On Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 11:07:34 AM UTC-5, bob prohaska wrote:

What are your thoughts on using hide glue?
Epoxy seems counter to the principle....

Hide glue is fine. If you can open the joint enough to clean it well, then reapplication of hide glue will do just fine. If you can't clean the joint well enough, epoxy might be your best adhesive option for a "dirty" joint, less than perfect(?) joint.


I agree the piece is nice enough to be spared wanton hackery. It's also
small enough to be used in a home.

There little doubt that drilling holes in the top is a bad idea, a false
top a much better one. Whether I should brace the bottom is less clear, but
if I do and use hide glue to fasten the brace it can be removed.

The idea of a mobile base: If you can make a sufficient mobile base, such that to fit within the desk's legs, appropriately, and *all (conservation of the original (legs, structure) and maintain a solid support for your lathe)... and *all remain well, then you could possibly have the best of both worlds. I'm not sure what mobile base design might be best for your desk, that's why I mentioned other guys' having made mobile bases, that if a mobile base is an option, they could possibly give you some ideas of constructing one.

Sometimes when I'm making stuff, I end up adding to the original "work order".... create more work for myself, as a project progresses. A bad habit that I'm displaying, here. And now, I'm putting the burden of the proposed modification/design/construction, of the suggested mobile base option, on the other guys, here.

I'm out on that limb, now, and not quite sure how to real myself back in..... without some help.

I, simply, like old/older pieces and I get excited about preserving them, in some fashion.

And I'm about to abandon you, as to any follow-up with *assistance. I'm leaving for vacation, Saturday, so I won't be here to comment or encourage you, until September. But I suppose you'll do a good repair and modification job and keep the integrity of the desk as best intact, as you can.

Sonny