I recently purchased the plans for this desk featured in Robert Lang’s book “Shop drawings for Craftsman Furniture”. After considerable time puzzling over it & even discussing it with the author I’m still stumped on a way to hinge the drop front writing surface. The plans do not show anything for this and the author admitted that the original used a hinge system that, to the best of his knowledge, is not being made today.
Has anybody out there made this desk? If so how did you hinge the front? I’ve thought about using Brusso straight knife hinges, but both leaves would be mounted in the middle of their respective surfaces so the typical method of routing mortises, attaching one half with the other half loose on the pivot point, then slipping the door onto the dangling half, just won’t work. The only other way would be attaching both leaves of both hinges in their respective mortises then gluing up the carcass while fitting the pins together, leaving the hinge trapped in place, never to be removed or even moved much. (Talk about a high tension glue-up!) This probably isn’t too clear but makes sense if you see the plans.
Hopefully one of you out there has built this. It looks really nice and I’d love to make it, but before I cut up a lot of $$ white oak I want to be more confident on how to bring it all together. Thanks, looking forward to hearing from you.
Replies
Jim --
Like you, I think that irreversably gluing in moving parts is a bad idea. I'm going to try to attach a jpg of a sketch of a way to build the pivot. In this design, you put the dropleaf in place in the up position, insert the axle pins from the front, and screw the cover plate on to hold the axles in place. Depending on how authentic you want your piece to look, you may have to fabricate your own cover plate.
Jamie
Jamie,
Thanks for the idea, yes you do understand the problem. Your solution looks doable, I'd like to keep the front of the desk clean, but maybe a tasteful copper cover plate would look good. Again thanks & if anyone else has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Jim
Jim, I suggested that cover plate because it looks like what Stickley used on the original. Here's a link to a photo of an antique #706 --- http://ericfirestonegallery.com/furn119.html It isn't the best photo, but you can kinda make out the metal piece which I have turned into that cover plate. You can see the detail better in a reprint of the Stickley catalog. The catalog was illustrated with black & white line drawings, and is more legible than the linked snapshot. Dover Press publishes a reprint for $10 or so.
Jamie
Edited 11/1/2002 11:48:48 PM ET by JAMIE_BUXTON
Jamie,
Thanks for the info and the lead. I looked at the website, yikes! do they get a premium price for their stuff. I've ordered the Dover book, hopefully it contains a more detailed drawing/picture. again thanks,
Jim
One of the nice things about looking at the prices for real Stickley antiques is that you can easily rationalize the purchase of almost any tool or material while you're building your new Stickley!
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