094-101.B1 Leather Top Desk

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Stickley Leather-top Desk • Step by Step construction instruction. • A complete bill of materials. • Exploded view and elevation drawings. • How-to photos with instructive captions.

• Tips to help you complete the project and become a better woodworker.

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WJ016 A Stickley-inspired Leather-top Desk Without sacrificing any of the charm or structural integrity of our Stickley-inspired design, modern methods and materials bring this white oak desk within the reach of almost any woodworker’s skills.

94 Essential Projects, Tips and Techniques

WOODWORKER'S JOURNAL ©2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ometimes, building a Sbeautiful, practical Taper Jig Set-up piece of furniture can Setting a taper jig to the correct angle is a remind you of of all the snap if you use your table saw miter gauge reasons you started wood- and a square. Slide the miter gauge into a working in the first place. table saw slot and set the gauge to the angle you want for the taper jig. Now slide Such was the case for Brad the saw fence and taper jig over to the Becker, the original builder miter gauge and use the square to position of this Stickley-inspired the jig at the angle you need. oak desk. His sentiments rang true for other readers Miter Gauge as well, making this project one of the more popular Arts & Crafts pieces we’ve published in the past ten years or so. Square The desk is a series of simple frame and panel Taper Jig subassemblies joined with Fence modern biscuits, hidden screws and glue. Brad designed the desk with basic joinery so that any- one with a little experi- ence, a good router and a table saw will have no problem building it. woodworking. Chuck a 1⁄4" bit in your table- mounted router, set the fence, and mill 1⁄2" deep Starting with the Back grooves in both edges of both stiles, plus the The back of the desk is made up of two rails, appropriate edges of the top and bottom rails. two stiles and three panels (pieces 1 through 4). (All dimensions are on the Elevations and Cut these and all the other parts to the dimen- Exploded Drawings on the next two pages.) The sions shown in the Material List on page 97. With groove cuts should be made in several passes, any project, measuring and test fitting each part raising the bit about 1⁄8" each time to avoid as you make it is wise. The cabinet shop proverb tearout and excessive wear on the router. — measure twice, cut once — holds true for all These stiles and rails have 1⁄4" wide tenons cen- tered on their ends. Form them using a fine cross- cut blade in the table saw coupled with the saw’s miter gauge and nibble away the waste in suc- cessive cuts. The tenons at each end of the bot-

This project uses simple joinery and modern materials, like this white oak Figure 1: Tapering the outside veneer plywood, to faces of the legs adds an element create an of style to their blocky, authentic Arts & rectangular shapes. Crafts appearance.

Leather-top Desk 95

1 /4"

1 12" 1 /4"

8 1 5

21 1 1 1 /8" /2"

5 1 /8" /2" 16 6 1" 30

9 5

17 3 /4" 6"

1 1 /4" /2"

1 /4"

1 /2"

1 /4" 11 12 12 16 1 /4"

1 /2" 3 2 /4" 3 9 16 1 2 / " 3" 22 12" 1 /4" 5" 30 17 1 /2" 35 1 1 /4" 1 5 1 10 1 8 /2" 8 /2" 2 8 5" 21 17 3 1 /8" 1 1 1 /8" /2" 1 1 /4" 3 36 2 /4" 9 5 1 /8" 21 5 /2" 16 8 8 6

1 1" /2"

1 3 /4" 14 /4" 30

1 14 /2" 16" 1 /4" 1 1 11 /4" 11 /4" 9 5

1 12" 1 /4" 17 3 /4" 6" 1 5 8 1 1 1 1 /4" /2" 2 /4" 2 /4"

1 21 /4" 1 1 1 /8" /2"

5 1 /8" /2" 16 6 1" 30 1 6 11

9 5 2 7

17 3 8 13 3 /4" 6" 4 9 14

1 1 /4" /2" 5 10 15

1 /4"

1 /2"

1 /4" 12 11 12 3 12 16 1 /8" 1 /4"

16 1 /2" 3 3 4 1 2 /4" 2 / " 9 3 1 2 /16" 12"3" 221 /4" 5"

3 1 30 17 13 /4" 12 /4" 2 1 7" /2" 35 1 1 5 1 /4" 1 3 10 4 4 1 1 8 11 / " 2 / " /2" 8 /2" 1 2 8 /2" 4 3 5" 21 17 3 3 1 1 1 /8" 2 /4" 1 /8" /2" 1 1 1 /4" 3 36 /4 9 2 " 5 1 /8" /2" 16 21 5 8 8 6 8 1" 20

3 Desk Elevation Leg Joinery 1 30 14 /4" (Front View) /2" 12 11 11 12 1 12 16 Detail 14 /2" 1 16" 23 (Top View) /4" NOTE: The tabletop 14 1 1 16" /4 fasteners are located Desk 11 /4" 11 " 1 1 9 5 /2" /4" 3 on the top of each leg. Elevation 24 2 /4" 3 9 2 /16" 3" 22 (Top View) 5" 17 15 3 1 /4" 14 30 17 12" 1 /4" 1 11 /2" 35 6" 1 1 /4" 1 10 1 1 1 12 /2" 8 /2" 1 /4" /2" 1 2 /4" 1 5 2 /4" 1 2 8 8 16 5" 13 Faux Tenon 1 17 19 /4" 3 4 1 /8" (Side View) (End View) The 18 22 1 1 /4" bottom- 21 3 36 1 1 9 2 /4" 1 /8" /2" mounted 3 2 21 5 9 drawer 4 5 8 8 1 /8" slides are 22 6 /2" 16 attached to 2 The legs are 6 6 35 5 10 tapered on cleats 9 3 1" the outside 14 /4" glued to 5 7 the back 1 6 11 1 faces only. 16" 17 14 /2" panel of 30 Make sure the 1 1 1 the desk. 7 11 /4" quartersawn 11 /4" 2 7 grain faces 9 9 3 3 front and 5 /4" /4" 21 3 8 13 back. 10 6 5 17 3 /4" 4 17 9 14 17

1 1 6" 2 /4" 2 /4" 5 6 5 10 15 1 1 30 /4" /2"

5 8 8 2" / " 1 9 17 8 /4" Biscuit 17 1 3 /2" and Frame /8" 36 Joinery Detail

7 (Top View) 36 1 /8" Leg Faux Tenon (Side View) (End View) 1 6 11 8 Desk Elevation 2 7 Desk Elevation (Side View) 11 12 12 12 3 (Back View) 16 1 /8" 3 8 13 16 1 /2" 3 3 2 /4" 3 2 /4" 1 9 2 /16" 4 9 14 3" 22 5" 17 3 1 30 1 13 /4" 12 /54" 10 15 2 /2" 7" 35 1 1 /4" 1 10 1 1 3 /2" 8 /2" 11 /4" 2 /4" 1 2 8 /2" 4 3 5"

17 3 3 1 /8" 2 /4" 1 1 1 /4" 3 36 9 2 /4" 21 5 8 8 8

3 14 /4" 12 3 1 16" 1 /8" 14 /2" 19 11

11 12 1 12 16 1 16 11 /4" 16" 11 /4" 20 3 2 /4" 1 1 24 /2" 3 2 /4" 3 9 2 /16" 22 3 1 3" 25 13 /4" 12 /4" 7" 2 5" 30 17 1 3 1 4 4 /2" 11 / " 2 / " 1 35 1 /4 1 2 " 1 /4" 2 /4" 1 /2" 41 10 1 /2" 3 8 /2" 2 8 5" 3 96 Essential Projects, Tips and Techniques 2 /4" 1 17 3 1 /8" WOODWORKER'S JOURNAL ©2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1 1 /4" 3 36 9 2 /4" 8 21 5 8 8 1 6 11 3 14 /4"

1 16" 14 /2" 16" 2 7

1 1 11 /4" 11 /4" 3 3 /4" /4" 3 8 13

4 9 14

5 10 15 1 1 2 /4" 2 /4"

5 2" /8"

1 3 /2" /8" 36

7 1 /8"

1 6 11 12 3 1 /8" 2 7 3 3 /4" /4" 16

3 3 8 13 2 /4" 1 4 3 1 9 14 13 /4" 12 /4" 7" 2

1 3 5 10 15 11 /4" 2 /4" 5 8 2" / " 1 /2" 4 3

1 3 /2" 8 / " 36 3 2 /4" 1 7 1 /8"

12 3 1 /8" 16" 16

3 2 /4" 1

3 1 13 /4" 12 /4" 7" 2

1 3 11 /4" 2 /4"

1 /2" 4 3

3 2 /4" 1

16" 3 3 /4" /4"

5 2" /8"

1 3 /2" /8" 36

7 1 /8"

3 3 /4" /4"

5 2" /8"

1 3 /2" /8" 36

7 1 /8" 1 /2"

1 /4"

1 12" 1 /4"

8 1 5

21 1 1 1 /8" /2"

5 1 /8" /2" 16 6 1" 30

9 5

17 3 /4" 6"

1 1 /4" /2"

1 /4"

11 12 12 16

1 /2" 3 2 /4" 3 9 2 /16" 3" 22 5" 30 17 1 /2" 35 1 1 /4" 1 10 1 /2" 8 /2" 2 8 5"

17 3 1 /8" 1 1 /4" 3 36 9 2 /4" 21 5 8 8 20

3 14 /4" 12 11 1 16" 14 /2" 23 14

1 1 11 /4" 11 /4" 24

14 15 11 12 1 1 2 /4" 2 /4" 1 16 13 19 18 4 22

3 2 9 4 22 6 2 6 5 10 9 35 5 7 1 6 11 17 1 7 2 7 9 21 3 8 13 10 6 5 4 17 9 14 17 5 15 30 6 5 10

8 9 17 8 17

36 The desktop outer panels (pieces 14) are solid hardwood. Attach them to the desktop center panel (piece 15) with just a few drops of glue. This allows them to expand and contract from the center of the desk.

8 12 3 1 /8" 16

3 2 /4" 1

3 1 13 /4" 12 /4" 7" 2

1 3 11 /4" 2 /4" MATERIAL LIST 1 /2" 4 3 T x W x L T x W x L 3 2 /4" 1 1 Back Frame Rails (2) 3⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 491⁄4" 13 Large Screws (12) #10 x 3" 2 Back Frame Stiles (2) 3⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 8" 14 Desktop Outer Panels (2) 11⁄2" x 12" x 24" 3 Back Frame Center Panel (1) 1⁄4" x 21" x 8" 15 Desktop Center Panel (1) 3/4" x 24" x 301⁄2" 8 4 Back Frame Side Panels (2) 1⁄4" x 123⁄8" x 8" 16 Top Faux Tenons (4) 1⁄2" x 11⁄8" x 5⁄8" 5 Interior Frame Stiles (4) 11⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 121⁄2" 17 Drawer Dividers (4) 11⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 12" 6 Interior Frame Rails (4) 11⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 171⁄2" 18 Tabletop Fasteners (4) Steel 19 11 7 Interior Frame Panels (2) 1⁄4" x 171⁄2" x 8" 19 Tabletop Fastener Screws (8) Steel 16" 8 Legs (4) 23⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 281⁄2" 20 Tabletop Screws (12) #8 x 2" 20 9 Exterior Frame Rails (4) 3⁄4" x 23⁄4" x 181⁄8" 21 Leg Space Shelf (1) 11⁄4" x 9" x 213⁄4" 24 Exterior Frame Panels (2) 1⁄4" x 181⁄8" x 91⁄2" 22 Drawer Cleats (2) 1⁄4" x 3" x 7" 10 25 11 Desktop Sides (2) 11⁄2" x 2" x 23" 23 Leather (1) 25" x 31" 12 Desktop Front & Back (2) 11⁄2" x 2" x 561⁄2" 24 Leather Backer (1) 3⁄4" x 291⁄2" x 23"

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3 3 /4" /4"

5 2" /8"

1 3 /2" /8" 36

7 1 /8" Joining Boards Without a Jointer By coupling a straight edge with end clamps and a pattern-cutting router bit, you can eas- ily join boards. Mount the bit in your router table. Adjust the bit so the height equals the thickness of the board plus the bearing thickness, then clamp the edge guide along the edge you want to cut. Pass the board along the router bit with the bearing running along the edge guide. You can also use this guide/pattern bit combination for other operations, such as trimming down doors to fit.

tom rail are notched 1⁄4" from the bottom. These drawers and surround the desk owner’s legs. cuts can be made on a bandsaw or with a sharp Begin machining them at the router table by backsaw. With that done, you’re ready to dry fit plowing a 1⁄2" deep groove in each stile (pieces 5) the frame together and check your joinery. When and rail (pieces 6) at the locations shown on the you’re pleased with the fit, apply glue to the stile Elevation Drawings. Then move to the table saw and rail joints (but not the plywood panels, as to mill tenons on the ends of each rail. These are they need to float freely). Make sure the sub- relatively simple cuts as no shoulder is required. assembly is flat and square as you clamp it up. After the glue cures, use a router and straight- Figure 2: edge to plow a vertical 1⁄4" deep groove on the Assemble the inside face of the stiles. These grooves are 11⁄4" desktop frame wide and will be used to join the interior frames and cut a rabbet in its bottom to the back. edge with a bearing-guided Building the Interior Frames bit. Square the The interior frame subassemblies house the corners with a sharp chisel.

WOODWORKER’S GLOSSARY Glue and clamp the two subassemblies together, WOODWORKER’S GLOSSARY again letting the panels (pieces 7) float freely in Arts & Crafts: the frames. A design style originated in the mid-1800s by William Morris to offset the elaborate detail- Machining the Legs ing of the Victorian styles. Its purpose was to Use either solid or glued-up stock to make show a simple handcrafted artist’s approach blanks for the legs (pieces 8). Either way, have the to furniture design. The popular Mission quartersawn grain showing on the front and back furniture is a variation of this style. faces of each. After cutting the legs to size, taper their two outside faces, as shown in Figure 1. Use

98 Essential Projects, Tips and Techniques

WOODWORKER'S JOURNAL ©2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Figure 3: Before There are two different size faux final assembly, tenons on this desk. The top test fit the frame set have larger tails joints between and cover a set of pre-made screws. The leg set are subassemblies, machined with tiny such as the tenoned tails to glue back sub- 1 assembly and into ⁄4" mortises. They’re the legs. easy to make and ensure a clean attractive look. Machine the faux tenons in three steps: Chamfer the ends a tapering jig and great care to slice the angles off panel. (Note that and edges of your stock on a sander, relieve the tenon the legs (see Desk Elevation Front and Side Views on three sides, for taper dimensions). this rabbet is tails on your table saw, and slice them free Move back to the router table to mill the 1⁄2" milled on the top with a bandsaw and deep stopped grooves in each leg to accommo- face while on the miter gauge. date the sides and back. Stopping the grooves in fourth side it is the right spot is simply a matter of matching up milled on the pencil marks on the leg and the router table bottom face.) Cut fence. Wrap up the legs by using a router the center panel equipped with a 1⁄4" straight bit to create the (piece 15) from small mortises for the legs’ decorative faux 3⁄4" plywood and, tenons (see the sidebar on this page). after predrilling screw holes, Building the Exterior Frames attach it to the Cut and mill the four rails for the exterior frame with frames (pieces 9), using the same techniques as screws only. Test Be sure to make each size faux tenon you did for the interior frame rails; just notice fit the two outer in sets. Use a registration block that the lengths are different. Notch the tenons panels to the clamped to your miter gauge to ensure on the two bottom rails (see the Elevation center panel and uniformity. Drawings) to create 1⁄4" shoulders. frame. When all Test the tenons’ fit in the legs, then cut the the parts fit panels (pieces 10) to size. Glue and clamp the together well, remove the screws and reassemble rails to the legs while slipping the panels in place the top with glue and screws. Apply a couple without glue. drops of glue to the joint between the center panel and the inverted rabbet on the outer pan- Building the Top els. This will ensure both panels will expand and Begin making the top by creating a simple, contract out from the center of the desk. Finally, butt-jointed frame with the front, back and sides glue the top faux tenons (pieces 16) in place. (pieces 11 and 12). Start by cutting the parts to size, then chop the small, shallow mortises for Assembling the Desk the faux tenons and screws on the long frame Sand the subassemblies down through the grits to pieces. Predrill each piece to properly accept the 220, and test fit all your joints (see Figure 3). Then screws (pieces 13), then assemble the frame with- lay out and mill the eight biscuit slots for the drawer out glue. Turn the frame upside down and, using dividers (pieces 17). Glue and clamp the two interior a bearing-guided rabbeting bit, mill a rabbet frames in their dadoes in the back, then glue the around the inside edge (see Figure 2). Square the subassembly into the stopped grooves in the legs corners with a sharp chisel after you’re done (don’t glue the panels in place during this process). routing the rabbeted edge. Before this glue begins to set, install the drawer Select solid hardwood stock with beautiful dividers with glue and biscuits. Make sure every- grain and figure for the two outer desktop panels thing is square as you tighten the clamps. Once the (pieces 14). Form rabbets on the edges of each glue dries, use a Forstner bit to create round mor-

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WOODWORKER'S JOURNAL ©2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Finisher’s Scorecard: Choosing the best finish for your project doesn’t have to be difficult if you know the basic characteristics of these eight common finishes. Incidentally, chatoyance refers to the ability of the finish to enhance depth and figure, “popping” the grain.

J Wax – thin; apply by rag; easy to repair; poor chatoyance; sheds water but takes water marks; poor solvent, scratch and heat resistance; fair stain resistance.

J Oil and Danish oil – thin; apply by rag; easy to repair; good chatoyance; good water, heat, and solvent resistance; poor scratch resistance; fair stain resistance.

J Shellac – apply thin or thick by rag, brush or spray; easy to repair; good chatoyance; poor heat and alkali resistance; good water and scratch resistance; fair solvent resistance; good stain and acid resistance.

J Lacquer – apply thin or thick by brush or spray; easy to repair; good chatoyance; poor to fair heat resistance; good water, scratch, stain and solvent resistance.

J Oil varnish – apply thin or thick by rag, brush or spray; not easy to repair; good chatoyance; good water, heat, solvent, scratch and stain resistance (if thick).

J Polyurethane (oil base) – apply thin or thick by rag, brush or spray; not easy to repair; good chatoyance; good water and stain resistance; excellent solvent, heat, and scratch resistance.

J Waterborne acrylic-polyurethane – apply thin or thick by pad, brush or spray; moderately easy to repair; poor chatoyance; good water, stain, solvent, heat, and scratch resistance.

J Two part coatings (catalyzed lacquer, conversion varnish, automotive polyurethane) – apply thick by spray; very difficult to repair; excellent water, stain, solvent, heat and scratch resistance; chatoyance varies.

Yet Another Way to Use tises in the tops of the legs (see Leg Joinery Detail, 3M’s All Purpose Post-it™ Notes page 96), then secure the tabletop fasteners Marking the spot to drill for hard- (pieces 18) to the legs with screws (pieces 19). ware on a freshly finished piece can be To join the top and bottom subassemblies, start trying. Next time you are confronted with this by placing the desktop on the lower desk assem- dilemma try placing a Post-it™ Note in the bly. From the underside, mark where the interior approximate location of the intended hole and make your marks on it instead. frames touch the desktop’s center panel. Remove the top and drill pilot holes for screwing through the top into the interior fames, countersinking the holes from the upper face. Center the top on the desk body, then drive your screws (pieces 20) down through the center panel into your predrilled pilot holes in the interior frame’s top rails (pieces 6). Finish securing the frame in place by driving screws (pieces 19) up through the tabletop fasteners into predrilled pilot holes in its bottom face, then attach the leg space shelf (piece 21) with screws (pieces 13). Take a moment to glue the drawer cleats (pieces 22) to the plywood

100 Essential Projects, Tips and Techniques

11 DRAWER JOINERY 5 /16" T x W x L 28 25 Deep Drawer Sides (8) 1⁄2" x 41⁄4" x 193⁄4" 3 1 1 3 1 /8" 26 Deep Drawer Fronts & Backs (8) ⁄2" x 4 ⁄4" x 10 ⁄4" 1 1 1 A small ⁄4" x 1 ⁄2" 5 /2" notch allows the 27 Deep Drawer Bottoms (4) 1⁄2" x 103⁄4" x 191⁄8" 7 /8" drawer slides to 28 Deep Drawer Faces (4) 3⁄4" x 47⁄8" x 117⁄8" clear the front 34 and back of the 29 Drawer Pulls (6) Mission style deep drawers. Corner 30 Deep Drawer Slides (4) 21" Detail 31 Pencil Drawer Sides (2) 1⁄2" x 21⁄2" x 18" 32 Pencil Drawer Front & Back (2) 1⁄2" x 21⁄2" x 201⁄4" 26 25 28 33 Pencil Drawer Bottom (1) 1⁄2" x 201⁄4" x 171⁄2" 25 26 34 Pencil Drawer Face (1) 3⁄4" x 31⁄4" x 215⁄8" 35 Pencil Drawer Slides (1 pair) 18" 36 Faux Tenons (4) 5⁄8" x 2" x 1⁄2"

The drawer 25 27 bottoms are 26 1⁄2" hardwood 29 plywood with rabbeted edges. 28

28 Drawer 25 Joint (Top View)

30 1 26 /4" 1 The drawer fronts and backs are rabbeted on their ends Deep /4" 27 (left inset). Drawer sides (above right) have 1⁄4" dadoes Drawer 1 (Section View) /4" milled across their ends. Both steps can be done on the same setup, as shown above. The 1⁄4" drawer bottom grooves are also formed on the same table saw setup.

panels inside the drawer cavity (refer to the the back of the drawer faces. Elevation Drawings on page 96). With the drawer boxes complete, install the Drill a finger hole in the top’s center panel to drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s help lift the removable leather covered panel, instructions, then slide the drawers into their then cut the leather (piece 23) and its backer openings. Use double-sided tape to temporarily (piece 24) to shape and dry-fit them to the top of position and mark the locations of the drawer the desk. When the fit is right, glue the leather to faces, then screw the faces in place. Install the the backer with 3M’s 77 spray adhesive. remaining faux tenons. Remove the drawer faces and hardware for finishing. Making the Drawers Wrap up this project by applying a light walnut Refer to the illustrations and photos on this oil stain, topped by at least three coats of clear page to mill the joinery on the sides, fronts and matte lacquer. Sand between these coats with backs of the four deep drawers and the shallow 400-grit paper. Reinstall the drawer faces and pencil drawer (pieces 25 through 35). Assemble drawer pulls after the finish dries. each box and sand smooth. Cut the drawer faces from attractive hardwood stock. Mount the drawer pulls with their bolt heads counterbored into

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