How I Spent My Summer Vacation

So I haven't been around much lately. Mostly I had been traveling more than usual to cover for a co-worker in another part of the country. Even hen I was home, I was distracted. Partly waiting for new content, partly trying CO (and not liking it), partly distracted by Majesty 2, but mostly working on a new project.

Some of you might remember the desk I play at:



Well the desk has been falling apart. It's particleboard, and I had to take it apart and reassemble it when I moved into my condo. The keyboard drawer falls apart every few weeks, and I got a new computer with a larger case that sits just to the right of the monitor in the above picture. This leaves me with less room, and it bugs me.

My parents have been storing a pile of rough cut cherry wood to use for something, but they could never decide what. I asked if I could build a new desk with it, and they figured that would be as good a use of the wood as any, plus it would make a little room in their shed. I bought a sheet of cherry plywood to use for most of the desktop.



It took awhile for me to get the wood planed to a uniform thickness, but I got it done with the help of a friend. That alone took most of the summer. Once it got planed and joined my father and I would get a little woodworking done on weekends and weekday afternoons. This is the final unfinished result.



It's an 8'x7' desk, with two drawers on each end. I've started putting coats of polyurethane on it to finish it, and it's looking fantastic. After that I'll just mount the drawer handles, disassemble it into five pieces (done by design so that I can move it as much as I want), toss out the old desk and move the new one in! Woo!

Hey, that's really beautiful. I love the feeling of using something I made myself. And now whenever you sit down at that desk, you'll get to remember the summer you and your dad spent working on it together.

It's things like this that make me wish that I had a house so that I could do awesome projects like that. We have a solid wood desk (I think it's Oak) that's in need of a sanding and re-finishing, but I have neither the room nor the tools to perform the work....it would make an awesome project tho. Maybe next summer...

That looks fabulous! ^_^ And yes, making sure it comes apart easily is a wonderful thing as well. I have a 6'x6' monster that I've moved 3 times now that I'm *praying* stays together when I put it where I want it next. I can't fit it here at my parent's place, so it's sitting in storage.

I wish I had the wood-working skills to do something like that... it looks wonderful!

Looks awesome. Now can you make one for me.

Wow, absolutely gorgeous!! Be sure to post a pic when you're done applying the polyurethane coats...I want to see the final, final result!

Very cool! Must feel great to have it done.

...

Well, I don't see where you plan on installing the concealed envenomed crossbow pointing towards where a guest/potential enemy would sit, the trapdoor switch, or the swivels where the desk reconfigures into a cockpit when you transform your house into a spaceship.

Those nitpicks aside, very nice!

Thanks, everyone! I'm really really pleased with how it's coming out. I will post a final shot or two once it's in the condo and everything's on it. For now, here's the hutch part with a couple of coats of poly. It really brings out the grain in the wood.



I have several orders pending from friends for more desks, but I don't know if I want to go through the hassle of using rough lumber again anytime soon. However, I might make myself a couple of large bookshelves to replace the ones in my office/gaming room next year.

And Phan, the closest I could come up with using the materials I had are a couple of places for hidden surge protectors. Maybe my next project will be a little more potentially lethal.

Great work Electronite ... it's a very nice desk! huge too!

I still play on a desk I made myself quite a few years back and it's very nice when you can have if just the way you want it and when you have a handy reminder that you can be ... well ... handy.

Good job!

That's beautiful! I can't wait to see it after you get it finished and set up.

This must be the Summer for new desks, as I recently bought a new one myself (I got the brown/black finish to match my bookcases).

Very nice indeed!

I build a lot of counter tops and shelving at work and frankly: You had me at "Rough Cut Cherry"

*passes out from wood grain envy*

Nice work there Elec. Looks like you'll be able to dual box easier now.

The desk is done and in place! WOOO!!!

I certainly hope you aren't going to be having too many problems gaming on that computer. I see you have Window Blinds installed, and just about any regular in the Tech forum can tell you that Window Blinds doesn't play nicely with CoH.



Otherwise, lookin' good.

Looks very nice Electronite. Does this mean we will see you playing more again?

Wow, that's awesome!

Great job! I'm still envious that I can't do that kind of work in my apartment....

Welcome back, and great job! Looks like a lot of hard work.

I'd be jealous, but I'd never trade that functionality for my arms-length access to the Cheetos cabinet.

--NT