I wanted to share this with you guys.

I designed and built a computer desk from scratch from materials purchased at Lowe's. I've never built anything out of wood before except for a workbench that I built last summer, so this was totally new for me.

I refinished every piece before I assembled the desk. I did the refinishing myself, and that was the worst part of the project. Sanding, staining, and waiting for pieces to dry really blows. I really enjoy cutting and assembling. :D

I used dowels and construction strong ties to join the parts. If you look closely you can see the strong ties. It's very sturdy.

At first glance (and second :D ) it does look big, doesn't it? But I designed the hutch to have extra space. I've had desks from Office Depot before and they were always too small, so I departed from conventional wisdom this time. I've gotten used to the size and I really enjoy having the extra shelf space.

This project took me about 4 weeks, doing a little at a time. I didn't rush it, if I had I could have done it in a week. If I hadn't bothered to refinish it, I could have done it in 3 days.

Type of wood used was aspen. Total cost of materials was between $300-$400. I figure I couldn't buy a desk like this for less than $800.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2232/desk001li6.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8849/desk002gz8.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9371/desk005rq2.jpg
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/9315/desk006pj5.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1213/desk008jt1.jpg

:) Nice job! My computer desk is grandma's little kitchen table, You know the one from the thirties with the metal top that opens into a larger table..my wife would kill me if I got rid of it. I really like the look of that wood! Oh by the way, stop changing your avatar .I don't know who you are anymore:bowrofl:

Great job!

I built a bar a couple of years ago -it is a good stress reliever to work with wood.

:) Nice job! My computer desk is grandma's little kitchen table, You know the one from the thirties with the metal top that opens into a larger table..my wife would kill me if I got rid of it. I really like the look of that wood! Oh by the way, stop changing your avatar .I don't know who you are anymore:bowrofl:
Heh sorry. My real face is back. :p

Thanks for the feedback.

I had one of those folding legs tables that you see at every convention. Was cluttered and I needed shelving, so I wanted a big hutch. You see all that space to the left of the keyboard? Yeah, my cats sprawl there now under the warm light kit. So I still have all my stuff jammed to the right. :rolleyes:

By the way, the hutch being wider at the top than the bottom is an optical illusion. Probably my poor photography skills.:D

I bult a big oak corner desk back in high school, I loved building it. Wish I had the tools at home to build.

Yeah my wife bought me a circular saw for Christmas. Hint hint, I guess I'll be building more furniture. :eek:

awesome job man looks great. my desk is a solid cherry 36" x 60" from the hardwood house in rochester n.y. it was purchased through an auction. it belonged to the Dept of Revenue. it only weighs about 300 lbs. !!