Desktop:
Finding the flow
By: William Buzzeo
Built in the Flowers Invention Studio
Background
Desks have been an integral part of all literate cultures for centuries. In modern society, desks have become a piece of furniture that many use more than their bed. Such a piece of furniture should be comfortable to both the arms and the eyes. Thus, I set out to make a desktop that will bring me joy each time I sit down to do work. To accomplish this goal, I would need to learn to work with epoxy resin, various woodworking tools, and basic use of a CNC router. Once used by Native Americans to make hunting bows, the vibrant and resilient wood of the Osage orange tree combined with blue and pearl white-died epoxy were chosen to replicate the feeling of a river winding its way through a thirsty desert.
Preparing for the Pour
To allow epoxy to bond to the wood, I needed to remove all the dirt and bark from the slab of wood. I cleaned up the slab with a nylon wheel on an impact driver and an air hose. The nylon wheel is rough enough to take off the bark and rotten wood, but gentle enough to leave the hardwood intact. The first and last pictures show the same area of wood before and after cleaning.
After the edges were cleaned up, I chose the side and section of wood I wanted to be the "river bank" and made a crude mockup in Microsoft Word before marking the wood and cutting it to size with a track saw.
To ensure dye did not seep into the wood and alter its vibrant color, it was sealed with clear epoxy, which was allowed to cure for three days before the epoxy was poured. Caulk dams were constructed to keep the epoxy in the desired areas. The mold was made of melamine and was coated with mold release. The wood was clamped to the bottom so it did not float in the epoxy.
The Pour
Blue powdered pigment was accented with pearl iridescent pigment to create a flowing river effect in the epoxy. Because the pour was performed outside, the chemical reaction that forms the epoxide polymers (hard resin) was accelerated, as a result, some bubbles were retained near the surface of the table. I would advise to keep the epoxy at room temperature in a well-ventilated space while it is curing.
Taking Shape
Because this table was larger than our planer and our jointer, it was planed with a CNC router. A facing bit was lowered to the lowest point of the desktop and manually moved across it until one side was flat. The wood was then flipped and planed. A low spindle speed should be used, as a higher one chipped the epoxy. During this process, it was discovered that the wood had very thin sections. As a result, the desk is ~1/4 inch thinner than desired.
A handheld router was used to create the edge profiles of the desk. A 1/2 in. round-over bit was used for the top edge and a shallow chamfer bit was used for the bottom edge.
Finishing Touches
Small cracks and crevices in the wood as well as the chips in the epoxy created by the CNC were filled with CA glue and sanded flush with the desktop.
Following the filling of cracks, I began my 5-hour sanding journey. Starting from 220 grit and working my way down to 3000 grit, and doing a 3000 grit wet sand yielded wood so smooth it shined and reflected the Invention Studio wood room off of its bright surface.
After applying a coat of Rubio Monocoat furniture finish to both sides, and leaving it to dry overnight, the colors of the desktop truly began to pop. The finish was applied to both the top and bottom of the desktop so it did not warp as it dried.
Where Are the Legs?
I plan on welding Z-shaped desk legs out of carbon steel square tubing. This will allow me to have a desk that matches my height and will support the thinner-than planned desktop. Stay tuned!
Budget and Parts List
Funded and supported by the Invention Studio at Georgia Tech, a student organization
This project has been a ton of fun and a fantastic learning experience. I lost track of how many times people asked "what did you stain it with" and how stunned every single one was to hear that the wood is naturally that color. The love, support, and genuine excitement that everyone in the studio gave me was truly inspiring and heartwarming. If I were to do this project again, I would check for low spots on wood, use a slower spindle speed on the CNC, and do the resin pour inside. I am ecstatic about how the desktop turned out and can't wait to finish the legs so I can finally use the desk!
