So I’ve already shared something I’ve been working on but starting at about 1800hrs last night it came to a head.
In trying to limit my contact with the outside world as much as possible I’ve been trying to take my own advice and just stay home and use the supplies I have laying around the shop to build stuff. The project I’ve been working on as of late is a new desk for the bedroom to replace the massive MDF monstrosity that presently occupies an entire wall in the room.
The plans for the new desk are to be smaller but include room for at least two monitors, three if I can get them all to fit neatly. Short list of must haves for this project:
- Smaller footprint at least 10″x60″ desktop surface area
- Include led lighting underneath
- Include shelf to hold computer tower underneath
- Include cable management and hide cables
- Include monitor stand for 2-3 monitors
- Include soundbar
- Include LED light bar shielded under top shelf
- Include LED lighting around top shelf
The overall goal is to create a nice, all wood, multimedia desk that I can comfortable work and play at.
Presently the entire desk has been made from pine, just cheap old run of the mill Home Depot pine boards and I think right now I’ve got a total of $30.00 tied up in it. This goes along with Rex Krueger’s video of “Can you make furniture from soft wood?”. The answer is a resounding YES!!!
To dress it up some I’ve inlaid some walnut bowties and outlined those in black resin to help hide my crimes ( hint: it only made more and enhanced the ones I originally made ). There are also some poplar dowels holding the trim around the front and sides of the desktop itself, this are wedged with walnut as well for even more overkill.
I thought about this project some and decided it was a good time to try my hand at a lot of things I’ve been learning from watching videos and the Makers Mob Joinery Challenge that took place at the start of the year, hence the bowties, dowels, etc… There will be other odd joints tossed in just because I can. I’m thinking of tossing in some Tusked through tenons for the monitor stand just to give you a bit of insight into my thoughts.
So just to recap here’s a pic I post early of the desktop:

I’m also using a LOT of hand tools on this and when I post some more pics you’ll see SOME of the hand planes and tools I’ve been using at the backside of the workbench.
So all that nonsense being said, I’ve got a long week at work with no days off but each day is a short day so there will be plenty of time to get this finished. In fact, the legs are mostly finished as well and just need the stretcher added if I decide to actually go that route… great thing about doing this on the fly… you never just where it will go or what will happen next.
UPDATE 3-20-20: As previously mentioned I had a short day today, not as short as I planned so I wasn’t able to get as much accomplished as I was hoping but I was still able to get some done.
As it sits now I have the main portion of the legs assembled and finished, as well as the desk top itself. Hoping tomorrow to get the attachment points made or I might work on the riser for the monitors and home for the sound bar as well as wiring housing on the backside of the desk.
I noticed in the pics that it appears to have a slight bow in the middle so I ran out to check it and it’s actually level…. whew… would really blow big thick blue veined erect donkey…. you get the idea….
UPDATE 3-23-20: Stole some time in the shop this afternoon between dodging COVID-Zombies and work to work on the lower leg assembly of the desk. Decided to go with the Tusked Through Mortise and Tenon with a simple stretcher to help hold them in place underneath the desktop which now has a pair of cheeks for each leg to rest in and keep them secure up top. I didn’t grab a pic of those this time around as I was working on the legs this afternoon and had the top safely wrapped up and out of the way.
Still have some shaving of the tusks to do and cleaning things up but they’re looking nice and swanky. I like the way the walnut pops against the pine even without being finished or polished.
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