I seek your opinion on the shell on the left

[Al Navas]

I need your input on the build of the two desks in the image below. ===>> All hardwood construction: Quarter-sawn white oak, and (possibly) black walnut panels.

I solicit your comments. Thanks!

desk-comparison.jpg (33.61 KiB) Viewed 12381 times

1. The executive knee-hole desk on the right is the original design I submitted. 30" x 60" top, 1-inch overhang on the sides and the front.

2. However, some new constraints *may* require that the drawer cabinets be mobile, i.e., on wheels (fancy casters, with the trim extending almost to the carpet, to conceal the casters). Thus, the "shell" on the left.

I have the following questions:

a. Has anyone built something like the shell in the image?

b. My concern is that, without substantial support, even a 2-inch top on the shell will likely sag. I have considered moving the modesty panel about 6 inches toward the front, to help with this issue.

3. If you have built something like this, did you incorporate metal framing to minimize the risk of sagging of the top?


I look forward to your input. Thanks!


Al

[John J. Desmond]

Al,

What if you place the inside panels of the knee-hole under the top? They would be stationary and the drawer cabinets would slide out from there. There would be two outside panels and the two inner. That would give support as well as providing a panel for inside knee-hole. The drawer cabinet itself could just have finished ends on it rather than the panel ends so that when pulled out it would be finished.

John

[Wally Schneeberger]

I need your input on the build of the two desks in the image below. ===>> All hardwood construction: Quarter-sawn white oak, and (possibly) black walnut panels.

desk-comparison.jpg

1. The executive knee-hole desk on the right is the original design I submitted. 30" x 60" top, 1-inch overhang on the sides and the front.

2. However, some new constraints *may* require that the drawer cabinets be mobile, i.e., on wheels (fancy casters, with the trim extending almost to the carpet, to conceal the casters). Thus, the "shell" on the left.

I have the following questions:

a. Has anyone built something like the shell in the image?

b. My concern is that, without substantial support, even a 2-inch top on the shell will likely sag. I have considered moving the modesty panel about 6 inches toward the front, to help with this issue.

3. If you have built something like this, did you incorporate metal framing to minimize the risk of sagging of the top?


I look forward to your input. Thanks!


Al

Al - I would put a 3" x 1" WOak support across the open area. You could adjust the moving drawer units accordingly. Maybe bevel the bottom of the support and the top of the drawer units.

[DanEpps]

I'm with Wally--put an apron across the opening and shorthen the drawer units accordingly.

[Rick Palechuk]

Here is an example.

[Glenn Warner]

Two ideas --

Make the top a torsion box

or

Kerf the bottom of the solid top and insert a piece of angle iron in the kerf with epoxy, with the lip of the angle iron fastened to the bottom of the top. Might need two or more pieces.