John Mulhall, Roll-top Cedar Writing Desk (TABLES, CHAIRS, DESKS 2022)

Photos:

John Mulhall

This roll-top desk was commissioned by friends of mine as a 30th birthday present for their daughter. The desk is my original design in a traditional style. The desk was constructed in my home workshop over six months and completed in May 2021. It is made principally from Australian cedar, with clear pine for the drawer sides, 7mm pine plywood for the drawer bottoms and Huon pine for the inlaid monogram on the front of the tambour. The monogram is an original design representing the initials of the new owner. Construction was completed using a mix of power tools and hand tools. The half-blind dovetails were cut partially by router (the tails) and partially by hand (the pins), and without the use of any jigs. The tambour is crafted in the traditional style with the individual slats glued to a stiff canvas backing. The cedar is finished with up to four coats of Feast Watson Fine Buffing Oil. The drawer sides and bottoms are finished with several coats of satin polyurethane for greater durability. I am an amateur woodworker, largely self-taught. John Mulhall, designer and builder.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.