They don't make desks that I want anymore - I want a desk with base pedestals that are cabinets to hide computers and printers and wires in, like this one: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5-jt4wU0AAXFns.jpg:large

It's two base cabinets with doors - a shelf in between them, a pullout keyboard tray, and a desktop. The curve of the desktop does not have to be replicated. 60"x30x30.

If I make it I'd probably do it solid wood - unless plywood with veneers would be a lot easier.

Anyone ever make a desk like this before? Is it something I could do with some planning? (I have access to a complete wood shop for a fee - they have jointers, planers,panel saws, table saws, electric sanders, etc.)

The other way I'm thinking is to buy Ikea cabinets (15" base, 21" base, 30" horizontal) screw them together, add decorative cover panels and a butcher block table top (I'll polyurethane it before assembly.) The cheapest material cost from Ikea is around $350 but I might increase the depth of the desk (Ikea countertops are only 25") to 30 by ripping two tops and glueing them and building a raised shelf with the excess wood.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

direct route

But there's something very rewarding about building it yourself, ESPECIALLY if you have access to a shop. That's major.

>If I make it I'd probably do it solid wood - unless plywood
>with veneers would be a lot easier.

Don't use solid wood. Use furniture grade plywood with a veneer of your choosing. Walnut is very IN right now. Furniture grade plywood is better because it's made to be flat and even and won't react to temperature and humidity fluctuations as harshly as solid wood will. Also, solid wood is crazy heavy. You could make the carcass out of plywood and the door frame out of a hardwood that matches the veneer of the plywood. That's what most furniture/cabinet makers do.

>Anyone ever make a desk like this before? Is it something I
>could do with some planning? (I have access to a complete wood
>shop for a fee - they have jointers, planers,panel saws, table
>saws, electric sanders, etc.)

I TRIED to make a vanity cabinet, but the class I was taking ended before I could finish it.

>The other way I'm thinking is to buy Ikea cabinets (15" base,
>21" base, 30" horizontal) screw them together, add decorative
>cover panels and a butcher block table top (I'll polyurethane
>it before assembly.) The cheapest material cost from Ikea is
>around $350 but I might increase the depth of the desk (Ikea
>countertops are only 25") to 30 by ripping two tops and
>glueing them and building a raised shelf with the excess
>wood.

You could do a mashup....use Ikea base cabinets and then make your own solid wood top. That'd be an awesome starter project that feasible to finish and not TOO challenging. It'd give you a chance to play with different species of wood and the glueing process necessary for making a flat and true tabletop.

and screwed the legs on. That's the closest I got to building one.

We also have one similar to the link you provided and my wife put that one together. It doesn't have a door for the computer but its sturdy as hell. My desk table top is starting to bow so I'm going to get another one. Legs are fine tho.

It depends what's more important to you. Building it or working on your computer.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

Plan your desk BEFORE you buy anything, down to where the screws will be. Measure, re-measure and measure again before you cut anything. Take your time, do it right and wear safety gear. There are tables that I made "just to have something real quick" and they are still in use (by other people) 15 years later.

If you have access to a wood shop then you're already ahead of the game. The only power tool I have to work with are a few drills, a circular saw and a jig saw.

Also, plywood > mdf & other fiber boards (unless you just need something really dense for a speaker cabinet).

I think it'd be too time intensive for me to make the desk - I think I'm going to go the Ikea hack method, but use a different tabletop like https://standeeco.com/collections/sit-stand-desks/products/standing-desktops?variant=6436104516 or https://jet.com/product/WB3672SS-Workbench-Top-Wood-72x36-in-Straight/3c92d57989ae496bb0f6080d3444e9af, or buying a "reclaimed" one from a local Craigslist seller who sands/stains them.

I'm still going to head down to the workshop and check it out - maybe it's still an option - but it looks daunting.

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection

I got 2 Ikea 21" cabinets, a 30" horizontal cabinet, a bamboo desktop from a local company, plus other parts like feet, connecting hardware, keyboard tray and hacked them all together into this desk.

Pictures:
Assembled, and assembled with doors open: https://twitter.com/tomhayes_sd/status/846920036614733824

Assembled with keyboard tray added:
https://twitter.com/tomhayes_sd/status/846920431269437440


Made a TON of mistakes such as :
Attaching desktop and feet in a way where desk was 2" too tall.
Attaching the horizontal cabinet in a way that turned out to be misaligned/not flush.
Mounting desktop 1/16 of inch off center to the left.
Mounting keyboard tray nearly 1/2" off center.

But it's all fixed now.

Total monetary cost was around $700.

Total hours of slaving on it (I'm not very good at this) was something like 30 hours. (I could get the parts for $525 and build it in 8 hours with what I know now.)

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Gone: My Discogs collection for The Roots:
http://www.discogs.com/user/tomhayes-roots/collection