Matching (sort of) desk 2/2
#7
OK, the first post here: Sets the scene.

Project #2. With all of us working at home now, we needed a new workspace. We were also just gifted a used TV for the kids to use in another room. So, I set out again to relieve some stress.

Not as many details on this one, as you can see it's pretty simple. Just glued up a handful of boards. The fun part here was using epoxy for the first time to fill some of the knot holes, instead of cutting around them. Worked really well and I thought turned out great. Anyway, here ya go.

Filling with epoxy: Used the stuff from Rockler, worked really well, although took a day or more to cure.
   

Rather than running it all through the planer, cause I had already thicknessed all the boards, I used a spokeshave and sanded to get smooth.
   

Desktop glue up. I need more clamps.
   

Added runners under the top for stability.
   

Final in the wild
   

In the house/with the new TV.
   

   

This was a fun one and keeps with the simple/light airy feel.

Thanks for looking.
Kevin
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#8
Looks good. I would have similar concerns as with the first one: expansion/contraction. How are the battens fastened? They need to be fastened with screws through elongated holes so that the cross-grain expansion/contraction of the top will be accommodated. Otherwise, you will likely experience some splitting of the top at some time. The panels look thick enough to not need the battens anyway. I suggest that you remove them.
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#9
(11-12-2020, 03:12 PM)Willyou Wrote: Looks good. I would have similar concerns as with the first one: expansion/contraction. How are the battens fastened? They need to be fastened with screws through elongated holes so that the cross-grain expansion/contraction of the top will be accommodated. Otherwise, you will likely experience some splitting of the top at some time. The panels look thick enough to not need the battens anyway. I suggest that you remove them.

The battens are attached in elongated holes to allow for some expansion. I put them in mostly because i wanted to make sure the boards stayed flat. Last time I made a table with this wood the glued up top warped a bit when I brought it inside after being in the hot garage during construction, but flattened out after a couple days in the climate controlled house. 2 years later and that table is still flat.

As to the expansion/contraction issues on this and the table, I live 25 miles east of San Francisco. Climate here isn't too bad, and not a ton of humidity at any point in the year. My house stays pretty stable throughout the year as well. Frankly, I didn't consider the 1/2 inch slats on the table to be veneer, and figured they'd be thin enough to be held by the plywood base. Probably should at least finish the plywood with a couple coats of poly to match and seal it. I guess time will tell and could be a learning lesson.

Thanks
Kevin
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#10
I'm loving the barrel beside the table.  Did you get it and do the doors yourself?  Any info on how you did them?
Time is not measured by a watch, but by moments.
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#11
(11-13-2020, 01:45 PM)George A Wrote: I'm loving the barrel beside the table.  Did you get it and do the doors yourself?  Any info on how you did them?

Thanks George. Yes, I picked that barrel up from one of the wineries I frequent. Sometimes they'll give them away if they can't use them anymore, or if they're damaged. Being 30 miles from Napa helps with sourcing them. Sometimes I have to pay for them, but I generally hold out for cheap (<$40).

When making these into cabinets I make sure the hoops are secure to the staves using hex head screws, predrilling the hoops and into the wood. this keeps the structure of the barrel when you start cutting the rings. I've seen some people use a polyurethane glue to adhere the hoops to the wood, but I haven't tried that yet.

I use an angle grinder to cut the rings where I want the doors. I try to always get at least 2 rings to hold it together enough until the doors are removed. I use a HF multitool to cut through the staves at the top and bottom, mostly cause it's got a thin wood cutting blade.

Once the doors are removed i screw some scrap ring pieces to the inside to help reinforce the shape. Still experimenting with hinges. The single hinges on this one allow the doors to flop a little bit when opening and closing. The first barrel I did used two hinges on each side, near the center line of the barrel. I suspect the longevity of those won't be long as they are not perfectly vertical, so there's some twisting of the hinge barrel when operating. I suspect a single hinge that is tighter than these gate hinges would be better.

I posted some pics of the first barrel I put together a couple years ago here: There's a couple other barrel projects I did back then too.

Kevin
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#12
(11-13-2020, 02:28 PM)Kmucha16 Wrote: Thanks George. Yes, I picked that barrel up from one of the wineries I frequent. Sometimes they'll give them away if they can't use them anymore, or if they're damaged. Being 30 miles from Napa helps with sourcing them. Sometimes I have to pay for them, but I generally hold out for cheap (<$40).

When making these into cabinets I make sure the hoops are secure to the staves using hex head screws, predrilling the hoops and into the wood. this keeps the structure of the barrel when you start cutting the rings. I've seen some people use a polyurethane glue to adhere the hoops to the wood, but I haven't tried that yet.

I use an angle grinder to cut the rings where I want the doors. I try to always get at least 2 rings to hold it together enough until the doors are removed. I use a HF multitool to cut through the staves at the top and bottom, mostly cause it's got a thin wood cutting blade.

Once the doors are removed i screw some scrap ring pieces to the inside to help reinforce the shape. Still experimenting with hinges. The single hinges on this one allow the doors to flop a little bit when opening and closing. The first barrel I did used two hinges on each side, near the center line of the barrel. I suspect the longevity of those won't be long as they are not perfectly vertical, so there's some twisting of the hinge barrel when operating. I suspect a single hinge that is tighter than these gate hinges would be better.

I posted some pics of the first barrel I put together a couple years ago here: There's a couple other barrel projects I did back then too.

Kevin

Thanks!
Time is not measured by a watch, but by moments.
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