Popular Post Chestnut Posted October 27, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Been gone a while. Decided to come back. This was my first sort of fine woodworking project i made in my new still evolving shop (I'm still in the basement just more space ) My new roommate wanted a desk so i designed it roughly off of Marcs trestle table. Wedges were made from Cherry scraps. I used thread taps to hold the stretchers to the angled leg in the middle. The whole thing comes apart the top is 2 pieces and every thing else comes apart. I could flat pack it in a 50" x 26" x 6" box if i really wanted to. Once together it's VERY sturdy. Finish is wiping poly 3 coats with a 200 grit platin finish sand. Firsts for me on the project were through tenons for the wedges as well as threaded holes to bolt things together. P.S. Walnut sucks to photograph in poor lighting. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Welcome back! Turned out great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Welcome back Drew! Very nice job on the desk. It's ok to admit your new roommate is your girlfriend 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Great project. Thats a nice crouch pattern on the right end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Thanks guys. Honestly i feel like i out did myself on this one. I've got a long list of projects that i want to get done so I'll stay in the game. Though i'm back i might not be as active as i once was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 That came out great. Reminds me that a new office build is on "the list". I like the light look of the trestle versus the boxy thing I am using now. As to the photos, I find walnut shimmers and changes as you move around it. This chatoyance makes un-colored cherry just as challenging to photograph. Taking pics from multiple angles like you did pretty much takes care of it. Getting the one picture that does a natural finish piece justice can be allusive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 17 hours ago, gee-dub said: That came out great. Reminds me that a new office build is on "the list". I like the light look of the trestle versus the boxy thing I am using now. As to the photos, I find walnut shimmers and changes as you move around it. This chatoyance makes un-colored cherry just as challenging to photograph. Taking pics from multiple angles like you did pretty much takes care of it. Getting the one picture that does a natural finish piece justice can be allusive. The light look of the trestle was the whole reason i chose this. There isn't any storage but i told my girlfriend i can make that later or we could get a metal filing cabinet. My biggest complaint about commercial desks is that they always have panels and i can't stretch my legs out. With the pictures the part you can't see is how many times i moved my flashes and played with angles and stuff. I spent probably 45 min just trying to get pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Well done bud. Great looking desk. Welcome back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 36 minutes ago, K Cooper said: Well done bud. Great looking desk. Welcome back. Thanks coop. Feels good that my life has slowed down enough to drop back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Drew steel !! Hey buddy !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 3 minutes ago, shaneymack said: Drew steel !! Hey buddy !!! Shane! HEY! Did you ever finish those sculpted chairs? Finally got some good free time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Nicely done, Drew. I really like the clean lines and wood selection. Incorporating the wood's imperfections into the design can be a challenge. You pulled it off. Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Help, help, there's a crazy squirrel on the loose and he dropped a nut on the site. Welcome back young'un. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Welcome back Drew and thats a great looking project, always glad to see your work, top shelf all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan G Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Those turned out great! Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Thanks guys you are too kind. The wedges hide my gappy first attempt at through tenons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Yo D. The table looks great, I blew quite a few parts of the pics up and that thing looks great. I really like the overall profile and weight. The wedges are a nice eye grabber that will force the non wood porn viewers to move their eyes down into the legs. Cohabitation suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Very nic work, Drew. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Looks great. It looks like you had a few knots that got some epoxy treatment, which I love. Walnut's imperfections are my favorite part of the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 @Cliff Contrary to what it seems most people do, i prefer special clear epoxy and never tint. You get a nice depth to the character that's been filled. @Brendon_t My grilfriend could NOT understand the wedges untill i put the desk together for the first time. "Why are they a different wood? What are they for even?" Once she saw it she understood and really liked it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: @Cliff Contrary to what it seems most people do, i prefer special clear epoxy and never tint. You get a nice depth to the character that's been filled. @Brendon_t My grilfriend could NOT understand the wedges untill i put the desk together for the first time. "Why are they a different wood? What are they for even?" Once she saw it she understood and really liked it. Can't zoom in even to tell, I just saw what I thought would normally be big knots and aren't now. I mean, whether you tint or not, looks great either way. Some people like to cut that out of the stock but I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbeil Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Hey! Awesome desk! I just joined this forum and you're the first one I've responded to. It's kind of for a selfish reason though I'm building a trestle table right now, and I need the table top to come apart from the legs. I was wondering how you designed your desk to break down. Would you be willing I share? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 9 hours ago, Jbeil said: Hey! Awesome desk! I just joined this forum and you're the first one I've responded to. It's kind of for a selfish reason though I'm building a trestle table right now, and I need the table top to come apart from the legs. I was wondering how you designed your desk to break down. Would you be willing I share? Thanks! Yeah Option 1. I bolted through the upper arms of the legs into the top. I used 3/8" bolts and a thread tapper. So things don't break with wood movement i made oblong holes so the bolt could move around as the top expands and contracts. https://youtu.be/rgB4j0DghQ0?t=15m6s Video to make things clear. You can just use a regular metal tap. Option 2. Get some figure 8 fasteners. https://www.amazon.com/Knape-Vogt-1547STL-Fastener-Gauge/dp/B0006FKSA6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509451449&sr=8-2&keywords=figure+8+fasteners f You can use these to mount the top as well. Then it's a simple screw to remove. These also work well for wood movement and is what i use on a lot of projects. You will need a forstner bit or chisel to mount them flush with the top of the leg though. I don't have a video or picture to show you sorry. A search on this site "Figure 8 fastener" might produce something helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbeil Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 So much appreciated! I think I'm going to go with option 1, which had crossed my mind. I've never done it before and didn't know how strong it would be. It's my first ever commissioned piece... I'm a little nervous. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 Not sure how long you have been away from the forum for. We moved this last summer and i also had my dad's 65th birthday so I put the chairs on hold to build him the guild grandfather clock. Chairs are still on hold. I will sculpt them outside in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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