£4500

[charvercarver]

Peter,

First off I think it speaks well of yourself and your company that you venture into a thread with very mixed opinions on your work. I think the piece is a well considered design, even if not to my taste in all respects all the elements hang together well. And certain parts are brilliant, in my opinion, such as the chamfered drawer openings and the exposed runners.

I'd like to echo custard in asking for more technical details on how you went about building the thing.

 

[Owl]

This worked well for us when we exhibited the desk at the Design Shanghai show in China earlier this year.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I am not a woodworker but I like the desk

Incidently, it's a fair old stretch of the legs from Budleigh Salterton to China.

Brian

 

[Young & Norgate]

Thank you for your comments, and yes, China was a long way away and an interesting logistical exercise, but one well worth it.

The construction of the desk is indeed a technical challenge. Without wanting to give away too many of the individual detail solutions we have had to develop, I briefly describe some of the hurdles we have had to overcome.
The main carcass is constructed from a good mix of MDF and solid - managing timber movement is an important element of the design and we have reduced thicknesses of solid to the minimum to avoid telegraphing (joint lines showing through veneers) as well as well as ensuring good, consistent fit of drawers.
The drawer is a piston fit to the main carcass. This means that the visible runners have to be perfectly aligned with the slot that is cut into the carcass. The runners are also domed, which means that we have had to reflect this shape in the inside of the legs where they meet the carcass.
At nearly a metre wide, it also means racking of the drawer, is a serious consideration which needed to be addressed. The width also meant that we needed to counteract any potential sagging of the MDF across the top, however minute it may be, as this would have an effect on the way the chamfered drawer front sits in the carcass.
We will hopefully be showing the desk at this year's Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design in Cheltenham, where we would invite you to have a closer look.
I hope the above has given you a brief glimpse into the construction and helped shed some more light onto the piece.

Peter

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Bluekingfisher - I asked my wife where she'd put a piece of furniture like that - on a bonfire? was the reply.

Phil - Your wife is of course entitled to her opinions. What may I ask is her/your tastes in furniture/design??

David

 

[custard]

Thank you for your comments, and yes, China was a long way away and an interesting logistical exercise, but one well worth it.

The construction of the desk is indeed a technical challenge. Without wanting to give away too many of the individual detail solutions we have had to develop, I briefly describe some of the hurdles we have had to overcome.
The main carcass is constructed from a good mix of MDF and solid - managing timber movement is an important element of the design and we have reduced thicknesses of solid to the minimum to avoid telegraphing (joint lines showing through veneers) as well as well as ensuring good, consistent fit of drawers.
The drawer is a piston fit to the main carcass. This means that the visible runners have to be perfectly aligned with the slot that is cut into the carcass. The runners are also domed, which means that we have had to reflect this shape in the inside of the legs where they meet the carcass.
At nearly a metre wide, it also means racking of the drawer, is a serious consideration which needed to be addressed. The width also meant that we needed to counteract any potential sagging of the MDF across the top, however minute it may be, as this would have an effect on the way the chamfered drawer front sits in the carcass.
We will hopefully be showing the desk at this year's Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design in Cheltenham, where we would invite you to have a closer look.
I hope the above has given you a brief glimpse into the construction and helped shed some more light onto the piece.

Peter

Thanks for that. Good luck with your designs and I look forward to seeing them at Cheltenham.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Carved teak rootballs, Windsor chairs, chairs from recycled Thai teak cartwheels, good quality sheesham, kauri pine fruit bowls, heavy oak kitchen tables, in general things that look like wood, not things that would appear to be better made of something else. That particular design would seem better made from tube steel and formica. But then, it was never meant to be used, was it?

Go on, insult me. Call me a Philistine if you wish. I can handle it. :lol:

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Carved teak rootballs, Windsor chairs, chairs from recycled Thai teak cartwheels, good quality sheesham, kauri pine fruit bowls, heavy oak kitchen tables, in general things that look like wood, not things that would appear to be better made of something else. That particular design would seem better made from tube steel and formica. But then, it was never meant to be used, was it?

Go on, insult me. Call me a Philistine if you wish. I can handle it. :lol:

No not at all, no name calling from my corner. Your preferences are not to my taste although I appreciate and can see why it would appeal, just goes to show we are all different. I prefer unfussy straight simple lines. Not even modern. I also like Shaker and arts and crafts style furniture.

Wouldn't it be a dull world if we all liked the same thing? in which case, we wouldn't have anything to discuss on here.

David

 

[Phil Pascoe]

David, I'm sorry. The last paragraph was meant for the forum in general - it wasn't aimed at you.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

David, I'm sorry. The last paragraph was meant for the forum in general - it wasn't aimed at you.

No need to apologies Phil, like you I can take it :wink: