09Corners.JPG
681 hits | 30.14 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
I planned to shoot some 'before' pics, but I forgot. Now it's too late.

06Corners.JPG
606 hits | 45.78 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
These are just resting in place so I can see what I'm heading for.

08Corners.JPG
664 hits | 55.33 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The room is too small to get a full shot - I'm standing on a ladder here.

10Corners.JPG
644 hits | 37.83 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
Some scrap angle iron from my construction days makes the perfect mounting ledge. It's lag-screwed ...

12Fit.JPG
695 hits | 40.08 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
I'm just test-fitting the desktop right now. I used my laser level to cut the tops of the 2 support...

14Fit.JPG
630 hits | 27.71 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
This is my g/f's side. She needs a lot of room for scrapbooking.

16Fit.JPG
662 hits | 22.07 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
This is the rest of her side.

15Fit.JPG
593 hits | 44.5 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
This is my side. I'll replace that track shelving with built-ins after I finish the desk.

17Stain.JPG
879 hits | 63.34 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
We ironed on all the edge tape & stained everything but the TOP of the desktops. I'll do that all a...

18Stain.JPG
1020 hits | 43.17 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
A freak snowstorm blew through, and I didn't want moisture or kerosene (from the heater) affecting t...

19Stain.JPG
738 hits | 41.46 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
Yes, it smells.

That's my collection of Mikasa Opus Black china & Vogue Black stemware in the bac...

20Braces.JPG
605 hits | 33.01 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The angles are painted, and I'm beginning permanent assembly.

21Braces.JPG
667 hits | 43.69 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
Even 3/4" oak-veneer plywood (Chinese...) warps, so these braces will keep it flat.

22BaseR.JPG
574 hits | 43.75 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The 2 corner desktop pieces are only there to hold the window section in place. It's fully glued to...

23BaseL.JPG
635 hits | 42.71 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
Her puter goes on that side shelf. I considered adding those corner scraps as footrests, but it wou...

26BaseRF.JPG
611 hits | 54.58 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
This veneer is paper-thin, and very easy to peel off when cutting, but the stain hides the flaws fai...

27MySide.JPG
749 hits | 47.42 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The 2 planks at the bottom were screwed & glued, then stained, and the verticals were screwed & glue...

28HerSide.JPG
684 hits | 29.22 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The small shelf formed by the bottom of the support is for cables & peripherals, like a UPS, hub, ro...

29HerDeskTest.JPG
701 hits | 38.95 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
Just testing here. I'm using silver aluminum tile edge along the wall to hide the sloppy back edge ...

30DeskTest.JPG
761 hits | 33.96 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
It's coming together...

31MyDeskTest.JPG
753 hits | 43.31 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The smaller holes at the bottoms of the verticals are for power cords to run along the wall on the l...

34CornersGlued.JPG
675 hits | 57.35 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The plywood was warped, and my cuts weren't as tight as I wanted, so I used a LOT of weight & some r...

40MyBrace.JPG
673 hits | 52.82 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
I used PLENTY of screws along the back edges to hold the desktop in place & flat, and a bunch of she...

42Straps.JPG
605 hits | 45.94 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
This shows how many screws & clips I used, and the large fish plates at the desktop joints. It wasn...

44Glued.JPG
657 hits | 43.79 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The desktop is fully glued down now, and the aluminum edge is in place. There's a tiny gap between ...

45Glued.JPG
732 hits | 41.77 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
The desktop grommets are for monitor, keyboard, & printer cables. There's a tiny lip at the back of...

47Glued.JPG
704 hits | 22.34 KB | Posted: 3/26/06
It's now ready for the final edge on the desk. I have to rout a slot for biscuits into the plywood,...

48Straps.jpg
596 hits | 54.9 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
The holes for the wires to come up are convenient for the straps to hold the edge on while the glue ...

49Straps.JPG
663 hits | 61.99 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
The holes for the wires to come up are convenient for the straps to hold the edge on while the glue ...

50Curve.JPG
677 hits | 40.77 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
Now I have to figure out how to cut this. I think I can afford to make one mistake & still have eno...

51CurveCut.JPG
840 hits | 42.36 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
I had to build this jig & swinging router arm to hold the board so I could cut the arc. I had to cu...

52CurveFit.JPG
662 hits | 43.39 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
It looks pretty good.

53CurveFit.JPG
652 hits | 36.1 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
It still needs to be cut for length, rounded, & slotted.

54CurveGlue.JPG
661 hits | 42.54 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
Clamping this one wasn't as easy as the others.

55CurveGlue.JPG
664 hits | 41.42 KB | Posted: 4/9/06
Out of that bottle, I ended up with 6 extra biscuits.

56CurveGlue.JPG
682 hits | 51.41 KB | Posted: 4/9/06

57CurveGlue.JPG
725 hits | 56.34 KB | Posted: 4/9/06

60Sanded.JPG
649 hits | 46.26 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
All of the edges are glued on, routed, & sanded. It's all vacuumed & tacked, so it's ready for stai...

61Sanded.JPG
608 hits | 31.19 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
All of the edges are glued on, routed, & sanded. It's all vacuumed & tacked, so it's ready for stai...

62Sanded.JPG
646 hits | 41.93 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
This offset came out better that I expected.

63Corner.JPG
588 hits | 42.48 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
These corners are OK, but I wish I had done them better.

64Corner.JPG
674 hits | 41.36 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
These corners are OK, but I wish I had done them better.

65Mine.JPG
616 hits | 34.83 KB | Posted: 4/17/06

66StainMine.JPG
603 hits | 47.58 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat is going on pretty well.

67StainMid.JPG
544 hits | 51.22 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat is going on pretty well.

68StainHers.JPG
592 hits | 35.91 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat went on pretty well, even though this angle doesn't show it.

69Stained.JPG
602 hits | 47.27 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat is dry, scuffed, & tacked - ready for the 2nd coat.

70Stained.JPG
628 hits | 50.42 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat is dry, scuffed, & tacked - ready for the 2nd coat.

71Stained.JPG
615 hits | 39.77 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
The first coat is dry, scuffed, & tacked - ready for the 2nd coat.

72Strong.jpg
682 hits | 39.41 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
I can stand, run, and even jump on it, and it doesn't creak or sag.

73Second.JPG
682 hits | 53.82 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
2nd coat is going down.

74Second.JPG
628 hits | 54.64 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
2nd coat is going down. I got creative with the camera angle to hide a big mistake in the middle.

75Second.JPG
682 hits | 33.88 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
2nd coat is going down.

78Hers.JPG
627 hits | 58.13 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
I made a few little spots that will probably stay.

79Corner.JPG
592 hits | 57.73 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
This is the worst one, and I'll have to sand it out.

77Second.JPG
629 hits | 41.66 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
It's not hidden now.

80Second.JPG
626 hits | 44.89 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
It's not hidden now.

81Second.JPG
634 hits | 32.63 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
This side looks pretty good, though.

82Fixed.JPG
723 hits | 33.98 KB | Posted: 4/17/06
I sanded this area bare & put 2 coats feathered back in. This is just after the 2nd.

83TopCoat.JPG
591 hits | 35.38 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
This is after the final coat of clear gloss poly.

85TopCoat.JPG
636 hits | 41.64 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
This is after the final coat of clear gloss poly.

87TopCoat.JPG
727 hits | 48.82 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
This is after the final coat of clear gloss poly.

90TopCoat.JPG
664 hits | 42.78 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
This is after the final coat of clear gloss poly.

93MyShelf.JPG
784 hits | 57.34 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
Because of a consideration on her side, I'm putting the shelf support rail ABOVE the upper shelf on ...

93HerShelf.JPG
746 hits | 36.95 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
She's getting anxious to move back in (because we had to take her computer & old desk down for the n...

95HerSide.JPG
779 hits | 57.38 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
I made a few little mistakes, but I was able to hide them.

96HerSide.JPG
667 hits | 41.53 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
This area is actually much bigger than this photo makes it look.

98HerSide.JPG
706 hits | 51.68 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
Low angle

99HersDone.JPG
751 hits | 47.4 KB | Posted: 4/30/06
It's ready for her to move back in.

94MyShelves.JPG
659 hits | 48.76 KB | Posted: 5/4/06

95MyShelves.jpg
661 hits | 52.3 KB | Posted: 5/4/06

96MineDone.JPG
766 hits | 56.36 KB | Posted: 5/4/06
Mine's done.

97HerSide.JPG
666 hits | 37.51 KB | Posted: 5/4/06
She's finished moving her stuff back, but it's not nearly as cluttered as it used to be.

98MidDone.JPG
707 hits | 57.98 KB | Posted: 5/4/06
I have the low drawer fronts finished, but I still have to build & hang the drawers. I might also b...

99MineDone.JPG
829 hits | 54.08 KB | Posted: 5/4/06
I'm pretty much moved in, but when I find a flat-panel monitor I like, I'll move the scanner down be...

100Drawers.JPG
625 hits | 66.19 KB | Posted: 5/6/06
Got the drawers cut, stained & varnished last week, and I built & installed them tonight.

101Drawers.JPG
813 hits | 66.2 KB | Posted: 5/6/06
I used 100 lb 16" full-opening slides, which turned out to be necessary. Each drawer weighs 17 lbs ...

102Drawers.JPG
692 hits | 68.21 KB | Posted: 5/6/06
FINISHED!!! :-D

The only problem is that now I realize that I REALLY want high drawers, just und...