Thread: iHAN dynasty computer desk

Originally Posted by fletty

Sorry for the delay in replying but I've been standing out the front waiting for a passing 9 year old to explain your question for me...... !
My current mac keyboard is wired AND has the numeric panel which makes it much longer and would only just fit on the new drawer. I am making birthday hints about the optional keyboard without the numeric panel which has the double benefit of being much shorter AND wifi which allows me to have both the keyboard and wifi mouse on the keyboard 'shelf' and no need for a hole to get the electrons through.

fletty

Sorry Fletty

This is a good thing but not sure they sell these at the woodshow
Or are you hoping that the boys will do a whip around and buy you a new one being your birthday plus St Timbers weekend.

Originally Posted by Evanism

Oh, this would be a GLORIOUS steampunk project.

Simply glorious.

.....Some extra brass and complications on the drawer mechanisms......

Splashed with Chinese influence. Oh god yes! This project is just begging for it!!!

Well, not quite steampunk brassware but.....

iHAN015web.jpg

I got back onto the project for a few hours today and, under the layers of time and abuse ......


iHAN016web.jpg


is some BEAUTIFUL brass work. I had no idea it was even there let alone how nice it is


iHAN017web.jpg


I've only cleaned up the 1 drawer front that will be used for the keyboard drawer and I don't plan on doing anything more intrusive than the clean up shown in the pic above. Given the age of the piece, I figure every dent and scratch is an historic event!

fletty

This is definitely going to be a computer desk with a difference.......then again.......made in China, not that unusual.

I 'had' to leave work early today to go to a physio for my "torn monkey muscle" (honest!). The appointment however left me insufficient time to go back to work so ..... BONUS SHED TIME!


iHAN018web.jpg

I've nearly finished the keyboard shelf capsule which provides the slides for the frame to move the drawer front out of the way and the keyboard shelf itself


iHAN019web.jpg

this pic shows how the frame supporting the drawer front is articulated to allow the drawer to drop away


iHAN020web.jpg

the capsule slides into the drawer housing

iHAN021web.jpg

the drawer front slides out and folds down


iHAN022web.jpg

and the keyboard shelf can then slide out with the drawer front tucked up under it.

I need to do a bit of refining but it is very close to being usable. In a daydreaming moment I sketched and calculated a method by which extending the keyboard shelf retracts the lacework under the desk but......


fletty

A glad you had some time to clear the cobwebs off the tools.

Did you pass the physio's test ??

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Did you pass the physio's test ??

yup, City to Surf number 28 here I come!

Chinese furniture is held together beautifully not by glue but by clever mortise, tenon and pin joinery which is VERY strong. The slumped top should have pulled the top of the legs together and splayed them out at the bottom BUT they were still parallel and so something else must have given? What 'gave' in this piece was the framing below the top row of drawers that had bulged out a total of nearly 60mm! As I was decreasing the slump on the top, the legs were splaying in and so I had to fix both the top and frame at the same time. I hated doing it but I had to use inappropriate more modern technology to bring the frame back in....


iHAN028web.jpg


I added a piece of hardwood underneath and could only fix it in place and draw the frame in by screwing through the frame and hiding the screw heads with wooden plugs. (I would like to say I misaligned the screw heads deliberately so as not to draw attention to it ... but it was really just a stuff up!).


iHAN029web.jpg



I held the frame in place with clamps while I fixed the brace and it took an amazing amount of clamping pressure to bring it in. The bottom now fits back into its rebate, the legs are parallel ... but the keyboard drawer capsule is now too long !


iHAN030web.jpg



I had to temporarily remove the fretwork under the drawers to do some of the repairs and I won't refit it until I work out seat and typing heights.I have now cleaned up all of the brassware and started repairing the finish. I am touching up the finish with a combination of Howard Restor-a-finish (Dark Walnut) and/or Wattyl stain (walnut), UBeaut white shellac and then buff it with UBeaut Traditional Wax (also walnut).
The next step after finishing the desk itself, is to make a removable shelf assemble to fit on top to take printers and scanners etc. I have a sympathetic design in mind.

fletty

It looks a couple of hundred years better already Fletty.
Bǎochí liánghǎo de gōngzuò

Originally Posted by NCArcher

It looks a couple of hundred years better already Fletty.
Bǎochí liánghǎo de gōngzuò

xiexie ni archer...

One of the unfortunate realities with repairing and refurbishing old furniture is that sometimes a lot of work is done and a final result can't be seen. So, no pics today but I have....

• made and fitted new drawer runners and guides,
• refitted the mortise pins, (I used my Lie Nielson dowel plate for the first time and made BEEEAUTIFUL 5mm diam pins from rosewood)
• finally mounted the keyboard drawer capsule and
• re-polished the whole piece

Tomorrow, I hope to start the add-on shelf unit and possibly start to make the new bracket carvings to replace the broken ones OR remove the 2 good ones from the back that can't be seen, and fit them on the front and side where they can !
Unfortunately 1 of the drawers is VERY twisted. With 3 corners on a flat surface, the other corner is 30mm above it. I SHOULD make a new drawer but .......

fletty

The desk itself is finished. I haven't started the new top shelf unit yet and I think I'll use the computer on the desk for a while to decide what and where I want. The drawers now all open smoothly, the finish is as good as I want and all of its 100+ year history is still on display.

iHAN034web.jpg

iHAN033web.jpg

iHAN031web.jpg

I'm pretty happy with the result ... even though I'll need 3 strong men to help me move it!

fletty

You could always get the City to Surf crew to give you a hand
Desk looks great

Very well done on the desk. I could not agree more.

What a transformation its come up a treat.

Look forward t next installment

Top effort Alan.
Congratulations on a marvellous restoration.
Five stars from me!
SG