[JamesTinKS]

One of my sons sent me this picture and wants me to make a desk like this for him. I have searched the world over looking for "Shaker Desk" or "Shaker Campaign Desk" with no success.
I have also tried to figure out all the dimensions from the picture and the description but when I draw it from what I get it doesn't look right. I think the problem I am having is that I don't know the thickness of the wood and the desk in the picture is angled and the bottom of the top is beveled so I can't get a good measurement.

• Overall: 69"W x 28"D x 30"H - Square Edge

Distance from floor to bottom of drawers

• Outside Drawers: 22 1/2"
• Middle Drawer: 24 1/2"
  
  

 

[Rwhpi]

James. Not the exact design,, but I found a website that may help you out with some questionable dimensions for your build.
Three-Drawered Desk Plans

 

[B Coll]

The Shaker period originated in the mid to late 1700's from a small group of English Quakers. The furniture they made was very simple as the piece you are showing and characteristically had straight lines, some subtle curves. The legs on tables and desks were often tapered. I would suggest designing the table yourself. You can get general heights and critical dimensions on line or by visiting a furniture store. If you struggle with proportions look up the Golden Ratio (or Golden Segment. It goes by some other names also) This will give you a ratio of what is pleasing to the eye. I believe it is 1.618, but basically if you have two segments, the proportion of the the total to the first part of the segment is the same as the proportion of the first part to the second part. I believe this is the same proportion as the distance of your finger tips to wrist and fingertips to elbow. The Mona Lisa was drawn in this proportion. The Parthenon was built to this proportion as well as the White House. There are elements of our solar system that are to this proportion. No one really knows why, but the proportion automatically pleases the eye. I have used this many times, not always critically but as guidance, when setting width to height of cabinet doors, table tops. It is a good thing to understand and use as guidance. It is your desk, make it your own with your own influence.

 

[Terry Q]

That’s a nice looking piece.

Shouldn’t be hard to build looking at the picture. Just two end pieces, boxes to hold drawers, stretcher, top and drawers. I would build it in that order.

I think you should be able to get proportions looking at picture if you know some of the measurements. If not, assume it’s 32 inches tall and work back from there measuring the various parts in relation to the known 32 inch height.

 

[Steve Neul]

I believe in time the top will sag not having any support in the front. My guess is the top overhangs the table 2" all the way around.
Top: 1 pc 3/4" x 28" x 69"
Legs: 4 pc 2"x 2"x 29 1/4" with radius on one long edge.
Top side rail:2 pc 3/4"x 7 3/4" x 20" with arch minimum 6 3/4" in center
bottom side rail: 2 pc 3/4"x 2"x 20"
top rail back: 1 pc 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 61"
bottom rail back: 1 pc: 3/4" x 2" x 61"
top rail front: 1 pc 3/4"x 2"x 61"
center dividers" 2 pc 3/4" x 22 1/2" x 6 3/4" cut a notch 3/4"x 2" at the top of each for the rail to go through laying flat with
the top
Assuming you want 24" space in the center make a bottom rail for under the drawer 3/4" x 2" x 24"
This would leave 17 3/4" width for the outside drawers. Make 2 rails 2"x 17 3/4" for under those drawers.

The drawers, do you want to make normal wooden slides for the drawers or do you want metal drawer slides? The metal slides are available in full extension to where the drawer pulls all the way out. You would loose an inch of space in width for each drawer making it like that.

 

[DrRobert]

Although the design is appealing on close inspection I think there is a major flaw. Notice the outer drawers are flush with the leg? What are the legs attached to? I‘d be more concerned about racking than sagging. There are standard aprons on the sides. I suppose the drawer could be overlapping a side.

My thinking is build the drawer unit as a 4 sided box. It would be structurally sound and provide something to fasten the legs to (still not great) All I can think of is screws and dowels. 3/4 - 7/8 thickness should be ok. You don’t want a thick top that would take away from the look. Legs would look better square 2x2 consider a mild taper.

It needs to be modified anyway so draw up your own plans. I discourage people from thinking they need “plans” to build something. It becomes a parts cutting exercise and then it rarely goes together as “planned”. 😁

Draw a large layout to scale and detail the joinery. I buy paper in 36” rolls. Top view most important to show joinery. Standard dimensions are available like desk height 30”. Hope this helps!

 

[GeorgeC]

You can easily get a set of plane with a pad of graph paper, a ruler and a pencil. I keep a pad of desktop sized graph paper on hand just for use as this.

George

 

[RIchardS]

My knee hurts just looking at the design.
I have a very similar desk and I bang my knee on the sharp corner at least once a month. Have your son sit in the chair he intends to use and make sure he has a good 3” of clearance between his knee and the bottom of the drawer. Also consider a large radius along the bottom edge.
I’m sure your son is going to love this desk.

 

[JamesTinKS]

I believe in time the top will sag not having any support in the front. My guess is the top overhangs the table 2" all the way around.
Top: 1 pc 3/4" x 28" x 69"
Legs: 4 pc 2"x 2"x 29 1/4" with radius on one long edge.
Top side rail:2 pc 3/4"x 7 3/4" x 20" with arch minimum 6 3/4" in center
bottom side rail: 2 pc 3/4"x 2"x 20"
top rail back: 1 pc 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 61"
bottom rail back: 1 pc: 3/4" x 2" x 61"
top rail front: 1 pc 3/4"x 2"x 61"
center dividers" 2 pc 3/4" x 22 1/2" x 6 3/4" cut a notch 3/4"x 2" at the top of each for the rail to go through laying flat with
the top
Assuming you want 24" space in the center make a bottom rail for under the drawer 3/4" x 2" x 24"
This would leave 17 3/4" width for the outside drawers. Make 2 rails 2"x 17 3/4" for under those drawers.

The drawers, do you want to make normal wooden slides for the drawers or do you want metal drawer slides? The metal slides are available in full extension to where the drawer pulls all the way out. You would loose an inch of space in width for each drawer making it like that.

Thank you Dr. Robert!

I will definitely be giving some thought to avoiding sagging. The website that sells it sells it in cherry for $4,134.00 so it must be possible to build it without sagging being a problem. Add that to the list of differences I will have to learn. Most of the furniture I have built to date is Mission style. The Shakers liked to use dovetails a bunch. Mission style uses lock joints.

 

[Steve Neul]

What that table really needs is the top front rail to be made out of steel and veneer over the exposed edge. If the manufacturer of that table isn't doing that their tables will sag too. It's getting more and more difficult to buy anything anymore which doesn't have some major design flaw.

 

[Rebelwork]

That top isn’t going to sag unless your putting bricks in it..

 

[Rebelwork]

One of my sons sent me this picture and wants me to make a desk like this for him. I have searched the world over looking for "Shaker Desk" or "Shaker Campaign Desk" with no success.
I have also tried to figure out all the dimensions from the picture and the description but when I draw it from what I get it doesn't look right. I think the problem I am having is that I don't know the thickness of the wood and the desk in the picture is angled and the bottom of the top is beveled so I can't get a good measurement.

• Overall: 69"W x 28"D x 30"H - Square Edge

Distance from floor to bottom of drawers

• Outside Drawers: 22 1/2"
• Middle Drawer: 24 1/2" View attachment 449587

Go to the big box, hobby lobby, etc and buy a roll of craft paper. Get a sheet of 4x8 Masonite, etc and paper it and draw a full size furniture piece.This is the only true way to visualize the piece..

”When in doubt, draw it out”

 

[Olwoodguy]

Beautiful design. Most desks and tables are 30" tall. As deep as you want, as long as you want. A solid wood top made correctly will not warp. I would put a taper on the front inside of the front legs, small one. There is an arc on the sides that introduces the curve. As stated slightly round the inside corner with a 1/4" round over bit. I would also round the bottom edge of the table. This keeps it from getting nicked and marked up. Solid wood drawers with dovetails. Full extension 100 pound drawer slides easy close.
Looking at function. It has a pencil drawer. Probably near 3" face and 2-1/2" sides or so. Measure the pencil organizer that will sit in it and add half inch. The side drawers are deeper. What goes in them that will use that entire depth ? Near 5 inches deep. I might consider making the drawers the same debth as the top. Same 3 inch or so face board width. And make pull out writing boards in over the drawer. 3/4" thick solid wood. Great for relieving arm fatigue. And adds more surface area to use while still holding a lot of office needs.
Function and design. Squared edges on the outside looks better when up against a wall. The shadow will have sharp lines instead of muddy lines at the desk edge. Rounding out all under edges prevents slivers. And broken edges. Chair arms n such hitting them. Looking better longer. And all area is available for functional use. Inside and out. A slight curve upwards on the back board, just an inch maybe less, a small arch upwards. This will draw the eye to the piece, something just off but part of the design. Then folks that take time to study it will notice the other rounded areas.
You could certainly follow the same design and have a great desk. But I tend to try n think outside the box just a little. A work desk is for work and pull outs help function.
If folks hit their knee maybe an adjustable office chair would help.

 

[Olwoodguy]

Go to the big box, hobby lobby, etc and buy a roll of craft paper. Get a sheet of 4x8 Masonite, etc and paper it and draw a full size furniture piece.This is the only true way to visualize the piece..

”When in doubt, draw it out”

I guess I would get a drafting ruler with different scales on it. A 3 sided one. Make sure it is a mechanical one with inches. Engineering scales have tenths. And a couple of triangles. For me drawing it out helped me see everything in my mind.

 

[Rebelwork]

....

 

[kiwi_outdoors]

re sag: Make the top thick enough to avoid sag, and bevel underside of the overhanging edges so that you do not easily see the true (full) thickness.

 

[Rebelwork]

3/4 is thick enough. There pencil drawers..

Looking at the picture, I doubt the outside drawers are around 2” shorter then the center,..

 

[kiwi_outdoors]

If your son has a favorite chair that he wants to use with this desk, be sure to coordinate desk hieght with chair seat height. It took decades before I realized that our contemporary dining chairs were too low for the table that came with the set. A 6 spacer blocks and longer machine screws fixed that problem.

 

[rogerh]

One of my sons sent me this picture and wants me to make a desk like this for him. I have searched the world over looking for "Shaker Desk" or "Shaker Campaign Desk" with no success.
I have also tried to figure out all the dimensions from the picture and the description but when I draw it from what I get it doesn't look right. I think the problem I am having is that I don't know the thickness of the wood and the desk in the picture is angled and the bottom of the top is beveled so I can't get a good measurement.

• Overall: 69"W x 28"D x 30"H - Square Edge

Distance from floor to bottom of drawers

• Outside Drawers: 22 1/2"
• Middle Drawer: 24 1/2" View attachment 449587

This appears to be the same desk. It has the dimensions and material kind.

Modern Shaker Campaign Writing Desk - Vermont Woods Studios

Our high quality Modern Shaker Style Campaign Desk is handmade using premium wood and crafted to last a lifetime. Organize everything at your fingertips in its two accessory drawers and built-in pencil drawer. Built to last for generations. Also available in Cherry, Maple or Walnut.

vermontwoodsstudios.com

 

[DrRobert]

I don’t think sagging will be an issue if you build a “box“ to house the drawers and make them 1/2 the width of the top you can add internal bracing. Beefy lengthwise divider will help.