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suggestions needed for a desk

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  willy3486 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey all I am looking for suggestions for a desk. Here is what I have in mind. My daughter will be going to college next year so I would like to make her a desk. I want it to be more of a heirloom type piece of furniture. I like the streamlined or art deco look. I would like to experiment with steaming of wood to make curved legs. I was thinking of using maybe some old barn lumber I mill down and clean. I found one similar that I would like to build I think on this very site but I lost track of it. I would need to make it big enough to put a laptop on and hopefully to be able to lock the computer in it. But it would need to be big enough to use at the same time small enough to use in a dorm room. I found one style in a old magazine of mine and I posted it below. I am looking for suggestions on design,what not to do, what to do and any helpful info. Things like a ideal height from the floor to the working area and the height from the floor to the bottom of the desk for clearence would be good as well. As far as myself and experence it is as follows. I would consider myself a home hobbyist and not a pro. I do have skills to be able to look at a picture and then create my own drawings and work. I have worked in machinery so I can get exact with measurements. I have grown up with lumber projects and built my own house. I have no intentions of competing with anyone in woodworking I just want to do it as a hobby. I am not looking to steal anyones ideas and then make things for profit. I do woodworking when I get a chance to relax. But I don't get to do it often. I just want to make her something unique for her to use. So any suggestions or links to photos would be great. Here is the desk I am thinking about doing something similar. But I would prefer something not so large.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2100837500101948653YhjtZF?vhost=good-times&vhost=good-times
 
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#2 ·
Sorry-I don't have a clue how you would do this desk, or even get started. I'm more of a Shaker and other types. That is an unusual desk-unique-but unusual. Good luck. But don't worry-- some of these LJer's on here will tell you how. Great craftsman on this website.
 
#3 ·
Willy
While I admire your desire to make heirloom desk for your daughter have you considered what might (probably will) happen to the desk in a dorm room? Have you ever looked closely at the standard issue furniture in a dorm room? It is virtually indestructible for a reason (although I don't mean to brag but I along with some friends destroyed several pieces in my dorm days). Even if your daughter tries to take the best care of the desk she will have roommates and roommates will have friends. Think of how bad she will feel if she or someone else damages the desk or worse yet the desk gets stolen (don't think it is not possible). I would suggest you build this desk while she is at college and then give it to her as a graduation gift. This will lift the restriction of size that a dorm room would place on the project and it would avoid hoping the desk survives undamaged the dorm environment.
 
#6 ·
Willy,
That looks like an Art Carpenter desk. You should be able to get plenty of info on making that.
I have made a desk for each of my daughters. I just posted the latest one. My oldest went to college this year and her desk stayed home. There is no room in a dorm for personal furniture and if there was I would make it out of steel or concrete or perhaps steel renforced concrete. :)
Having said that make the desk anyway. She will always have it and it will last long after college.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the replys. I am still in the thought process of what I want to do. My daughter is in band in HS and we took her up there a few times for band camp. We got to see the rooms and how small they were. I want to make it smaller than the one above. I don't think she would like the one above but I do know the taste she prefers. The was one similar to one she would like I saw but forgot to save a bookmark. It had bent wood legs similar to above the the actual desk area was shaped more oval than the shell shaped one above. I did a search on Art Carpenter and read about his style. I will also check into the Hooker brand furniture as well. I am in the stages of figuring out what I want to do. As far as a dorm setting I wanted to make it smaller and as durable as I could. But knowing my daughter I don't expect her to live on campus too long. She has a few schollarships now but we will have to cover the room. I expect her to move out of the dorm. One reason is the noise will get to her and the other is we can find nice apartments cheaper than the dorm.
 
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