Custom Writing Desk - (Part 6) - The Completed Desk

With the finishing process now complete the desk can be assembled.

The completed desk is shown as follows:




Front view of desk.




Front corner detail.




Rear view of desk.




(I love this) detail of where the drawer meets apron.




Drawer open, showing dovetails.




Inlaid grommet in desk top.

Custom Writing Desk - (Part 5) - Finishing the Desk

Most woodworkers will tell you that the most tedious part of the furniture making process is the hours of final sanding required to prepare the wood for finishing.

In my mind this stage is actually quite exciting, because it helps me to anticipate more clearly what the finished piece will look like.

In the previous post the solid cherry received multiple coats of a vinegar and iron solution, which is the traditional way of ebonizing wood to a darker colour.


A black toner is then applied to ebonize the darker areas more consistently.


At this stage I am extremely pleased with the decision to add the beading details to the aprons and drawer fronts.

The Macassar Ebony looks incredible!

Next: Custom Writing Desk - (Part 6) - The Completed Desk

Custom Writing Desk - (Part 4) - The Making of the Desk Begins

With the drawing and finish sample now approved it is time to proceed with the actual making of this custom desk.

First the Macassar Ebony veneer is carefully cut and bookmatched, before being laminated to rigid veneer core Birch plywood panels.


The aprons are double laminated for strength, and solid corner blocks are added to receive the legs. The front legs (alongside where the drawers will be) are going to be mechanically secured with steel hangar bolts.


Pipe clamps hold the framework square while the glue sets up.

The desk legs are milled out of solid 12/4 Maple stock.


These solid cherry bead details will be added later to the underside of aprons and drawer fronts.


This view shows the pocket that will receive the dovetailed drawer boxes. The legs are also bolted in place.


The Macassar Ebony apron showing leg and beading detail.


With the woodworking portion nearly complete the desk is stood upright to verify proportions, fine tune the details and ensure stability.


Front corner detail showing drawer closed.


Drawer open.


At the intersection where drawers meet centre apron the beading detail helps accentuate the lines.


The desk is now disassembled and ready for sanding and finishing. At this stage a traditional vinegar and iron solution is applied to the solid cherry to naturally darken the wood. This solution reacts with the natural tannins of the wood to achieve the ebonizing effect.

Next: Custom Writing Desk - (Part 5) - Finishing the Desk

Custom Writing Desk - (Part 3) - Finish Sample for Approval

In tandem with sending drawings to the client for approval I always like to make actual finish samples of the wood we intend to use. This helps clear up any misunderstandings that might take place regarding what the finished wood surface is going to look like.

For this particular Writing Desk a bundle of quarter cut Macassar Ebony was selected, and after confirming the yield a portion was cut and glued to a piece of plywood.

After sanding and lacquering the full panel was then cut into smaller squares, with the edges being sanded and slightly bevelled. The backs of the samples are then covered in felt, and a labelled to identify the project, wood species, type of finish, and date.


Two of the samples are then sent to the client, with copies kept as control samples in our shop.

Once we receive client approval on these samples, the woodworking on the desk can begin.

Next: Custom Writing Desk - (Part 4) - The Making of the Desk Begins

Custom Writing Desk - (Part 1) - Conceptualizing the Design

Recently an Internet inquiry came through asking about how to commission a custom writing desk. After some preliminary discussions about various designs including the Kidney Shaped Desk, Rainforest Desk and 1927 Console/Desk it was determined that a customized version of the latter might be most appropriate for the required dimensions of 55" long x 22" deep x 30" high.



Based on this discussion an initial concept was sketched out and emailed to the client. As a starting point this design has curved, tapering legs and a bowed apron with elevated ribs to support a Macassar Ebony top. The fact that the cross ribs are elevated helps creates the visual illusion that the top is floating.

Although I thought the idea was quite interesting and unusual, the client didn't like it. After further discussion the design was revised as follows:



This idea the client loved. At this point we formalized the pricing with a written quotation, and a deposit was made so we could then make the scale drawings required to finalize the concept and work out the details.

Next: Custom Writing Desk - (Part 2) - Scale Drawings