Bombe Slant Front Desk

[Peter Tremblay]

After I had installed the bead moulding on the bottom moulding I turned to the drawer runner for the bottom drawer.

I decided that I would use this 7/8" empty space between the drawer runners and behind the moulding as a hidden compartment.

So I made some complicated angled pieces with a groove for the false bottom.

   

Put into place

   

   

Here's a mistake fix.  The groove was too deep for a thin false bottom.
So I glued in some "shims" to raise the bottom of the groove.

   

This is what it looks like with the false bottom installed.

   

I cut the false bottom very tight so that there would be no gaps. 

I do need to design some sort of latch to secure and then release the bottom.

Here's the hidden compartment from the back (this will be covered with a shiplapped back.

   

[Peter Tremblay]

So at this point my life took a notable curve.

I moved to Baltimore from Connecticut in the summer of 2014.

I changed ministries from being a parish priest to teaching morality and philosophy at an all-boys Catholic High School.

I was hoping that that new ministry would be a great fit... it wasn't!

I was in Baltimore for two years and I didn't even unpack/unwrap the bombe secretary.

I did some woodworking but not this.

My transfer was approved in the summer of 2016 and I was sent to North Carolina.

I got here without any shop space available.  My shop was in storage back in Baltimore.

It took a year to locate and then get permission for the use of a space on the campus (where I am the Catholic Chaplain).  
In the summer of 2017 I finally moved my shop form Baltimore to Burlington NC.

Finally I began working on this project again a few weeks ago.

So in total the Bombe Slant Front Desk sat for about 3 1/2 years untouched.
It's amazing to think back but that's how we got to this point.

The good news is that I love my new ministry and that it's looking like I'll be here till, at least, 2022.

The bad news is that I'm busy!  My normal days are around 12 hours on campus.  I don't get a lot of free evenings to take a few hours in the shop but I do get one day off a week and I usually get to the shop for a few hours then.  My summers are also rather free so I'm hoping to be able to get a lot of work done this summer.

The uncertain news is that the university is letting me use this space until they need it.  I don't know how long that will be but I think I have a few years.  Hopefully I will finish this in the next 12 months.

[Peter Tremblay]

Now to the present day...

   

   

Drawer front stock.

   

When trying to fit the drawer Dave Diaman taught me to make templates.
I cut some thin hardboard to fit in the space and then I traced the radius of the carcass curve with these offset wheel gauges from Lee Valley.

   

After the radius is marked then it is cut and fit perfectly

   

As you can see there is some more cleanup of the drawer dividers and the beads that will be done later.

There are three templates that need to be made for three of the drawers (the top drawer is flush and square)

The drawer stock, at 12/4, isn't thick enough to go in square to the drawer dividers.  They need to be cut into trapezoids.  So a template for the trapezoid is first made and then traced onto the end grain of the board.

Sorry I can't find pictures of this.

[EdL]

Peter, thanks for the update.

I know you can get moved around as  seen fit, they  don't take shop space into account.

Ed

[Tapper]

Looking good - keep up the great work! Enjoying the narrative with the build along.

Doug

[John Clifford]

I remember this build from so many years ago, I’m glad you’re still at it and haven’t given up.

[Peter Tremblay]

I remember this build from so many years ago, I’m glad you’re still at it and haven’t given up.

Thanks,

No, I haven't given up.

This will get finished and it will probably be the finest piece of furniture that I ever make.

Then I'll have to decide what to do with it 


This is the first project that I've ever done that was attempted without knowing what I'll be doing with it when finished.

I'm not doing this for someone or something.
 
I'm doing this to prove to myself that I can do it.

[MichaelS]

I recall when you first started this also Peter as I was in California then. Looking forward to the successful conclusion


"This is the first project that I've ever done that was attempted without knowing what I'll be doing with it when finished." There is an analogous phrase for life that is wisdom to live by in there (which to this day, I feel is one of the most notable quotes ever)

Walt Disney once said "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

This journey keeps us young, and isn't life merely a journey along a path of memorable happenings? Some good, some bad, but all shape us.

I suspect you'll find the right place for it once complete, whether you keep it, or it finds a home with another.

Michael

[Peter Tremblay]

I recall when you first started this also Peter as I was in California then. Looking forward to the successful conclusion


"This is the first project that I've ever done that was attempted without knowing what I'll be doing with it when finished." There is an analogous phrase for life that is wisdom to live by in there (which to this day, I feel is one of the most notable quotes ever)

Walt Disney once said "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

This journey keeps us young, and isn't life merely a journey along a path of memorable happenings? Some good, some bad, but all shape us.

I suspect you'll find the right place for it once complete, whether you keep it, or it finds a home with another.

Michael

Thanks, Michael.

I suspect you are correct.

[mound]

Thanks,

No, I haven't given up.

This will get finished and it will probably be the finest piece of furniture that I ever make.

Then I'll have to decide what to do with it 


This is the first project that I've ever done that was attempted without knowing what I'll be doing with it when finished.

I'm not doing this for someone or something.
 
I'm doing this to prove to myself that I can do it.

Great progress!

I too have an unfinished project in my shop (10yrs now) staring at me every day that I have no idea what will become of it once finished (or when it will be finished).. Thats half the fun!