Captain Davenport DIY Desk Build
Captain Davenport’s desk is the latest inspiration for my new project. I designed this project to discover if the retirement investment in woodworking tools and hours in front of Youtube’s expert’s could produce something other than idle imagination. With homemade plans on the whiteboard I proceeded to replicated every mistake the experts advised against, and then practiced them again. In time, the semblance of a desk began to unfold. But equally important to the finished desk were the lessons learned and relearned.
Lessons
The foremost lesson is that carpentry is hard work and requires much planning, deliberation, patience and skill; skill from practice, practice and more practice. I also learned that having the right tools, and the lack of need for creative workarounds, helps produce a more quality product.
The advice to ‘measure twice and cut once’ is an overly optimistic exhortation. The aspiring carpenter also has to pay attention to what end of the wood he’s cutting, which way the grain is flowing, is it the right (or best) cutting devise and much, much more. Invariably, buying more wood than your ‘whiteboard’ plan calls for is a good idea.
Most conspicuously, I discovered that I do not have the space or layout for production level construction. Artisan quality and speed is possible in my small garage shop, but commercial production exceeds my current means.
This is all good to discover BEFORE diving into a new retirement profession.
Behold the results by jumping into my amateur video of the projects beginning from the rough ‘whiteboard’ blueprints to the finished produce. I hope you enjoy it and find it instructive, if not entertaining.
Here’s a link to YouTube and the video https://youtu.be/wJMHHVszDf4
For other projects around the Cottage, link here