Optimum Beech timber width.

[vanitycat]

I'm looking to build a computer desk. One thing I am considering is using beech for this. 1700 x 500 approxish size. I presume I should opt to obtain quarter sawn if poss? Assuming table top is 20mm thickness. What size PAR beech timber width provide the best results considering both economical and visually pleasing aspects. I.e 6pieces @ 90mm wide?


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[custard]

Just my opinion but I suggest you think about getting a sheet of veneered MDF cut to size and then edging it yourself with matching iron-on edging tape.

-Yes, quarter sawn is preferable, especially for Beech which doesn't have the greatest reputation for stability. Plus Beech has a very distinctive flecked appearance on the QS face, so mixing up quarter sawn and crown cut would look really messy. The problem is that PAR and quarter sawn don't really go together, I'm not saying it's impossible to find, just that the more common route for buying quarter-sawn timber is to visit a timber yard where they have the sawn logs on display and pick through the boards to get what you need.

-On a computer desk you need an extremely flat and stable surface, otherwise the keyboard will rock each time you hit the keys. I'm guessing from the way you phrased your question that you're relatively new to woodworking (if I'm wrong then I apologise), jointing up a dead flat 1700 x 500 top from solid timber is a really big challenge for a woodworking newbie. But building the legs and aprons from solid wood, and then fitting an MDF veneered top is much more do-able, and furthermore you're more likely to be happy with the result.

Good luck!

 

[dzj]

Six should be OK. If it's QS, matching the grain is easier and the panel is more stable.

 

[custard]

I'll make one more comment Vanitycat then I'll get out of your fur.

If by some chance you think PAR Beech is straight, flat, true and glue-up ready, then I 100% absolutely guarantee that it's not!

Good luck!

 

[Tetsuaiga]

I wouldn't say quarter sawn is necessary but you do want kiln dried wood. As you are gluing up many narrower pieces any cupping should hopefully average out. If the keyboard rests on 4 places and front and back run parallel to each other I wouldnt of thought warping would actually be that problematic.

 

[vanitycat]

I'll make one more comment Vanitycat then I'll get out of your fur.

If by some chance you think PAR Beech is straight, flat, true and glue-up ready, then I 100% absolutely guarantee that it's not!

Good luck!

Hi Custard thank you for all your advice so far. You are correct I am woodie newbie, I have made a few projects and my skills are improving with each bound. I have worked with Oak Veneered MDF in the past and most admit it was relatively easy to use for a bookcase I built previously but I wasn't sure about how hard wearing it would be as a desk i.e likelihood of damaging the veneer during use. I have attached a pic of the desk I am planning to build.

Obviously I know in this instance, they have used oak. If was to attempt this project, what timber would you recommend I use for the legs? I only considered beech in this instance as it is is harder than pine and not overly expensive.

Alan

 

[custard]

Hello Allan, Beech and Oak are both fairly hard timbers. Having said that no timber can withstand a biro being pressed down hard on a single sheet of paper, that will always leave an indentation, so there's a responsibility on the user to show some common sense when using any wooden desk.

The photo you linked to is crying out for veneered MDF construction with only the actual legs and a few secondary components made from solid timber. Of course it's possible to make something similar entirely from solid wood, but that would be a big undertaking requiring fairly advanced machinery if it's to be completed efficiently.

You do need to be pretty sure of your abilities and commitment before tackling a piece like that if you're not to find yourself in over your head. Even in MDF, working in a typical home workshop, it's still a pretty big challenge. It might well take a beginning woodworker 150 + hours, require £200 plus in materials and fittings, and needs a method of cutting MDF to dead square, precisely sized components. If you're up for that then go for it, but if that reality sounds a bit daunting then maybe think about a simpler desk without the drawer cabinets?

I don't want to sound negative but I've seen plenty of newcomers embark on big woodworking projects only to end up abandoning them.

Good luck!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

^^^^^^ please listen to him.
One thing i would add - if you are worried about wear (which you are, quite rightly) if you use veneered sheet you could have a solid leading edge say 75mm as opposed to just a little lip. I know having spent 1000s of hours at a desk how much hammering that front edge takes, and if you do it in solid wood it could always be refinished. Just a thought - it appears you're spending time and money so it's worth thinking of the practicality and longevity.

 

[Racers]

Don't forget ventilation for the computer!

Pete

 

[Dan j]

The side panels/panel doors would be much better in veneered as then you don't have to worry about expansion or warping as much.
Worth looking closely at how the veneered material and the solid beech match up colour wise.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

custard is dead on.

Don't take this on lightly, it looks like a bunch of cubes but therein lies the problem, making an accurate cube.

If you're new, attempting this is extremely bold. I've no idea what tools/machinery you have, but you're looking at several thousand pounds worth to be making a good job of a desk like that. Let alone your time and materials.

 

[deema]

The desk can be made with a small number of hand tools out of solid wood and would keep you busy for a good while. The construction can be with traditional joinery or simpler joints depending on both your inclination and equipment.

The paneks would actually be better made from veneered MDF and if you choose to go this route depending on where you are you may find a place to cut them accurately for you.

If I were making this, whether as a one off or commercially out of expensive timber I would start by making say a 1/3 or 1/4 sized sample out of softwood. This would enable me to check the aesthetic design, verify the joints and techniques I will be using and more importantly get the very important wifey certificate of compliance!! It may seem a faff, but the cost would be minimal, and if made well, once I'm happy with the design would sell well on an auction site as a child's desk (I'd make the proportions correct) recovering the cost of the materials at the very least.

For hand tools you will probably need
Chop saw / mitre saw or a tennon saw and a mitre box (home made)
No 6 or 7 or 8 plane and a no 4 or 41/2 plane
Clamps
Tennon saw
Chisels (1 mortise of the right size and a 25mm)
Square
Router or rebate or plough plane
Workbench
24" saw
Saw horses.

Have a go, if you do a WIP we are all here to help.