# Simple Writing Desk



## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

*Working my way through*

I started out with a bunch of sycamore. It's been sitting in my garage now for a year. I finally started to make use of it.



















A sample with one end shellac, one end Arm-R-Seal









My wife is in need of a desk, but we wanted something simple. She said she didn't even want a drawer. So we measured, and started on a couple boards.

The boards had some twist. I spent a lot of time getting that out.

I tried ripping one board on the bandsaw, then jointing one of the rips. I have the Jet benchtop 10" jointer/planer combo. While it did the job, it left me with a very tapered board.

















In the process, I also made 2 hand planes and got a floor full of very cool shavings. I actually enjoyed that so much that I spent a couple weeks flattening boards as much as I could on one side and then planed them to thickness.










The final table top came out to about 5/8".



























The table top will have a natural edge on it.









I used a straight edge to give a general straight front edge…









Completed the layout for table top size using that established front edge…









Cut it close with a circular saw and straight edge, then flush trimmed it.









Next, I began milling up legs and aprons. I'll be using Mortise and Loose Tenon joinery. I laid out the joinery on the legs, and got everything milled to final thickness.









I also decided to add some something different to the back apron - both in hopes that if it turns out really well, it can face the room, and if not, it can face the wall, but always be there as an attempt at some inlay.









Notice the ebony and curly maple square in the middle of one of the long aprons. It was routed on both faces and each edge. The ebony bookended the maple on the face, and a 3/4" strip across top and bottom.









I flushed it up with a card scraper, but left it bowing out just a little. Something no one will know without actually feeling it with their hand, but a detail I wanted.

Starting on the *inside of the apron*, I laid out the inlay - a bow tie with a very narrow middle. I actually was going for point to point but just couldn't keep the mortise right. With the medallion (I don't know what it's actually called for something like this in the middle of an apron) slightly bowed, I couldn't just put the router on the face of the apron without it being unstable, so I laid/clamped a couple 2×4's down on either side and used them as router rails. While it worked, they were too thick. Next time, I'll use something JUST thicker than the work piece.

I considered making or buying a template for the design of the inlay, but wanted to try it without it. I have the Inlay Kit from Rockler with the collar and bit. I may still go that way on the outside, but who knows.

I used a utility knife with a fresh blade (my marking knife just broke a tip off!) to outline the area. Then used a 1/8" router bit to excavate most of the mortise, finishing up with chisels. 









I did a custom fit for each side of the bow tie.









I glued in the inlay…

An hour later, I removed the clamps (done with a block and wax paper)









After cleaning up the squeeze out, I let it sit for another hour, then started flushing with a card scraper.









The final product wasn't too shabby, but I'm glad it was on the inside. It's not perfect.



















Well, that gets me current. I had wanted to start this project blog at the beginning, but just didn't get to it. But I'm getting close to the end. So far, things are going according to the adjusted plan that developed as I began working on it.

Well, not completely true. I started with a sketch up of something different. But because of some wood movement issues I would have, adapted to the simple desk.

But I hope the wood itself - which is anything but simple - will be enough to make this and interesting piece.

Thanks for stopping by…


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

rroades said:


> *Working my way through*
> 
> I started out with a bunch of sycamore. It's been sitting in my garage now for a year. I finally started to make use of it.
> 
> ...


Might not be perfect on the bow but from the pic it doesn't look like anyone will know it from a foot away so I wouldn't worry about hiding it. Guess that is the problem with many of us woodworkers, we know where the issues are even if anyone else can't see it. Really like the wood, I've seen quarter sawn sycamore which I thought was cool looking but this spalted effect tops that, should be beautiful to look at.


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## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

*Inlay - more of the same*










The bow tie layout for the outside of the apron is done. I also laid out for dovetail keys in the corner of the table top and cut the ebony to be used for the inlay.









I used a router with a 1/8" bit to hog out the bulk. The lighting in my shop is ok, but not ideal. I used this cap from Lowes with LED lights in the bill to give me almost "line-of-sight" lighting to the router bit.


















I switched to a 1/16" bit to get as much of the corners as I could, then cleaned up with a chisel and Xacto knife.



























I used a very small file to do some final straightening and clean up of the dovetail key mortises.

The inlay pieces were glued in, using blocks with wax paper again. Once out of the clamps, I started looking at an issue I had at the corners of the table tops. You can see in this photo how the corner broke on the edge of the table because of the grain direction. It happened on both ends of the table, one end was worse than the other.



















I was much more pleased with the apron bow tie on this one. Using the 1/16" bit to get into the corners made cleaning it up much easier, well worth the time to change bits for the ease and quality of the mortise.









Progress… Here are some views of how it will come together.


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## phtaylor36 (Jun 13, 2011)

rroades said:


> *Inlay - more of the same*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is very nice looking.


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## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

*Assembled, ready for finish*

The base has been assembled now for about a week.



















But what's taken time has been new discussion on the finish. After long planning to do an Arm-R-Seal or similar, my wife decided she wanted to keep the wood as light as possible. Since the oil would take it to an amber color, that meant either shellac, lacquer or water-borne acrylic/polyurethane.

After some samples were compared, we decided to go with General Finishes' High Performance. It seemed to keep the closest color. Without building a deep film, which she wants it closer to the wood, I think this will be our best bet.

I've pulled out my Rockler HVLP (first time to use that!), and have raised the grain, sanded with 320, and getting ready to spray. Now, WHERE to do that? Hmmm…


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## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

*On to the finish line*

I got started a bit late in the day, but did get one coat of the High Performance finish on.










I used a Rockler HVLP to apply the water based acrylic/urethane blend. The goal in my wife's final choice was to keep the look of the wood as blonde as possible, and close to the wood.

Over the next couple days, the last 2 coats went on, and we finally have moved it.


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## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

*And now I need ideas!*

For anyone who might be interested to help, my wife said she needs a bookcase to go with this. So, I'm open for ideas on basic design.

Since the desk is so simple in basic design, I was thinking I'd do something just as basic. We decided on dimensions of ~76" h x 36"w x 12"d. Given the tapered legs of the desk, and the medallion inlay, we thought we'd duplicate the medallion, but I don't know if I want to just taper very short legs at the bottom of the bookcase, or attempt some other type of design element. I'm beginning to play with sketchup on it, but nothing really pops yet.

So… All shelves? Some drawers? Maybe pencil drawers half-way, and a couple filing drawers? Hmmm…


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

rroades said:


> *And now I need ideas!*
> 
> For anyone who might be interested to help, my wife said she needs a bookcase to go with this. So, I'm open for ideas on basic design.
> 
> ...


At over 6 feet tall, it won't be all that stable at 12 inches deep. I'd go 18 deep with doors on a base section, up to table height, them go book shelves from there, sort of like a sideboard and hutch would look. The extra room on the top of the base gives a place for putting books while you sort them into the right shelf and an excellent place to display those ornate coffee table books. The base cabinet provides for stationery and such on moveable shelves inside, out of sight. For ease of moving, it could be made in two pieces and fastened with nuts and bolts.

Paul


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## rroades (Oct 16, 2008)

rroades said:


> *And now I need ideas!*
> 
> For anyone who might be interested to help, my wife said she needs a bookcase to go with this. So, I'm open for ideas on basic design.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the ideas, guys - sorry to just get back to this. Our daughter had graduation Thursday night, and her Grad party on Saturday, so it's been non-stop for a few days. Jonathan - thanks SO much for throwing in the pic. It's helped us think about it.

The initial dimensions came from the standard sizes in "The Complete Book of Woodworking". However, since the desk doesn't have drawers, and thinking about Paul's thoughts on stability, we thought we'd duplicate the bow-tie medallion on the top rail like Jonathan shows.

Then about mid-way (most likely table-height) we may put 1-2 rows of pencil drawers (4" ? ). Each row being 2 drawers side-by-side. Instead of duplicating the medallion on the drawers, we'd thought about the ebony frame and curly maple field with bow-tie drawer pulls, attached with brass pins. Of course, that would also mean enclosing it in a cabinet.

Then on the bottom, frame & panel doors. Haven't decided on glass or wood panel. But that should resolve the stability problem. The good part for now is that it will sit on hardwood floors, so better from the start. But who knows about the future location.

Thanks again, gents. We'll be drawing pictures and figuring it out.


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