# Arts and Crafts Library Desk



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*

Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project. 








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The current project is a small library desk for my son's room. He helped in the design phase, choosing corbels over spindles for the sides of the desk. We also have a special white oak board with a bullet lodged in it. Caden decided he wanted to incorporate it into the desk. 








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I am fortunate to have a stack of 400 b.f. of white oak to choose my stock from. My first task is to glue up some leg blanks. The finished legs are 2-1/2" square, so I glue up two sets of 3 planks. 








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Then I resaw some strips, and plane them to 1/4" thick. They will be used to veneer the legs. 








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I rip the planks into two blanks, and plane them down to 2-5/16" wide. Then I use clamping cauls to distribute the pressure as I veneer the blanks. Once dry, I trim the veneers with a flush trimming bit at the router table. 








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This is what the legs look like in their rough state. I batch plane the four legs down to 2-1/2" square, which leaves a thin 3/32" veneer. Do the math with me… 2-5/16" + 3/32" +3/32" = 2-1/2" 








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Once planed the jointline seems to disappear. 
I did all of the planing by hand with an old Stanley plane. 
Just kidding. I didn't do that. 








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Four legs complete, with quartersawn figure on all sides. 








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Then I mortised the legs to receive the stretchers. 








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Next up I will make the stretchers. Hopefully I can plane the board with the bullet without wrecking by planer knives! Maybe I'll pull out the old hand plane for that.


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## Flocktothewall (Jan 16, 2011)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Nice! Looking forward to watching the build progress! A little jealous of the 400bf comment.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Looks like another great build!

Congrats on the award!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. It is off to a quick start. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going next week.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Willie, I noticed the stealth gloat about the second place award. Well done! This looks like it will be another great project. Have a great Thanksgiving.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Thanks Art. I think my son was just happy to have his bed back!


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## sb194 (Feb 19, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Willie,

I am always impressed by your projects. They are well designed and masterfully crafted.

Can't wait to see it done.

Sean


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Congrats on your 2nd place at the Portland show. Very impressive as there are a lot of highly skilled woodworkers from that area, including yourself of course.

Your Sons desk is a great design, corbels and all. I love how you did those legs. I have made some square legs with four mitered pieces plus a center piece, They came out very nice, but I think your way better is more straight forward and it looks wonderful too. My next project will be using some large laminated pieces and I now plan to use your method, so I am very appreciative of you sharing it with us.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Mike,
I have tried the miter method, locking miters, and thin veneers. I used locking miters for the legs on the bed. This made hollow legs which was helpful for hiding the wiring and transformer. I think each technique has its place, but I tend to use thin veneers most often. Once you get into 4×4" legs or larger, the locking miter becomes more attractive to save material. 
Once the edges are eased, the veneer method looks just as good as the others.

Thanks


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Building Legs, Cutting Mortises*
> 
> Well after taking second place at the Portland Woodworking Show with the last project, a cherry trundle bed, it was time to start the next project.
> 
> ...


Good stuff Willie. Nice to match a face with the name. Never mind the old stanley. You need an LN

Congrats on the award at the show.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*M & T Frame, and Lapped Dovetails*

With the legs complete, I milled up some stock for the rails. All joints are deep mortise and tenons, except for the top drawer rail which is a lapped dovetail. 








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Test fitting the lower drawer rail.








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The lower side stretchers feature through tenons. 








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The upper drawer rail features lapped dovetail joints. With the same dado blade setup used for the other long rails, I cut the dovetail to 1/2" thick, and established the side shoulders. 








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After laying out the lines for the dovetail, I made the cuts at the bandsaw. 








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A little trimming with a hand dovetail saw and chisel completes the tail. 








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The rail is positioned, and the mortise location is marked with a knife. 








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I decided a router was the best tool to achieve a flat-bottomed mortise. I was surprised how stable the router felt on top of these 2-1/2" square legs. If the legs were any smaller, I might have clamped two legs together for more support. 








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I cut the 1/2" deep mortise in three light passes with a spiral bit. I cut close to the line, leaving the final trimming for a chisel. 








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In short order I was able to fit the dovetails in their sockets. 








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Rails installed.








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Desk dry assembly.








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Next up should be the corbels, and perhaps the desktop. 
Cheers!


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *M & T Frame, and Lapped Dovetails*
> 
> With the legs complete, I milled up some stock for the rails. All joints are deep mortise and tenons, except for the top drawer rail which is a lapped dovetail.
> 
> ...


Nice. I haven't used that joint much either….but I need to. Looks strong.


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *M & T Frame, and Lapped Dovetails*
> 
> With the legs complete, I milled up some stock for the rails. All joints are deep mortise and tenons, except for the top drawer rail which is a lapped dovetail.
> 
> ...


Just found your post. will be studying what you've done. That dove tail is a work of art!.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*Inside Corbels*

This is where we left things last time…








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The desk is quite strong, however it looks pretty plain at this stage. The next step is to add 8 inside corbels, so I made a template routing jig. I like to use toggle clamps, because they double as handles when routing. Carpet tape also works, but for workpieces this small I prefer toggle clamps to keep my hands clear of the bit. 








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After cutting the rough shape at the bandsaw, I trim the corbels to size at the router table. Notice how the jig is a little longer than the corbel. This keeps the router bit away from the end grain and makes a safer, cleaner cut. 








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In no time, I had flush-trimmed the 8 corbels.








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The corbels are attached with biscuits, and are centered on the legs. I made a simple offset jig to center the biscuit joiner on the legs. 








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The offset jig is positioned against the leg, and registers the top rail. 








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The offset jig is clamped in place.








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Now the biscuits will be cut in the same plane, and in the correct position. 








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I cut three biscuits per corbel. My only regret was the biscuit joiner was too big to cut a slot in the top of the corbel. I would have had to cut the slot prior to assembling the desk, but that would make alignment too fussy. If I was worried about strength I could add a dowel or plugged screw at the top of the corbel. 








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Corbel installed.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


Nice!


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


oooohhhh. Never would have thought of the offset jig. Thanks Willie


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


One more thing I have learned. Thank you!


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## Bigrock (Apr 16, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


Hi:
I liked the style of the desk from the start. I like how you located the corbels and how you are attaching them. Very great idea and thank you for sharing. I will use them when I build a Craftsman Style Chest of Drawers.


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## BJODay (Jan 29, 2013)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


Nice looking accents. Great way to cut the biscuits.

BJ


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


nice work man. Love the curves. I need to learn how to better use my router. A good router table would help me, I'm sure.


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


I just came back to revisit this and just noticed (blind as I am) the great work you did attaching the Corbels. Well done.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Inside Corbels*
> 
> This is where we left things last time…
> 
> ...


Thanks Harold.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*

With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers. 








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Here my son sands the drawer parts. 








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I made the drawer parts 3-1/4" (the exact width of the drawer opening) to accommodate my dovetail jig. After the dovetails were milled I edge planed them to final size, being careful to remove an equal amount from both edges. 








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The dado creates two sections to each drawer.








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The 3/4 extension undermount slides will only display the front drawer compartment. Releasing the friction disconnect reveals the secret compartment.








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"Counterclockwise, end grain first (unless inside a frame, then clockwise)." This is the rule of the router.
A quick roundover pass is made easier with an oversized base plate. 








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I use a circle cutting jig as my oversized baseplate. It works so well, it feels like cheating. 








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Here my son is raising the grain with a spray bottle of water. 








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After a final hand sanding with 220 grit paper, we cleaned and dyed the desk with Transtint Brown Mohogany in a 1oz./quart ratio. 








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Pre-raising the grain worked like a charm, and the dyed surface stayed nice and smooth. 








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Next up will be the dark walnut stain, lacquer, and drawer assembly.
Cheers!


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


(unless the router in mounted in a table upside down)

Wow, that is coming along nicely. I have always wanted to try dye, I think your results have shown me the way.

Wish I had a helper. Mine never wanted anything to do with it. Now they have houses and still want me to do stuff for them. Oh well.

Steve


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


If you decide on a water based dye, pre-raising the grain is well worth the extra effort.

My philosophy with furniture for the kids is this… I will build them whatever they want, but they need to help me. That gives me extra time spent with the kids, and they are learning all the while.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


The corbels look great Willie and you got a very nice result with the dye. The rays sure show up well. Your philosophy about getting your son helping you with stuff you're making for him is a very good and positive approach.


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## phtaylor36 (Jun 13, 2011)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


That is a nice looking desk, and what a great helper


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


Excellent progress and it just keeps getting better and better.


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


Like having "the boy" work with you. I use to help my dad and then got away from it all. $0+ years later, I'm doing it and wish he was around to see I can actually cut a straight line now!

Where did you get the oversized plate for the router??


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Secret Compartment Drawers , Transtint Dye*
> 
> With the corbels installed, we can move on to the drawers.
> 
> ...


The oversized baseplate is just a circle cutting jig, but it works great for edge profiling as well. The brand is Jasper. My dad gave it to me, I guess he never used it.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*

In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen. 








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The drawer fronts were stained before assembly. After the glueup dried overnight, the drawers were lacquered. 








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The desk was stained with Varathane Dark Walnut oil based stain. When wet the stain looked great, but it too dried to a grayish cast. Not to worry though, once the lacquer was applied, the rich warm color returned. 








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Overall, the finish is a dark brown reminiscent of the old Stickley fumed finish. The Brown Mohogany dye gives the desk a subtle warm red undertone. 








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The stain-over-dye technique helps to highlight the figure of the QSWO. The dye preferentially colors the medullary rays, while the stain colors the straight grain. 








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I had this piece of white oak laying around my shop for quite some time. It has a bullet lodged in it, and my son wanted to incorporate it into his desk. After the stain went on, I polished the slug a bit so you can just see it through the finish. 








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Next I will install the drawers on undermount slides, add hammered pulls, wax it, and set it under the Christmas tree.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


Beautiful finish Willie, it really brings out the rays well. I hope you find enough space under the tree!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike.


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


Looks great. Like the detail with the bullet- think it gives the table a special story


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


It looks superb and is another masterpiece to add to your portfolio. Keep them coming!


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


Good job with the coloring. You seemed to have nailed that classic white oak look.

I like it,
Steve


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


The first time I saw Jeff Jewitt's finishing schedule I laughed a little bit, because it sounded too complex. However, it doesn't seem too bad when you are actually applying the finish.

Thanks


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


I've heard of* "notches on the bed post," *but a slug in the desk?? Now that's a new one! Great work, brother!


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Bullet Board, Jeff Jewitt Style Finish*
> 
> In part 4 of this series I pre-raised the grain, and applied the initial coloring with Transtint Brown Mohogany Dye. When the dye is wet it looks amazing, but quickly dries to a lifeless sheen.
> 
> ...


Very nice desk Willie. Love the bullet hole! I'm sure your son will enjoy this.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

*Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*

With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.








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Since I am using single undermount slides for the drawers, I installed glide tacks to keep the drawer from tipping. I use wire cutters to trim the tack to about 1/4" long, which makes them easier to install. 








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I centered the slide in the drawer opening , and secured it with mounting screws. 








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To adjust the drawer height properly, I add a hardwood strip between the drawer bottom and the slide. The hardwood strip can be planed to exactly the right thickness, and is glued in place. 








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I then use some felt pads to act as drawer stops. These are typically used as furniture feet levelers, but I found they cushion the closing of a drawer equally well. 








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I tap the felt pads into the rear apron, and check the drawer fit periodically. When the drawer closes flush to the front of the desk, the felt pads are in the correct position. 








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Drawers installed.








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Finally the desk top is installed with figure 8 fasteners. 









Now I just need to clean it up and put it under the tree for Caden.

Here is the completed project page… http://lumberjocks.com/projects/94313


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Very nice !


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Willie, it looks fantastic AND you're 2 days ahead of the deadline. Another great idea about the felt drawer stops. Thanks for posting. Merry Christmas to you and your family.


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Great combination of classic A&C detailing with some high-tech hardware. Hybrid woodworking at its finest!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys.
Merry Christmas.


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## dodahman (Jun 12, 2012)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Great job!

peace, T


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


I just ran across this blog. Your project looks really nice. I went back and read through from the start. I really like the legs you built. Nice job.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike,
I'm glad you could follow along.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


A very special desk .thanks for sharing the details.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Really beautiful desk Willie. I love the arts and crafts style and this is a great example of it. I bought some planks of white oak to make some tables, but my wife likes her white furniture, so the oak has wound up being used for other projects, mostly gifts items. I still have a small stash.


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Awesome to see it all come together. Good stuff, sir.


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

pintodeluxe said:


> *Drawer Slides and Hammered Pulls*
> 
> With the desk frame finished, I move on to installing the drawers.
> 
> ...


Wow!

Obviously not your first rodeo! Thanks for sharing your wealth of information and tip. The felt pad idea is great. I know from previous postings that your son helped make his desk, so that makes it even more special for both of you.


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