Starting desk/bookcase project

[Charlie Buchanan]

My wife has wanted a slant front desk and bookcase for a while and I decided I better get started before I am too old to move the parts around in the shop. We visited MESDA and looked at some examples and settled on a hybrid of several Krause desks from the 1790's. There is a Carlyle Lynch drawing of a Krause desk that will provide the basic structure and dimensions. I will take some details of the interior drawers and compartments from other Krause pieces in the Old Salem collection. She wants cherry rather than walnut and I am just as happy to get a break from walnut dust which sets off low grade allergies for me.

Looking through the cherry I had on hand I found enough nice stuff to make the desk case and feet and enough straight grain stuff to make the moldings. So I am starting from the ground up. I decided to use the bracket feet as an opportunity to cut full blind mitered dovetail joints for the front feet. You have to cut the pins first to make this joint (which I had never done) and sneak up on the mitered surfaces. I had to trash the first set since it was too loose fitting off the saw--actually I recycled the pieces for the rear feet which are half blind dovetailed since they face the rear of the piece. Notice the glue on the tailboard in one of the pictures. Had to stop and take a photo when I remembered this view would never be available again if all goes well.

Now starting to dovetail the case.
Beginning to think about where I can get some wide figured show cherry for the drawer fronts and fallboard. That is down the road a bit, maybe literally.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Charlie, if this piece is even half as nice as some of your previous pieces, it will be a work of art. I'm looking forward to following your progress and seeing the finished product.

Do you have a pic of what you are working toward?

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Charlie, if this piece is even half as nice as some of your previous pieces, it will be a work of art. I'm looking forward to following your progress and seeing the finished product.

Do you have a pic of what you are working toward?

Bill,
Here's a little sketch from the Lynch plans that shows the basic structure. I'm going to change the gallery design using photo from another Krause desk.

The second photo is from MESDA files showing another Krause desk gallery. Not going to use all these drawers but adding the doored central compartment flanked by step back drawers.

 

[Jeff]

where I can get some wide figured show cherry for the drawer fronts and fallboard.

How about up the road in Kernersville? Glenn has exceptionally nice wood.

http://www.gpshardwoods.com/lumber-for-sale.html

I can't find Krause or Krauss circa 1790-1800 furniture so you'll have to point us in the right direction. Just curious.

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

I can't find Krause or Krauss circa 1790-1800 furniture so you'll have to point us in the right direction. Just curious.[/QUOTE]

Jeff,
Its my sloppy spelling. Here is a link to the Krause piece that appears in the Lynch plans:

http://mesda.org/item/object/desk-and-bookcase/5840/

I am using some cherry from GPS for the molding and feet. It is nice straight grained stuff. I don't want to glue up a panel for the fallboard so I need something pretty wide and with some nice figure.

 

[TENdriver]

Charlie, Looks like another winner.

Have you built any of the pieces from the Norm Vandal book?

 

[AAAndrew]

Beautiful already (those mitered blind dovetails are so nicely done), and the curve on the bracket feet have a gorgeous swoop.

Can't wait to see more. Should be quite a project!

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Charlie, Looks like another winner.

Have you built any of the pieces from the Norm Vandal book?

Tendriver,
Have not seen the book, but I have read articles by him on bracket feet in FW. Useful ideas.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Bill,
Here's a little sketch from the Lynch plans that shows the basic structure. I'm going to change the gallery design using photo from another Krause desk.

That same piece was included in the book "Furniture in the Southern Style" by Glen Huey and Bob Lang, which featured pieces in the MESDA collection. It included a CD of SketchUp drawings by Bob Lang. Let me know if you use SketchUp.

 

[TENdriver]

Charlie, Lee Valley has paperback version of Norm Vandal's book on Queen Anne furniture on clearance. Think there may be free shipping right now. Haven't checked other prices but I've paid retail and above retail twice to have a copy.

Looking at some of the fantastic pieces you've built, I think you'll like the book. It's a very well written and outstanding resource.

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

That same piece was included in the book "Furniture in the Southern Style" by Glen Huey and Bob Lang, which featured pieces in the MESDA collection. It included a CD of SketchUp drawings by Bob Lang. Let me know if you use SketchUp.

Bill,
That appears to be the same photo as in the Huey/Lang book. So I fired up Sketchup when I first started this project and it turns out that many of the dimensions in the Sketchup version are different from the Lynch drawings. Even the dovetails of the desk case are oriented differently. The gallery drawer fronts are higher in Sketchup version. The more I compared the two the more differences I found. The molding profiles of the Lynch plans are closer to what I can see in the original. I am sure the Sketchup version is internally consistent but it was clear I could not mix the two plans and I liked the look of the Lynch version better so I went with it. I am not trying for an exact duplicate of any particular desk--The foot profile I cut comes from a different Strause desk altogether, for example--but I had to pick one or the other plan.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Bill,
That appears to be the same photo as in the Huey/Lang book. So I fired up Sketchup when I first started this project and it turns out that many of the dimensions in the Sketchup version are different from the Lynch drawings. Even the dovetails of the desk case are oriented differently. The gallery drawer fronts are higher in Sketchup version. The more I compared the two the more differences I found. The molding profiles of the Lynch plans are closer to what I can see in the original. I am sure the Sketchup version is internally consistent but it was clear I could not mix the two plans and I liked the look of the Lynch version better so I went with it. I am not trying for an exact duplicate of any particular desk--The foot profile I cut comes from a different Strause desk altogether, for example--but I had to pick one or the other plan.

Interesting. I would definitely stick w/ the Carlisle Lynch plans. From the few I've seen over the years they are extremely accurate and far more detailed.

 

[Rwe2156]

Nice work. Recently finished a dresser with same style legs.

Curious as to why you chose blind DT's vs. miter/spline on the front legs.

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Nice work. Recently finished a dresser with same style legs.

Curious as to why you chose blind DT's vs. miter/spline on the front legs.

DrBob,
I recently was at a furniture seminar where a maker passed around a dry fit set and I wanted to learn how to make them. Some desks use the full blind miter dovetails on the top/side joint, too and it's cheaper to learn the joint on the feet.

 

[Jeff]

Some desks use the full blind miter dovetails on the top/side joint, too and it's cheaper to learn the joint on the feet.

I vaguely recall another member (danmart77) commenting about blind dovetails in 18-19th century cabinet construction. I think that he used them too in a reproduction piece that he was building but I can't find his thread so maybe he'll chime in. This pic is from his "Linen Press" gallery.

Here's an interesting video tutorial on the subject from Colonial Williamsburg.

https://woodandshop.com/secret-mite...theim-colonial-williamsburg-hay-cabinet-shop/

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Moving along slowly here, but have got the case dovetailed and dryfitted. I see it will go together square and now need to cut the dado for the writing top. Had a setback in stock prep for the case top. I just cut it short. I planned a full blind joint (see first photo below) but cut the case top for a half-blind dovetail so I came up short when I started to lay out the dovetails. Back to the lumber store since that was the last piece of 12 wide stock in the pile. Found what I needed and now back on track.

Here is the new case top ready to fit to the sides. Getting better at pins-first this one fit the first try. Front edge has been angled to accommodate the fall front when closed. Bach edge has been rabbeted for the shiplap poplar back.

Here's the case dry-fitted to check square. Decided to use full blind but not mitered dovetails on the top as the original one was done that way. The "cover" is left a little long and will be planed flush after it is glued. I made some gluing cauls seen here from framing stock whatever-that-stuff-is from the big box. Now take it apart and cut the drawer rail mortises and writing top dado. I made a story stick and marked the sides while it was dry assembled.

Detail of the case bottom joint which is through-dovetailed. The joint will be covered by base molding. The secondary wood is poplar for the bottom of the case.

Here is the writing top. It is glued-up panel 20 x 36 x 7/8. Ready to hand plane and join to the sides using a sliding dovetail. I see this as part of the case structure so a sliding dovetail is worth the extra trouble.

 

[danmart77]

Charlie I got married in WS in a small Moravian church over by Forsyth Hospital then off to an assignment in Germany. On just about every visit to my in-law's house I went off to the Old Salem museum and studied the 2 desks in the Single Brothers house.

When I finally got back to the US, I decided to make a couple of these.


As I recall in the Single Brothers house one was walnut like the one in the photo below and the other more detailed desk was built in cherry veneer and solid wood with a bonnet top.

The German construction is certainly heavier than what you find on the English pieces. The stiles and rails are wider and the raised panels are smaller. This is a distinct feature of Moravian construction and more importantly -- the style that Johann Krause used for members of the community.

On all the existing Krause work you will find the stair-step drawers. This gallery is the one of the simple designs but I do really like it.

As you can see, the rails are wider than the stiles. Not something you see too much on doors made by joiners trained in England.

This desk sat in the Single Brothers building for decades and then it was moved somewhere else??

The Carlyle Lynch plans are just fantastic. Thinking back I don't think I departed from his plans too much. I did build the desk out of mahogany and not walnut.


The 3 photos below are of a corner cabinet built by Krause. It was in the Winkler Bakery for a long time and used behind the cash register. I measured it before they "took the bothersome door off of it" to stack cookies on the shelves. I went back to get a sugar cake years later and it too was gone.

Charlie take notice of the molding. Krause used this on just about all of the pieces I have examined over the years. On the original, it was all one piece. In my case I made it in 3 sections.

This one I did in walnut. The original was built with poplar and painted/stained.

The quality of the photos is not digital. These are photos from a camera from an earlier date.

I really loved building the desk/bookcase. The tough part was the mitered breadboard ends with tenons.
Post some photos as you progress.

​

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Really having fun building this desk. Just glad I don't have a deadline to meet. Dan, this original is now in the Single Brothers Workshop--not on regular tour but they are happy to show it. I am using Lynch plans but I may modify the center part of the gallery. I like the step back drawers but may substitute a center compartment from another Krause desk.
Copying the Krause molding but as you did making it in 3 pieces.
Ben Hobbs told me how to make the mitered fallboard. He says make the mitered board ends first, clamp it in place on the board and knife both sides. Then use router to remove material down to the tenons and finally pare to the knife line with a wide chisel.

Got all the dados and mortises cut into the sides.

Usng a tapered sliding half dovetail for the writing top. A few more pieces to make and fit before I glue up the case

 

[danmart77]

I vaguely recall another member (danmart77) commenting about blind dovetails in 18-19th century cabinet construction. I think that he used them too in a reproduction piece that he was building but I can't find his thread so maybe he'll chime in. This pic is from his "Linen Press" gallery.

Here's an interesting video tutorial on the subject from Colonial Williamsburg.

https://woodandshop.com/secret-mite...theim-colonial-williamsburg-hay-cabinet-shop/

The joinery in the photo above was my feeble attempt at using a method found on a Peter Scott desk being reproduced at the Anthony Haye shop in CW
You can view the blog at

https://anthonyhaycabinetmaker.word...walnut-desk-and-bookcase-part-i-the-bookcase/
Walnut Linen Press

Jeff all of that discussion on the joinery of the walnut linen press is still here. Additionally, there are over 50 photos of the Linen Press build in folders under my name danmart77 named linen press for any viewer that is curious.

​

 

[danmart77]

Charlie
From our discussion at your house yesterday, we touched on the Krause desk built with cherry and cherry veneer. Its a stunning desk and bookcase but unfortunately for us home owners living with 8' ceilings, this piece would not work.

I do love the upper bookcase with its bonnet curve. You feature a four drawer stair-step gallery with a prospect box and pilaster cases in a photo in reply #3. I think this photo is taken from the cherry desk shown here below.

This piece was on display for years in the Single Brothers House. Not sure where it is these days but it is worth seeing. I called ahead and asked if the doors and the lid could be opened by one of the curators and they were very obliging with my request and invited me to come back on a quiet time if I wanted to measure the piece. Unfortunately, time and availability did not work out. Wish I had the measurements for this one.

​