Lots of advice needed

[nuhobby]

Hmmm, this is testing my memory.

The 15-min epoxy as a standing-free 'dried pond' might have a little bit of surface tackiness I've noticed when dry.... that is, on the part where it looks 'shiny'. But it usually is no longer tacky once it's rasped off to a rougher texture. Not sure if yours is just that minor level of tackiness or if yours is "grabby," something I've not encountered after a day of drying.

For removal of excess epoxy, that can be a challenge. I've not had a lot of luck with 'cutting' tools, maybe a little more luck with card-scrapers. But usually brute power-sanding. For the cloudiness, I'm thinking that will look clearer once a bit of finish is on it. Have you tried a little test-film of water or something to see if the 'finished look' of the epoxy will no longer have that cloudiness?

[heathicus]

Hmmm, this is testing my memory.

The 15-min epoxy as a standing-free 'dried pond' might have a little bit of surface tackiness I've noticed when dry.... that is, on the part where it looks 'shiny'. But it usually is no longer tacky once it's rasped off to a rougher texture. Not sure if yours is just that minor level of tackiness or if yours is "grabby," something I've not encountered after a day of drying.

For removal of excess epoxy, that can be a challenge. I've not had a lot of luck with 'cutting' tools, maybe a little more luck with card-scrapers. But usually brute power-sanding. For the cloudiness, I'm thinking that will look clearer once a bit of finish is on it. Have you tried a little test-film of water or something to see if the 'finished look' of the epoxy will no longer have that cloudiness?

I have not tried that. Good idea. I'll try that tonight. I only had a couple minutes before supper last night. I was also hoping that sanding with finer grits would clear it up as well. Basically polishing it? I really liked the look of the clear, deep, glassiness of it and hoped to retain that.

The tackiness I felt was very mild. Much less than a piece of a piece of cheap masking tape.

And I need to remember to take some pictures. I don't think I've taken any during the whole project so far.

[Ed in Tampa]

So 24 hours later my 15 minute epoxy is still a little tacky in some places. Is that normal?

Also, what's the best way to remove the excess and smooth it down? On the small spots that felt hard and dry I tried a planer blade out of the hand plane and laid flat on the wood. But it pulled up chunks of wood under the epoxy. My random orbit sander with a half used 80 grit pad did nothing. The handheld belt sander with a 120 grit belt made short work of it, sanded it smooth, but left the epoxy looking very "cloudy" and dull. Is there a better way?

Careful here!!!!
15 minute epoxy is not 15 minute to fully cured or dry. Epoxy can take weeks to fully cure and will out gas (give off chemical fumes) for months.
If you are going to paint over it with a finish make sure the epoxy has fully finished all of it's chemical reaction.

Sanding new epoxy can generate enough heat to soften the epoxy and make a gooey mess.

People with epoxy paint on floors of garages learn the hard way as their tires pick up strips of it because the epoxy hasn't fully cured and the out gassing of the tires mixed with the out gassing of the epoxy makes the epoxy gummy and sticky.

Before you get too far into this mess have you ever considered pouring epoxy used to make tabletops often seen in bars and resturants. You can buy a self leveling pouring epoxy from wood working stores and most craft stores. You mix it pour it on and if flows to a self leveling even thickness coating that once cured is hard as nails.

You can sand the runs and drips off the edges from the bottom so all sanding will not be seen.

I have made a few cypress knee tables like this using cypress slab and knee as a pedestal. The epoxy fills all voids and makes a perfectly flat table surface. Also have used this technique to make mantle clocks using a cypress slab.

[frank81]

I'm late to the game but here are some thoughts...

If you need a large amount of epoxy, look at boat materials sellers online. Resin is like paint...you get gouged on small volumes in retail stores. It's basically the same stuff...if it can handle salt water and barnacles it can handle two kids. US Composite is a pretty popular DIY supplier with good prices.

Have you considered baking in room for "devices"? Laptops, desktops, tablets, printers, etc. all need space and plugins. Concealed outlets and cord management will clean up the final product once it is in use.

If you are eventually doing the whole room, do you have any windows to plan around? Natural light helps learning and productivty.

If you do wish to go the traditional study route, have you considered going floor to ceiling with wood paneling behind? I know, lots of material, but barnwood would fit what you're trying to do and can be had for not much more than your time and effort (put out a Craiglist ad). I do have a friend who did this with wood reclaimed from a cabin on his property...it looks nice but like everyone else says it is rarely used.

[heathicus]

After many delays (trips to visit family, weekends spent working on vehicles rather than making sawdust, etc), I'm just about at the point where I can start adding my finish to the desk surface. So I've been putting a lot of thought into how I'm going to install this thing.

One of our desires is for under the desk to be as open as possible and I'm trying to balance that desire with having adequate support. I have very little experience building cabinets (just a shop cabinet) or anything like that. With my material change from plywood to lumber, I had to redesign the supports. I came up with this triangle system.

I'd really like some input and feedback on my plan and design. What changes should I make? Is there a better way?

My current plan is for a horizontal rail screwed to the wall studs. Vertical braces help provide support. Notches in the rail accept the top part of the "triangle" brace. The hypotenuse of the triangle supports the front of the desk diverting the force against the bottom of the wall.

I have these t-nut like things, except instead of being pronged they have outside threads and screw into the wood (instead of "nailing" in with the prongs). In my experience and testing, these things hold exceptionally well. I'll use three of these, installed in the underside of the desk surface at each top "triangle" brace - one at each end, and one in the center. The bolt holes in the braces will be slotted in the center and front (opposite the wall) to allow for movement.

[ATTACH]22752[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22751[/ATTACH]

[JPG]

I would consider shaping the 'hypotenuse' brace ends as below.

[ATTACH]22755[/ATTACH]

Having the indicated angles greater than 90 ° makes the brace 'captive' with any vertical load on the top. The opposite 'corner' is truncated merely to reduce the required depth. This provides load bearing surfaces on the ends of the brace.

P.S. the braces need not extend all the way out to the end of the 'top' 'cleat'.

[heathicus]

That is a great idea, JPG. I'm going to have to ponder that because I really doubt my skills to do that accurately...

[JPG]

That is a great idea, JPG. I'm going to have to ponder that because I really doubt my skills to do that accurately...

Two cross cut bevels and a dado.

[heathicus]

[quote="JPG40504"]Two cross cut bevels and a dado.]

It's not the mechanics of making the cuts, it's making the assembly accurate enough! I could just see myself cutting the diagonal brace to fit the cutouts perfectly at each end, but being 1/4" short. Or my wall may be out of square (I haven't even checked that yet) making the triangle not exactly a right triangle making all the joints be just a little off. I'm just thinking too much can go wrong and I'll be fighting with it all day. I think I want to try something a little more simple.

So, how about this?

[ATTACH]22768[/ATTACH]

I could clamp the diagonals to the horizontal and vertical braces, make adjustments so they are all square and level with one another, then screw them together (drill pilot holes for the screws, then take apart, add glue, and screw back together).

[JPG]

It's not the mechanics of making the cuts, it's making the assembly accurate enough! I could just see myself cutting the diagonal brace to fit the cutouts perfectly at each end, but being 1/4" short. Or my wall may be out of square (I haven't even checked that yet) making the triangle not exactly a right triangle making all the joints be just a little off. I'm just thinking too much can go wrong and I'll be fighting with it all day. I think I want to try something a little more simple.

So, how about this?

[ATTACH]22768[/ATTACH]

I could clamp the diagonals to the horizontal and vertical braces, make adjustments so they are all square and level with one another, then screw them together (drill pilot holes for the screws, then take apart, add glue, and screw back together).

A decent plan! An improvement over the first 'pix'!