Kirk (KC) Constable
03-19-2004, 9:06 PM
Here's the computer desk I've been fiddling with since early this year. Dimensions are 28 deep x 58 wide x 30 high, Mojave Corian top.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk1.jpg
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk3.jpg
I used doors all around for ease in hookup, and so it can sit in the middle of a room and look good, too. I didn't take a picture of the back, but it looks just like the front except there's no drawer pull on the middle stretcher (which is just like the drawer front). I gave serious thought to putting a privacy panel in back, but by the time I decided, I was too far along to 're-engineer' for it. I used the cheap keyboard slide/drawer front flip thingy from Rockler. Inside the left box is an adjustable shelf for the CPU to sit on, and a sliding tray/shelf at the bottom that fits my HP flatbed scanner (and others I suspect). In the right box are two drawers, and a sliding tray/shelf that a 'modern' printer can live on. The upper drawer is deep enough to hold a 'flip and see' CD holder. Drawers are 1/2 Russian birch plywood, dovetailed, with a mesquite front. CPU shelf/sliding shelves/keyboard shelf are birch ply bordered with mesquite.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk2.jpg
There's some 'design detail' that doesn't photograph well (at least when I'm taking the pictures). The panels in the box are 1/4", resawn. The middle stile is just a teensy bit proud of the panels...maybe 1/8", and the rails are just a teensy bit proud of the middle stile. This assembly is inset from the leg posts, so the whole thing is kinda 'stairstepped'. Same thing with doors...except the stiles are proud of the rails. I thought this would look neat...and I guess it does...but I'm not sure if it was worth the trouble. The ebony pegs go through the doors, and just plug dowel pins everywhere else.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk4.jpg
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk5.jpg
The two boxes are separate units, tied together with the middle assembly, which is screwed to both sides. I did this to make it more manageable to move, but it's not real stable if you try to pick the whole thing up :( . Once assembled, it does scoot quite nicely. The cross pieces in the middle are to help support the Corian top, which sits in a 2" mesquite frame.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk7.jpg
I cut cable holes at the top of both inside box sides. Cabling can be tied up to the back of the rear middle stretcher, effectively hiding it (I hope). :eek:
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk6.jpg
Hardware is the Mission stuff from Woodcraft. Hinges are full wrap Amerock that almost match the color of the pulls. Finish is WATCO natural follwed by Sherwin Williams dull-rubbed-effect precat lacquer.
Overall, I guess I'm pleased with it. I'm not at all sure I like the top, and if you see this at a show, it may well have a wood top. I don't particularly like that the doors have to open all the way to use the drawers/sliding selves...but that came with the choice to use doors on both sides (which further led to doors all around). I think there's enough gap in the door frame to allow for heat escape, so I didn't put in any vents. Commentary pro and con welcome. :)
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk1.jpg
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk3.jpg
I used doors all around for ease in hookup, and so it can sit in the middle of a room and look good, too. I didn't take a picture of the back, but it looks just like the front except there's no drawer pull on the middle stretcher (which is just like the drawer front). I gave serious thought to putting a privacy panel in back, but by the time I decided, I was too far along to 're-engineer' for it. I used the cheap keyboard slide/drawer front flip thingy from Rockler. Inside the left box is an adjustable shelf for the CPU to sit on, and a sliding tray/shelf at the bottom that fits my HP flatbed scanner (and others I suspect). In the right box are two drawers, and a sliding tray/shelf that a 'modern' printer can live on. The upper drawer is deep enough to hold a 'flip and see' CD holder. Drawers are 1/2 Russian birch plywood, dovetailed, with a mesquite front. CPU shelf/sliding shelves/keyboard shelf are birch ply bordered with mesquite.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk2.jpg
There's some 'design detail' that doesn't photograph well (at least when I'm taking the pictures). The panels in the box are 1/4", resawn. The middle stile is just a teensy bit proud of the panels...maybe 1/8", and the rails are just a teensy bit proud of the middle stile. This assembly is inset from the leg posts, so the whole thing is kinda 'stairstepped'. Same thing with doors...except the stiles are proud of the rails. I thought this would look neat...and I guess it does...but I'm not sure if it was worth the trouble. The ebony pegs go through the doors, and just plug dowel pins everywhere else.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk4.jpg
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk5.jpg
The two boxes are separate units, tied together with the middle assembly, which is screwed to both sides. I did this to make it more manageable to move, but it's not real stable if you try to pick the whole thing up :( . Once assembled, it does scoot quite nicely. The cross pieces in the middle are to help support the Corian top, which sits in a 2" mesquite frame.
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk7.jpg
I cut cable holes at the top of both inside box sides. Cabling can be tied up to the back of the rear middle stretcher, effectively hiding it (I hope). :eek:
http://www.kcwoodworks.net/desk6.jpg
Hardware is the Mission stuff from Woodcraft. Hinges are full wrap Amerock that almost match the color of the pulls. Finish is WATCO natural follwed by Sherwin Williams dull-rubbed-effect precat lacquer.
Overall, I guess I'm pleased with it. I'm not at all sure I like the top, and if you see this at a show, it may well have a wood top. I don't particularly like that the doors have to open all the way to use the drawers/sliding selves...but that came with the choice to use doors on both sides (which further led to doors all around). I think there's enough gap in the door frame to allow for heat escape, so I didn't put in any vents. Commentary pro and con welcome. :)