Scratch Build: The Ultimate Computer Desk
- Thread starter ultimatedesk
- Start date
ultimatedesk
New Member
Top Shelf Assembly
With the first phase of the top shelf all solid and dried, I could continue on to the two side pods. Here's the initial mockup.
Notice the pencil lines for the biscuits I'll be installing.
Those biscuits are so dark and moody... lol!
Aaand, some gratuitous clamping shots. Like that extra-long setup? Yeah, that worked this time, but I don't recommend it. It wasn't too stable, but there wasn't really anything else I could clamp on to for that end-pressure required.
Mmmm glue.
So that's it for this update, I know it's a pretty simple one, but hey, it's one more phase done. Just needs to have some trim stuck on and then staining!
Have a good weekend!
Hehe, and I still don't have enough! Thanks for stickin around!So many clamps
I can't wait to see this thing finished
Heh, yeah, should be interesting fitting it into the new place lol. Finishes are a finicky thing I suppose!
With the first phase of the top shelf all solid and dried, I could continue on to the two side pods. Here's the initial mockup.
Notice the pencil lines for the biscuits I'll be installing.
Those biscuits are so dark and moody... lol!
Aaand, some gratuitous clamping shots. Like that extra-long setup? Yeah, that worked this time, but I don't recommend it. It wasn't too stable, but there wasn't really anything else I could clamp on to for that end-pressure required.
Mmmm glue.
So that's it for this update, I know it's a pretty simple one, but hey, it's one more phase done. Just needs to have some trim stuck on and then staining!
Have a good weekend!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Top Shelf Trim
Ok, so it's been a little while since an update eh?
I've been busy, sorry folks, life seems to speed up in the summertime!
As a peace offering, here are the kiddo's, at about 4 months old now!
And, back to the desk!
I had a bunch of solid maple cut into more 1/4" strips so I could finish doing the trim on the top shelf and the cabinets.
My trusty compound mitre saw - got it reconditioned at a bargain place for like 60 dollars, and it's been pretty reliable for a number of years now. It's loud as all heck though!
And, my favorite part - clamping up!
And, since there was nowhere to place clamps in between this area, I had to improvise with a small block of wood!
Ok, so it's been a little while since an update eh?
I've been busy, sorry folks, life seems to speed up in the summertime!
As a peace offering, here are the kiddo's, at about 4 months old now!
And, back to the desk!
I had a bunch of solid maple cut into more 1/4" strips so I could finish doing the trim on the top shelf and the cabinets.
My trusty compound mitre saw - got it reconditioned at a bargain place for like 60 dollars, and it's been pretty reliable for a number of years now. It's loud as all heck though!
And, my favorite part - clamping up!
And, since there was nowhere to place clamps in between this area, I had to improvise with a small block of wood!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Staining
After the trim was glued on and then sanded flush, I proceeded with the staining and poly
Looks good, eh?
I also finally decided to buckle down and build myself a quick rig to store all my clamps. Since I'm moving soon, it'll also make it easier to move them to the new place! Nice lap joints eh!!
I proceeded to the cabinet drawers, where I finally sanded off the wood filler that's been attached for weeks (months?)
Lined up the drawer faces, glued them on (Was going to screw them on after, from behind. Lol)
And put a bit of weight on top..
Walked away for a bit, and realized... maybe it was a bad idea to glue them on first! Uh oh!
I decided that it might actually be a lot easier to line up the drawer faces if I attached them AFTER I had attached the drawers to the drawer slides, to I ripped em off.
So, next on the list - staining the actual drawers!
Pre-stain on!
Mmm, they look so good
And, poly of course
Done!
And just so ya know, it really did basically take a month just to finish the top shelf and the drawers... more to come soon!
After the trim was glued on and then sanded flush, I proceeded with the staining and poly
Looks good, eh?
I also finally decided to buckle down and build myself a quick rig to store all my clamps. Since I'm moving soon, it'll also make it easier to move them to the new place! Nice lap joints eh!!
I proceeded to the cabinet drawers, where I finally sanded off the wood filler that's been attached for weeks (months?)
Lined up the drawer faces, glued them on (Was going to screw them on after, from behind. Lol)
And put a bit of weight on top..
Walked away for a bit, and realized... maybe it was a bad idea to glue them on first! Uh oh!
I decided that it might actually be a lot easier to line up the drawer faces if I attached them AFTER I had attached the drawers to the drawer slides, to I ripped em off.
So, next on the list - staining the actual drawers!
Pre-stain on!
Mmm, they look so good
And, poly of course
Done!
And just so ya know, it really did basically take a month just to finish the top shelf and the drawers... more to come soon!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Drawer Face Staining
With the drawers themselves all stained up, it was time to stain the drawer fronts!
Since most of the back of the drawer fronts won't be visible, I decided that I could probably stain and poly both sides at once...
Pre stain!
They look so nice like this... ahh, next project...
Some staining time
And some sweet, sweet gloss poly.
Woops! One of the drawer faces slipped off the painting cones and picked up a whole whack of saw dust and wood chips... at least this will never be seen on the final project!
Thanks linkin, everyday, gettin a bit closer!
With the drawers themselves all stained up, it was time to stain the drawer fronts!
Since most of the back of the drawer fronts won't be visible, I decided that I could probably stain and poly both sides at once...
Pre stain!
They look so nice like this... ahh, next project...
Some staining time
And some sweet, sweet gloss poly.
Woops! One of the drawer faces slipped off the painting cones and picked up a whole whack of saw dust and wood chips... at least this will never be seen on the final project!
Yes, the stain is very nice indeed!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Trimming the Cabinets
With the drawers and drawer faces all finished and ready for installation, it was time to turn to finishing up the two cabinets.
First up, finishing the piece that goes on the front of the left-hand cabinet.
And, well, not a lot of writing today, as the rest of it should look pretty straightforward. I had to cut up a bunch of trim pieces, and somehow arrange the clamps to hold them in the right place. A few of the arrangements required some creative thinking, but in the end, I got the whole cabinet trimmed up over the course of a few days.
Mmmm glue.
Enjoy! We're getting close to the final assembly, yay!
Thanks, both of you - you either love it or you hate it! I think the dark cherry is nice and modern, whereas the haters like the more traditional "golden" type stains
With the drawers and drawer faces all finished and ready for installation, it was time to turn to finishing up the two cabinets.
First up, finishing the piece that goes on the front of the left-hand cabinet.
And, well, not a lot of writing today, as the rest of it should look pretty straightforward. I had to cut up a bunch of trim pieces, and somehow arrange the clamps to hold them in the right place. A few of the arrangements required some creative thinking, but in the end, I got the whole cabinet trimmed up over the course of a few days.
Mmmm glue.
Enjoy! We're getting close to the final assembly, yay!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Sanding the Cabinets
I think I drew up the original plans in... October 2010, and I started the initial cuts at the wood shop in November 2010... !!
With the trim all glued up and dry, and the weather nice and warm, I decided to take the cabinets outside to have the trim sanded flush. I start with 80 grit to get all the bits nice and close, and then move to 120 grit with the random orbit sander in preparation for staining.
Everything looking pretty good on the right-hand cabinet
And now for the left-hand cabinet
I'm under the impression that I mistakenly sanded this edge too much prior to installation, because I thought that I was going to have to squeeze this end into the dado cut at the back of the drawer. Woops! Hopefully that won't show up too much after staining.
And, a bit of glue squeeze-out that I missed previously is easily taken care of by the sander
I'll be staining over the weekend, so some fresh and shiny cabinets await for next weeks early update!
Have a good weekend folks!
Hehe, brutal question - let's just say I didn't think it would be 8 months later and I'd still be working on it. I knew it was going to be a big project, but I had no idea the number of hours I would put into it. It's the details - the hours and hours of sanding, and waiting for glue, stain, and polyurethane to dry has been nuts!
I think I drew up the original plans in... October 2010, and I started the initial cuts at the wood shop in November 2010... !!
Thankd Des_Zac, believe me, I can't wait as well!!
With the trim all glued up and dry, and the weather nice and warm, I decided to take the cabinets outside to have the trim sanded flush. I start with 80 grit to get all the bits nice and close, and then move to 120 grit with the random orbit sander in preparation for staining.
Everything looking pretty good on the right-hand cabinet
And now for the left-hand cabinet
I'm under the impression that I mistakenly sanded this edge too much prior to installation, because I thought that I was going to have to squeeze this end into the dado cut at the back of the drawer. Woops! Hopefully that won't show up too much after staining.
And, a bit of glue squeeze-out that I missed previously is easily taken care of by the sander
I'll be staining over the weekend, so some fresh and shiny cabinets await for next weeks early update!
Have a good weekend folks!
Needhelpplease
New Member
This is so awesome, I hope your Ultimate Desk is everything you hope it will be . It's infinitely more satisfying when you do it yourself
. It's infinitely more satisfying when you do it yourself ultimatedesk
New Member
Staining the Cabinets
Well, got some time to start the staining of the cabinets this weekend, and overall, everything went pretty well. Started off with a bit of detailed sanding by hand, and then a good dusting with a tack cloth / cloth with paint thinner.
And then went to work applying the stain with a clean cotton rag
They both turned out pretty well - these pictures were taken after only the first coat (A second one will go on). I find that this stain really shines once a coat of poly is put over it.
Let me tell you - getting the inside of the cabinets was quite time consuming and I really did a number on staining my arms...
Eww! It looks like a heart!
Thanks!Wow this is a great project. Keep up the good work.
Yes, that's what it is, isn't it? Satisfaction!This is so awesome, I hope your Ultimate Desk is everything you hope it will be
Well, got some time to start the staining of the cabinets this weekend, and overall, everything went pretty well. Started off with a bit of detailed sanding by hand, and then a good dusting with a tack cloth / cloth with paint thinner.
And then went to work applying the stain with a clean cotton rag
They both turned out pretty well - these pictures were taken after only the first coat (A second one will go on). I find that this stain really shines once a coat of poly is put over it.
Let me tell you - getting the inside of the cabinets was quite time consuming and I really did a number on staining my arms...
Eww! It looks like a heart!
bomberboysk
Active Member
Very nice looking, I'm quite a fan of the dark stain, quite a classy choice of color IMO. Been watching this project since you made the first post, looks like it's coming together nicely.
ultimatedesk
New Member
Rubbing out the Desk Surface
I kind of forgot to take some pictures of the cabinets after I applied a pair of coats of polyurethane, but here's the status of the project so far
Both cabinets have been poly'd, and there are only 3 more pieces to stain + poly (The two caps for the end spaces on the top shelf, and the door for the right-hand cabinet). Otherwise, I am pretty much ready to assemble.
Before assembly, however, I wanted to try a technique I had been reading about - rubbing out a finish.
You start with some baby oil and a product called rottenstone (It's a very finely ground stone)
Apply some baby oil liberally (This slows down the cutting process. If you use water, it will speed up the cutting process)
Sprinkle on your rottenstone (Once again, fairly liberally. I didn't find the cutting action very aggressive at all, especially with all the baby oil)
Take a block of wood with a soft material wrapped around it, in this case, I used a piece of cut up fleece from an old blanket, but I think a felt block is the most recommended for this.
Go with the grain in long strokes, and rub the slurry into the wood. Its very fine cutting action should almost eliminate all dust marks, brush marks, and any small scratches.
This took quite a long time, and it was very, very messy. Baby oil rottenstone slurry everywhere. I then went through a ton of rags soaked in paint thinner cleaning it all off the desk surface in preparation for some good 'ol waxing.
Applied with a lint free rag, I swirled it onto the table a little bit too liberally
I then let it dry for a few moments and "attempted" to buff it all off by hand with a clean rag. Much to my dismay, after spending 10 minutes trying to buff only but a small corner, I realized that I would never get the shine I was looking for...
So I made a trip to my storage unit (My mom's garage) where I remembered I had an old electric car buffer in a bin...
Booya. It was late when I got back home, so I left it and went to sleep. Have a good weekend everyone - Canada Day tomorrow here in Canada, so I'm going to enjoy the long weekend. I'm moving this weekend too, so hopefully the desk survives the trip!!
Thanks guys, it took me a while to get the stain right, but I'm really glad I decided to keep looking. This colour in real life is really quite pleasing, like a dark cherry. I really appreciate the positive comments - more good stuff coming your way!
I kind of forgot to take some pictures of the cabinets after I applied a pair of coats of polyurethane, but here's the status of the project so far
Both cabinets have been poly'd, and there are only 3 more pieces to stain + poly (The two caps for the end spaces on the top shelf, and the door for the right-hand cabinet). Otherwise, I am pretty much ready to assemble.
Before assembly, however, I wanted to try a technique I had been reading about - rubbing out a finish.
You start with some baby oil and a product called rottenstone (It's a very finely ground stone)
Apply some baby oil liberally (This slows down the cutting process. If you use water, it will speed up the cutting process)
Sprinkle on your rottenstone (Once again, fairly liberally. I didn't find the cutting action very aggressive at all, especially with all the baby oil)
Take a block of wood with a soft material wrapped around it, in this case, I used a piece of cut up fleece from an old blanket, but I think a felt block is the most recommended for this.
Go with the grain in long strokes, and rub the slurry into the wood. Its very fine cutting action should almost eliminate all dust marks, brush marks, and any small scratches.
This took quite a long time, and it was very, very messy. Baby oil rottenstone slurry everywhere. I then went through a ton of rags soaked in paint thinner cleaning it all off the desk surface in preparation for some good 'ol waxing.
Applied with a lint free rag, I swirled it onto the table a little bit too liberally
I then let it dry for a few moments and "attempted" to buff it all off by hand with a clean rag. Much to my dismay, after spending 10 minutes trying to buff only but a small corner, I realized that I would never get the shine I was looking for...
So I made a trip to my storage unit (My mom's garage) where I remembered I had an old electric car buffer in a bin...
Booya. It was late when I got back home, so I left it and went to sleep. Have a good weekend everyone - Canada Day tomorrow here in Canada, so I'm going to enjoy the long weekend. I'm moving this weekend too, so hopefully the desk survives the trip!!
ultimatedesk
New Member
Before Transportation
So, I finally moved this weekend, and I'm glad to say everything went pretty well. A few small parts of the desk got scuffed up, but nothing major. Here are some shots from just before being transported.
The car buffer partially worked. I ended up actually taking some more paint thinner and totally removing the wax. For some reason it didn't stick well - I think it's because I didn't remove the baby oil enough before adding the wax. Either way, it's shiny as glass and looks great.
Then I took some 3/4" weather stripping and put it on both cabinets to prevent the desk surface from slipping and sliding:
And, here's a sneak peak. Right before the move was pretty much the moment of triumph - assembling the 4 stained and poly'd pieces, and actually sitting at it. The monitors come in at perfect eye height, and the desk height is perfect as well, providing lots of forearm and elbow support.
Ahhhhhhhhh.... 8 months.
Now for the details
Thanks linkin, everything went pretty smoothly, just some small dings and scuffs!Looking good
So, I finally moved this weekend, and I'm glad to say everything went pretty well. A few small parts of the desk got scuffed up, but nothing major. Here are some shots from just before being transported.
The car buffer partially worked. I ended up actually taking some more paint thinner and totally removing the wax. For some reason it didn't stick well - I think it's because I didn't remove the baby oil enough before adding the wax. Either way, it's shiny as glass and looks great.
Then I took some 3/4" weather stripping and put it on both cabinets to prevent the desk surface from slipping and sliding:
And, here's a sneak peak. Right before the move was pretty much the moment of triumph - assembling the 4 stained and poly'd pieces, and actually sitting at it. The monitors come in at perfect eye height, and the desk height is perfect as well, providing lots of forearm and elbow support.
Ahhhhhhhhh.... 8 months.
Now for the details