spare desk top

Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
26,377
Not sure if this qualifies as a Gadget but the desk I use has my monitor on it, speakers, a lamp, keyboard and my mouse so right away it's kinda full. So when I need to cut a label, or write out something, I'm limited on space, or if I have my sharpening stuff, there isn't much room to set it down and work. So I thought why not get a small board, router around the edges, sand it smooth, put a protective coat of teak oil on it as well as a furniture wax and have that sit on an open drawer to serve as a pull out spare desk top ;) The bits of wood I had around wasn't wide/deep enough so I glued two pieces together making it about 11" front to back, and about 12 1/2" side to side. I routed grooves on the bottom to help keep it from sliding off and the front lip of the drawer catches the edge so it won't slide that way. Seems to be just the ticket and luckily for me, very novice wood working guy, it's not too hard to do. I only recently started getting stuff for my basement workshop, it's been a challenge and something that I seem to like, retirement is nearing so this will help to keep me occupied :)

Here's some quick shots of what I did, end results, the gluing up/sanding/routing is a bit boring and doesn't take a lot of mental imagery to see the concept.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

I think this will be a handy addition to the desk overall, I just put the board down below along side the subwoofer and it's a quick grab to put it onto the open drawer.

G2
 
Nice job.

I use a 6 foot Anthro cart--just to give you an idea of my "overflow." This is at a 90* angle to a 6 foot elevated work surface...which leads to a lower work surface maybe the size of an end table...which flows to a cart on wheels with about 12 drawers...which flows to several filing cabinets, a few bookcases, a chest of drawers....and some things that defy quick description.

You got off easy!!!! Well done!
 
That’s quite a setup you have!

and yes it was an easy addition and helpful bit

G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Seems to be just the ticket and luckily for me, very novice wood working guy, it's not too hard to do. I only recently started getting stuff for my basement workshop, it's been a challenge and something that I seem to like, retirement is nearing so this will help to keep me occupied
Click to expand...

Looks like a good job, and I can understand its benefit.

I'm hoping for retirement someday and I'm getting a few tools to do some woodworking myself. I've been spending a lot of time looking at youtube videos to learn different woodworking procedures.

In my own garage workspace is at a premium and I've been in the middle of projects when I needed to set down a saw or drill or something, with no horizontal surface available, so I would pull out a drawer and set a drill on it. In my crude home office I use an old wooden desk that my wife had and it actually has some pullout boards that provide additional worksurface, one board above the left drawers and one board above the right drawers. Sometimes my desk is covered and I've used the pullout shelves to hold my laptop temporarily.
 
Our garage does have some room so you could do some work in there, but it's warmer in the basement, but that does limit what I make, but mostly its been making things FOR the basement workshop.

My knife funds are depleted and everything is going into that shop. I know, what kind of priorities do I have! :) But for most of my 38 years where I work I was traveling all the time so I never even owned a circular saw or had time to even think about a workshop. So this is all very new to me.
Tools so far consists of;
Drill press, a Craftsman 12" drill press mounted on a very stable wooden stand that I made, way overbuilt but sturdy!! on the drill press there is a really small lever used to loosen the clamp on the column to raise and lower the drill platform, once tighten down the short bit of handle doesn't give you/me much of a purchase to grip it to unloosen it. So today I drilled out a block of walnut and shaped it and sanded out the insides with a Dremel sander until it was a tight fit over the handle and glues that in place.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

don't know if you guys can see this Instagram video of my shop, doesn't show the back area where the drill press and band saw are at but shows the work bench as well as a sander that I built up from parts, motor and abhor from Amazon used mostly for my leather work.
near the end of the video I pan to the left and hanging on the wall is a sled made so I can slide boards into that on my workbench and use the clamp and stop block so each cut is square and the same length, it's a great tool when you do not have a table saw! very portable.

And below that is a workshop step stool, also way overbuilt but boy is it sturdy! handy for when I need to sit down low or to reach up into the floor joist of the house.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7fHHgVn-04/

So of the tools picked up recently, the drill press, a 10" WEN bandsaw, a circular saw, Milwaukee cordless drill motor, Makita orbital sander and also hand router.

It's pretty interesting, nothing made has gone up stairs yet, except that small board for a spare desk top.

Mainly it is to have things there, no real plans to be producing things but it's great to have some place to go and get creative.

G2
 
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Having a place to work is the goal, what you make is secondary. I've collected tools here and there all my life, mostly small stuff. I had an old table saw that I bought right after college. It would cut but was crude and not very accurate, and hard to use. We moved last year and I gave the saw away before the move, then this past Christmas I received a new table saw that is much easier and more fun to use. I have plans for a couple of projects, not a whole lot so far. But I have no shortage of hobbies to occupy my time if I ever get out of full time work.
 
My neighbor is a great fellow and also an avid wood worker...a real wood worker! and he had given me some scrap pieces of walnut and oak. I took one of each and used them for the jaws of my new work bench vise, it's attached to a section of a 2x6 mounted under the lip of the workbench. That was fun to install, but boy does it grip very very solid ! I didn't get the one with a dog in the vise, but I don't have dogs in the bench either so I'll worry about that next time.

But the walnut and oak made a nice contrast for the jaws of the vise

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Wow! Kiss that knife fund goodbye. LOL.;)

When I realized I was in trouble was when I contemplated moving OUT of the room.
 
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oooh! Those jaw pads look awesome. I just have some 1/4" hard board on mine.

I found that having a set of brass jaws for my machinists' vice has been very useful. Don't have to worry as much about the jaws marring or putting teeth marks in things. I just got some brass stock about the same size, drilled and counter sunk them.
 
Thanks guys and yes the knife fund is suffering greatly.

Also watching a good number of youtube videos as well, interesting ones that are helpful, others, not so helpful but, they make me feel better about what I can do ;) some of those guys make some rough looking stuff, but that's how it usually starts.

And the vise is pretty handy, I took time to really fasten it well to the bench so there isn't any wiggle at all and the bench is solid too. The bench is, what I call lipstick on a pig, as it was just a clothes folding the previous owners had next to the washer and dryer, I beefed it up, added cross braces to prevent any side to side movement and put a layer of 3/4" plywood on top of what looked to be boards off of old pallets. Along the edge I added a strip of 3/4" plywood to make the edge stronger and easier to clamp too. The small white shelves on top of the bench was something that they had in the kitchen that we tore out right away and I cut it off about mid way and sat it on the bench. It's been a handy place to store items and have them within reach at all times.

Below the bench I made three shelves, started with one on the left that held my circular saw, then made one on right to mirror that and finally one that isn't as low in the middle.

It's fun so far, next thing I want to do is make a table for my router, will see how that goes!
G2
 
Gary,

My dad is in much the same position as you. Looking at retirement in two years, spends most of his free time building stuff. He's also an amateur at woodworking, but has done some good stuff. We have a dedicated workshop, which was the old built-in 1 car garage. However, it had a door to the attached 2 1/2 car garage, and he has claimed all of it for his workspace.

I'm glad to see you enjoying woodwork and tinkering.

I have a small desk in my room where I do my tinkering. With my medical issues I have to be able to sit.
 
I cut on a green Alvin gridded pad (11x17" more or less). If I need to cut "deep" I go out to the garage and cut on a board. I use the Alvin brand cutting board to deep my computer mice on.

Wood working is a most excellent hobby after your retire. It is good to have your tools prior to that or most of them.

Don't pull your drawer out to far or you may have a lap full of stuff or on the floor.
 
Good idea on the cutting surface I’ll have to get some of that

and the drawer has a catch so it doesn’t pull completely out but yep that would be a hazard to avoid:)
G2
 
The cutting mats are useful. I started using them years ago drafting. The small ones are useful for the home, but they come in many sizes.

I have pulled my desk drawer out on my lap a couple times. The drawer is smaller than yours, sort of a secretary's desk that I bought as unfinished furniture and finished. I primarily use my computer desk these days. It has no drawers, but has a pull out for your mouse.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
I took time to really fasten it well to the bench so there isn't any wiggle at all and the bench is solid too. The bench is, what I call lipstick on a pig, as it was just a clothes folding
Click to expand...

I had a good workbench at my house 4 houses ago but haven't had a good one since. Currently I have a metal Craftsman bench with 8 drawers and wooden top, it works well for small stuff. I have a couple of plastic folding sawhorses with a piece of plywood on top for a portable bench, and recently got a new Workmate for setting up outside. My plan when I get time to set up my shop is to build a rolling workbench a little smaller than 4'x8' and have my jobsite table saw integrated into one end of it so it works like a workbench but also like an outfeed table for the saw. I also want to build a router into it so it works like a router table. I may do more with it if I can dream up something else. For now I'm still working full time and devoting all spare time to my wife's home improvement projects.
 
Sounds like it'll be a pretty nice bench for sure. And the chores, they just keep on piling up, luckily ? for me my work isn't quite ready for prime time aka rooms on the first floor :) but hopefully in time that will change.
G2
 
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