On 14 Nov 2004 12:25:15 -0800, (Kathy) wrote:

I need a desk for my computer

Here's a drawing of it & a cutting layout for the plywood.

http://www.peggyelliott.com/deskplan.htm

Boring, boring, boring.

Sorry. I'd hate to discourage you, but you can do so much better than
this !

So, you're a beginner. You don't have much in the way of tools or
experience. But that's no reason to make the _design_ boringly simple.
You can use a pencil, right ? Go wild here - why does it have to be a
straight-lined rectangle ? If you're using a jigsaw to cut things
out, a curved edge is actually easier to produce neatly than a
straight edge.

http://www.jarkman.co.uk/catalog/fur...rofoildesk.htm
http://www.jarkman.co.uk/catalog/furnitur/blobdesk.htm
http://www.jarkman.co.uk/catalog/fur...wavystereo.htm
http://codesmiths.com/shed/furniture/gothshelves.htm

Don't be afraid to make a scale model in cardboard before cutting any
wood. Compare these :
http://codesmiths.com/shed/clocks/stickley_nixie/
and
http://codesmiths.com/shed/clocks/st..._cardboard.jpg
(Sorry about the lousy pictures - I really must get a better camera)


IMHO, the basic toolkit for working with plywood or MDF includes a
jigsaw, a drill (a hand drill will do fine) and a router.

You don't need a circular saw. They're only good for straight
full-width cuts, and you can have these done for you at the timber
merchant. They'll charge a trivial sum for doing so, but they have a
lovely saw for doing it, and they'll just do it better. If they can't
do this, shop elsewhere.

The router is there because a cheap router is now an insanely low
price. Even if you only ever use it for rounding over edges, then it's
still worth getting one.

Jigsaws are cheap too. Good ones cost maybe four times as much and
they're far nicer to use (less vibration means more control), but I
don't know what your budget is like.

What kind of plywood? I assume I should be using 3/4", right?

3/4" plywood is good for a worktop, and for the uprights of a desk
that you don't want to wobble. For the rest though, it's excessive
and will look clumsy. There's something to be said for making one
piece of furniture from one sheet of plywood, but it's not the best
way to do things if you can afford it. Can you afford to buy a couple
of sheets, and use the remaining halves on another project ?

Don't rule out MDF. It's heavy and not stiff, but it's perfectly
acceptable for smaller panels. MDF is not the same thing as chipboard.

As a constructional detail, that desk as drawn will wobble sideways
and break in no time. An L-shaped joint just isn't strong enough -
make a box corner by adding a rail or modesty panel between the two
legs, even if it's going against a wall.

I keep reading about birch plywood & baltic birch, what's the
difference & which do I need? Or something else?

They're both made from birch. Some are of better quality than others,
particularly if you're going to use a clear finish and will be able to
see the grain. The labels are not reliable though - ask the supplier
what grade they are.

You might also use tropical hardwood plywood, which is typically the
same quality as the lower grades of birch ply. Particularly the
surface will need more sanding effort.


How do I attach the plywood to plywood, do I use a nail gun?

For thousands of years, woodworkers have used hammers. Just because
Norm now has a nailgun is no reason to switch. Besides which, nails
have almost no use on furniture.

Should I use screws instead of nails?

Yes.

You might also look at the wide range of knock-down fasteners
available from a good hardware store - handy if you're ever moving
house.

The best way to make plywood box furniture is with biscuit joints.
Quick, accurate, easy - but you have to buy a biscuit joint cutter.

Don't be tempted by dowels. They require few tools, but they're a pain
to get the alignment right. If you do use them, make sure you get some
"dowel points" too.

I assume I should also use glue, what kind?

A gallon of cheap PVA from a builder's merchant costs about the same
as a small bottle of "Branded PVA Glue". That's a 20 times difference.
Raid the kitchen (or hair dye) for suitable squeeze bottles.

Should I attach 2x4's or 1x4's underneath & in the back to make it
stronger?

The idea is good, but I wouldn't use that sort of timber, I'd use my
same plywood, turned on edge. For a thicker rail, use two pieces of
plywood glued together.

By reading here about plywood, I gather I should attach a 3/4" molding
strip to the edge of the desktop with glue. So using a router on the
edge doesn't work on plywood?

You can rout plywood, but you expose the grain by doing so. With a
good grade of birch ply and a painted finish, this is OK. I sand it
carefully first, then give it a wipe with a water-based filler like
Brummer Stopping, smooth it with wet fingers, then sand it again when
dry. Under paint, it looks fine.

I wouldn't attach a moulding myself - maybe on the other edges, but
not on the desk edge I'm going to lean against. If I couldn't do a
proper edgebanding with a good solid wide strip of timber, I'd sand
and fill the plywood.

--
Smert' spamionam