Pine Kneehole Desk - The Woodcrafter Page© 2004

Pine Kneehole Desk
Here is the original article from the
July - August 1955 Deltagram
ROCKWELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY - A DELTACRAFT PULICATION

This handsome desk styled in pine will fit in with knotty pine rooms, dens, or even with Early American furnishings. Because of its practical size, it is especially useful where space is at a premium.
The major portion of this project is constructed of knotty pine plywood which is easily available from almost any lumber dealer. Because of its plywood construction, it is extremely strong and durable.
All three panels are cut to the same size. Cross cleats are screwed and glued in place when desk is assembled. Edging pieces are glued on the fronts of the panels to cover the core stock. Dado grooves, ¾ inch wide by

¼ inch deep, are cut for the drawer slide frames. These frames are held together with ¼ x 3/8 inch tongue and grooves. The assembled frames are glued and screw fastened to the sides.
The top frame is also assembled with ¼ x 3/8 tongue and groove joints and is then screw fastened to the side panels and the back stretcher. All counterbored holes for these screws are plugged with 3/8 inch dowel plugs and sanded flush.
Drawers are of the conventional tongue and groove construction with a 1/8 x 1/8 tongue on the fronts and a ¼ x ¼ tongue on the backs, see drawing for details. The two fronts for the file drawer are doweled together to form one large drawer front. The panel raising molding on the drawers can be made up the circular saw with a hollow ground blade (Photo #3) or with the D-214 special panel raising cutter on the shaper (Photo #I).
The base trim is cut to shape as indicated in the drawing on either the hand or scroll saw. After cutting, it is screw fastened in place by counterboring holes for #8 x 1-1/4 flat head wood screws. The holes are then plugged with 3/8 inch dowel plugs and sanded flush.
Drawer handles (not shown in the photo), line drawing Fig. A should be of period design-preferably pierced or plain brass Chippendale pulls. These can be purchased in most any hardware store.
For the finish, apply a coat of light oak penetrating oil stain, two or three thin coats of white shellac, mixed half alcohol and half shellac, sanding between coats lightly. For a smooth dull finish, use a coat of spar varnish rubbed down with pumice stone and linseed oil. Repeat the rubbing operation with rottenstone and linseed oil for a satin finish. Should you want to avoid the rubbing operations you can now get a rubbed effect varnish. Wax in either case to protect and preserve the finish.

(Photo No. 2)
If you decide to use solid stock for the sides instead of plywood, use the glue joint cutter, #35-131, for the joints.

(Photo No. 3)
The raised panel moulding on the drawer fronts can be made on the circular saw with a hollow ground blade with the arbor tilted about 10 degrees.

(Photo No. 4)
The moulding can be made on the spindle shaper using the D-214 special panel raising cutter.

Bill of Materials:

No. of Pieces	Name	Size
1	Top (Plywood)	¾ x 15½ x 31
3	Sides (Plywood)	¾ x 14½ x 27
3	Sides (Plywood)	¾ x 14½ x 27
2	Frame Lengths	¾ x 2¾ x 33
2	Frame Ends	¾ x 2 x 11¼
1	Back Board	¾ x 6½ x 33
1	Plywood Back	¼ x 13 x 19
3	Drawer Frame Fronts	¾ x 1½ x 12½
6	Drawer Frame Runners	¾ x 1½ x 16
3	Drawer Frame Back Pieces	¾ x 1½ x 10
1	Drawer Frame Front	¾ x 1½ x 20¾
2	Drawer Frame Runners	¾ x 1½ x 15¼
1	Drawer Front	¾ x 3¼ x 12½
1	Drawer Back	½ x 1-15/16 x 11-3/8
3	Drawer Bottoms (Plywood)	¼ x 11-3/8 x 15¼
2	Drawer Fronts	¾ x 7-1/8 x 12½
2	Drawer Sides	½ x 13-11/16 x 16
1	Drawer back	½ x 11-3/8 x 12-1/16
3	Dowels	3/8 Diam. x 2

No. of Pieces	Name	Size
2	Cleat Ends for top	¾ x 2¾ x 15½
1	Cleat End for top	¾ x 2¾ x 36
2	Cleat Ends-sides	¾ x 2¾ x 27
2	Cleat Ends-middle	¾ x 2¾ x 26¼
4	Base Trim	¾ x 4 x 17¾
1	Base Trim	¾ x 4 x 15
1	Base Trim	¾ x 2½ x 4
1	Drawer Frame Back	¾ x 1½ x 18¼
1	Drawer Front	¾ x 3¼ x 20¾
4	Drawer Sides	½ x 2-11/16 x 16
1	Drawer Back	½ x 1-15/16 x 20-3/16
1	Drawer Bottom (Plywood)	¼ x 16¼ x 20-3/16
1	Drawer Front	¾ x 5 x 12½
7	Drawer Back	½ x 3-11/16 x 11-3/8
2	Drawer Sides	½ x 4-7/16 x 16
12	Flat Head Wood Screws	#8 x 1½
4	Flat Head Wood Screws	#6 x 1½
20	Flat Head Wood Screws	#8 x 1½
8	Dowels	5/16 Diam. x 1½

(Photo No. 5)
Top edges of the drawer sides can be easily rounded off on the circular saw using the moulding cutterhead and #35-202 cutters.

(Photo No. 6)
The scroll design of the bottom trim can be cut on the scroll saw, or on the band saw as shown above using a 1/4 inch blade.

(Photo No. 7)
Moulding edge of the top is being made on the circular saw with the moulding cutterhead and #35-103 cutters.

*********** WARNING***********
Read my page on safety before building this item.