WOODWORKS: INTERMEDIATE PROJECT 2014 - 2015 SAWHORSE DESK Create the ultimate workstation in your study, den, or bedroom with this sawhorse desk that is as attractive as it is practical. The top is perfect for your desktop or laptop and offers plenty of room for stacking your books, folders, and other important items. Plus the sawhorse shelves come in handy for even more storage space. You can also customize the dimensions to suit your needs. Make it wider and deeper so you can really spread out, or shorter and shallower if you need to fit it into a particular space. At any size, it’s a great project for intermediate woodworkers to expand their skills in making angle cuts, precision assembly, and edge-banding with biscuits. And after you build it, you’ll learn more about applying stain and using clear protective finishes to protect your project and keep it looking beautiful. –1– CONTINUED – WOODWORKS: INTERMEDIATE PROJECT 2014-2015 SAWHORSE DESK TOOLS REQUIRED SHOPPING LIST Hand Tools Recommended Wood: Oak, solid and veneer plywood – Framing square Parts Material Quantity – Clamps for gluing A, H 3/4" oak veneer plywood 1/2" sheet, 24" x 96" B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M 1x8 solid 2 @ 8' Power Tools 1x6 solid 1 @ 8' – Table saw D 11/2" x 11/2" solid 2 @ 8' – Router Biscuits #10 64 – Biscuit joiner Flathead woodscrews #8 x 11/4" 20 – Miter saw #8 x 1 17 – Compressed-air pin and brad nailers 1/2" – Drill or drill driver – Orbital or finish sander CUTTING AND PARTS LIST Part Name Qty Dimension Note Miscellaneous A Desk top 1 3/4" × 22" × 58" Plywood – Tape measure B Top bands, ends 2 3/4" × 13/8" × 22" Solid – Pencil – Wood glue C Top bands, long edges 2 3/4" × 13/8" × 603/4" Solid – Safety glasses D Sawhorse Legs 8 11/2" × 11/2" × 271/2" Solid – 120- and 220-grit sandpaper E Upper and lower rail 8 3/4" × 21/2" × 22" 5-degree bevel on top edge – Sanding block – Clean, lint-free cloths F Upper crosspiece 4 3/4" × 21/2" × 41/4" Length is across top edge – Respirator G Lower crosspiece 4 3/4" × 21/2" × 81/4" Length is across top edge – Gloves for wood finishing H Shelf panel 2 " × 7 " × 16 " Plywood – Mineral spirits, for cleanup of 3/4 1/8 1/4 oil-based finishes I Shelf bands, ends 4 3/4" × 13/8" × 71/8" Solid – Good quality, natural-bristle brush J Shelf bands, long edges 4 3/4" × 13/8" × 19" Solid (for oil-based finishes) K Screw blocks 4 3/4" × 11/2" × 7" Solid or Plywood L Sawhorse cap 2 3/4" × 6" × 24" Solid M Desk top stiffener 1 3/4" × 3" × 34" Solid WOOD FINISHING PRODUCTS Recommended Finish Alternate Finish Prep: Minwax® Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner (oil-based) Prep: Minwax® Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner Stain: Minwax® Gel Stain, Red Elm (oil-based) Clear Finish: Minwax® Wipe-On Poly, Satin Stain/Clear Finish: Minwax® PolyShades®, Royal Walnut –2– CONTINUED – WOODWORKS: INTERMEDIATE PROJECT 2014-2015 SAWHORSE DESK BEFORE YOU BEGIN 8. Cut the long banding pieces, C, a couple of inches longer than the specified dimension. Join them to the long edge with eight evenly Good craftsmanship begins and ends with good work habits, so make spaced #10 biscuits per edge. Glue the banding and use cauls and the following steps part of your routine workshop practice. If you have any doubts or questions about how to proceed with a project, always several bar clamps as you did with the end bands. discuss them with your shop instructor. • Carefully and fully review plans and instructions before putting 9. Trim the ends of the long banding flush with the end of the top a tool to the project lumber. bands using a fine-tooth handsaw. Draw a cut line using the end bands • Work sensibly and safely. Wear safety goggles. Wear the as a guide. Allow the saw to barely kiss the edge of the end banding, appropriate respirator whenever making sawdust or working providing alignment for the saw, and cut off the excess. with thinners or other solvents. • At the end of every work session, clean up your shop area and 10. To make the sawhorse parts D,E,F,G, start by ripping them to their put away all portable tools. specified widths. CUTTING AND ASSEMBLY 11. For the legs, D, and the crosspieces, F and G, set the miter saw at 95º to get the 5º angle cuts they require. Make a single master piece of 1. For overall guidance, see Fig. 1. Start by ripping the plywood desk each part and use it to locate a stop block so that all the other pieces top, A, to rough width on the table saw. At this stage it should will be identical in length (See Fig. 1). At this time, cut the same angle be 23" wide, 1" wider than specified. across a 3” to 4” wide piece of scrap; this will be the test piece you use to set up the table saw blade angle in Step 15. 2. Crosscut one end of the top square. You can accomplish this by striking a line square to a long edge with a framing square. Even when 12. Return the miter saw to square cutting, make one master for the working on a factory edge, strike the squaring line 1/16" to 1/8" from it. upper and lower rails, E, and then use a stop block to make the rest. Clamp a guide board (whose edge has been jointed) to the line and use a router equipped with a pattern-cutting bit to cut to the line 13. Use the miter saw to cut the screw blocks, K, and sawhorse cap, J, (See Fig. 2). to their finished lengths. Woodworker’s Tip: When using this crosscutting technique, plan 14. Cut the upper and lower rails, E, to length using a stop block on it so you’ll only be cutting off 1/16" to 1/8" of the material. Trying to the miter saw. cut deeper will result in a poor, uneven cut. 15. Rip a 5º bevel on the top edges of the upper and lower rails, E. To 3. Mark the finished length of the top, 58", and once again use a set this angle on the table saw, place the test piece with the 95º end cut framing square to strike a line square to the long edge. Use a jigsaw against the blade and adjust the blade until it’s aligned with the angle or circular saw to cut 1/16" to 1/8"outside that line, and then the guide (See Fig. 3). board and router to trim the cut to the squaring line. 16. Sand all parts prior to assembly. 4. Rip and plane all the banding pieces, B,C,I,J, to width, 13/8". Cut the desk top end pieces, B, about 1" longer than the specified length. 17. To assemble the sawhorses, you’ll make four identical leg sets. Start by gluing and pinning (with a compressed-air pin nailer) the 5. Cut three #10 biscuit slots in the ends of the desk top and in the upper crosspiece, F, to the inside faces of the legs so that the ends of mating banding. Locate two biscuits 2" on center from each plywood the crosspiece are dead flush with the outside edge of each leg. Use edge and one in the center. Transfer those marks to the banding clamps to ensure a strong bond; pins alone won’t do it (See Fig. 4). pieces. Plan to join the end banding to the plywood so that one end is about 1/8" in from the long edge and the other end runs out from the 18. Mark a line 4" from the bottom end of the legs to locate the other edge. bottom edge of the lower crosspiece, G. 6. Glue and clamp the end banding in place using at least four 19. Glue and pin G in place, making the ends flush with the bar clamps. outside edge of each leg. Clamp the ends of the crosspiece to the legs (See Fig. 4). Woodworker’s Tip: Use a pair of cauls—long, straight strips of wood—between the clamps and the banding to distribute the 20. Repeat steps 17, 18, and 19 for the other three leg sets. Use the clamp pressure and ensure the jaws don’t mar the banding. first set you made as a master and match the others to it. 7. Rip the top to its final width. Do this in two cuts by placing one 21. Glue and brad the rails, E, to the leg assembly. Position the edge against the rip fence with an oversized width setting—say beveled top edge of the rails even with the top edge of the 221/2"—and cutting through both the overlong banding and the crosspieces and flush with the outer edges of the legs. plywood. Then put that edge against the fence set for the final width, 22”, and make the cut. –3– CONTINUED – WOODWORKS: INTERMEDIATE PROJECT 2014-2015 SAWHORSE DESK 22. Make the banded shelves from the H, I, and J pieces the same way • All stains and clear protective finishes must be allowed to dry you made the desk top. Glue the short banding, I, to the ends using thoroughly between coats. Remember that drying times can vary two biscuits, then rip the shelves to their final width, 161/4", in two cuts.