'Puter Desk

[woodbloke]

I've been working away over the last couple of weeks making a 'puter unit for my daughter. It's made from 25mm laminated pine (bought very cheaply) so it's a bit chunkable. Construction is nothing dramatic or fancy, biscuits for the most part and a few dovetails here and there. The long cross rail is located with a No20 biscuit and a very large screw that goes into an elm cross dowel. The printer unit is located onto the table top with screws going into a 20mm elm dowel.

Plinth detail:

and a couple of shots of the drawer, complete with slidy tray for paper with room for colouring in pencils underneath:

The drawer has lapped d/t's at the front and through d/t's at the back. I've used pine for the sides but have done my usual trick of gluing on a wear strip of iroko to the underside. There's also an oak wear strip that the drawer runs on in the cabinet.

...and finally a shot of a happy customer with her new MacBook looking at archaeological stuff - Rob

 

[OPJ]

Construction is nothing dramatic or fancy, biscuits for the most part and a few dovetails here and there.

Unless those dovetails were cut using an expensive router jig, Rob, I'll have to call you a LIAR! :wink:

Overall, looks very nice. What finish have you used?

I need to build something like this one day... Have you made a secret home for the laptop or does it live on the desk?

The quality of this pine looks rather good. If I was buying sawn redwood boards, I'd expect to find more dead knots than this!

 

[woodbloke]

Construction is nothing dramatic or fancy, biscuits for the most part and a few dovetails here and there.

Unless those dovetails were cut using an expensive router jig, Rob, I'll have to call you a LIAR! :wink:

Overall, looks very nice. What finish have you used?

I need to build something like this one day... Have you made a secret home for the laptop or does it live on the desk?

The quality of this pine looks rather good. If I was buying sawn redwood boards, I'd expect to find more dead knots than this!

Olly - finish is a couple of coats of matt acrylic varnish with three coats on the desk top. There's enough room underneath to store all sorts of big files etc which is what Meg's will need next year at Uni. I bought the pine at a saving of approx 75% of what I would have paid at one of the sheds, it's not ideal as it's way too thick, but at £14 for a 2m board I t'wern't about to argue about it. Good news is that I've got enough left over to do a wall hung Wakaesque/Nibbo'ish sort of tool cabinet later on - Rob

 

[CroppyBoy1798]

Very nice! Its a pleasure to see nice, well cut and finished joints on pine as these days you'd be more accustomed to seeing bland screw or dowel joints :?

Tis a bit of a 'chunky monkey' alright :lol: but it give it a bit of character and a good sturdy appearance.

 

[newt]

Rob, very nice job, it does make a change to see something in the much maligned pine, as usual great joints. I have found that very very very sharp tools are required on pine.

 

[mailee]

Very nice job Rob. I do like the chunky look of it. That pine does look good too, and to get it at that price you jammy so and so! :shock:

 

[Benchwayze]

Nice plain and simple looking. (The desk that is!)

The Dovetails are a nice touch and yes, that pine is quite good quality!

(I have been forbidden to go into the workshop by the Admissions Sister at the Hospital. Mustn't cut or bruise myself before my op!)
So I'll keep some of these details here in mind Rob.

Cheers
John

 

[9fingers]

(I have been forbidden to go into the workshop by the Admissions Sister at the Hospital. Mustn't cut or bruise myself before my op!)
So I'll keep some of these details here in mind Rob.

Cheers
John

Is that the long awaited knee job John? Good luck anyway

Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Bob!

Yes indeed it is...

Mind you I still cut some of those lino-tops in half the other day. :lol:

Started the Triton bench, but Jean had other ideas.

Thanks Bob..

I'll keep you posted.

John

 

[woodbloke]

Just and update here. When I fitted the drawer in the 'shop, it was a good 'piston fit' in the opening. The recent fine weather :roll: :roll: over the last couple of weeks have meant that the RH is much higher so that when it's been in Meg's room the drawer sides have swollen and I've had to fettle it in with a block plane...twice :x
That'll learn me...make 'em baggy to start with - Rob

 

[jlawrence]

I'm in the process of making something very similar for my lad.
I've a couple of questions if you don't mind.
How did you fix the top to the drawer unit ?
How did you fix the sides to the plinth ?

TIA
Jon

 

[crazylilting]

I have to say those are the tightest looking dovetails i've seen in pine. Nice job. If you can do that in pine i'd like to see some in a good hardwood. Not keen on the desk itself but admire the workmanship. Thanks for sharing.

 

[woodbloke]

I'm in the process of making something very similar for my lad.
I've a couple of questions if you don't mind.
How did you fix the top to the drawer unit ?
How did you fix the sides to the plinth ?

TIA
Jon

The top was screwed in place with big screws, but the 'holes' in the carcase were in fact elongated to make long slots (to take account of the movement in the top)
The plinth was secured to the carcase in the time honoured fashion...wooden buttons :wink:

Pic shows some joints done in American White Oak:

for a small unit in the kitchen that I did just after Christmas - Rob

 

[crazylilting]

very crisp :shock: You've got some skills there!!!

I've only done a couple of things for myself with dovetails. A small cabinet for drill bits in the shop and my workbench. They aren't as nice as those, that much i can say. I'll have to sharpen up the chisels and give a go at it, just because they look so nice.