clamp helper, added a bit of glue, and clamp things in place...
401706
Of course, everything else wants to pile up here....that wavy 1 x 6? Set up the rip fence to make a few cuts, after I cut the 30" down a bit, and the large knot thrown away...more trimming going on, until I got enough "good" parts for bread board work..
401707
Hmm, those short ones were to cause a bit of trouble, later.....reset the fence and the height of the blade...was unable to use the Stanley 45...couldn't get the parts to stand still long enough..
401708
the "plan" for these was to do a through mortise and tenon joint...that WAS the plan....Laid out for the tenon part...at least on the narrower top shelf...and made a lot of cuts
401709
Then a hammer to crack the waste away, chisel to get things almost flat, then an old plane came by..
401710
And cleaned things up. Underhill version, need a few long tenons laid out..
was going to at least give it a try....should have known better....
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Ok, tenon lay out....I used a wide chisel to get the spacings..
401711
Used the backsaw to make the vertical cuts...then this strange contraption..
401712
Coping saw, right? Note that little block of wood back there, it is where things went downhill, badly...laid out the two through mortise locataions....was having a lot of trouble holding that little thing still, to do ONE mortise, one thing led to another...and the part just split....and was promptly send on it's way to the trash can, via Air Mail....had to make a new part...this time the router table came out. Not only new grooves were made, older ones were touched up...was getting a bit mean....decided to just do a Tongue & groove joint...glued and pinned...yeah, was that ticked off..Marines were blushing even..

Was finally able to get the top shelf clamped up...
401713
Set it aside...and worked on the parts for the lid...without the bother of the through tenon stuff...
401714
Will let both sit overnight, and then pin them later....then try to find the angles I need....then maybe start on a few drawers...
Maybe tomorrow will be better? Stay tuned...

[Tony Wilkins]

My condolences to you and your family. I’m always impressed with the quality and speed with your work.

[steven c newman]

Thank you!

2 hours shop time today....got the lid and top shelf out of the clamps, and cleaned up...Used a piece of scrap..
401762
to lay out the meeting angles....top shelf ( short one) was the easier of the two...used that scrap to set the saw's angle for the rip cut...
401763
Fun one was the lid's...took a few tries...
401764
Had to double check which direction the angle was to go,,,rip face down, or face up...bandsaw had made a wavy cut, to boot...recut to confirm the angle

401765Then made the cut after this

Drilled a few holes, after smoothing out the saw marks..
401766
Installed the top shelf...then went about adding a pair of hinges...using the usual toys
401767
Candle wax on the threads of the screws helped...test drive?
401768
C clamps to hold the lid open....a book rest was getting glued up..
401769
And an end view?
Maybe tomorrow, after the clamps come off....guess I can start on a few drawers, next...

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Had to bring the glue bottle upstairs, this morning....way too cold in the basement shop. Clamps have been removed...lid closed..
401793
Need to make a bunch of plugs, whenever the shop warms up

401794
PIP of the front...debating on adding a "topper" at the back edge..
401795
Too short? Not needed? Too simple?

Same shape as the Book Rest..
401796
Just glued in place.

IF the shop will warm up a bit...and Tuesday gets here...I may try some drawer building...
Stay tuned

[steven c newman]

I suppose I should get motivated, and head for the shop? Plugs have been milled, need to install them...then putter around on the inside....

[steven c newman]

Dividers have been made, and glued in place..
401840
Top 2 openings get drawers, bottom 2 allow a notebook a bit of room...
401841
Pop these out with a screwdriver blade, coat the narrow end with a bit of glue..
401842
Hammer to tamp them in place...
401843
And trim flush...maybe after Supper, I can cobble 2 drawers up?
Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

Turned two piles of parts..
401873
This is for one drawer....thicker part is the drawer front...just nails and glue
401874
Add a small handle to each drawer..
401875
I think that will do for one day. :confused: Only needed two drawers..close the lid..
401876
Have 4 plugs left to do...
401877
And maybe a final sanding....before the Stain & Varnish goes on....
May be able to varnish this by Friday?
Stay tuned..:D

[Graham Haydon]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Thanks for taking the time to post your build, don't always comment but good to see it unfold.

[steven c newman]

IF I happen to inspire someone else to go out and build something like this, or some of my other projects...GREAT! IF they happen to learn a wee bit along the way..great as well.

OK, stain was applied today. Minwax Dark Walnut stain...brush onto a section at a time, put the brush down, and wipe off the excess...then repeat...
401939
Need better lights, that this camera works with...or, change the camera' s light settings...
401940
Because, this isn't quite this red looking..
401941
Will try again, after the clear gloss poly dries, tomorrow.
Stay tuned....almost ready to post as a completed project...

[steven c newman]

Will need to rub this out...varnish is drying slowly in the shop.

Then the fun can begin....going off on a search for the next project idea....might be a bit hard to top this last one...

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Very sorry to hear about your Mom Steve.

The desk looks great. Lots of good ideas in there.

[Mark Rainey]

Nice desk Steve. I added an unvented gas heater in my basement shop last winter & it really does the trick. I have a CO detector & it always reads zero. Do you have any heat down there?

[steven c newman]

Gas furnace has one duct vented into the basement...not much else for heat. Have moved the desk upstairs, and tossed a book on it..
402013
has a few pencils in the trays..
402014
Getting this desk up those stairs, by myself, was..interesting..
402015
Have a small hole in me head, as I found out why it is called a header....beam across the opening had a sharp spot sticking out...
402016
Grandaughter already has a chair....and I'm not much of a chair builder..

[steven c newman]

And now the fun can begin....I have a pile of Ash cut-offs....leftovers from this project....may try to cobble something out of them...maybe a bit of resaw going on? Will start a new thread, when I see what I have for "lumber"....stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Desk has been delivered to GrandBRAT Diva, this evening......was a bit hit....so, I guess she will take it.

[Stew Denton]

Steven,

I have great faith that you will think of a new project. I think you can get a project done faster than I can stop dithering about things like the details on sizes, how I want it to be, etc.

Good job on the project, I enjoyed the build, but got behind in following it. Had a minor medical issue, but am now on the mend. I did make a post or two, but am also catching up on "to do" paperwork issues at home while on the mend.

I too was sorry to hear about your loss.

At any rate, I enjoyed the build, as I do the builds of yours and others.

Thanks for the pictures and write up. It is much appreciated.

Stew