Ideas for Cutting Desk Part

[TromboneAl]

As I am not a carpenter, for tools like this that I only use once every 5 blue moons, the lower cost (1/2 to 1/3) trumps other factors. Yes, you will need to spend another $9 for a blade set.

Yes, that's a very good point.

 

[ER Fireball]

Somehow, this whole thread reminds me of this scens from the 'Big Bang Theory'.

The Big Bang Theory - Season 2 Episode 17 - IV - YouTube

I believe the key phrase is- do you have any emotional attachment to this desk?

 

[TromboneAl]

Somehow, this whole thread reminds me of this scens from the 'Big Bang Theory'

ROFL. Perfect.

 

[ls99]

Late to the thread, but not useful. My carpentry skills are limited to chainsaw and axe work.

 

[TromboneAl]

NW-Bound's logic won the day, and I purchased the Harbor Freight tool, which actually gets good reviews. It only costs $3 more than the little hand saw I almost bought.

I got a few extra blades, too. It comes with a nice carrying case -- that is, the cardboard box it came it.

OK, here I am ready to go. It's great that Lena's out of town, so I can use a nice towel as a dropcloth.

The first cut was tricky (on the job training), and I found out that the circular saw attachment was much better. I could slice at the side of the divider, cutting through gradually. But the first cut was problematic:

But I got the hang of if for the second and subsequent cuts:

I cut out the top, front of each divider, which will be discarded anyway. That allowed the divider to be pulled loose from the back. Little nails were used at these attachment points, but no glue.

And here it is with all the dividers taken out:

It will be a little tempting to cut the shelf back, but I know I can tolerate some overhang.

There were three little nails holding each divider in. I opted not to drive 50 miles (RT) to buy a metal blade for cutting those. The wood blade worked OK, and I don't think it was worn down too much.

The dividers are in good shape except for the first one. The shelf got a little scratched up, but I can sand and refinish that. The next step will be to reshape the dividers, and reinstall them. The wood in the groves is removable.

That tool is nice, and I'm trying to think of other jobs I can use it for. The quality seems fine, and, big spender that I am, I've already gotten my money's worth.

Thanks for the help, guys and girls, especially Soupcxan and NW-bound and travelover, I really couldn't have done it without you.

 

[Ronstar]

Good job Al! You made it look easier than I thought it would be. Good thing that the dividers weren't glued into place. Thanks for posting pics.

Maybe make a pattern before reshaping the dividers. That way all reshaped dividers will be exactly the same

 

[Ginny]

Get a smaller laptop.

 

[soupcxan]

Once you realize how flexible the multitool is, you'll find uses for it everywhere.

 

[travelover]

Once you realize how flexible the multitool is, you'll find uses for it everywhere.

Yea, now that I talked Al into buying one, I may even get one.

 

[Walt34]

Yea, now that I talked Al into buying one, I may even get one.

I was thinking about doing the same thing but then was reminded not to on this thread about decluttering. Since I don't have a specific task in mind for it, it'll probably just sit unused in the box and then someone will buy it cheap or inherit it.

If I need it I now know where to get one and how useful they are.

 

[spncity]

I was thinking about doing the same thing but then was reminded not to on this thread about decluttering.

Hey, tools are exempt from being classified as clutter, dontcha know.

 

[TromboneAl]

OK, for you DIY junkies, here are the photos of the rest of the project. I dug out the remaining part of each divider (that had fit into a slot) cut the dividers, and glued them into place.

I could have spent more time sanding the shelf, and getting the front tips of the dividers to be cleaner, but that was hard to justify, since they are rarely going to be visible.

In the last shot, you can see how the angle is just right for staying out of the way of the laptop. You can also see how the top back corner of each divider is glued into a slot.

I decided not to cut the rightmost divider, since that one isn't in the way of the computer.

 

[travelover]

Nice work, Al.

 

[aja8888]

Ditto...nice job!

 

[ERD50]

Nice, I'm glad you didn't cut the last one, it gives me a better before/after perspective.

Looks like the edges turned out nice, or at least good enough for this application. If you needed them better, the iron-on veneer edging they sell can actually work out very nice and easy. But if an edge is going to see some harder use, I like to glue on a thin solid strip.

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

Not bad at all!

I was thinking about doing the same thing but then was reminded not to on this thread about decluttering. Since I don't have a specific task in mind for it, it'll probably just sit unused in the box and then someone will buy it cheap or inherit it.

If I need it I now know where to get one and how useful they are.

No need to buy until you need one.

Being a DIY'er, I have a lot of tools like this. I have pointed out before that a simplified lifestyle may conflict with the DIY attitude, hence the LBYM philosophy. Of course one can just sit on the floor with his laptop on his lap and has no furniture, but most people need some creature comforts.

 

[Ronstar]

Wow! Looks great - looks like it was built that way

 

[TromboneAl]

Not bad at all!


No need to buy until you need one.

But that sale price sure was attractive. Note that it only cost $2 more than the small hand-held saw that I almost bought.

And speaking of finding for uses for it once you have it, I would have used it to sand the shelf, since my orbital sander didn't fit there, and also to cut off some of the the nubs of staples that I couldn't hammer flush in the groves. I didn't use it for those things, because it would have involved driving for 50 miles (round trip) to buy the attachments. Maybe next time I'm in town, I'll pick up those things.

 

[travelover]

But that sale price sure was attractive............

Just a note on Harbor Freight, everything is almost always on sale. Plus they honor their 20% off coupons on advertised sale items (but not on coupon prices). So, bookmark this site and you will always have a 20% off coupon.

Digital Savings and Coupons from Harbor Freight

 

[NW-Bound]

And Travelover and I never fail to pick up a free DVM using their coupons. I now have several sprinkled throughout the homes and the RV, even though I already had about 4 (or is it 5) more professional ones.

I still remember drooling for a VOM (at the standard 20KOhm/V sensitivity and not something less expensive) when I was 12. My parents eventually got me one. I felt like a king among lesser nerds.

 

[travelover]

And Travelover and I never fail to pick up a free DVM using their coupons........

I've kept ten for myself, the rest I give away.

 

[NW-Bound]

One had a probe wire broken soon after, and I had to buy a replacement probe set on eBay. It cost me $2 or something like that, not free like the DVM. Something is wrong here, but I could not figure it out.

 

[travelover]

......... Something is wrong here, but I could not figure it out.

If you periodically measure voltage with the meter in the ohms mode, you will find that you have extra probes.