Interior work

I have made a mock up of the interior parts, this helps me and the client see the possibilities inside. I want to have a few dividers for paper and other writing stuff, I'm adding a curve or two to contrast with the sharp angles of the desk body and I'm adding a nice twist by making the entire interior of curly maple.

Top on

Now that I have the top glued and hinged, I can really see the shape and lines of the piece. I added a trim piece that reflects the top over hang and adds a finished element to the desk body.

Pegging the joints

Sometimes I will peg the joints to add strength and a detail. These pins are left a little long to add a cool feel for the fingers.

Rare woods

I have a collection of wood that I use for special projects, this desk is made from air dried walnut cut in Ohio in the 1970's. The top panel is made from a crotch figure that is a one of a kind, amazing piece of wood.

Overall form

The piece is together enough now to have a look at the overall form and proportions. The top frame parts are cut and prepped.

Gluing parts

I've got the legs and parts ready to assemble the desk body. Here I'm gluing a side section, then the two sides get glued to form the whole.

Hand tools

Since my pieces are built one at a time, I use hand tools as much or more than power tools. This allows for details that combine the hand and eye, the tool and the wood. Its a pleasure to work at the bench with a hand tool rather than a screaming power machine.

Joinery

I use mortise and tenon joints, they are a time tested joint. My mortiser is used here to make a stepped joint that will accept the tenons of the desk body.

The leg

The main focus of this stand up desk is the overall form, a slant top body sitting on four legs. The leg needs to have a very strong shape that can stand alone as a primary shape, amply supporting the structure and anchoring the design.

Wood for the stand up desk

Searching for the right wood for the right design. I have kept some lumber for years, this project calls for some very nice 4/4 and 8/4 stock, all air dried with vibrant color from air drying. I need walnut and maple, matching color and grain and good thickness for the use intended.

Next project

My next commission is a stand up desk, designed to help reduce the time sitting in a chair at the office. This desk will primarily serve as a work station for the lap top, this piece is to be graceful and sturdy, and will have storage inside.









This design, although subtle and graceful, has specific ergonomic considerations for the client.

Studio pictures

Ah, the finished pieces, always a pleasure, they are smooth and warm to the touch, sturdy and clean for the eye.

Time for finish

Oil finish is the best for a custom piece like this one. Now we get to see the matching colors and grains that were laid out in the initial rough cut. Oil finish takes time and effort, resulting in an exquisite luster and tactile finish. Next step; reassemble and into the studio for a portfolio photo shoot.

How do you make that?

Then it's onto the bench for filing and sanding. Many of my shapes are derived from human shapes, finger sized pulls are easy to sand and nice to hold. Attach and enjoy. Note the top pulls are a little wider than the second tier, and the bottom ones are narrower, reflecting the scale of each drawer. Also, the pulls are eased up a bit on the lower drawers so they look right from above.




First the concept: a shapely pull that feels nice in the hand and you can grip it to open the drawer. I cut the curve in a strip and sand, flip it over and shape the top. After cutting at an angle, the individual pulls are drawn out and band sawn.

Like jewelry on a super model

Drawer pulls are a final touch that can make or break the design. I've sketched a few and tried some older samples, yet the shapely design of this one seems right. It matches some of the curves of the desk details and offers a contrast in walnut. The top rail detail is done and the desk is taking on its final look.

Onto the next details

Now that the drawers are done, I will design and build the pulls and the top rail detail, drawn in the original concept, see the October 24 post. Grain patterns match in the drawer fronts and side panels, all originally laid out from the rough lumber boards.

Drawer joints

The drawer sides are angled to fit the tapered drawer banks, with pins that add strength to the joints at the corners. I've installed solid wood drawer bottoms, grooved into the sides, the bottoms have allowance for seasonal movement and the grain matches in the interiors of all the drawers, a delight to find when you open one up.

Drawer work

Drawers require some steps to ensure a good fit and strong joints. First I cut the parts from quarter sawn mahogany and fit the parts to their prospective place in the drawer bank, top left drawer, left side fits in the left upper bank hole and so on. Then I cut the joints & glue the boxes together, angled blocks match the desk bank taper.

Side piece

Some discussion about the design of the side piece. This client uses a lap top so ergonomic considerations for typing are important. After some discussion about desk top height; 29 1/2" is ideal for writing but can change for different size people, a pull out tray height; lap top and keyboard surface is ideal at 26"-28" form the floor, anticipated work habits; the client wants to be able to write, type and layout reference materials at the same time. We did not want to compromise the desk height and proportions, and adding a keyboard tray seemed like a compromise so I redesigned the side piece to accommodate the lap top, on an angled surface, and the printer under in the open bank, and added length for ample leg room.

Take a first look

Now that I have the drawer banks together, I can flip my top over onto it and take a look at the piece, the grain is going to be nice, I like the scale of the angled banks with the medium thickness top. The top is ready for sanding, edge treatment and a raised detail on the back rail.