Lonnie Bird's Secretary

[Halfathumb]

I started building this several years ago. But I’m not satisfied with the writing desk and am going to do that over. What’s the best way to get a clean cut on the matching angle so as to fit it into the top with the lock matching up?

[barryvabeach]

I started building this several years ago. But I’m not satisfied with the writing desk and am going to do that over. What’s the best way to get a clean cut on the matching angle so as to fit it into the top with the lock matching up?

Hi,  I think you and I started on this years ago -  can't recall who started first.  I spent a lot of time with scraps trying to get the angle right, and eventually sorted it out.  The bigger problem for me was determining where the hinge end was to be located so that it opened correctly.

[Halfathumb]

Hi,  I think you and I started on this years ago -  can't recall who started first.  I spent a lot of time with scraps trying to get the angle right, and eventually sorted it out.  The bigger problem for me was determining where the hinge end was to be located so that it opened correctly.

Yes, I started many years ago. I did finish the lower section but kept getting drawn away with the book case. The writing desk I finished fit ok but not perfectly when it came to the lock. But I just don't like the looks of it. I purchased burl walnut veneer that matches the drawer fronts and I'm going to use that on the panels in the Tombstone doors as well.

What did you do to get a clean cut on the angle of the top of the writing desk. Mine is pretty bad looking.

Jim

[barryvabeach]

Yes, I started many years ago. I did finish the lower section but kept getting drawn away with the book case. The writing desk I finished fit ok but not perfectly when it came to the lock. But I just don't like the looks of it. I purchased burl walnut veneer that matches the drawer fronts and I'm going to use that on the panels in the Tombstone doors as well.

What did you do to get a clean cut on the angle of the top of the writing desk. Mine is pretty bad looking.

Jim

Jim,  it was a long time ago, but if you are talking about the rabbet so that the desk lid fits flush to the sides and top,  I think I started with a table saw and cut away most of it, then went back with a dado plane to get the angle to match the angle of the case  ( I assume that is what you are talking about).  Again, the harder part , for me, was locating the hinges and the hinge end,  and I am sure I trued up the top only after I got the hinge part settled.  BTW, my wife says that the original design is poor because when the lid, when it is closed, it is hard to get under it to open it, and due to the molding ,  you can't mill a finger recess to help lift the lid open. I guess you could leave a key in the lid all the time, but we don't.

[Halfathumb]

BTW, my wife says that the original design is poor because when the lid, when it is closed, it is hard to get under it to open it, and due to the molding ,  you can't mill a finger recess to help lift the lid open. I guess you could leave a key in the lid all the time, but we don't.

Yea, I discovered the same problem with opening the lid. I guess the design is to leave the key in the lock or just keep it handy.
BTW, what do you use to open the secret compartments? ie the pilasters and the prospect box (drawers).
I'm thinking turning a small handle and using a finishing nail with the hear rounded so it'll glide in the groves.

Jim

[barryvabeach]

Jim,  If I told you, or posted it online, it wouldn't be a secret would it?

I am pretty happy with how that part  came out. 
The right most compartment is the column to the right of the prospect door.  I just drilled a hole from the drawer opening below it far enough back so that it ended up under the first third of that compartment, then made a bolt with a knurled  head and threaded the underside of the compartment.  If you took out the drawer below and looked, you would see the knurled head, and it would be pretty obvious, but if you didn't ,  it would be hard to tell that compartment comes out, the bolt holds it firm, and I got the rear of the compartment to fit snug at the top, so there is absolutely no wiggle. If you wanted to be really hidden, you could probably use an allen bolt in a recess instead of the brass knurled head.  In that compartment is stored a short piece of wood, with a stop on it , and the end of a paper clip.  
You then open the prospect door, remove the lower drawer, and take the wood piece, slide it so the stop hits the front of that compartment, and that locates the paper clip over a tiny hole and when you press it down, that depresses the metal to allow the prospector cabinet to come out.  Behind that cabinet are two small drawers sitting above a ledge or stop for the prospector cabinet. Once you take the lower drawer out,  if you push at one end of the floor where the drawer was, the floor pops up, and below that is a pin that if you slide out to the right, releases the compartment to the left of the prospect door.  

The two things I love is  there is absolutely no wiggle in any of the compartments when they are locked in place and while you could obviously destroy the furniture to find the compartments, in order to open them without destruction, you have to do it in a particular order.  That is , the pin to release the prospect cabinet is stored in the right most cabinet, the hole for the prospect cabinet release is probably 6 inches back from the front, and even with a flashlight,  I doubt you would be able to see it.  If you first tried to get the left compartment out ,  you would never get anywhere because the steel pin holds that in place, and until you got the prospect cabinet out, you could never find that steel pin .   While there are a lot of other mistakes and flaws in the piece, I am pretty happy with the hidden compartments

[Halfathumb]

Jim,  If I told you, or posted it online, it wouldn't be a secret would it?

You miss understood my question or I just didn't make myself clear (which LOML says often). What did you make the release pin (?) with? Currently I have a finishing nail on a stick but am thinking of turning a handle like device with probably a finishing nail with the hear rounded over.
I already have the secret compartments working, I just don't like having an ugly stick to use to open them.
No secrets revealed here! 
 
Jim

[Scoony]

I build a slant front desk based off one in a Glen Huey’s book. The top angle was not the issue for me, but locating the start of the angle on the case sides were so the desk would close correctly. I emailed Glen and got a detailed response on how to locate that. Hinge placement was trial and error with some hole plugging involved. Back to that top angle, I am out of town at the moment, but will check that book when I get back this weekend and see how it covers it.

[Scoony]

In Glen's book, he states to set the TS blade at 20 degrees to cut the top edge rabbet. Thats what I did, then cleaned it up with a shoulder plane. I believe that matches the lock angle for the lid.

Yes the desk is a bit of a pain to open the front. I have enough fingernail space to open mine, but leaving the key in does provide an easy pull.

[barryvabeach]

Jim, sorry, my bad.  The release pin is in the first photo on top of the compartment.  I located the hole pretty far back, and it is just the size of a paper clip, so while you could put a handle on the pin, at least on mine, the chance of finding the hole is pretty small, and it would be difficult to get your hand that far back and get much pressure.  So mine works more like a lever, butt the stop block against the edge of the molding, and then go from side to side to find the hole, then insert the pin and push down on the long arm that works like a lever.