Built in desk - support?

[gidon]

Hi

I foolishly volunteered to build this desk (and shelves) for my in-laws from Oak veneered MDF (no finish yet applied):

It's supported on battens all around the back and the legs are 2 pieces of MDF biscuited and glued at right angles to each other and veneered with Oak cut on the bandsaw (made before I got the veneered MDF ](*,).) These are screwed and glued into the desk through a filled in top section of the legs.

I'm not really sure what I was thinking because a good kick of the bottom of these legs will most likely send them flying! So I really need to reinforce them. But I've spent enough time on this and want a quick fix if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a few ideas but would really like to hear from the clever members of the forum!

Many thanks,

Gidon

PS I HATE iron-on edging tape - this took longer to do the anything else and was so mindless. And I still managed to gauge our some of one shelf when trimming the edging with a chisel .

 

[Scrit]

Hi Gidon

For the narrower bit a 2 x 1-1/2in batten support wall to wall placed 6in in from the front edge. Fix to underside by through screwing and to walls by large angle plates. Then you wouldn't need the middle leg at all. Secure left hand leg to floor using two or more angle plates to stop it moving, with same at the top. These can be hidden by putting-in stopped dados, screwing the angle plates into the bottoms of the dados and covering the plate with a wooden capping strip.

Just a thought

Scrit

 

[PowerTool]

If you want it to be stable,then angled (mitred) supports are the way to go - but perhaps not the prettiest way of doing it.
I made a large shelf for my ex-wifes pub this weekend (to put the Christmas tree on ) and used studwork timber (38 x 63) - one length screwed underneath the shelf to stop it flexing,and the upright leg fastened in with a mortise-and-tenon;very stable,hardly any movement from vertical.

Andrew

 

[StevieB]

I would screw a right angled bracket into the back of the leg and into the floor (assuming you dont mind a little hole in that charming carpet :lol: ) One of the steel flat jobbies from a DIY shed for a quid or so, nothing fancy.

Steve.

 

[Scrit]

PS I HATE iron-on edging tape - this took longer to do the anything else and was so mindless. And I still managed to gauge our some of one shelf when trimming the edging with a chisel .

Just a tip - if you do it again try taking a thick plane iron and using that flat against the surface instead. The extra width of the iron makes all the difference to the smoothness of the cut. Angle the iron inwards to the work to stop it from lifting the edging

Scrit

 

[gidon]

Hey Scrit - thanks for those ideas - now why didn't I think of fixing them to the floor! Do you mean this sort of thingfor the angle plates? Plane iron would have been a far better idea too for trimming the edging - thanks.
Andrew thanks - I'm not quite sure what you mean - do you mean sort of braced like this |/? Think that might get in the way though?
Steve - what's wrong with their carpet . Again what sort of thing do you mean - like a shelf bracket or something like the above (linked)? I think this is definately the way to go - pretty sure they have wooden floorboards below too.
Thanks everyone.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[StevieB]

Yup, thats the type of thing, although that looks a little bulky. Smaller ones are available in my local B&Q with just two round screw holes in each arm of the bracket. So long as its thinner than the leg however that will do fine.

Steve.

 

[PowerTool]

Hi - yes,I meant like |/ that.(That shape that is hard to represent on a keyboard :wink: )

Or the brackets as suggested.
Or perhaps a dowel/locating pin on the floor ? Something that would not be seen,but stop any lateral movement.

Andrew

 

[Scrit]

Do you mean this sort of thingfor the angle plates?

Yep! That sort of thing

Scrit

 

[judder]

Dowel would get my vote !

Stephen

 

[matt]

I'd make a couple of frames to go around the entire base of each leg and then screw the frames to the floor.

This is on the assumption that you could lift the legs just enough to slide the frames underneath.