The Desk Must Pay
December 2nd, 2008I Will not Submit
Here is my latest trick. I tried to true my old desk, to make it into a router table, by screwing an L-shaped piece of aluminum to the underside. This effort was a failure. So I went back out and stuck shims between the aluminum and the desktop. That helped a lot. But not nearly enough.
I think I know the answer. I should scrap the desk’s legs and make a new desk out of wood. I could use my table saw to rip a few very straight pieces of lumber to put under the top. Then I could put the newly reinforced top on some new two-by-four legs. I would still get to use my nifty melamine/MDF top.
On the other hand, maybe I could get a couple of warped two-by-fours and fasten them under the top lengthwise. Then I could put long screws through them, into the table, and tighten the screws selectively to flex the table into line.
Hmm. I may have a better idea.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Check your mail
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Okay, maybe a dumb idea, but maybe heat could help?
.
I have used a tarp (with spacers on top for airflow) and a heat-gun over an epoxy structure to raise the temperature of the material enough to “relax it” to take a warpage out. 150-degress worked for epoxy.
.
Since you already have the “spring” in the form of an aluminum angle on the bottom, maybe heat and some patience would bring it into shape.
.
However, I have no idea what the Tg (Transition Temperature) of MDF/Melamine is (and a quick Google Search did not help). Maybe try 150F to 170F to start?
.
This is all assuming you even have a heat gun? Or that you even want to try this? Maybe melting tarps and burning desks are too much of a risk 😉
.
Going back to work on my airplane now…
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Might trying pouring a epoxy top, something like one of those garage floor epoxy’s.
Could be self-leveling and hard too.
Some of the stuff we have used on bathroom floors is tougher than any wood.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Take a tube of construction adhesive and pump it our all over the low spot. Use a straight piece of wood (true it up on your table saw) and level the adhesive on the table. Let dry. Place a 3/8 inch piece of MDF on this and screw it on only around the edges, countersinking the screws so they’re below the surface. If this ever gets messed up, just replace it.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:32 AM
Put a 2 x 8 or so under the desk and run a few screws (or use clamps if you have them) through the top (don’t pull down tight) into the edge of the 2 x 8, beg or borrow a humidifier and raise the humidity as high as possible. As the top absorbs the moisture tighten the screws/clamps a little at a time. When you get the top where you want it let the top dry completely and remove, or leave the 2 x 8. My grandfather made rockers for rocking chairs (which he handcrafted, on a foot pedal powered lathe, without a nail in them and cane bottomed the seats and backs with hickory bark) by cutting the rockers out of streight lumber, soaking them in water for a few day, removing them and putting in a jig with clamps to pull them into shape and then letting them dry.
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:48 AM
Sometimes bowing occurs in bare MDF because one “side” is exposed to a higher humidity than the other (so it curls) …flip sides. Sooner or later (depends), it should flatten out again.
.
When it does flatten out, seal *both* sides with some kind of sealant.
.
(If it is laminate on both sides …well, that sucks. Saw it in half and use it for …two …smaller things.)
.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:55 AM
What you could do to salvage the old desk is to replace the frame with new wood. Then change out the legs for new ones. And as a final touch, throw out the old top and put on a new one. And there you go – a couple touch-ups and the old desk is good as new!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 AM
Shows what you know. Several of the screws would still be original.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Steve, could you please tell that Walken guy to stop calling me at 2AM? I already have his SNL Best Of DVD, and I don’t need any more gold watches up the ass. Kthanxbye.