I'll be building two identical desks as shown below. In another thread I mentioned that I want to make the top and modesty panel removable for ease of moving the desks.
Desk Top Exploded View.png
I'm thinking about using four battens to both help keep the solid cherry top flat and also to provide a way to mount the top in a removeable fashion. The battens would be screwed to the top (one fixed screw, probably in the center, and the rest with slotted holes to allow for wood movement). The battens are positioned so they drop down into the pedestals along side the top rails of the pedestal sides. I would screw horizontally through the battens into the rails to secure the top to the pedestals.
As an aside, the battens would also act as side guides for pull out work-surfaces above the top drawers (not shown in the drawing, so I get a three-fer with this design.
The top is 1" thick by 62 by 30 give or take. The battens would be 1 1/2 by 3/4 or 7/8 stock. I calculate the pedestals will weigh 40-50 lbs each (with empty drawers).
Do you think the battens will be strong enough when sooner or later someone lifts the desk by the top? Any problems/issues I'm not seeing? A 1" thick top doesn't give a lot of thread length, but I can use lots of screws, or even, I suppose, threaded inserts in the top.
Suggestions and thoughts appreciated!