Desk plans revised

Tom Butler

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
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I rescued the roll top from my kitchen managers office at Mulligan's Old Place in the U Village about 1985 when we remodeled to a bar and grill. Took it to mom's as she had room, and she started using it.
Always dreamed of it as the perfect classic tying desk.
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It's perfect, no. We'll, the desk top is a bit high, drawer is inconveniently located behind my wastebasket, and the rolltop just doesn’t work, vise on work station or c-clamped. It just hits stuff on the top when closing. Think it's just gonna stay a desk.
Think I may do something like put a big finished natural wood plank bench top in. I don't know, been going through old threads to get ideas. Pretty sure plan A is out though, and the kids old craft desk is not sturdy or nice enough looking.
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Tom Butler said:
I rescued the roll top from my kitchen managers office at Mulligan's Old Place in the U Village about 1985 when we remodeled to a bar and grill. Took it to mom's as she had room, and she started using it.
Always dreamed of it as the perfect classic tying desk.
View attachment 161384
It's perfect, no. We'll, the desk top is a bit high, drawer is inconveniently located behind my wastebasket, and the rolltop just doesn’t work, vise on work station or c-clamped. It just hits stuff on the top when closing. Think it's just gonna stay a desk.
Think I may do something like put a big finished natural wood plank bench top in. I don't know, been going through old threads to get ideas. Pretty sure plan A is out though, and the kids old craft desk is not sturdy or nice enough looking.
View attachment 161385
Click to expand...
Wood door slab without the lockset or hinges cut out. Quick, simple to make, plus the width you choose.
 
It seems most tyers have a dedicated tying station which includes thread storage as seen in @SurfnFish’s photo. I used to find fault with this thread storage method because waxed threads attract dust which MIGHT show up on a fly body. Total BS on my part, besides my fly tying skills are neanderthal so a little dust? 😊
 
Last edited:
Tom Butler said:
I rescued the roll top from my kitchen managers office at Mulligan's Old Place in the U Village about 1985 when we remodeled to a bar and grill. Took it to mom's as she had room, and she started using it.
Always dreamed of it as the perfect classic tying desk.
View attachment 161384
It's perfect, no. We'll, the desk top is a bit high, drawer is inconveniently located behind my wastebasket, and the rolltop just doesn’t work, vise on work station or c-clamped. It just hits stuff on the top when closing. Think it's just gonna stay a desk.
Think I may do something like put a big finished natural wood plank bench top in. I don't know, been going through old threads to get ideas. Pretty sure plan A is out though, and the kids old craft desk is not sturdy or nice enough looking.
View attachment 161385
Click to expand...
Your desk lamp brings back memories. My dad had two of those fluorescent desk lamps when I was growing up. He brought them to FL with him when he retired. After my mom passed away a few years ago, I wanted to bring them back to WA, but I decided it was not worth the effort to bring them back WA. They were at least 50 years old if not more!
 
SurfnFish said:
I built several of these tying tables for myself and as gifts for friends, made out of 2'x4' pine slabs from Home Depot. Inexpensive, very easy to make.View attachment 161393
Click to expand...
This is a great prompt for me. I haven't set up the wood shop since we moved in. Air filters, A/C, just with the way things went never got around to it. Got all the nice wood I need from the prior owner. Just have to back up the MG into the outer garage, finish moving, yard sales, bla bla bla ......
 

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I should probably post my setup one day. I don’t have any photos, but I’ll do my best to explain it.

I have very limited space. My wife begrudgingly allowed me to use one corner of our office. I knew that, no matter how much I planned it out, I wouldn’t get it right the first time. For that reason, I decided it must be modular. Like any millennial who spends more time on woodworking Reddit subs than actually doing woodwork, I decided that I must use French cleats.

Basically I screwed a bunch of cleats, cut from 1/2in plywood, into the wall and then decided how to use them afterwards. If I got any part of it wrong, I just had to change that one module. After some experimentation, I mostly figured out what modules I want. It’s still a work in progress, but it is functional. The actual desk is the least important part and I just used something from IKEA.

I’ll post photos when I get home on Tuesday.
 
Better late than never. 😇

I’m happy with the top two panels and the tool caddy at the bottom right. The other two need to change. Not sure what to use them for yet though. The one on the left is an iPad holder, but I never use my iPad. The T track in the middle was for mounting my camera, but I never use my camera. Some kind of integrated vacuum would be nice. Haven’t figured out how to achieve that though.

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Tom, not sure if this will give you any ideas…I have two filing cabinets on each end of the tying table…on the left are all feathers and fur, on the right mostly synthetics like chenilles, craft fur and the like. Good luck on your project…
 
I have a built-in L-shaped desk in my home office. I have turned the corner portion of it into my fly tying area. I like that setup. My vise is in the angle (like a corner desk) and I have flat real estate to either side that sort of wraps around my chair, keeping everything within easy reach.
 
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