Rocker 16th July 2006, 02:27 PM My rolltop desk is finished at last. It was a highly labour-intensive project, since I opted to do things the hard way - the panels and drawer-fronts are all raised, the drawer pulls were made from matching timber, the tambour was made with interlocking ball-and-socket joints, and the through and half-blind dovetails for the drawers were hand-cut. Actually, the tails were cut on the table saw, but the pins were hand-cut. The details of the construction are covered in the WIP thread: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=32008 .
Now I am still waiting to see Major's set of chairs, which I think he started about the same time as I started my previous (grandfather clock) project. :D
Rocker
ss_11000 16th July 2006, 02:30 PM well done rocker..........it looks brlliant.
BobL 16th July 2006, 02:54 PM Simply stunning, I have enjoyed the voyage as much as the finished product.
DJ’s Timber 16th July 2006, 03:14 PM G'day Rocker
Bl##dy fantastic job, I am sure that your son in law will be very happy with the desk once he recieves it
You totally deserve a greenie for this and the wip pictures
Cheers DJ
Wongo 16th July 2006, 04:17 PM You know what i think rocker. i think it is bloody fantastic.
fletty 16th July 2006, 04:26 PM Rocker, that is simply exquisite! If I remember rightly it is for your son-in-law. I hope it survives the journey and he appreciates it. I'm heading to the shed now to burn my archive of book and magazine articles on canvas backed tambours.
Fletty
Flowboy 16th July 2006, 04:47 PM Rocker,
As Fletty said...Absolutely stunning.
Regards,
Rob
Skew ChiDAMN!! 16th July 2006, 05:43 PM Dang it... every time I start to think I may, one day, possibly be able to call myself a "fine woodworker" some mongrel goes and raises the bar. :(
Don't expect any greenies from me... not until I get over my sulk, anyway. (Can I award greenies posthumously? ;))
ozwinner 16th July 2006, 05:46 PM Yep, what them all said, well done..
Al :)
Graha 16th July 2006, 07:19 PM Rocker - an outstanding piece of furniture. Lets hope my SWMBO does not see it - she loves this style of furniture.
johnc 16th July 2006, 07:24 PM Rocker,
Stunning has already been mentioned but it really is a substantial and complicated piece. I hope your son in law is thrilled with the desk he certainly should be. For most of us it is a project we can only aspire to.
John.
Auld Bassoon 16th July 2006, 07:52 PM Magnificent piece of work David! It certainly looks like a labour of love.
What's next :D
outback 16th July 2006, 07:57 PM f(insert crow sound).
Bloody marvellous, you know you copuld have done it easier, but no, you deceided to stick to them 'lectric tailed tarnations. :rolleyes:
MajorPanic 16th July 2006, 08:17 PM Very well done David! http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif
Congratulations!
boban 16th July 2006, 08:36 PM Great work Rocker.
"The making of an heirloom" should have be the title of the WIP thread.
Harry72 16th July 2006, 08:53 PM Beautiful stuff Rocker.
AlexS 16th July 2006, 10:06 PM Been waiting ages to see the final result Rocker, and it sure has been worth the wait.
Congratulations on perservering with the tambour, I'm sure in a couple of hundred years some antique lover will look at it, scratch his head and say "How the #### did he do that?"
Ironwood 16th July 2006, 10:34 PM very impressive, to say the least. i am sure it will be treasured for years to come
Rocker 17th July 2006, 04:08 PM Thank you, gentlemen for your kind words. Now that the project is done, I began to feel a touch of melancholy, for which there seemed to be only one cure. Yes, you guessed it, I have ordered a Domino:)
Rocker
Wongo 17th July 2006, 04:10 PM :D nufsing
Rocker 17th July 2006, 04:51 PM Wongo,
Is that Mandarin, or Cantonese?
Rocker
Wongo 17th July 2006, 04:54 PM Rocky, I just thought its funny. A man with deep conviction like yourself would give in to such worldly temptation.
:D :D :D
TassieKiwi 17th July 2006, 04:55 PM Thank you, gentlemen for your kind words. Now that the project is done, I began to feel a touch of melancholy, for which there seemed to be only one cure. Yes, you guessed it, I have ordered a Domino:)
Rocker
Outstanding David, you've got that blackwood absolutely glowing. FWW had a shipping crate recently - I could fish out the article if you don't have it. You probably have planned it anyway.
I am envious - while I'm at work you will be using that fabulous German instrument, while mine waits at home forlornly.:( I will be very interested in your opinion. You'll love it I'm sure.
BTW my method of jointing the legs & rails on the bed got too hard with dominos, so I used the Rocker jig for M&T's. Made it so quick - thank you.
baltic 17th July 2006, 10:50 PM That's a class piece of work there, I have enjoyed your thread.
Are the domino's that good??
Cheers,
Gary
seriph1 17th July 2006, 11:44 PM :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
Spectacular desk that anyone would be proud to own....... perhaps you might like to tackle another?
How about one of these if you have a spare weekend - I saw one on the cover of a fine woodworking in about 1990 and decided to start woodworking...... and take an interest in Wooton Patent Desks - if anyone wants some images I'd be happy to oblige
scooter 18th July 2006, 12:46 AM Beautiful work, David. :)
Cheers................Sean
Bubinga 18th July 2006, 09:52 AM Labour intensive is an understatement! Beautiful attention to detail.
Rocker 18th July 2006, 01:52 PM :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
.... perhaps you might like to tackle another?
How about one of these if you have a spare weekend - I saw one on the cover of a fine woodworking in about 1990 and decided to start woodworking...... and take an interest in Wooton Patent Desks - if anyone wants some images I'd be happy to oblige
Seriph1,
Now THAT is a desk; I think I might be dead before I finished it, if I were to tackle that one. I was beginning to wonder whether that fate might befall me with this one at times:)
Rocker
Wardy 18th July 2006, 02:15 PM that is one awesome rolltop desk rocker, congrats:)
cheers wardy
zenwood 18th July 2006, 02:17 PM Magnificent stuff, Rocker. A mere greenie seems inadequate.
The finish looks really good, and will no doubt just get better with age and use.
Auzzie turner 18th July 2006, 02:22 PM one of the best pieces of craftmanship Ive seen on this forum,
Regards............Auzzie Turner
Gibbo 18th July 2006, 02:24 PM Unbelievable work Rocker! I'm insanely jealous of your talent.
workgoose 18th July 2006, 04:39 PM what a magnificent piece Rocker, well done!
junkboy999 18th July 2006, 05:18 PM Again another nice peice of work. :) the color is so nice. :)
Jill 18th July 2006, 05:30 PM Echo, echo from me, too, Rocker - this a fantastic piece'!
Cheers,
Jill
Clinton1 18th July 2006, 08:15 PM The new owner is going to have trouble finding a spot to put it....
"put it in the study so it can serve its purpose of being a desk..... put in in the living room so its on display...."
Well done, it looks great!
Lignum 19th July 2006, 12:11 AM Agree 100% with all the others. A magnificent effort and first class outcome. The slotted tambours add that final touch of class. Well done:D :D :D
TTIT 19th July 2006, 12:20 AM It's all been said already! Magnificent piece Rocker:D:D
Rocker 24th July 2006, 09:22 AM I have added the finishing touch to the desk by making three small drawers whose fronts were made from the fiddleback blackwood that I used for my grandfather clock. Behind the left-hand drawer is the small secret box that can only be withdrawn from its hiding place by attaching a block with inset magnets to the back of the drawer, as described in another thread: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=34792 .
Rocker
dai sensei 24th July 2006, 12:07 PM Beautiful work Rocker.
zenwood 24th July 2006, 07:23 PM Nice finishing touch, and good use of 'leftovers'. Did you sign and date the piece?
micknews 27th July 2006, 10:26 AM Rocker, Your desk is magnificent and I hope I have enough time left to learn the skills which will enable me to emulate your work.
Have you seen the latest FWW newsletter and the Example of a Seymour design made by a first year student in the US? Also excellent work, and he is only just starting out!
Link here http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Gallery/GalleryImage.aspx?id=4199
Mick.
Rocker 27th July 2006, 02:01 PM Micknews,
There is really nothing particularly difficult about making the style of rolltop desk I made. The Seymour design that you posted is a different matter altogether. That would be a really challenging project. My desk was just a lot of work, but something that any competent woodworker with plenty of time on their hands could expect to accomplish successfully.
Rocker
Wood Borer 27th July 2006, 02:11 PM You have set a high bar - something that we can all aim for, well done mate.
Lignum 27th July 2006, 02:22 PM Micknews,
There is really nothing particularly difficult about making the style of rolltop desk I made. My desk was just a lot of work, but something that any competent woodworker with plenty of time on their hands could expect to accomplish successfully.
Rocker
Your selling your self short Rock:confused: Those tambours you made were very, very good. They required patience and skill and you completed them successfully. Again an excelent effort:D
zenwood 27th July 2006, 02:27 PM Have you seen the latest FWW newsletter and the Example of a Seymour design made by a first year student in the US? . . .
Hehe: nice try . . . but those legs look way too skimpy. Feel like I'd break the darn thing. Rocker's, on the other hand, looks sturdy, and uses the space much more efficiently. (Not bad for a student effort, though:eek: ;)
jacko 27th July 2006, 05:32 PM Rocker, I waited until the dust settled a little before adding my praise. A wonderful piece, beautifully executed. The WIP journey has been an epic one, the best documented we have enjoyed so far. Did you ever add up the number of pieces of wood that you had to prepare? Must number in the hundreds! Finish looks great, proportions exquisite and finally , my congratulations on the tambour method. I had serious doubts when you originally descibed your intention, had all sorts of nightmares about swelling/sticking and other modes of self destruction. Great to see that it all worked.
Scores at least 12 out of 10!
Jacko
Rocker 27th July 2006, 06:05 PM Jacko,
Not sure about the total number of pieces of wood in the desk, but it is well over 100, but probably less than 200.
The tambour method was not original. I was following a method described by Kenneth Baumert in an article in FWW #79. He described how to make the interlocking joints using a spindle moulder; I don't have one of those, so I spent some time poring over router-bit catalogues to come up with ways of doing the same thing using a router table instead. In fact the joints do not have to be made with extreme accuracy, as you need to leave a fair amount of play in them. However, it is important that the individual tambour slats be pretty straight; if they are significantly bowed, the joints won't work effectively. I had to reject some slats because they were either too bowed or because they had splintered.
Zenwood,
I haven't yet signed it, but I will.
Rocker
HJ0 27th July 2006, 07:24 PM Micknews,
There is really nothing particularly difficult about making the style of rolltop desk I made. The Seymour design that you posted is a different matter altogether. That would be a really challenging project. My desk was just a lot of work, but something that any competent woodworker with plenty of time on their hands could expect to accomplish successfully.
Rocker
Rocker Don't sell yourself short.That kids desk is nice, but it's horses for courses.
Now where is the exact location of this desk, and do they have a large dog:cool: :D
HJ0 Cheers
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