The next step in the process of assembling this, well, what might be called, “Asian Inspired” reception desk, was the trial fitting of the main table top boards.
Here’s a view from the inside corner:
Along with the desk top panels, I fitted the floating sliding tracks. This desk, you see, is to have shoji-like sliding screens fitted between the upper and lower table surfaces:
Another view from the inside:
Also, I trial-fitted the cap-rail, which, like the upper table, had to engage with many joints at once:
The long-side cap rail slides into position:
A close up of the connection between the cap rail, table divided rail, and the post sandwiched in the middle:
Once the rail was offered up, some trimming and adjustments were necessary:
The floating tracks for the sliding doors were fitted one by one:
The cap rail and tracks now fitted:
The short side now complete, with table top panels, tracks and cap rail:
In the above photo, you can now see much more clearly the form of the flickering flame board – kato-ita – mentioned earlier.
Some more fiddling was necessary on the long side to seat one of the tracks:
At last, the cap rail and tracks are pulled out, and the long side panels can go in:
The installation of the main table panels are now completed on the short side:
My aim had been to put the lower Maple table tops together in such a way that the mineral streaking present in the panels was arranged in a central band that flowed from one end around to the other:
Close up of the short side of the desk, complete:
And here’s how the inside table frame connection worked out at the turn, viewed from below:
The central grill panel can now be installed:
In goes the turning section cap rail, which keeps the grill in place:
Viewed from the front, middle section component install now complete:
And now the cap rail goes in on the long side, along with the tracks:
A little more tweaking:
Now the Wenge splines can be fitted to lock the cap rail sections together at the turns:
And then the splines are trimmed:
Tenons needed a little tiddling up:
This is how the desk looked at the end of the second day of assembly:
At this point, the desk was usable, and I went back to my shop to complete work on the sliding doors. That installation, the fifth and final part of this series, will be posted soon.
When the receptionist came in the next day and saw her new desk, she felt bad that she had been grumpy towards me earlier, and apologized. One thing I have learned is that people don’t usually remember a late delivery, only a bad one.
On to post V