Work-Assembly - Outfeed-Storage Table: Repurposed Steel Desk

Super job

-- jeanmarc manosque france

Nice repurposing of the desk, Jeff. It’s great that you were able to help out the FIL and tidy up your shop. I like that you used sketchup to work out the details. It reminds me that I should use it for even the little things and by doing so I will become more familiar with it.

-- Joe, Indiana, http://www.crookedshack.com

This is a nice job of re-purposing on the desk. You got a nice, as well as needed, piece of shop furniture for under $100 and helped your father-in-law get rid of an unwanted desk. Sounds like a winning combination to me.

Great job, Jeff.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

What a great recycling job, & it looks real handy.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Nice solution to both of your issues. Thank you for sharing Jeff.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Very Nice Jeff…. I really like the fact that it’s mobile.

-- Chris

As always, I am a fan of taking what normally would be discarded and turning it to gold

-- making sawdust....

I agree with Motthunter… I like taking something that nobody really wants and making somthing that they want. Great job on this project… very functional. The original desk actually looks like it was in reasonable shape to start with. Very creative, I like it a lot.

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

Harvest gold rides again!
What were those 70’s designers thinking! I guess you can be glad it wasn’t Avocado green. In the printing business I’ve even seen a multi-spindle paper drill in powder coated Harvest gold.

Seriously, though, I think this is genius, especially the solution to the caster problem. And I like the power strips and the on-board storage. Good job, Jeff.

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

I would not have thought of using an old steel desk that way. Kudos for thinking outside the box!

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

Great repurposing. I think you have room for another shelf down at the casters. Is it heavy?

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

Very creative. I would guess that desk is rock solid. Should give you a great deal of work surface. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

-- Tim from Iowa City, IA

I am glad to see I am not alone…
I repurposed a free desk from the local high school too. I intend on using it in the same manner:

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

Nice and functional!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Makes a bottom-feeder’s heart warm…

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

Thanks for the kind feedback folks. It is definitely one of the more useful things I’ve done for the shop this summer. Since the prospect of moving where I have my own garage/shop space is slim right now, I decided I would focus a lot of effort making the small space I have more useful. A lot of credit goes to the FIL. He is quite supportive and was happy to see it become useful rather than gather dust.

Giz – it’s not too heavy unless I load up the drawers with really heavy items. The quality of the casters makes a difference too I believe. The ones I used are urethane I think; the same as a roller blade wheel. I think jm82345’s will be considerably heavier. How much does yours weigh jm82435? Good luck with your conversion.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

I like it!

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com

Great job Jeff. Good luck in the contest.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

i have a desk like that in my garage that is going to get the same treatment. thanks for the idea.

-- www.robneves.com

You’re welcome R55. It’s great to have a portable work surface. I’ve found that I can follow the sun or the shadows in the driveway. I like that.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Another fine application of the principle of reuse!

Let me see….I have a similar desk, and I could sure use an outfeed/work table. Is that a light bulb over my head? Eureka!!! Thanks for the great idea!

-- There is nothing in the world more dangerous, than a woodworker who knows how to read a micrometer...

Thats a nice work assembly table.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

excellent. these things get trashed all the time.

Looks like I never checked back after my post… It isn’t light, but I don’t know that is much heavier than something of comparable size made of mdf or melamine. -The wheels are pretty big and cast iron – so it rolls really nice. The drawers are heavy duty and handy. I like the extra height the big wheels and frame under it gives. I am fairly tall, so a lift kit was in order anyway. (yes, my Unisaw has 4X4s under it also) Yeah, my daughter says it is all pretty “ghetto”...

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...