Oak and Glass Desk

Issue

Do you like simple designs, only have a few tools, or not too handy?

Solution

Many years ago when I was living in apartments and moving occasionally, I wanted a simple elegant desk that would be easy to move. Having almost no tools, I came up with this design.

Parts:

• 1 Glass Top: 0.5″ x 2′ x 4′ (12mm x 600mm x 1200mm)
• 4 oak legs 3″ x 3″ x 27.5″ or cut to what length best suits you
• 5 oak dowel rods 1″ x 36″
• 14 oak screw caps for 3/4″ diameter hole
• 12 bolts and barrel nuts M6×50mm
• 4 adhesive bumpers 1″ diameter
• polyurethane: this is the easiest and cleanest polyurethane I have ever used and comes in several levels of glossiness

Tools:

• power drill
• drill stand
• 1/4″ twist drill bit to drill ends of oak dowel rods and to drill hole in legs.
• 1/2″ Forstner drill bit to drill sides of dowel rods for barrel nuts
• 3/4″ Forstner drill bit to drill bolt head counter sink in legs
• 1″ Forstner drill bit to drill bolt holes in legs for dowel rods
• flat blade screw driver to align barrel nuts
• paint brush
• 150 and 220 grit sandpaper

Assembly:

1. Cut two of the doll rods in half to 18″.
2. Cut the legs to length 27.5″ or a length that provides good ergonomics for your height.
3. Place tape on the sides of the legs that will face outside and mark the tape as front, left, back, right.
4. Mark the holes on the legs.
5. Put legs together so that the front, left, back, right tape matches on each side. Verify the drill holes match.
6. Using the drill attached to the drill stand, drill out the 3/4″ holes on the outside of the legs 1/3″ deep using a Forstner drill bit.
7. Using the drill attached to the drill stand, drill out the 1″ holes on the inside of the legs 1″ deep using a Forstner drill bit.
8. Using the drill attached to the drill stand, drill the holes between the holes in steps 6 and 7 with a 1/4″ twist drill bit.
9. Using the drill attached to the drill stand, drill the side of each dowel 1/2″ from the end with the 1/2″ Forstner bit 3/4″ deep by placing the dowel in the V channel inside the drill stand.
10. Using the drill alone and a leg as a drill guide, put each dowel in the 1″ hole of a leg and drill into the dowel 1″ deep.
11. Sand all wood parts.
12. Tape the last 1″ of each dowel to avoid getting polyurethane on part inserted into leg.
13. Polyurethane legs and dowels.
14. Assemble.
15. Place adhesive bumpers on end of legs.
16. Place glass on top.

Conclusion

You don’t need to be very handy or have an elaborate toolbox to make simple and stylish furniture.