Computer Desk

Saw a computer desk in FWW magazine. Liked it … but it was a little more complex than I wanted or wanted to tackle. So, I drew my own plans, changed the construction methods and the look to suit my personal needs and taste.

I was talking it up with a co-worker one day (who posts on this site) and mentioned that I had decided to build the project using clear white pine. “Clear white pine,” he says. “I have a bunch in my shop. Old stuff. Passed on to me from a friend who had it passed on to him. Must be more than 50 years old. If you’ll help me mill it up, you can have all you need.” What, are you kidding me. A chance to make sawdust with a friend and drive away with a pile of wood. I’m on it. “When can we start?”

I started with the pile of wood in the first photo in late March and brought the finished project in the house the first week in June. Rail and stile cabinet box with recessed panels. Drawer boxes finger jointed and then faces applied (the drawer pulls are shaped like surfboards). All aprons and stretchers are mortised and tenoned. All tenons cut on the table saw. All mortises cut by hand, the way I’ve always done it, with a CHISEL. Conditioned the wood with a 2# cut of shellac, fine sanded, applied a MinWax fruitwood stain, then finished up with a water based poly (3 coats on top). The bottom drawer holds my hanging files and is wide enough (27”) that they go left to right instead of front to back. The pull-out at the top is an extra writing/working surface and makes the desk top surface almost 1/2 again as big.

I still have some of that pile left over. My mind is spinning with the possibilities for the next project.