Building Furniture
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- abba_cadaver
My company is moving to a new office and right now I have a a big ugly gray cubilcle style desk in my office. The company won't pay for a new one So I'm going to build a new one... I think.
Any one have links or tips to building new office desks? and how hard would it be to build something like this http://www.spacify.com/Showprodu…
- flavorful0
I like your initiative, but fuck doing anything you don't get paid for.
They'll probably take the damn table when you no longer work there too.
Just print out some of your favourite work, or put up pictures of friends/ family.
Sounds corny, but it's a lot easier to clean up when you ditch that place.
- abba_cadaver0
I don't mind doing it, I need to learn how and they can have the desk I have nothing against anyone here.
- moural0
What kind of tools/space do you have?
- kelpie0
seriously? from scratch, or from a flat pack? building furniture isn't something you can just decide you fancy doing and knock up some top quality shit.
- flavorful0
Haha okay.
blaw, and peteski - dabble in the furniture side of life. They mite be able to help you.
That desk is pretty sweet, as far as the proportions and stuff, it doesn't look inherently hard, however, I have no idea how to laminate or anything.
Probably cost a lot less than 2K too.
- flavorful0
Haha, and kelpie is correct. Have you done anything remotely like this in the past?
I've helped make parks and stuff so I have an idea of how to use power tools and cut wood properly.
- foreverwhatever0
man, anyone with wood, screws and a drill can build a desk. that desk is sweet, and looks fairly simple to construct. i would just guess measurements (if there are none) and go to the nearest lumber yard and have at it. building furiniture is tons of fun. im sure it wont come out the same, but even if its close youll have a desk you can say you built yourself
- kelpie0
fuck screws, fuck drills, do it properly, with dovetails and immense skill and experience, or don't do it at all. fakers. ;)
- abba_cadaver0
I have access to your basics, table saw other various saws, etc.. Like flavorful I've helped build parks and things and taken basic shop classes.
Plus I dont expect this desk perfect; This will be my first time.
As long as its sturdy, wood and not as ugly as what I'm using now. oh, and not facing the damn wall I hate having my back to people when they walk in to my office.
- kelpie0
read up a bit and practice finishing it then if you're confident of the basic construction, that'll make all the difference. Personaly I have trouble putting together IKEA desks, but my Dad is a cabinet maker by trade and the difference between something made by someone who's practical and competent and someone who really knows the wood and how to finish a piece is huge.
- blaw0
that desk is essentially two cabinets with a top. fine a couple of good cabinet making books to brush up on. taunton press and rodale books publish great woodworking books.
don't fool yourself into thinking it's going to be easy, quick or cheap. the top alone will be both pricey and tricky. i'm thinking the desk i built for my wife took six months to complete.
and kelpie's right. mechanical fasteners are for carpenters. woodworkers use glue and clamps.
- moural0
What I would do is map out all of the necessary components first.
Top and back as a single unit, cabinet frame, small drawer (4x), and large drawer. Then, of course, you can break those down further. If you get everything cut first, it's going to make things a lot easier. You're basically assembling a piece of flat-pack from that point.
I wouldn't worry about trying to construct any sort of fancy joints for the drawers. The desk has a clean appearance, so not only would it be easier to construct something basic (ie. screws or dowels), but it would also look much better.
- tkmeister0
that desk is fairly simple. you just have to do a good drawing and figure out how all pieces come together.
then you need a woodshop or some studio with tools. to get a nice cut, you need a nice machine. you should uses connection method that's easy to take apart. so when you quit your job, you can take the desk with you.
- joyride0
get 2 files cabinets, then figure out the how to attach the top. Your example is exactly that. Should cost you around 2hundy.
Make sure you support the top well, you don't want it to droop in the middle once you get your stuff on it.
general rule for MSRP for furniture is cost of Materials x 10
- blaw0
moural:
elepheight is you? if so, very cool.
got links to other woodwork?
- moural0
got links to other woodwork?
blaw
(Sep 12 06, 08:52)Mmm, not really. I'm into modern/minimal stuff, which is (sadly) pretty difficult to locate outside of the mass-produced, veneered plywood and mdf realm.
- blaw0
i'm sorry, i meant is elepheight your handywork, and if so, do you have photos of anything else you've built?
- tkmeister0
also, a lot of people just slap a solid plain door on top of two cabinets.
- rob10
- moural0
i'm sorry, i meant is elepheight your handywork, and if so, do you have photos of anything else you've built?
blaw
(Sep 12 06, 09:18)Ah, sorry. Yes it is.
I've been in the midst of working on a new website, so I'll get some more projects up when it's finished.
The other things I've done for around the house are not worthy of being photographed. ;)