My Working Vacation

I took a week and a half off this month. My vacation goal was to build an office desk/work bench. I had this idea in my head but really nothing on paper. I started on the Inventor model on Saturday last week and today finished the desk. I had no idea this project would involve so many people and I’m deeply grateful to all that helped. Technically this desk is not 100% complete. I have a good bit of sanding and painting on the routered grooves left to do. However I was so excited by the final results I had to share them.

My original conceptual drawings. The little end table picture was from the letters section of an American Woodworker magazine. Sorry I can’t find the magazine it came from anymore, so I can’t give credits for the picture.

Final Inventor Print..

Finished design (before paint) The plan is to have the grooves the same color green as the walls.

Before more pictures, I would like to give a huge thank you to my parents for helping transfer and the pieces from OH to SC and for all the help assembling once it was home. Also a huge huge shout out to Dean and Wayne at Wengerd Wood for all the routing and CNC programing time.

Production Photos

Three sheets of 3/4 inch cherry veneer MDF coming home from the finishers. We bought the wood from Kiem Lumber but I can’t remember the name of the finisher.

First sheet on the router. I must say, I was a bit nervous as the bit first cut into it.

Tabletop and middle front just about finished.

The grooves vary from 1/8th to nearly 3/4 inch deep.

All the parts finished ready to be wrapped up to head to SC.

3/27/14 Update
I have 99% of the sanding and smoothing complete now. Just about ready to paint.

5-16-14 Update
On all of the front edges, we extended the cuts an extra inch and then cut a 90 deg. V from the back side all the way through. The little triangle that was left we folded over and glued and nailed into place. I spent a good bit of time manually recreating a few of the knobs that broke off when creating the folds for the front edges.
 
That extra work is what makes the transitions look so seamless.
I started priming the grooves yesterday. This first drawer took about an hour. I know, I said the grooves will be a very light green… But, man does that white pop! I have a feeling a final coat of high gloss white will be the finishing touch to this desk. The good thing is I will be able to see what white will look like once the primer coat is completed. It may end up being too much white for the room?

5-26-14 Update
I spent a large part of Saturday and a few hours Sunday night painting again. You can’t see it in the pictures below but I painted behind the drawers as well.

6-1-14 Update
I updated/finished the 3D model

6-13-14 Update
I have finished sanding the primer and will start painting this weekend. The white will stay!. I am going with a high gloss white.
I posted the model to GrabCAD… https://grabcad.com/library/my-hobby-work-bench-1