Walnut Desk: Bookcase on top

[danmart77]

Well a couple viewers asked for a look at how it would finally sit in a room. Here are a couple photos. Others in the Gallery if you are interested.

I needed some help to get that heavy bookcase up on the desk. After a while, it adds up and I just couldn't do it by myself. Please excuse the background stuff -- it comes with the shop/storage area at the school where I am working.

I worked on this an hour here and an hour there while my wife has undergone cancer treatment for the past 2 years. She is coming along well after her stem cell transplant and I am really feeling positive for the first time in a long while. Her health and recovery has made this a great time and the desk has just been a small positive part of the experience. There's a little bit of my wife's beauty in the piece but I don't have the skills right now to capture all of it. Maybe next time.

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of the viewers for their nice comments and encouragement. Thank you.

If anyone out there decides to take on this rather lengthy project on their own, feel free to give me a shout. I have lots of scrap mouldings, measurements and a bunch of ... Oh sh@@ pieces around to keep me grounded.

Adios
dan

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery

View image in gallery

View image in gallery

View image in gallery​

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Dan, I've been admiring the pics you've posted throughout the process, especially the grain selection and the finish. Now that I've seen the final product, it's absolutely stunning. :notworthy::notworthy:

Glad to hear your wife is coming along well. Enjoy every minute you spend w/ her.

Bill

 

[cpw]

WOW! And, uh, WOW!

 

[Joe Scharle]

Just beautiful...

 

[BrianBDH]

This has been one of my favorite pieces to keep tabs on since you started posting photos. You are a true craftsman. My prayers are with you and your wife for continued recovery. Thanks for sharing.

Brian

 

[Canuck]

Wonderful work there, Dan!!!:icon_thum:icon_thum:icon_thum

I can honestly say that I haven't seen a piece this nice since I last visited the cabinet makers shop in colonial Williamsburg. Yours would show extremely well in a historic display of fine craftsmanship.

Thanks for sharing all of your progress pics too!:wsmile:

Wayne

 

[nelsone]

Awesome Dan! What a beautiful piece of furniture!

 

[dovetailer]

Looks great Dan. I still hope to pop by and take a look but life keeps getting in the way. What's the next project? Looked at the TommyMac's WoodExpo2011? I just started a table for that.

 

[woodlaker2]

Beatuiful work and glad to hear your wife is on the mend. I've not been following all your posts but will be attempting to build one similar to the secretary Lonnie Bird built in his FWW articles a couple of years back. Was yours modelled on that one or did your develop your own plans (the interior of your looks different and I like it a lot)?

 

[danmart77]

Ray I did use the plan dimensions from Lonnie Birds article. I did adapt the piece in several places and I used some different joinery along the way. I would not build this piece or any of the other desks with a serpentine seatboard without looking at Lonnie's information. He has a very clever way of getting your gallery done with a minimum of confusion. He takes one jig and makes another from the first jig to get the seatboard and the serpentine gallery drawers to fit with a minimum of effort.

I used some unusual wood combinations on the project but the most radical departure from the traditional walnut desk and gallery would be the use of curly maple for the small gallery drawers. I had some small chunks of 12/4 curly sitting in a scrap box for years. My critics told me I have too much junk laying around so.. I decided to use up the curly on the project. Some coloring challenges but a little dye, some clear shellac, artist's oil paints, shellac, more color, more shellac and then it starts coming together to some acceptable hue. At least to my eye.

Notice the base yellow in the upper shot and the gradual tone moving toward red/brown. This isn't the final color but you can see the little adjustments you can make without losing the curl or clouding it up as some suggest you do when using stains. Notice the drawers are a little darker/redder than the seatboard edge. The seatboard edge needed some adjusting too.

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

 

[cpowell]

Magnificent work. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap


Chuck

 

[Jeff]

Dan, that's an absolutely stunning piece. I'm curious. How long did this project take from inception to finish?

My best wishes to both you and your wife. We all pray for her continued improvement. :eusa_clap

I intend to give you a call and stop by the shop soon, but there's always stuff to do around here.

 

[danmart77]

Thank you Jeff for the kind words. You'll have to come by the shop at school in the next 2 weeks or you'll only have photos. Its going out soon.

dan

 

[LeftyTom]

A functional work of art, Dan :icon_thum