A proper desk to go with my FP's

**strop** · 05-30-2012, 09:55 AM

Sailboats can be a woodworker's dream, or thier nightmare. Nothing is square or flat. Usually curved and sometimes in two directions at once. A lot of hand tool work and careful fitting involved. Rewarding but not for the faint of heart.

**oc_in_fw** · 05-30-2012, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by strop

Sailboats can be a woodworker's dream, or thier nightmare. Nothing is square or flat. Usually curved and sometimes in two directions at once. A lot of hand tool work and careful fitting involved. Rewarding but not for the faint of heart.

The two happiest days in a boat owner's life- the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it

**mayhem** · 05-30-2012, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Yanks27

I'm also not sure on the legs, whether to use metal legs or wood slabs.

I would not attach metal legs to that beautiful piece of wood.

**strop** · 05-30-2012, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by oc_in_fw

The two happiest days in a boat owner's life- the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it

Amen brother. And no, I won't go into details.

**Yanks27** · 06-24-2012, 02:46 PM

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I've done three sessions over the last week, shoring up the bottom of the desk.

The first session, I sanded it with the belt sander and did the first epoxy coat over the checks and knots. I put over a cup of epoxy and had nothing to show or it, as the wood sucked it up. There was almost no buildup.

I came back a couple of days later and had to sand off the excess epoxy coating. This time the epoxy had a orating, so it didn't soak into the wood. Come back the next day and do it all over again. Belt sand and put another level of epoxy. After three sessions it looks like I got all of the bottom except the knot on the end. I used the orbital sander, with a finer grit, and the surface is starting to feel smooth like furniture is supposed to.

Here's a picture, which is not the most current, but shows some progress:

**strop** · 06-25-2012, 04:51 PM

That's going to look spectacular. Not sure how may coats you are planning, but for an air dried slab like that, I would make sure that the top and bottom have an equal number of coats. Otherwise, differential water vapor movement in/out could cause some cupping of the finished piece over time. Even tough you're using epoxy, no finish completely stops wood from breathing.

**Yanks27** · 06-25-2012, 06:58 PM

I will definitely do multiple oil coats on both sides.

I still don't know what I'm going to do for legs.

**rearviewmirror** · 06-26-2012, 05:24 AM

Same wood, turn some really simple legs on a lathe and finish them a bit darker than the top.

Originally Posted by Yanks27

I will definitely do multiple oil coats on both sides.

I still don't know what I'm going to do for legs.

**Yanks27** · 06-26-2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by rearviewmirror

Same wood, turn some really simple legs on a lathe and finish them a bit darker than the top.

Everyone is saying go with the wood, so this stubborn mule will have to look harder at doing them this way.

**Yanks27** · 07-01-2012, 03:35 PM

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I filled up all knots/cracks on the bottom side, except the pesky one on the end. I also went from the 60 grit sand paper to 220 grit. Now it really is smooth like glass.

I flipped the desk, to the top side, and did my first epoxy attempt. Now I have to wait a week, until I can get to my father's again. I would love to finish this quicker, but all I can do in this stage is sand down the last epoxy coating and apply a new coat (and hope that it doesn't evaporate into the wood, which would take another trip). Stay tuned, progress is being made.

**mdove47** · 07-01-2012, 04:19 PM

Very nice looking piece of wood. After you finish the desk you will need to get a very nice brass inkwell and roller blotter to go with your FP's. If you have any wood left over you might be able to make a nice coordinating roller blotter.

**mdove47** · 07-01-2012, 04:26 PM

Then you are going to have to get a nice brass or glass paperweight.

**Yanks27** · 07-01-2012, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by mdove47

Then you are going to have to get a nice brass or glass paperweight.

The spending is endless...

I will definitely have to find the right chair to go with it as well.

**mayhem** · 07-02-2012, 06:06 AM

If it was me, I'd go with something along these lines..

**Yanks27** · 07-02-2012, 07:12 PM

Nice.

**Bob the aged Lurcher** · 07-03-2012, 10:54 AM

+1 nice

**rearviewmirror** · 07-10-2012, 12:56 PM

http://hairpinlegs.com/

**Yanks27** · 07-11-2012, 02:54 AM

That was my number one choice, Jason. I'm still considering that company and have one other top choice. I will post that web site as well.

I've finished eypoxying the top side and sanding it to a furniture quality finish. I have to reshape the pesky end knot and it's ready for the tung oil finish.

Now there's a new sinkhole of spending coming up. I'm going to need a comparable desk chair to go with the desk. I like The Eames aluminum management chair. I will post that as well.