Professional Documents
Culture Documents
w w w. p l a n s n o w. c o m
THANK YOU!
You have successfully downloaded your FREE PlansNOW.com woodworking plan.
> Go to Page 1
Tips for Trouble-Free Printing
Clear printer memory. If you are unable to print this document, turn off your printer for at least 15
seconds and try again.
Get advanced printer help. Visit Adobe Support for instructions in troubleshooting common
printer problems. www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/150d6.htm
A Plan for Every Project! See more than 250 Plans at PlansNOW.com
Visit us at www.PlansNOW.com
Plans N O W ®
w w w. p l a n s n o w. c o m
K
eeping with this desk’s traditional con- designed as a separate, removable assembly. (See
struction, we used mortise and tenon joints Designer’s Notebook on page 9.)
to secure the rails between the legs. You WOOD. I built this project from solid cherry.
can easily cut this joint using a drill press and It looks great, and has a fairly tight grain. This pro-
table saw. And when it comes to the tambour vides a nice writing surface, although using a
door, it’s easier to make than you might think. desk blotter will help protect the wood from being
Step-by-step instructions start on page 12. damaged by pen and pencil points.
ORGANIZER. We included an optional desk FINISH. When finishing a project that has a lot
organizer with pigeonholes and drawers hidden of crevices like the tambour on the Roll-Top Desk,
behind the door. Normally, an organizer is built I like to use an oil finish. On this project I used a
as an integral part of the desk. But this one is tung oil and urethane combination.
J CLEAT
CANVAS
BACKING
L
LIFT
RAIL
TAMBOUR
SLATS
M
DESK
TOP
G
H
CASE
SIDE
BACK
RAIL
C
BACK
CLEAT
E FRONT
CLEAT
E SIDE
CLEAT
F
B
FRONT
RAIL
D
SIDE
RAIL
LEG
A
CUTTING DIAGRAM
MATERIALS LIST
1#/4 x 4 - 60 (3.4 Bd. Ft.)
A A WOOD
A A A Legs (4) 13/4 x 13/4 - 271/4
#/4 x 5 - 96 (3.4 Bd. Ft.) E B Front Rail (1) 3/ x 4 - 40
4
C C Back Rail (1) 3/ x 4 - 40
B 4
D Side Rails (2) 3/ x 4 - 21
4
#/4 x 5 - 96 (Three Boards @ 3.4 Bd. Ft. ea.) F 3/ x 3/ - 381/
E Ft./Bk. Cleats (2) 4 4 2
G G F Side Cleats (2) 3/ x 3/ - 191/
4 4 2
G Desk Top (1) 3/ x 24 - 43
4
#/4 x 5 - 96 (Three Boards @ 3.4 Bd. Ft. ea.) H Case Sides (2) 3/ x 12 - 23
4
I Case Back (1) 3/ x 12 - 401/
I H H 4 2
J Cleat (1) 3/ x 3/ - 40
4 4
#/4 x 6 - 96 (4 Bd. Ft.) N K Case Top (1) 3/ x 91/ - 43
4 2
L Lift Rail (1) 1/ x 13/ - 403/
K K 2 4 8
M Tambour Slats (26) 5/16 x 3/4 - 403/8
E 1/ x 1/ - 397/
#/4 x 7!/2 - 96 (5 Bd. Ft.) J N Rail Support Strip (1) 4 2 8
D D
M HARDWARE SUPPLIES
L
(18) No. 8 x 11/4" Fh woodscrews
#/4 x 6!/2 - 96 (4.3 Bd. Ft.) (11) No. 8 x 11/2" Fh woodscrews
(1 piece) 36" x 381/2" artist’s canvas
M M
2 4
!/4
a. !/2
AUXILIARY
FENCE
LEG
A !#/16"
MORTISE
DEPTH !/4
MORTISES
3 CUT ON !/2
ADJACENT
!/2 FACES
NOTE:
USE A !/4" END VIEW !#/16
FORSTNER BIT
TO REMOVE WASTE USE DADO
BLADE TO CUT
#/4"- LONG
TENONS
ON RAILS
3 NOTE: CUT !/4" TAPERS
ON ALL FOUR
SIDES OF
LEG TAPER JIG
(SEE PAGE 11)
a. #/4
RAIL !/2
LEG TENON
DETAIL
A 4 3
2 FRONT RAIL
!/2 B
4!/4
7 SECOND: GLUE AND CLAMP top edges (Fig. 8a). Instead, they’re
LEG ASSEMBLY LEG ASSEMBLIES TOGETHER
WITH FRONT AND
glued on just a little bit below the edges
BACK RAILS to create a small clearance gap.
FIRST: GLUE
DESK TOP
TOGETHER BOTH
PAIRS OF LEGS AND
SIDE RAILS TO FORM Next, I edge-glued six 3/4"-thick boards
LEG ASSEMBLIES to create a solid wood blank for the desk
top (G) (Fig. 9). After the glue dried, I
planed and sanded the top until it was
flat and smooth.
Then after cutting the top to finished
size (24" x 43"), rout bullnose profiles
DECORATIVE CUTOUT. Up to this point With the bullnose complete, the base on all four edges. Here again this
the front and back rails are identical. But can now be glued together. To make this required a 1/2" roundover bit, but since
to provide extra clearance for sitting at easier, I glued the legs and side rails first the top is too big to rout easily on my
the desk, I cut a decorative shape in the (Fig. 7). Then I clamped the front and router table, this time I used a handheld
front rail (Fig. 5). To do this, simply lay back rails between the side assemblies. router. Rout the ends first, so that any
out the curves at each end of the rail and CLEATS. Next, I worked on making chipout will be cleaned up when you rout
connect them with a straight line. Then the cleats that hold the desk top in posi- the sides.
remove most of the waste with a band tion. These are 3/4"-square pieces of stock Finally, it’s a good idea to attach the
saw, and complete the profile by sanding with oversized shank holes drilled in table top to the base for the time being
to the line. them (Fig. 8a). (This allows the top to (Fig. 9). It will help strengthen the base
BULLNOSE PROFILE. The legs and rails expand and contract with changes in as you move it around in the shop. You
could now be assembled, but I wanted to humidity.) The front and back cleats (E) can go ahead and drill the holes, but
break the sharp corners on the rails and are the same length (381/2"), while the don’t put in all the screws just yet. Later,
create a smooth edge. So I routed a bull- side cleats (F) are shorter (191/2"). you’ll have to remove the desk top before
nose profile on the bottom edges of all These cleats are simply glued to the the roll-top case and tambour door can be
the rails (Fig. 6). To do this, I used a 1/2" desk rails. But to make sure the desk installed.
roundover bit raised 5/16" above the top is pulled down tight against the tops
router table (Fig. 6a). of the rails, the cleats aren’t flush with the
8 SIDE CLEAT
9 DESK TOP
(#/4" x 24"- 43")
F
G
CENTER TOP
E ON BASE
NOTE: BACK
GLUE AND CLAMP CLEAT NOTE:
CLEATS TO RAILS TEMPORARILY
INSTALL DESK
TOP WITH
#8 x 1!/4" a. CROSS SECTION
a. CROSS SECTION Fh WOOD-
SCREWS
INSTALL CLEATS !/32" #8 x 1!/4"
BELOW EDGE OF RAIL Fh WOODSCREW CLEAT
#/16"-DIA.
COUNTER- E
SUNK
SHANK FRONT DESK
HOLE CLEAT TOP
CLEAT
23
2!/16
4 6#/4
6" RADIUS
23
6
5 14
ROLL-TOP CASE identical, I stuck them together with To determine this, add up the distance
double-sided carpet tape and sanded from the edge of the workpiece to the
After completing the base, I turned my them smooth. groove (3/8"), the groove width (3/8"), and
attention to building the roll-top case. It GROOVE TEMPLATE. Once the side the distance from the edge of the router
consists of two case sides (H) held pieces are sanded, the next step is to bit to the outer edge of the guide bushing
together by a back panel (I) (Fig. 10). rout identical grooves on the inside face (1/8"). This adds up to 7/8".
BLANKS. I started by working on the of each piece. This 1/4"-deep groove fol- Now use a compass set at 7/8" and
sides. They’re glued-up blanks that are lows the shape of the case side and pro- trace the template along the front edge
cut oversize (mine were 121/2" x 24"). vides a channel for the tambour door to and across the top (Figs. 11 and 11a).
SIDE TEMPLATE. Once the glue dries, slide in. To allow the door to slide But the back edge is a little unusual.
the “S-shape” for the sides can be drawn smoothly, the grooves have to be posi- Here you need a 11/2" radius so the
on the blanks. An easy way to do this is tioned exactly the same on both pieces. door can slide around the corner. And
by making a template (Fig. 10a). Draw So I used a template again, this time for clearance between the door and case
the shape on a piece of 1/4" hardboard, to guide my router. But I didn’t make a back, the distance changes to 13/4" (Fig.
cut it out, and sand the edges smooth. new template. I just downsized the old 11a). Once the lines are drawn, cut the
Now the template can be used to one. This smaller template is used with template to its new size and sand the
transfer the profile to each blank. Just a 5/8"-dia. guide bushing in the router edges smooth.
trace around it and cut out the case sides (see the Shop Tip below). Now, using double-sided carpet tape,
(H). To make sure these pieces were How much smaller is the template? stick the template to a case side with the
CASE SIDE
H GROOVE
TEMPLATE
Guide Bushing
A guide bushing installed in
the router base rides against
the groove template to give
SIDE GROOVE
TEMPLATE TEMPLATE you a slightly larger copy of
OUTLINE the profile. Keep the bushing
tight against the template.
a. &/8
2#/8
3!/4
SIDE
TEMPLATE
NOTE: DOUBLE-SIDED
CARPET TAPE
HOLDS TEMPLATE
IN PLACE
1!/2"
RADIUS POSITION TEMPLATE
LAYOUT LINE FOR 1#/4 &/8" FROM FRONT EDGE
GROOVE TEMPLATE
15
CASE SIDE
H a. b.
CROSS SECTION CROSS SECTION
18 FIRST: ROUT
19 AUXILIARY
RECESSED CUTOUTS FENCE
FOR HANDLES SECOND: RIP 7° BEVEL
ON BOTTOM EDGE
LIFT RAIL
NOTE: START WITH L
WIDE WORKPIECE
TO SUPPORT ROUTER AUXILIARY
FENCE
STOP LINES
!/2" COVE
a. BIT DADO
LIFT RAIL BLADE
LIFT RAIL
4 L RABBET DETAIL
4!/4
L a.
BACK FACE
22 23
CASE
DESK
FIRST: INSTALL TOP
TAMBOUR
DOOR
IN CASE
SECOND:
SCREW
CASE TO
a.CASE #/8
DESK TOP
CROSS MASKING
SECTION TAPE
(FRONT
VIEW)
TAMBOUR
DOOR
DESK TOP
#8 x 1!/2" BASE
Fh WOODSCREW
MASKING
TAPE ATTACH DESK TOP
TO BASE WITH NOTE:
#8 x 1!/4" Fh DESK TOP IS
DESK WOODSCREWS CENTERED
TOP ON BASE
CONSTRUCTION NOTES:
■ To build the Desk Organizer, I started it holds a back panel added later. sure the dadoes align, clamp the shelf
with the top (O) and shelf (P) (Fig. 1). ■ To hold the back, I cut a 1/4"-deep and top together and use a hand-held
They’re made from 1/2" stock edge-glued groove along the back edge of the top router and a straightedge guide.
into 10"-wide panels (rough size). panel (O) (Fig. 1b). This groove is cut to But you don’t want to rout all the way
■ When the top and shelf panels are dry width to match the thickness of the 1/4" across both pieces. So stop the dado
and planed flat, they can be cut to the plywood used for the back panel. when the router bit reaches the groove
same length (391/2" or a hair less). But ■ The shelf and top are connected by in the top (O). Then chisel out the waste
their widths are different. The top is four dividers. These fit in 1/2"-wide to square up the end of the dado.
wider (91/2") than the shelf (9") because dadoes cut 1/4" deep (Fig. 1). To make ■ After routing the dadoes, cut an arc in
the front edge of the shelf, centered on
1 !/2 O TOP the length of the shelf. To do this, you’ll
need to locate the arc’s centerpoint in a
39!/2 !/4
Q piece of scrap (Fig. 1a).
VERTICAL ■ Next, the four vertical dividers (Q) can
DIVIDER 9!/2
be cut to size (Fig. 1).
Q
■ The two outside dividers also hold hor-
9 2!/2 NOTE:
!/2 5!/2 CUT DADOES
NOTE: Q IN OUTSIDE
ALL DADOES Q DIVIDERS MATERIALS LIST
!/2" WIDE, ONLY
!/4" DEEP P
SEE DETAIL a SHELF 9 NEW PARTS
11!/2 1/ x 91/ - 391/
O Top (1) 2 2 2
14!/2
a. WASTE
P Shelf (1) 1/ x 9 - 391/
1
2
1
2
SHELF Q Vert. Dividers (4) /2 x 9 - 5 /2
R Sides (2) 1/ x 91/ - 10
5"
4#/4
b. O TOP
2 2
S Horiz. Dividers (2) 1/2 x 9 - 113/4
RADIUS !/4 T Back Molding (1) 1/2 x 3/4 - 391/2
3 U Back (1) 1/ ply - 91/ x 391/
4 4 2
!/4 V Drwr. Frt./Bk. (4) 1/2 x 21/4 - 113/16
THICKNESS OF W Drawer Sides (4) 1/2 x 21/4 - 9
SCRAP BLOCK END VIEW !/4" PLYWOOD
X Drwr. Bottoms (2) 1/4 ply - 81/2 x 1011/16
X 2!/4 1!/2
(!/4" PLY - 8!/2" x 10!!/16")
!/4
!/2
9 #/4 !/2" R
FILL HOLE !/2" R
!/2 WITH
11#/16 HARDWOOD
V
PLUG CL DRAWER
!/4
FRONT NOTE: NOTE: CENTER FRONT
!/4 !/2"-THICK CUTOUT ON WIDTH
STOCK OF DRAWER
1 #8 x !/2" 2 PASS 1
Fh WOODSCREW #/4" PLYWOOD
PASS 2
STOP BLOCK
b.
TOP POSITION WORKPIECE
!/4" VIEW IN FIRST NOTCH FOR FIRST
HARDBOARD AND SECOND PASSES
STOP BLOCK
!/4"
HARDBOARD PASS 3
SLED
LENGTH
a. STOP BLOCK !/4
OF TAPER
DETAIL
!/4
CARPET
OFFSET FIRST TAPE PASS 4
NOTE: NOTCH !/4" STOP BLOCK
LEG TO
POSITION OF BLOCK FROM EDGE SLED
DETERMINES LENGTH OF PLYWOOD
OF TAPER. OFFSET POSITION WORKPIECE
OF BLOCK DETERMINES IN SECOND NOTCH FOR
ANGLE OF TAPER. THIRD AND FOURTH PASSES
GROOVE
S-SHAPED TAMBOUR
BENDS IN TWO
DIRECTIONS WIDE SLATS CAN BE
USED IN A TAMBOUR
DOOR IF THEY FOLLOW
a. CLEARANCE BETWEEN SLATS
ALLOWS TAMBOUR
A SHALLOW CURVE
TO BEND FORWARD
5
CARRIER b.
BOARD
TAMBOUR SLATS
TAMBOUR SLAT
BLANK
a.
CARRIER BOARD DETAIL NOTE:
NUMBERING SLATS
NOTCH DEPTH MAKES IT EASIER
EQUALS SLAT THICKNESS TO REASSEMBLE THE
PIECES DURING
GLUE-UP
EQUALS LENGTH OF SLAT
GUIDE
BOARDS
LIFT
RAIL CANVAS
CANVAS
LIFT
RAIL
FILE OR
SAND ENDS
ROUND OVER END OF SLATS TO
OF TONGUE ON SMOOTH ROUGH SPOTS
LIFT RAIL
LIFT RAIL. When a tambour won’t slide SLATS. The slats can also get hung up. SAND AND WAX. It’s always a good idea
freely, check the lift rail. Sharp corners Here again, round over the ends. But to sand the groove lightly to remove any
can hang up in the groove. Use a sanding because the groove is shallow, keep the chatter marks left by the router. Then
block to round the corners. radius small so it’s not exposed. apply paste wax so door will slide freely.