| Project by Lee A. Jesberger | posted 2175 days ago | 4375 views | 10 times favorited | 68 comments |  |
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The custom desk project was built to fit into this room. We took the original design from the architect, and some comments from the owner, and came up with this. It is a combination of both of their ideas, plus a few of our own.
The hardwood is Mahogany. The veneers are Quilted Makore. The work surfaces are Black absolute granite.
The large curved pieces are doors, which provide an incredible amount of storage space. These were built using two layers of 3/8” bendy board, which is a flexible plywood. The two layers were glued together over a form and placed in a vacuum bag. Uni bond 800, a urea resin glue, was used to bond them together. The reason for this choice of glues is the fact it is quite rigid, so it will hold the shape after removing the parts from the vacuum bag.
It is important to estimate the amount of spring back that will occur, once the pieces are removed from the form. For this reason it is important to build the form at a tighter curve than the desired finished piece will be. Even with the rigid glue a small amount of spring back does occur. Especially with such large doors.
The form must also be very strong, or it will be crushed by the vacuum system! Or another option is an air bladder that is inserted into a hollow form, and applies an equal amount of pressure on the inside of the form, as is applied on the outside. This was our method, as it makes a much easier, and lighter form.
Once the doors were veneered we made Mahogany “ribs” for the inside of the doors, one on the top, one on the bottom. This guarantees they keep the same radius.
We bookmatched the veneers on the wide doors, and also from one side of the room to the other. The two oppossing sides of the room are exact mirror images of each other. This includes the two columns.
The curves on the custom desk project allow the desk to nestle nicely in relation to the curved cabinets.
The cabinets are installed on euuropean feet, which make leveling them simple, and allows the toe kick boards to be poped off to run wires under the cabinets.
The trim pieces above the upper cabinets have low voltage lighting hidden behind them, and gives a nice even glow above them. The upper cabinets also have the same lighting mounted to the bottom of them to put the same glow onto the granite.
The raised panel doors are made from 3/4” M.D.F. with a Mahogany frame biscuited to them. Then they are veneered and run thru the shaper. The backs are also veneered, using a mahogany veneer. This makes a very stable door. The stiles and rails are constructed in the standard fashion.
Once we finished the installation, the room was carpeted with black carpet. It really looked great.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
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68 comments so far
Karson
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34396 posts in 2597 days
#1 posted 2175 days ago
Great looking cabinets. I’ve been veneering for 30 years, Vacuum veneering for 5, but have never tried to do curved veneering or columns.
I might have to give them a try some day.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
jockmike2
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10635 posts in 2443 days
#2 posted 2175 days ago
Wow, what great looking work. You must of had unlimited funds, for the woods, granite and time it took to bend all that material. Just beautiful. I’ll bet the owners were pleased. Jodckmike
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
RJones
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307 posts in 2352 days
#3 posted 2175 days ago
Another masterpiece? Thanks of sharing! About how many hours do you think you had in this job?
-- http://rjoneswoodworks.com/
Bob Babcock
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1804 posts in 2283 days
#4 posted 2175 days ago
Amazing!
-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org
CharlieM1958
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14933 posts in 2415 days
#5 posted 2175 days ago
I can see now that the desk was indeed a perfect match for the rest of the office. Amazing work!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
TheGravedigger
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963 posts in 2221 days
#6 posted 2175 days ago
One word – WOW!
I’d love to see the setup you used to veneer the doors. I’ve had some ideas for smaller-scale curved veneers, but the technical problems had me stymied.
-- Robert - Visit my woodworking blog: http://littlegoodpieces.wordpress.com
darryl
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1789 posts in 2523 days
#7 posted 2175 days ago
truly impressive!
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#8 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Karson,
There is a series of videos on the market, produced by David Keil, owner of Vacusystems Inc., which are excellent in their production and information. He does cover veneering curves and columns.
Well worth the price.
Thanks for the kind words.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#9 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Mike;
Once again I thank you. No there weren’t inlimited funds for me, just for the client. LOL
What really pleased the owners was the fact that four different phone / cable guys refused to drill any holes in the cabinet work! They insisted they wouldn’t even go near them with tools. We ended up going back to do it.
That’s when the owner realized it must be something speciall!
Question: what’s the pro fisher 50 stand for?
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#10 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Bob;
Once again I thank you for the kind words.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#11 posted 2175 days ago
Hello again Charlie;
Thanks, it did make the room complete, for sure.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Bill
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2579 posts in 2358 days
#12 posted 2175 days ago
What a great desk set. Now that is an office to work in!
-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#13 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Gravedigger;
Thanks for the kind words.
I’ll check thru my photo’s and see if I can find something. I have thousands of pictures, in several computers, and some nut didn’t index them very well. (me).
So it might take me a little while.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#14 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Darryl;
Thank You!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Lee A. Jesberger
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6525 posts in 2176 days
#15 posted 2175 days ago
Hi Bill;
Thank you, I appreciate it.
I checked out your projects, and I must say you do fine work!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
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