Cherry Writing Desk

Extremely handsome piece. Great looking finish and I really like the leg details! To borrow from Don, I don’t think it’s a small wooden box, but I love it.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

A very beautiful desk. I really like the legs and the inlay. I must have missed the InLace epoxy deal. What is it and where do you get the stuff to use?

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

I like it. I’ve done epoxy inlay before, but never “inlace” epoxy. what is it ?

Table design is well balanced. Looks like it stepped off the showroom floor.

-- I made a cool back scratcher !!

Extremely nice writing desk. I too do not own a lathe, so I really like the leg ideas. I have thought of making a hallway table for nik-naks, and was searching for ideas for the legs. Guess it is time to bust out the cove bit!

-- Sgt_Lobo -- Montgomery, AL

great looking desk charlie. i was just browsing thru your projects and i think your headed for the lumber jocks hall of fame !

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Charlie.

A very nice looking table. I do like the legs. Great job.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Graet looking desk, I like the inlay.

-- Andy Stark

Very nice proportions. I like it. Do you actually write things on it?

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Thanks, everyboby!

InLace is a brand name of epoxy inlay that comes in a bunch of different colors and textures. Different additives are available to give it a variety of looks. When Cajunpen mentioned it, I googled it and found several places that sell it online. I also have some in turquoise I’m just holding on to until the right project comes along.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Oh, I forgot to mention… the finish is Danish oil followed by 5 coats of wipe-on satin poly.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Nice work, Charlie. Why can’t you get Cherry there?

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Thomas, anything besides yellow pine, fir, and oak was hard to find in New Orleans before Katrina. The couple of places I know of that did handle hardwoods are out of business. But maybe I just haven’t run across the right place yet. Now that I think about it, I’ll ask my neighbor Cajunpen if he has any sources.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

After I asked , I looked to see where you are. It occured to me that the storm had something to do with it. It should be getting better pretty soon. We can only pray.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Steve, it is called a cherry writing desk because it is used by monks who inscribe bible verses on cherries with teeny-tiny pens. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

well maybe YOU should be in the hardwood business charlie ! my supplier can get ya about anything you want
look up weiss hardwoods on the net.

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

That is beautiful Charlie! – I like the inlay and must do some research on it -truly an heirloom!

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

Wow, very nice table. I like the proportions, design, colors and especially the workmanship. I’m just finishing up my latest project (which I’ll post tomorrow) and I’ve been looking for a design like this for a new TV for some relatives. The legs are a great idea and look good. Is a lathe in your future? I buy lots of wood on ebay and have found some pretty good deals including a couple guys who will sell 50+ bd ft at a time for great price.
Overall, congrats on a nice project. BTW, thats a lot of work for only a couple weekends.

-- Bob A in NJ

Great table Charlie. I’ve used inlace in turnings before but have’nt been able to make it look that good. Did you grind it up super fine? mike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

I’ve wanted to make a desk for my grandchild and had a drawing from one of the mags I read but this looks better and easier to make. I love working with cherry and it finishs great. Thanks for a great Idea. I like the walnut draws against the cherry. Nice project.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida

Thanks.

Mike, I used the inlace straight out the jar. I did have to go back after it cured and fill in a few spots where voids had formed. And when smoothing it out, I was surprised to find that a cabinet scraper works pretty well on the stuff.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Beautiful work as always Charlie. Hope all is well and thanks for posting this.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

Thanks, Chip!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

The legs are inspirational!

I owe my mother-in-law a new kitchen table, and I know I could probably pull off those legs. I think she will dig them.

There is a story here of course so i will keep it brief. I already built her a kitchen table but let her pick out something to use as legs at the local HD. She selected these oak staircase spindles that looked a little weak to me, but she really liked them. I should have spoken up; the resultant table racks around something fierce.

Thanks,
Bill.

Nice job Charlie, proving once again that you can make nice stuff without a $1500.00 Unisaw… thanks for the tip on the inlay – you just gave me a great idea.

-- --Chuck

I like your desk. I had to go look at your other projects, nice. Nice music also.

-- Ron in Osseo, Minnesota

Charlie, this is fabulous. So much fine detail. I like the coves on the legs, and the inlays on the top. Good job.

-- Maplewood, MN

Chuck, the stuff smells just like Bondo, so be sure to have good ventilation.

rikkor and Ron, thanks for the kind words.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Charlie…
I really like this desk. Very well done! How did you join the table skirts to the legs, mortise & tennon?

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

Thanks, Tom.

I know m/t joints would be the conventional wisdom, but I’m a big fan of my doweling jig whenever I can get by with it, and that is what I used here here.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Charlie…
Doweling is one of the few joints I have never tried on a project. You make it work very well.

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

This is a fantastic desk! I really like the contrast of the drawer faces, and the lines in the top… very cool.

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Thanks Steve. It’s now in my son’s room under a computer and who knows how much dust. lol!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"