Popular Post MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 So a friend asked me if I'd build a desk for he and his wife and how much I would charge. I told him that 1) I'm new to a lot of this and this will be a great chance to learn some new skills and 2) he's my friend and if he wants to help out and provide materials, I'll just do it for him. I must say, building things for other people is somewhat nerve wracking, especially when you are new to this, because I don't want to screw this up. Still fun though! This is his wife's desk. Solid walnut top and the legs and aprons will be poplar (painted of course). Today we got the rough lumber milled down, cut to rough length, jointed, and glued up. I'll post more as things progress! I'm sharing links to updates to make it easier for people to continue to follow without having to sort through all of the responses and discussion. UPDATE 9/6/16: http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/23075-first-large-scale-project-walnut-desk/?do=findComment&comment=281296 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Thats a great way to learn ! When I started I did the same thing. I built a bunch of stuff and didn't charge anything except materials. It's nice to be able to make things and not have to pay for materials. It's also less stress when you don't charge because there is less expectations. Atleast thats how I felt. Looks like it's coming along nicely! Keep the updates coming ! Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Thanks! One thing I learned is that the fence on my biscuit joiner isn't square... That sucked. Luckily the boards lined up nicely on their own and will only require a little bit of sanding after the glue is all set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Hay Mister..Look forward to more of your build.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Next weekend he's bringing the poplar over so we can work on the legs and apron. Going to do mortise and tenon joinery with that part. That will be another first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Awesome ! Any questions that come up, don't be shy to ask them here. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Oh, I'm sure I will! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Good start! Did you put a little packing tape on those cauls to keep them from sticking to the glue squeeze out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Sure did. Worked like a charm, too. Went over it with a paint scraper after taking the clamps off to get the glue cleaned up as well. I'm going to epoxy the knot in the one board there and sand it flush before putting finish on the top, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephThomas Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Looks like a good start, bet your friend will be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 I think your friend's wife will be quite pleased. How are you planning to attach the top? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 My first 75 or so projects were with syp and I screwed up all but 3. Aren't you really, really nervous about using walnut on your 1st? Just jacking with Ya! You're off to a great start! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said: I think your friend's wife will be quite pleased. How are you planning to attach the top? Probably buttons or z-clips... Accounting for wood movement and all 1 hour ago, K Cooper said: My first 75 or so projects were with syp and I screwed up all but 3. Aren't you really, really nervous about using walnut on your 1st? Just jacking with Ya! You're off to a great start! Oh, I've already botched part of it! LOL Biscuit joiner was set wrong and there's a biscuit sized gouge along the bottom of one of the boards... Ended up not using biscuits after all and its on the bottom do sight unseen. Another woodworker told me once that mistakes are a part of any woodworking. What takes skill is making sure no one can tell that there are mistakes! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Haven't updated this in a while so I figured I'd show how things are progressing: Got the plank cut to length and started sanding. I have cleaned huge portions of my garage since this pic was taken and I forgot how awful it looked. Got some dye for my epoxy and started filling the knots with it. I started on the underside because I had never used this technique before and figured screwing up on the bottom was better than the top. After the epoxy dried I got it all sanded down smooth, 100, 150, then 220 grit. Applied a couple coats of seal-a-cell and learned afterwards that I don't need it and could just use Arm-R-Seal on it's own. That's fun. Rough-sanded a scrap piece of walnut to test Arm-R-Seal out... love this stuff! Epoxy on the top surface knots First coat of ARS Lightly sanded and applied a second coat of ARS Still love the way this grain looks... wish I had picked out the wood and I could have tried to match things up better on the joints but the end-user is happy so that's what matters. I've got two more coats of ARS to put down and this top is done. This weekend my friend is bringing over a bunch of poplar and we'll get the apron and legs done so we can get it all put together. The legs will be painted so poplar seemed the best option there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Looks great ! Its always amazing to see the bland walnut come to life after a coat of finish. Nice work! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 This has gone a long ways in making me feel more confident in redoing the top of our kitchen table. It's an oak plywood right now and there's really no room to sand and refinish because of that so I'm just taking the top off and will make a new one with cherry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Oak ply to sold cherry will be a sweeeet upgrade ! Post some pics of that as well. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 looking great MisterDrow, keep the pictures coming, my son just finished making countertops for his home out of solid cherry and they look awesome, he finished them with something from general finishes but i forget what he used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Ooh, I'll bet those countertops were pretty, too! Isn't cherry bordering on too soft for a countertop? I guess if you put a durable enough finish on it and are careful it'd be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Nice work MisterDrow! Looking forward to seeing the progress and final product! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 2 hours ago, MisterDrow said: Isn't cherry bordering on too soft for a countertop? yeah cherry is kinda soft for a countertop, he put it on edge and i think he went 2 1/2 inches thick so he should be ok 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dknapp34 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Just catching up on this one. Looking good so far! How are you planning on doing the M&Ts for the legs? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 4 hours ago, shaneymack said: Looks great ! Its always amazing to see the bland walnut come to life after a coat of finish. Nice work! It is interesting you say that, I never think walnut is bland. I'd more likely say that about maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan G Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post shaneymack Posted September 6, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 It is interesting you say that, I never think walnut is bland. I'd more likely say that about maple. I might not have been clear. My point is that walnut really only comes to life once you put that first coat on it. It is one of the woods that has that biggest transformation once finish is appplied. So the bland remark was referring to not having any finish on it. Walnut is one of my favourite woods. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.